Mesopotamia

Big Question: Was Hammurabi's Code Just?

In this unit on the Mesopotamia, students will use The DBQ Project's curriculum with a collaborative model and Common Core Standards in History to take part in a Socratic Seminar to examine the big question stated above. Students will examine a background essay and five documents to gather evidence for their seminar. All documents will be examined using close reading techniques.

Time Frame two-three weeks.

Culminating activity: Students will take part in Socratic Seminar answering the question, "Was Hammurabi's Code Fair?"

CALIFORNIA HISTORY CONTENT STANDARDS

6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.

6.6.4. Know the Significance of Hammurabi's Code

COMMON CORE READING STANDARDS FOR LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES 6–12

RH 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

RH 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

RH 8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Students were then given 5 historical documents to analyze. The students used close reading technique to read and re-read documents to then answer text dependent questions for each document. After the students answered the text dependent questions individually they were then given a window to fill out a Google Form that contained some of the text dependent questions that focused on the big question. By filling out this form they created a class data pool of information about the documents and the big question.

Then students were able to analyze ALL the text dependent answers and collaborate to collect evidence to prepare for class discussion. Below is the responses to the Google Form in a spreadsheet. I have removed students names from their responses.

The students then used their analysis of the documents and the class constructed knowledge through the data pool of answers to prepare for the Socratic Seminar. Each class was split into three groups to participate in the Socratic Seminar. The first two groups will participate in two sessions of 12-15 students in the inner circle or discussion circle. Both sessions were recorded and posted by period below.

The third group of students took part in a back channels conversation that was recorded on a Google Sheet that was displayed for the class during the conversations and is recorded below.

After the class activity of participating in the Socratic Seminar and discussing the focus question in detail. The students were then asked to debrief and write what they learned, the answers are below.