6th Grade Social Studies Syllabus
Students will study the emergence, expansion, and decline of civilizations from human existence to the age of exploration. For each civilization, five essential questions will be explored.
Societies / Civilizations:
Early Humans, Nomads (Neolithic Times)
Mesopotamia
Phoenicians
Hebrews / Israelites
First Empires: Assyrians, Chaldeans
Minoans
Mycenaeans
Ancient Greece
Etruscans
Latins
Ancient Rome: Christianity
Germans
Vikings
Islam
Middle Ages: Europe
Renaissance
Reformation
Americas: Maya, Aztec, Inca
Age of Exploration
Five Essential Statements / Questions:
Where people live affects how they live.
Students will understand:
- How the physical features affect the development of civilizations. 6.G.1.1
- How civilizations have modified and adapted to their environment. 6.G.1.4
- How the control of resources through conflict, compromise, or negotiation affects the economic development of various civilizations.6.E.1.1
- How those economic choices affect the quality of life. 6.E.1.2
- How the development of technology and innovation transformed civilizations over time. 6.H.2.3
- The factors that influence the movement of people, goods, and ideas and the effects of the movement on civilizations over time. 6.G.1.2
Who (or whom) affected who (or whom)?
Students will understand:
- How invasions, conquests, and migrations affected various civilizations. 6.H.2.1
- The role of key historical figures and cultural groups had in changing societies. 6.H.2.4
- The role of religion in transforming societies. 6.C.1.2
The need for rule and law
Students will understand:
- The origins and structures of various government systems. 6.C&G.1.1
- Certain ideas that shaped political thought in various government systems. 6.C&G.1.2
- The requirements of and responsibilities of citizenship in various civilizations. 6.C&G.1.3
- The role and evolution of law and legal systems in various civilization. 6.C&G.1.4
How is the civilization structured?
Students will understand:
- How the arts expressed the values of that society and recognize specific examples from various societies. 6.C.1.1
- The role of religion in transforming societies. 6.C.1.2
- The different systems of social structure within various societies. 6.C1.3
Dare to compare
Students will compare:
- distinguishing characteristics of various world regions. 6.G1.3
- historical events and issues to contemporary events and issues. 6.H.2.2
Got Skills?
Students will:
- Construct charts, graphs and historical narratives to explain events and issues over time. 6.H.1.1, 6.G.2.2
- Analyze historical documents. 6.H.1.2
- Use primary and secondary sources 6.H.1.3
- Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data and technological tools to draw conclusions about the emergence, expansion, and decline of various civilizations. 6.G.2.1
