6th Grade Social Studies Unit 2

Big Idea:

Investigate how scarcity of resources influence a region, explain what a culture region is and how religion might affect a region.

Student Expectations:

Priority TEKS

6.5(A) [Supporting] Identify and explain the geographic factors responsible for the location of economic activities in places and regions

6.5(B) [Readiness] Identify geographic factors such as location, physical features, transportation corridors and barriers, and distribution of natural resources that influence a society’s ability to control territory

6.10(B) [Readiness] Describe levels of economic development of various societies, using indicators such as life expectancy, gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, and literacy

6.19(A) [Supporting] Explain the relationship among religious ideas, philosophical ideas, and cultures

6.19(B) [Supporting] Explain the significance of religious holidays and observances such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, the annual hajj, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and Vaisakhi in various contemporary societies

Focus TEKS

6.1(B) [Supporting] Analyze the historical background of various contemporary societies to evaluate relationships between past conflicts and current conditions

6.2(A) [Supporting] Identify and describe the influence of individual or group achievement on various historical and contemporary societies such as the classical Greeks on government and the American Revolution on the French Revolution

6.4(C) [Readiness] Explain ways in which human migration influences the character of places and regions

6.4(D) [Readiness] Identify and locate major physical and human geographic features such as landforms, water bodies, and urban centers of various places and regions

6.4(E) [Supporting] Draw sketch maps that illustrate various places and regions

6.4(F) [Readiness] Identify the location of major world such as Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Iran, India, Pakistan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), North and South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia

6.6(C) [Supporting] Analyze the effects of the interaction of physical processes and the environment on humans

6.7(A) [Readiness] Identify and analyze ways people have adapted to the physical environment in various places and regions

6.8(B) [Supporting] Identify problems and issues that might arise when one or more of the factors of production is in relatively short supply

6.9(A) [Readiness] Compare ways in which various societies organize the production and distribution of goods and services

6.9(D) [Supporting] Examine the record of collective, non-free market economic systems in contemporary world societies

6.11(A) [Readiness] Identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments such as constitutional (limited) and totalitarian (unlimited)

6.11(C) [Supporting] Identify reasons for limiting the power of government

6.12(B) [Supporting] Compare ways in which various societies such as China, Germany, India, and Russia organize government and how they function

6.14(A) [Readiness] Identify and explain the duty of civic participation in societies with representative governments

6.14(B) [Supporting] Explain relationships among rights, responsibilities and duties in societies with representative governments

6.16(B) [Supporting] Compare characteristics of institutions in various contemporary societies

6.16(C) [Supporting] Analyze the efforts and activities institutions use to sustain themselves over time such as the development of an informed citizenry through education and the use of monumental architecture by religious institutions

6.17(A) [Readiness] Identify and describe how culture traits such as trade, travel, and war spread

6.17(D) [Readiness] Identify and define the impact of cultural diffusion on individuals and world societies

6.17(E) [Supporting] Identify examples of positive and negative effects of cultural diffusion

6.18(A) [Supporting] Explain the relationships that exist between societies and their architecture, art, music, and literature

6.18(B) [Supporting] Relate ways in which contemporary expressions of culture have been influenced by the past

6.18(C) [Supporting] Describe ways in which contemporary issues influence creative expressions

6.18(D) [Supporting] Identify examples of art, music, and literature that have transcended the boundaries of societies and convey universal themes such as religion, justice, and the passage of time

6.20(A) [Readiness] Give examples of scientific discoveries and technological innovations, including the roles of scientists and inventors, that have transcended the boundaries of societies and have shaped the world

Ongoing TEKS

6.2(B) [Readiness] Evaluate the social, political, economic and cultural contributions of individuals and groups from various societies, past and present

6.3(A) [Readiness] The student will pose and answer geographic questions, including: Where is it located? Why is it there? What is significant about its location? How is its location related to the location of other people, places, and environments?

6.3(B) [Supporting] Pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns for various world regions and countries shown on maps, charts, models and databases

6.3(C) [Readiness] Compare various world regions and countries using data from geographic tools, including maps, graphs, charts, databases, and models

6.3(D) [Readiness] Create thematic maps, graphs, models and databases depicting aspects such as population, disease, and economic activities of various world regions and countries

6.4(A) [Supporting] – locate various contemporary societies on maps and globes using latitude and longitude to determine absolute location

6.4(B) [Readiness] Identify and explain the geographic factors for patterns of population in places and regions

6.7(A) [Readiness] Identify and analyze ways people have adapted to the physical environment in various places and regions

6.9(A) [Readiness] Compare ways in which various societies organize the production and distribution of goods and services

6.11(A) [Readiness] Identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments such as constitutional (limited) and totalitarian (unlimited)

6.11(B) [Supporting] Compare the characteristics of limited and unlimited governments

6.11(C) [Readiness] Identify reasons for limiting the power of government

6.12(A) [Readiness] Identify and give examples of governments with rule by one, few, or many

6.15(A) [Readiness] Define culture and the common traits that unify a culture region

6.15(B) [Supporting] Identify and describe common traits that define cultures

6.15(E) [Readiness] Analyze the similarities and differences among various world societies

6.15(F) [Supporting] Identify and explain examples of conflict and cooperation between and among cultures

6.16(A) [Readiness] Identify institutions basic to all societies, including government, economic, educational, and religious institutions

6.21(A) [Tools to Know] Differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software; interviews; biographies; oral, print and visual materials; and artifacts to acquire information about various world cultures

6.21(B) [Ways to Show] Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusion

6.21(C) [Ways to Show] Organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps

6.21(D) [Ways to Show] Identify different points of view about an issue or current topic

6.21(E) [Ways to Show] Identify the elements of frame of reference that influenced participants in an event

6.21(F) Use appropriate mathematical skills to interpret social studies information such as maps and graphs

6.22(A) Use social studies terminology correctly

6.22(B) [Ways to Show] Incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication based on research

6.22(C) [Ways to Show] Express ideas orally based on research and experiences

6.22(D) [Ways to Show] Create written and visual materials such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies based on research

6.22(E) [Ways to Show] Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation

6.22(F) [Tools to Know] Use proper citations to avoid plagiarism

6.23(A) [Tools to Know] Use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement and solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution

6.23(B) [Tools to Know] Use a decision making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision

Student Learning Targets:

• I will explain the significance or contributions of individuals and groups, including Ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Hammurabi's Code, number systems, calendars, and irrigation systems.
• I will explain how the history of the region influences the Middle East today, such as the formation of Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
• I will analyze the major geographical features of the region, including rivers and deserts.
• I will locate major historical and modern societies on a map, such as Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
• I will explain the importance of rivers in the economic development of the region, including the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates.
• I will explain how people of the region have interacted with the physical environment, such as irrigation systems, Aswan High Dam, and Suez Canal.
• I will explain (write) the impact of scarcity of resources, such as oil and food, on international trade and global interdependence.
• I will identify examples of limited and unlimited governments in the region, including recent changes.
• I will compare characteristics of the major religions of the region: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
• I will evaluate how cultural diffusion and cultural borrowing affects world cultures.
• I will explain the significance of religious holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah.
• I will design and draw appropriate graphics such as maps, diagrams, tables, and graphs to communicate geographic features, distributions, and relationships
• I will use this unit's vocabulary words correctly.

Essential Questions:

• Which three religions came out of the SW Asia region and what do they have in common?
• Which natural resource is abundant in the SW Asia region and how has it shaped culture and economics in the region?
• What does northern Africa share with SW Asia?

Extra Information:

Adopted Textbook: Contemporary World Studies - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

District Grading Policy

Texas Gateway Online Resource Center