G.R.A.P.E.S.

The GRAPES acronym stands for geography, religion, achievement, politics, economics, and social structure. These concepts are the anchor of our social studies learning this year. Our goal is to understand the GRAPES of each civilization we study.

GEOGRAPHY

Continents and Oceans Game

Click the button above to play a game

The study of the earth is called geography. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth’s surface and the human societies spread across it.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY: Study of the earth’s surface such as the continents and oceans

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY: The study of how a people’s culture, economy, politics, and society relate to their environment.

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT GEOGRAPHY

What were some of the key geographical features or land forms in this area?
What resources were available for clothing, building and trade?
Was the civilization isolated, or was it open to cultural exchange or invasion?
How were people affected by the environment, and how did they shape the environment?

RELIGION

Religion is a set of beliefs that help answer life’s questions about why we are here on Earth, what happens after we die, what is moral, and what is holy. Those beliefs can help people understand the world around them. Learning about other faiths can help us to understand better, and improve our relationships with, people of those faiths.

TED TALK: 5 Major World Religions Overview

Crash Course Sociology Episode on Religion

Explore religious beliefs around the world through an interactive map

The interactive opens to show a map that displays the religions that are the most prevalent in each country around the world. You may then click on one of eight religious groupings listed in the menu to examine its relative popularity in each country. The map features brief descriptions of each religious grouping and bar graphs that reflect the percentage of a country’s population associated with each grouping. The religious groupings are (in alphabetical order) Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, indigenous religions, Islam, Judaism, non-religious people, and other religions. This resource is part of the Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler Collection.

To launch the interactive map click the button below

World Religions Map

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT RELIGION

What were the rules people believed they should live by?
What factors contributed to the development of this religion or belief system?
How did these religious ideas affect different aspects of daily life?

achievements

Achievements are a society's lasting contributions in different fields such as art, architecture, language, engineering, inventions, etc.

Costs of Important Landmarks

Human Achievements

Interesting Country Facts

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT ACHIEVEMENTS

What things were created to last?
What was the significance of these achievements?
Which ideas, if any, still affect our lives today?

POLITICS

Politics can be defined as the major social institution by which society organizes decision-making and distributes power and resources. It can include things like the government, political parties, social movements, voting, laws, etc.

CRASH COURSE SOCIOLOGY: Episode 30--Politics

TED TALK: How to Understand Power

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT Politics

Who had power, and how was it used?
How did those with power keep it or lose it?
How are the political structures of today similar or different from those of this civilization?

economy

Economics is the social science which studies economic activity: how people make choices to get what they want. It has been defined as "the study of scarcity and choice" and is basically about individual choice. It also studies what affects the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in an economy.

CRASH COURSE SOCIOLOGY: Economic Systems

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT Economics

What economic practices did this civilization engage in?
To what extent was their economy local? Global?
What were the key products/items that this civilization created, grew, or traded?
How did the economy relate to the geography of the area/civilization?

social structures

Social structures deals with the different levels or classes in a society.

QUESTIONS WE CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT Social Structures

Why did these social structures exist?
Who benefited and who was harmed by these social structures?
How did the social structure connect this civilization’s religion, politics, and economics?

CRASH COURSE SOCIOLOGY: Social Stratification

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