World History and Geography: Foundations of Civilization

Students in grade six expand their understanding of history by studying the people and events that ushered in the dawn of the major Western and non-Western ancient civilizations. Geography is of special significance in the development of the human story. Continued emphasis is placed on the everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of people, their role in developing social, economic, and political structures, as well as in establishing and spreading ideas that helped transform the world forever. Students develop higher levels of critical thinking by considering why civilizations developed where and when they did, why they became dominant, and why they declined. Students analyze the interactions among the various cultures, emphasizing their enduring contributions and the link, despite time, between the contemporary and ancient worlds.

STANDARD 1:
Archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution.

• Describe the hunter-gatherer societies, including the development of tools and the use of fire
• Identify the locations of human communities that populated the major regions of the world and describe how humans adapted to a variety of environments
• Discuss the climatic changes and human modifications of the physical environment that gave rise to the domestication of plants and animals and new sources of clothing and shelter
• Explain the interaction between the environment and the daily life of prehistoric peoples

A sample of a specific activity:

After studying about the progression from hunting-gathering to farming, the student will construct a chart comparing the positive and negative effects of agricultural life to hunting-gathering.  The student will include references to types of tools being used, types of shelter available, and daily life in making the comparison.  Students will participate in a class discussion focusing on the question:  Did the emergence of agriculture represent an advance in human social development?  Preparation includes making notes of comments in advance of class.

STANDARD 2:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of the river valleys in Mesopotamia.

• Locate and describe the major river systems and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement and early civilizations
• Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power
• List the defining characteristics of a 'civilization'
• Locate Mesopatamia and explain why it was called the 'fertile crescent'
• Describe the cultural and technological accomplishments of the Sumerians
• Know the significance of Hammurabi's Code
• Describe the daily life of Sumer and the roles of its citizens

A sample of a specific activity:

In groups, students create skits to illustrate the daily life in Sumer.  Each student tole-plays a character such as ruler, priest, artisan, warrior, scribe, farmer, merchant, slave, mother, or father.  Characters explain why they are important to the overall structure of society, and how they contribute to the society as a whole.  Students in the audience use diagrams or charts to capture the social structure of Sumer as depicted in each skit.

STANDARD 3:
Understand the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Africa in Egypt and Kush.

• Locate the Nile river and describe its importance to the people of the area
• Explain the political and social structure of Egypt
• Explain the belief system of the ancient Egyptians, and understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Egypt
• Know the significance of Hammurabi's Code
• Discuss the main features of Egyptian art and architecture
• Describe the role of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile valley
• Locate Kush and describe its political, commercial, and cultural relations with Egypt
• Trace the evolution of language and its written forms.

A sample of a specific activity:

The students are given a map showing the location of the civilizations of the Egyptians and the Kushites.  The students choose one civilization shown and write and essay explaining what ways geography influenced the development of that civilization.  The essay will include achievements of that civilization, how the river influenced the development of that civilization, and why these achievements are important today.

STANDARD 4:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the Ancient Hebrews.

• Describe the origins and significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion
• Identify the sources of the ethical teachings and central beliefs of Judaism 
• Examine the ancient Hebrew's concepts of wisdom, righteousness, law, and justice
• Describe how the ideas of the Hebrew traditions are reflected in the moral and ethical traditions of Western civilization
• Discuss the locations of the settlements and movements of Hebrew peoples, including the Exodus and the Diaspora

A sample of a specific activity:

STANDARD 5:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Ancient Greece.

• Discuss the connections between geography and the development of city-states in the region of the Aegean Sea
• Explain the concepts of democracy derived from Athens that have influenced modern civilization, including the significance of the invention of the idea of citizenship and the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy
• Explain the significance of Greek mythology to the everyday life of people in the region and how Greek literature continues to permeate our literature and language today
• Outline the founding, expansion, and political organization of the Persian Empire
• Compare and contrast life in Athens and Sparta
• Trace the rise of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture eastward and into Egypt
• Describe the enduring contributions of important Greek figures in the arts and sciences

A sample of a specific activity:

Students study examples of Greek art and architecture from photographs, drawings, and the internet.  Orally or in written form, students explain how the images reflect daily life in ancient Greece.  They should include in their descriptions, where appropriate, references to Greek mythology, such as gods and goddesses depicted in statues and the nature of art reflecting a culture.

