About This Course

We Are Going to Build a Country!

During this course we will look at the formation of ancient civilizations and see how geography affected their creations, politics, economics, formation of religions, ect. Together we will form essential skills for analyzing, comparing, and explaining information and data.

Overview

Students will focus heavily on the discipline of geography to understand the emergence, expansion, and decline of civilizations and societies in the ancient world. Students will take a systematic look at the history and culture of various world regions including the development of economic, political and social systems through the lens of change and continuity. As students examine the various factors that shaped the development of civilizations, societies, and regions in the ancient world, they will examine both similarities and differences among these areas. A conscious effort should be made to integrate various civilizations, societies, and regions from every continent throughout the semester/year. During this study, students will learn to recognize and interpret the “lessons of history;” those transferable understandings that are supported throughout time by recurring themes and issues. The standards are organized around five strands and these strands should not be taught in isolation, but woven together in an integrated study that helps students better understand the ancient world.


Unit 1: Think Like A Historian

The Thinking Like a Historian unit allows sixth-grade students to develop the skills needed to evaluate multiple historical perspectives and draw conclusions on how ancient civilizations emerged, expanded and declined. Students will learn about primary and secondary sources, creating and reading timelines and maps, basic geographic knowledge and the importance of studying history. These skills will prepare them for the remainder of the course

NC Standards

  • 6.G.2.1 Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and available technology tools to draw conclusions about the emergence, expansion and decline of civilizations, societies and regions.

  • 6.G.2.2 Construct maps, charts and graphs to explain data about geographic phenomena. (e.g., migration patterns and population and resource distribution patterns).

  • 6.H.1.1 Construct charts, graphs and historical narratives to explain particular events or issues over time.

  • 6.H.1.2 Summarize the literal meaning of historical documents in order to establish context.

  • 6.H.1.3 Use primary and secondary sources to interpret various historical perspectives.


Unit 2: Geography

The Geography unit introduces students to physical features of our world and the effect the natural world had on the emergence and expansion of civilizations. Students will learn the different ways humans have interacted with the environment in order to build thriving societies.

NC Standards

  • 6.G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human characteristics of a place influenced the development of civilizations, societies and regions.

  • 6.G.1.2 Explain factors that influenced the movement of people, goods and ideas and the effects of that movement on societies and regions over time.

  • 6.G.1.3 Compare distinguishing characteristics of various world regions.

  • 6.G.1.4 Explain how and why civilizations, societies and regions have used, modified and adapted to their environments.


Unit 3: Religion

The Religion unit introduces students to the basic beliefs and practices of people from the past through today. Students will learn about religions that are no longer practiced as well as some of the major world religions and philosophies still followed today, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Students will learn about how religion transformed ancient societies and the implications these impacts have on our world today.

NC Standards

  • 6.C.1.2 Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions (e.g., beliefs, practices and spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism).

  • 6.H.2.1 Explain how invasions, conquests and migrations affected various civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., Mongol invasion, The Crusades, the Peopling of the Americas and Alexander the Great).

  • 6.H.2.2 Compare historical and contemporary events and issues to understand continuity and change.

  • 6.H.2.4 Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society (e.g., Mansa Musa, Confucius, Charlemagne and Qin Shi Huangdi).



Unit 4: Achievements

The Achievements unit introduces students to the many achievements, advancements and innovations in ancient civilizations and societies. Students will analyze how achievements in writing, architecture, infrastructure, science, arts and literature reflected the cultural values of ancient civilizations. Students will also be able to draw conclusions about how these achievements, advancements and innovations have impacted the world today.

NC Standards

  • 6.C.1.1 Analyze how cultural expressions reflected the values of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., oral traditions, art, dance, music, literature, and architecture).

  • 6.H.2.2 Compare historical and contemporary events and issues to understand continuity and change.

  • 6.H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies and regions over time (e.g., agricultural technology, weaponry, transportation and communication).



Unit 5: Politics

The Politics unit introduces students to the various forms of government that have emerged in our world throughout time. As students study the ways a government can be structured to serve the people, they will analyze the requirements, rights and responsibilities of citizens within those forms of government. In addition, students will spend time reviewing legal codes from the ancient world to determine how laws have changed over time.

NC Standards

C&G.1.1 Explain the origins and structures of various governmental systems.

C&G.1.2 Summarize the ideas that shaped political thought in various civilizations, societies and regions.

C&G.1.3 Compare the requirements for and responsibilities of citizenship under various governments.

C&G.1.4 Compare the role and evolution of laws and legal systems in various civilizations, societies and regions.



Unit 6: Economics

The Economics unit introduces students to the different types of economic systems that have emerged throughout civilizations. Students will analyze how access to resources impacts a civilization’s economic stability and trade networks. Students will learn that the need for resources has led to compromises and conflicts throughout time. Students will also be able to determine how trade networks affect the quality of life for people within a society.

NC Standards

  • 6. E.1.1 Explain how conflict, compromise and negotiation over the availability of resources (i.e. natural, human and capital) impacted the economic development of various civilizations, societies and regions.

  • 6.E.1.2 Explain how quality of life is impacted by economic choices of civilizations, societies and regions.



Unit 7: Social Structures

The Social Structures unit introduces students to the roles of people within societies and how those roles impacted their daily lives. Students will analyze social structures from various ancient civilizations to determine the effect social class has on a person’s political and economic power. They will also determine how the hierarchies found within ancient societies represented the beliefs and values of people within each civilization.

NC Standards

  • 6.C.1.3 Summarize systems of social structures within various civilizations and societies over time.

Unit 8: Decline of Civilization

The Decline unit introduces students to factors that led to the decline of ancient civilizations. Students will analyze geographic, economic and political factors that played a part in the fall of ancient societies. During this time, students will also learn about specific historical figures and groups that have impacted the decline of civilizations.

NC Standards

  • 6.H.2.1 Explain how invasions, conquests and migrations affected various civilizations, societies and regions.

  • 6.G.2.1 Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and available technology tools to draw conclusions about the emergence, expansion and decline of civilizations, societies and regions.


Unit 9: Middle Ages, Reformation, the Renaissance

The Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation unit introduces students to the political, economic and social factors that brought about the beginning of the Middle Ages and ways that these factors also contributed to the end of the Middle Ages. Students will also study how the movement of people, goods and ideas helped introduce new innovations that led to the Renaissance and Reformation.

NC Standards

  • 6.C.1.2 Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations, and regions.

  • 6.C.1.3 Summarize systems of social structures within various civilizations and societies over time.

  • 6.G.1.2 Explain factors that influenced the movement of people, goods and ideas and the effects of that movement on societies and regions over time.

  • 6.H.2.4 Explain the role that key historical figures and cultural groups had in transforming society.

  • 6.H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies and regions over time.