6th Grade

Grade Level Key Themes

Physical and Human Systems

Students in grade 6 use latitude and longitude to determine location, climate zones, and time zones. They compare and contrast physical and political boundaries on maps and globes to describe how physical features, climate, and accessibility to outsiders and resources affected the development of civilizations, empires, and kingdoms. They also explain how human achievements and systems (i.e., agriculture and irrigation, political boundaries, development of permanent settlements, and trade) impact the environment, including the depletion of resources.

Migration and Settlement

Students in grade 6 understand that physical features, climate, famine, war, trade, and slavery affected the movement and settlement of people throughout world history. Students use maps, charts, and graphs to determine world migrations patterns and population trends and then explain the historical and social impact of the cultural diffusion associated with these migration patterns.

Economics and Trade

Students in grade 6 understand how the progression from barter to monetary exchange, job specialization, and trade and taxation influenced economic growth in the ancient world and led to the development of advanced societies. They describe economic achievements of early humans and ancient river civilizations and identify how economic motivations (i.e., trade and taxation of salt, gold, spices, and silk and access to fertile land) influenced territorial conquests and also led to the success of West African kingdoms and Chinese dynasties. They also describe how feudalism, trade, and commerce led to the growth of towns and cities during the Middle Ages.

Politics and Governance

Students in grade 6 compare the different types of government in history (i.e., pharaoh, empire, dynasty, monarchy, democracy, republic, and feudalism) and their impact on the success of early civilizations, empires, and kingdoms. They also describe the essential elements of the Greek city-state and the Roman Republic and explain how each influenced the development of democracy.

Society and Culture

Students in grade 6 describe the origins of ideas and beliefs, including the major world religions, and explain how they spread to new areas and developed through trade in West African kingdoms and Chinese dynasties and Alexander the Great’s conquests. They also describe the cultural characteristics and achievements of the ancient river civilizations, Athens and Sparta, and Roman civilization and their influence on later cultures. Lastly, students explain the significance and influences of feudalism and the Crusades on culture in the Middle Ages and then examine how people and ideas transformed European culture during the Renaissance.

Conflict and Compromise

Students in grade 6 understand that world conflict and territorial conquests played a crucial role in the development of nations and the spread of cultures, ideas, and religions. They examine the causes and effects of various world conflicts (i.e., Alexander the Great’s conquests, the expansion of the Roman Empire, and the Crusades) and explain whether defeat or diplomacy provided the resolution to each.

Continuity and Change

Students in grade 6 understand how social, cultural, political, and economic changes led to the development and advancement of various civilizations, empires, and kingdoms throughout world history. They explain the impact of innovations (i.e., the development of permanent settlements, irrigation, agricultural improvements and tool development, job specialization, transportation, leisure time, luxury items/art/books, education, machines, and infrastructure) on the development of ancient river civilizations, West African kingdoms, Chinese dynasties, and Greek and Roman civilizations. Students also examine the evolution of world religions as they encountered new cultures and ideas

Grade Level Standards

History

Standard 1: Historical Thinking Skills

Students use historical thinking skills to examine the ancient world and its influence on the development of modern civilization.

6.1.1 Produce clear and coherent writing for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences by completing the following tasks:
6.1.2 Construct and interpret a parallel timeline of key events in the ancient world
6.1.3 Analyze information in primary and secondary sources to address document-based questions
6.1.4 Identify and compare measurements of time in order to understand historical chronology

Standard 2: Key Events, Ideas, and People

Students examine key historical events, ideas, and people that contributed to the growth of civilizations from ancient times through the Middle Ages and led to the development of the modern world.

6.2.1 Analyze the relationship between geographical features and early settlement patterns using maps and globes
6.2.2 Examine how the achievements of early humans led to the development of civilization
6.2.3 Describe the characteristics and achievements of the ancient river civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China
6.2.4 Describe the development of the Greek city-state, the culture and achievements of Athens and Sparta, and the impact of Alexander the Great’s conquests on the spread of Greek culture
6.2.5 Describe the characteristics of Roman civilization; its cultural, political, and technological achievements; and its influence on other later cultures
6.2.6 Analyze the origin and spread of major world religions as they developed throughout history
6.2.7 Summarize key features of ancient West African kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, and Songhai)
6.2.8 Identify key characteristics of Chinese dynasties’ political, economic, and social structures
6.2.9 Describe the characteristics, significance, and influences of feudalism, the Crusades, and the growth of towns and cities through trade and commerce during the Middle Ages
6.2.10 Examine the significance of the people and ideas that influenced the Renaissance in Europe

Geography

Standard 3: Geography Skills

Students examine the major physical and political features that influenced world history using maps, charts, graphs, and tools of technology.

6.3.1 Identify and label major lines of latitude and longitude using a world map or globe to determine climate zones and time zones
6.3.2 Plot coordinates of latitude and longitude to determine location or change of location
6.3.3 Compare and contrast physical and political boundaries of civilizations, empires, and kingdoms using maps and globes
6.3.4 Determine world migration patterns and population trends by interpreting maps, charts, and graphs

Standard 4: Culture and Environment

Students identify and analyze the influence of the environment on migration, cultural diffusion, and human settlement in world history.

6.4.1 Identify and describe physical features and climate conditions that contributed to early human settlement in regions of the world
6.4.2 Explain how world migration patterns and cultural diffusion influenced human settlement
6.4.3 Explain the connection between physical geography and its influence on the development of civilization

Civics

Standard 5: Government: Foundation and Structure

Students examine the influence of the structure, function, and origin of democracy.

6.5.1 Describe the essential elements of Greek city-state government that influenced the development of democracy
6.5.2 Describe the government of the Roman Republic and how it influenced the development of democracy

Economics

Standard 6: Resources and Interdependence

Students explain how resources and interdependence influenced economic growth in the ancient world.

6.6.1 Explain the impact of job specialization in the development of civilizations
6.6.2 Analyze the progression from barter exchange to monetary exchange
6.6.3 Describe the economic motivation for expanding trade and territorial conquests in world civilizations using economic concepts
6.6.4 Explain how the development of trade and taxation influenced economic growth in the ancient world