History/Social Studies Curriculum Overview

GRADE 6

 

World Geography

 

Sixth graders systematically study the world outside of the United States and North America by addressing standards that emphasize political and physical geography and embed five major concepts: location, place, human interaction with the environment, movement, and regions. . (MA History and Social Sciences Framework, 2003)

 

 

Civics

Geography

History

Economics

Overarching Question:

 

What are the responsibilities and roles of citizens in a nation?

 

Enduring Understandings:

 

Nations are regulated by governments.

 

International organizations affect the way nations govern.

 

A law is a rule or regulation created by a governing body.

 

Nations must have a form of government.

 

There are many different types of governments that nations have.

 

International organizations (European Alliance of Nations, the United Nations, etc) affect governments in a variety of ways.

 

There are many different ways that nations become established and develop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overarching Questions:

 

How is geography related to civilization?

 

How can interpreting/creating maps and graphs help us to understand the physical and political world?

 

Enduring Understandings:

 

 Maps, atlases, and graphs help us to understand the physical and political world.

 

Knowledge of the language and symbols of geography can help us to better understand the world.

 

We can read and create maps and graphs.

 

Reading maps uses receptive language, creating maps uses expressive language)

 

The discipline of geography has a specific vocabulary.

 

Geographic terms are used to describe the physical world.

 

Demographic terms are used to describe the political world.

 

Regions to study

¨        Africa

¨        Southeast Asia and Oceania,

¨        South America

¨        Europe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overarching Question:  

 

What are the major characteristics of civilizations?

 

Human Origins in Africa Through the Neolithic Age

 

Overarching Question:

What steps lead to the development of civilizations?

 

The characteristics of civilizations include:

The presence of geographic boundaries and political institutions.

An economy that produces food surpluses.

A concentration of population in distinct areas or cities.

The existence of social classes.

Developed systems of religion, learning, art, and architecture.

A system of record keeping

 

Archaeologists have found evidence of the origins of modern human beings in various sites in Africa.

 

The invention of agriculture is related to the settlement, population growth, and the emergence of civilization.

 

Egypt: An Ancient River Civilization

 

Overarching Question:

 

How is civilization related to geography?

 

Enduring Understandings:

 

Archaeologists and historians have studied artifacts to draw conclusions about the social and economic characteristics of ancient Egypt.

 

The achievements of Egyptian civilization have impact on life today.

 

 

 

 

 

Overarching Question:

 

How do the following five factors impact a

nation’s economic growth?

 

·                   Absolute and relative locations

·                   Climate

·                   Major physical characteristics

·                   Major natural resources

·                   Population size

 

Enduring Understandings:

 

Standards of living vary widely throughout

the world.

 

Supply and demand determine how

resources get used.

 

Trade (import and export) is an integral

 part of the economy of a nation.

 

The purpose of taxes is to enable the

government to provide some goods and

services.

 

Individuals and nations decide what/why/and

for whom to produce.

 

 

 

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