Grade 6 Unit 1Early Civilizations

Unit Overview

This unit was developed to promote inquiry into the characteristics of civilizations and their subsequent social, political, and economic
development. This unit also explores the ways in which these civilizations relied on and modified their environments to advance their
societies and meet their needs. Students will have the opportunity to apply their learning through simulating the creation of a
civilization and by addressing how civilizations changed to meet their needs.

Overarching Inquiry Question:

How do people within civilizations change to meet their needs?

All units are created to support the Overarching Inquiry Question. Inquiry-Based Learning supports the Profile of the South
Carolina Graduate where students use skills to explore their inquiries related to the content as indicated in the standards instead of
the teacher merely providing the information.

Theme

State Formation, Expansion, and Conflict and Cultural and Intellectual Development, Social Systems

Skills Emphasis at a Glance

Unit 1 Skill Focus: Comparison

Students will compare early civilizations, highlighting similarities among them. Students will use evidence to compare the factors
(environmental and technological) that influenced the initial creation of early civilizations and their eventual change over time

Standard(s)/Indicator(s)

Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the organization and transformation(s) of world civilizations to 550.

6.1CO - Compare the development of social systems among the early river valley civilizations
● distinguish similarities and differences among or between world civilizations

6.1CE - Summarize how environmental factors influenced the interactions within and between early civilizations.
● analyze historical turning points to determine long- and short-term causes and effects

6.1CC - Analyze changes and continuities that influenced the organization and technological advancements of early and classical world
 Grade 6 Unit 1Early Civilizations

civilizations.
● identify theme-based patterns of continuity and change

6.1E - Analyze multiple perspectives on the political, intellectual, and social achievements of classical societies through a variety of
primary and secondary sources.
● utilize different forms of evidence and multiple perspectives to make a claim

I Can Statement(s)

● I can identify common characteristics of civilizations.

● I can determine the roles the environment and technology played in the development of early river valley civilizations.
● I can analyze how early river valley civilizations adapted to meet their needs.

Unit Sequence of Teacher Instructional Practices Instructional Guidance: Instructional Guidance and resources listed below
and Actions Students will Take to answer the are offered as suggestions for educators to assist students in reaching the goals
Overarching Inquiry Question of the proposed sequence.

I can identify common characteristics of 1. Students can respond to these questions via journal entry,
civilizations. AnswerGarden, Google Form, etc. Then the class will discuss possible
answers and with teacher assistance, create an anchor chart or other
1. Pre-assess: Students will begin their method to list the elements of civilization.
investigation of common characteristics of a 2. Have you considered a way to formally assess your students to ensure
civilization by considering these question(s): they understand the components of a civilization? Teachers could
“What factors characterize a civilization?” consider the 3, 2, 1 strategy for this.
How do we know what a civilization is? 3. Teachers should review the article to ensure their students can access
What does it include? Do we live in a the text. Consider scaffolds such as preparing guiding questions or
civilization? How do we know? reading the text as a class based on your students’ needs. If you need
2. Students need to understand these common some additional information about Say, Mean, Matter, visit Literacy
characteristics of civilizations: government, Strategies.
art/architecture, technology, language (oral 4a. Students can answer guided questions to help them develop their
and/or written), social/economic classes, and civilizations. Guided questions could include:
religion/belief systems. -Where will you live?
3. Teachers and students will refer to this article -What systems exist to maintain order? (If anything?)
for “Key Components of Civilization” from -How do individuals contribute to society?
National Geographic and use Say, Mean, -How do people get the items they need?
 Grade 6 Unit 1Early Civilizations

Matter as a strategy to capture the learning -How do you prevent/solve problems in your civilization?
4. Once the elements of civilization are
established, students are tasked with designing 4b. Students will create their civilizations using the information from the
their own civilization. The goal of this pre-assessment. Teachers could consider using the students’ civilizations
assignment is to establish a foundation of as a formative assessment to ensure understanding of the common
knowledge and create a personal connection characteristics of a civilization. As the unit builds, students will revise
to the topic. their civilizations to include a more refined understanding of the common
characteristics of civilizations. Students should be provided with a
checklist that provides guidance in creating their civilizations. They can
create the civilization using formats such as a slide deck, a map of the
civilization, a narrative description, an illustration or method of
teacher/student choice. Teachers could choose to use the revised
assignment as a summative assessment and complete it at the end of the
unit.