STANDARD 6:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of India.

• Locate and describe the major river system and discuss the physical setting that supported the rise to the development of civilization
• Explain the major beliefs and practices of Brahmanism in India and how they evolved into early Hinduism
• Outline the social structure of the caste system
• Know the life and moral teachings of Buddha and how Buddhism spread in India, Ceylon, and Central Asia
• Understand the achievements of Emperor Asoka and his contributions to the expansion of Buddhism and the unification of India
• Discuss important aesthetic and intellectual traditions of Indian civilization 

A sample of a specific activity:

Having viewed art prints and read literature reflecting Siddhartha Gautama's life, students choose a phase of his life and explain the significance of the event to the overall teachings of Buddhism.

STANDARD 7:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of China.

• Locate and describe the origins of Chinese civilization in the Huang-He Valley during the Shang Dynasty.
• Explain the geographic features of China that made governance and the spread of ideas and goods difficult and served to isolate the country from the rest of the world
• Know about the life of Confucius and the fundamental teachings of Confucianism and Taoism
• Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty to the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and the expansion of the empire
• Demonstrate an understanding of government, education, cultural achievements, daily life, and social structure during the Han Dynasty
• Cite the significance of the trans-Eurasian "silk roads" in the period of the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire and their locations

A sample of a specific activity:

After reading the novel The Weaving of the Dream by Merilee Heyer, the students will collaborate with peers to identify Confucian teachings reflected in the story.  The student will then independently read a different Chinese tale or fable and write a short essay summarizing the story and explaining how Confucian beliefs are exemplified in it.

STANDARD 8:
Compare and contrast the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the Meso-American and Andean civilizations.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the daily lives and belief systems of Mesoamerica prior to contact with Europe
• Study the roles of people in each society, including class structures, family life, warfare, religious beliefs and practices, and slavery
• Describe the artistic and oral traditions and architecture in the three civilizations
• Describe the Meso-American achievements in astronomy and mathematics, including the development of the calendar and the Meso-American knowledge of seasonal changes to the civilizations' agricultural systems

A sample of a specific activity:

Students create comparative timelines showing the origins and development of Mayan, Incan, and Aztec cultures and comparing them to developments in Europe, Africa, and Asia.  The timelines should be factual, accurate, and coded so that the different civilizations are discernable to readers.

STANDARD 9:
The geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures during the development of the Roman Republic and the spread of the Roman Empire.

• Identify the location and describe the rise of the Roman Republic
• Describe the government of the Roman Republic and its significance
• Describe everyday life in Roman society
• Discuss the influence of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome's transition from republic to empire.
• Map and identify the political and geographic reasons for the growth of Roman territories and expansion of the empire
• Explain how the Roman Empire fostered economic growth through the use of currency and trade routes
• Describe the artistic, technological, and literary achievements of the Romans
• Note the origins of Christianity, its distinguishing beliefs, and the central teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
• Describe the circumstances that led to the spread of Christianity in Europe and other Roman territories
• Discuss the legacies of Roman politics and law, art and architecture, technology and science, literature and language, on Western Civilization

A sample of a specific activity:

Cooperatively, students draw on historical information to produce a mock newspaper of the time focusing on the life and death of Julius Caesar.  Each student is responsible for an article depicting a portion of Caesar's life or reporting the impact of his rule on the eventual establishment of an imperial form of government.  The article is well organized, shows an understanding of Caesar's life and times, and shows cause and effect relationships between Caesar's dictatorship and subsequent civil war and authoritarian government.