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Grade 6: Unit 2 Social Studies Curriculum Grade 6: Unit 2 1 Course Description The goal for 6th grade World History I students is to refresh their knowledge and understanding of fundamental geography concepts. Students will also need to acquire the core analytical skills necessary to apply the methods of historical inquiry using primary and secondary sources. With these fundamentals in place students will study the political, economic, cultural, religious, and technological changes that occurred in the ancient world. Units will include: prehistory and early man through the Neolithic Era, Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, who are considered to be amongst the world’s earliest river civilizations, and lastly Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, who are thought to have greatly influenced Western civilization. 2 Pacing Guide Unit Topic Suggested Timing Unit 1 World Geography and Human Origins 7 Unit 2 Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent 7 Unit 3 Ancient Egypt, Kush and Phoenicia 7 Unit 4 Ancient Greece 7 Unit 5 Ancient Roman Republic and Empire 8 3 Educational Technology Standards 8.1.8.A.2, 8.1.8.A.3, 8.1.8.B.1, 8.1.8.D.2 Technology Operations and Concepts Create a document using one or more digital applications to be critiqued by professionals for usability. Example of Use: Using digital tools create a map of the Fertile Crescent. Use and/or develop a simulation that provides an environment to solve a real world problem or theory. Example of Use: Political and Historical Maps: Use digital maps to label important modern and historical areas in Middle East region. Creativity and Innovation Synthesize and publish information about a local or global issue or event. Example of Use: Create an essay on the modern effects of technology developed in Ancient Mesoptamia. Digital Citizenship Demonstrate the application of appropriate citations to digital content. Example of Use: Create a bibliography for your essay on Ancient Mesopotamian technology. In the bibliography include citations for websites, videos and other digital content. 3 Career Ready Practices Career Ready Practices describe the career-ready skills that all educators in all content areas should seek to develop in their students. They are practices that have been linked to increase college, career, and life success. Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in all career exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study. CRP5. Consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of decisions. Career-ready individuals understand the interrelated nature of their actions and regularly make decisions that positively impact and/or mitigate negative impact on other people, organization, and the environment. They are aware of and utilize new technologies, understandings, procedures, materials, and regulations affecting the nature of their work as it relates to the impact on the social condition, the environment and the profitability of the organization. Example of Use: students will analyze the Standard of Ur to learn what is says about daily life of Sumerian people. CRP6. Demonstrate creativity and innovation. Career-ready individuals regularly think of ideas that solve problems in new and different ways, and they contribute those ideas in a useful and productive manner to improve their organization. They can consider unconventional ideas and suggestions as solutions to issues, tasks or problems, and they discern which ideas and suggestions will add greatest value. They seek new methods, practices, and ideas from a variety of sources and seek to apply those ideas to their own workplace. They take action on their ideas and understand how to bring innovation to an organization. Example of Use: Create an advertisement to sell a Mesopotamian technology instrumental in the growth of their civilization. Career Ready Practices CRP7. Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies. They use reliable research process to search for new information. They evaluate the validity of sources when considering the use and adoption of external information or practices in their workplace situation. Example of Use: Research Mesopotamian Cities, use text and videos to help, list geographic characteristics of three Mesopotamian cities. CRP12. Work productively in teams while using cultural global competence. Career-ready individuals positively contribute to every team, whether formal or informal. They apply an awareness of cultural difference to avoid barriers to productive and positive interaction. They find ways to increase the engagement and contribution of all team members. They plan and facilitate effective team meetings Example of use: You be the Judge Hammurabi’s Code Lesson Phillip Martin website: Small student groups rotate to 8 situations Hammurabi faced and try to decide how to achieve justice. Differentiated Instruction Time/General AccommodateProcessing Based on Students IndividualComprehension Needs: Strategies Recall Extra time for assigned Extra Response time Precise step-by-step Teacher-made checklist tasks Have students verbalize directions Use visual graphic Adjust length of assignment steps Short manageable tasks organizers Timeline with due dates for Repeat, clarify or reword Brief and concrete Reference resources to reports and projects directions directions promote independence Communication system between home and school Mini-breaks between tasks Provide immediate Visual and verbal Provide lecture Provide a warning for feedback reminders notes/outline transitions Small group instruction Graphic organizers Reading partners Emphasize multi-sensory learning Assistive Technology Tests/Quizzes/Grading Behavior/Attention Organization Computer/whiteboard Extended time Consistent daily Individual daily planner Tape recorder Study guides structured routine Display a written agenda Spell-checker Shortened tests Simple and clear Note-taking assistance Audio-taped books Read directions al classroom rules Color code materials oud Frequent feedback Differentiated Instruction Accommodate Based on Students’ Individual Needs: Leveled Text Chunking text Choice Board Cubing Socratic Seminar Tiered Instruction Small group instruction Sentence starters/frames Writing scaffolds Tangible items/pictures (i.e., to facilitate vocabulary acquisition) Tiered learning stations Tiered questioning Data-driven student partnerships Enrichment Accommodate Based on Students Individual Needs: Strategies Adaption of Material and Requirements Evaluate Vocabulary Elevated Text Complexity Additional Projects Independent Student Options Projects completed individual or with Partners Self-Selection of Research Tiered/Multilevel Activities Learning Centers Individual Response Board Independent Book Studies Open-ended activities Community/Subject expert mentorships Assessments Suggested Formative/Summative Classroom Assessments Timelines, Maps, Charts, Graphic Organizers Unit Assessments, Chapter Assessments, Quizzes DBQ, Essays, Short Answer Accountable Talk, Debate, Oral Report, Role Playing, Think Pair, and Share Projects, Portfolio, Presentations, Prezi, Gallery Walks Homework Concept Mapping Primary and Secondary Source analysis Photo, Video, Political Cartoon, Radio, Song Analysis Create an Original Song, Film, or Poem Glogster to make Electronic Posters Tumblr to create a Blog 7 New Jersey Student Learning Standards By the end of Grade 8 6.2 World History/Global Studies All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically and systematically about how past interactions of people, cultures, and the environment affect issues across time and cultures. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions as socially and ethically responsible world citizens in the 21st century. A.Civics, Government, and Human Rights 6.2.8.A.2.a: Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. 6.2.8.A.2.b: Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. 6.2.8.A.2.c: Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. B. Geography, People, and the Environment 6.2.8.B.2.a: Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. 6.2.8.B.2.b: Compare and contrast physical and political maps of ancient river valley civilizations and their modern counterparts (i.e., Mesopotamia and Iraq; Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt; Indus River Valley and Modern Pakistan/India; Ancient China and Modern China), and determine the geopolitical impact of these civilizations, then and now. C. Economics, Innovation, and Technology 6.2.8.C.2.a: Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. D.History, Culture, and Perspectives 6.2.8.D.2.a: Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations. 6.2.8.D.2.b: Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. 6.2.8.D.2.c: Analyze the factors
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