I can determine the roles the environment and 5a. There are a variety of ways educators can consider having students
technology played in the development of early explore these civilizations and their characteristics based on the research
river valley civilizations. skills of their students. Teachers are encouraged to work with their ELA
counterpart with this research. A SCDE ELA Unit where students explore
their own past to understand their identity may help students understand
5. Once the elements of civilization are how history helps identify groups of people. The ELA class could offer
established, students begin to research, support with students conducting research and utilizing text features to
explore the ancient river valley civilizations, assist with the gleaning of information needed to conduct this analysis.
and begin to compare them for similarities &
differences. Students should use primary and 5b. Students can study each civilization over numerous days using graphic
secondary sources such as this Khan Academy organizers, focused note taking, field journals, etc. See here for resources
article for this Thought.Co article to on focused note-taking.
investigate their assigned topic.
5c. Students can study one civilization and share information with their
peers through a jigsaw. Teachers could create a listening guide that
requires students to evaluate each civilization’s efficacy.

5d. Students can study one characteristic of civilizations by examining

this thread across all of the river valley civilizations and share information
with their peers through a jigsaw. Teachers could create a listening guide
 Grade 6 Unit 1Early Civilizations

that requires students to evaluate each civilization’s efficacy.

I can determine the roles the environment and

technology played in the development of early
river valley civilizations. 6a. Presentations can include posters, slide decks, or other methods of
teacher/student choice.
6. Students will create a presentation that
evaluates one element of civilization for all 6b. For backchannel alternatives, teachers could use a placemat model that
societies. For example, one group would requires students to evaluate each element of civilization.
create a poster evaluating the influence of
writing systems across civilizations; another
group would address the most successful
technologies across civilizations. Students
would present and share this information with
the class. While the discussion is occurring,
teachers and students could utilize a
backchannel where the audience comments on
each group’s presentation.
The purpose of this step is to have students
determine the common threads of
characteristics of early river valley
civilizations.

I can identify common characteristics of

civilizations.

7. Once the common threads are determined, 7a. As the unit builds, students can revise their civilizations to include a
students are tasked with returning to their more refined understanding of the common characteristics of civilizations.
civilizations to evaluate the elements that
would generate success or failure. A 7b. Students could be provided with a checklist that provides guidance in
conversation should occur where students are creating their civilizations. They can create the civilization using formats
reflecting on their own civilization as it relates such as a slide deck, a map of the civilization, a narrative description, an
to the successes and failures of actual illustration or method of teacher/student choice.
civilizations. Students should reflect on what
they would change in their civilization and
 Grade 6 Unit 1Early Civilizations

make adjustments accordingly.

I can analyze how early river valley civilizations

adapted to meet their needs.

8. Students should utilize their learning from the 8a. Assessment Suggestion: Host a Socratic Seminar where students
previous steps in order to complete a discuss their evidence-based answers to the following question: How did
summative assessment for the unit. How did river valley civilizations organize and/or change to meet their needs?
river valley civilizations organize and/or
change to meet their needs? 8b. Assessment Suggestion: Students could complete a time-lapse video of
one specific river valley civilization to demonstrate their changes over
time.

8c. Assessment Suggestions: Students could complete a digital or written

format presentation, (i.e. Prezi, PowerPoint, historical narrative, 3D
model).

8d. Assessment Suggestion: Students could create report cards that they
use to evaluate civilizations (the creation of these report cards will tell
teachers what students have mastered in regards to functioning
civilizations).

8e. Students should be provided a rubric that outlines clear expectations

for students' work.

Resources

Title Subject Website Primary or Secondary Source?

“Key Components of Civilization” Civilization National Geographic Secondary

“Early Civilizations” Early Civilizations Khan Academy Secondary

“Top Characteristics of Early Early Civilizations Thought.Co Secondary

Civilizations”
Title Subject Website Primary or Secondary Source?

“How Ancient Trade Changed the Trade Live Science Secondary

World”

“Hammurabi’s Code” Government/Mesopotamia Yale Law School Primary and Secondary

“Hammurabi’s Code” Government/Mesopotamia SHEG Primary and Secondary

“History of the Organization of Work” Social Classes Britannica Secondary

“Social, Political, and Environmental Social Class Systems, Division Khan Academy Secondary
Characteristics of Early Civilizations” of Labor, Agriculture

“Indus River Valley civilizations” Indus River Valley Khan Academy Secondary

“What is India’s Caste System?” Social Classes/India BBC Secondary

Various Topics China History.com Secondary

“Rise of Chinese Dynasties” Government/China Khan Academy Secondary

“Social Classes in Ancient Egypt” Social Classes/Egypt University College Secondary

London

“Ancient Egypt” Egypt History.com Secondary

“Social Structure” Social Classes/Egypt Royal Ontario Primary and Secondary

Museum