Download 6th Grade Social Studies 6th grade Social Studies is the study of

6th Grade Social Studies
6th grade Social Studies is the study of people, places and events from early man to the Age of
Exploration. This includes an examination of religion, culture, economics, geography, civics,
technology, and specialization/ adaptation within the concept of the development of the major
civilizations and global events. A study in 6th grade Social Studies should enhance student
learning in the areas of critical thinking, analysis of information, spatial and global awareness,
research, interpretation of data, time management, project-based learning, collaborative abilities
and 21st century skills.
Calendaring
This course is mapped to the quarter level, meaning that all teachers of the course will complete
instruction and assessment, to proficiency, of all standards listed within each quarter. Some
standards, such as those related to different research skills and others focusing on current
events, are explicitly placed in individual quarters; however, it is understood that they will be
revisited and used throughout the year. That said, those standards will be taught and assessed
to proficiency during the quarter indicated.
Weekly calendaring will be the prerogative of school sites and teachers. So long as all Social
Studies teachers reach the goals established within each quarter, there does not need to be any
tighter of a focus from the district level.
Teachers will begin contributing model lesson plans and model student products, based on the
Essential and Supporting standards, in order that the district can begin to amass a knowledge
base of materials directly related to established state standards.
The Common Core ELA standards for History and the Social Studies in both reading and writing
have been added to complement the existing Arizona standards, and are listed along with those
content standards.
Note that the Common Core standards for reading and writing in History and the Social Studies
include 10 separate standards, and span all three grades. Thus, each of the 10 standards is the
subject of spiraling throughout Middle School after introduction. Each quarter will see one
reading and one writing standard introduced, until all of them have been taught, after which
some will repeat. It is expected, however, that spiraling will take place on standards already
introduced throughout each year.
Common Core standards are coded as follows: “RH.6-8.7” means “Reading for History, grades
6-8, Standard 7.” That specific standard can be found on page 7 of this packet, in the first
column, #7. This is how the Common Core standards are coded, and all the standards, whether
Reading for History (RH) or Writing for History (WH) referenced in this document are found at
the end of this document.6th Grade Social Studies
Pacing Calendar and Standards Groupings
Quarter 1
Focus: Prehistoric Peoples, Geography skills
Content Essentials
S1 C2 PO2 - Development of farming
S4 C5 PO1 Human dependence of natural resources
Research Essential: C1/2 PO2 Interpret historical data in maps, graphs, charts, etc.
Research Supporting: C1/2 PO1 Construct charts, graphs etc.; PO8 Describe role of archaeology
S1 American History
S2 World History
S4 Geography
C2 Early Civilizations
C2 Early Civilizations
C1 World in Spatial Terms
PO1 Hunter-gatherers
PO1 Paleo & neolithic peoples
PO1 Construct maps, etc.
PO3 Mogollon, Anasazi, etc.
PO2 ID purpose of maps, globes
PO4 Adena, Hopwell, etc.
PO3 Interpret maps, globes
PO5 Mayan, Aztec, Incan
PO4 Locate features on maps, etc.
PO5 Interpret thematic maps, etc.
Common Core
Reading
RH.6-8.7
Writing
WH.6-8.2
C2 Places & Regions
PO1 ID places in S2
C4 Human Systems
PO5 ID cultural norms
C5 Environment & Society
PO1 Human dependence on
resources
C6 Geographic Applications
PO1 Geography’s impact on
settlement
Rationale: The heavy focus on geography knowledge & skills, and relatively small number of POs are for two
reasons: first, early in the year teachers will need to help students become proficient with their laptops, and help them
transition to middle school; and second, the geography skills, once mastered, will pay off for both students & teachers
for the rest of the year.Quarter 2
Focus: Early Civilizations from the first River Valley settlements to the Arab Empire
Content Essentials
S2 C2 PO3 Development of river valley civilizations
S2C2 PO7 Govt in Greece & Rome
S2 C3 PO1 Hinduism Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
S3 C3 Greek Democracy
S3 C3 Roman Republic
S5 C1 Scarcity
Research Essential: C1/2 PO4 Formulate Questions for research
Research Supporting: C1/2 PO3 Construct timelines, etc.
S2 World History
S3 Civics/Govt
S4 Geography
S5 Economics
C2 Early Civilizations
C3 Functions of Govt
C2 Places & Regions
C1 Foundations
PO2 Farming, animals,
etc. in Egypt, India, etc.
PO1 Impact of Hammirabi
PO1 ID regions in S2
PO2 Opportunity cost,
trade-offs
PO4 Forms of govt in
Egypt, India, etc.
PO2 Greek democracy
PO2 Describe change
factors for regions
PO4 Money vs. barter
PO5 Religion in Sumeria,
etc.
PO3 Roman repubic
PO3 Interactions of people
PO6 Cultural & sci.
contributions of China,
Egypt, etc.
C4 Rights &
Responsibilities
PO4 Culture as related to
place & region
PO8 Science & culture of
early civs.
PO1 Individual in society
PO5 Physical and human
traits of regions
PO9 Important indivs. of
Greece, Rome, etc.
PO10 Transition from
Rome to Byzantine
C3 World in Transition
PO2 Medieval kingdoms:
Ghana, Mali, etc.
Common Core
Reading
RH6-8.2
Writing
WH.6-8.2
PO3 Arab empire
Rationale: This quarter’s focus on early civilizations will enable teachers to structure their units either
topically, regionally, or chronologically, in order to best fit their teaching style and the particulars of their
students.Quarter 3
Focus: Medieval Europe and the first age of Globalization
Content Essential
S2 C3 PO5 Feudalism in Europe
Research Supporting: C1/2 PO5 Describe difference between primary and secondary sources
Content Essential
S2 C3 PO5 Feudalism in Europe
S2 World History
S3 Civics/Govt
S4 Geography
S5 Economics
C3 World in Transition
C1 Foundations
C4 Human Systems
C1 Foundations
PO4 Catholic church in
Middle Ages
PO2 Enlightenment
PO1 Interpret
demographics of regions
PO3 Specialization
PO6 Trade routes w/Asia
PO2 Impact of human
migrations
PO5 How trade leads to
growth
PO7 Trade routes &
exchange
PO3 Analyze cause &
effect of settlements
C4 Ren. & Ref.
C5 Env. & Society
PO1 Renaissance
PO2 Consequences of
resource use
Common Core
Reading
PO2 Reformation
C5
Encounters/Exchange
RH.6-8.1
Writing
WH.6-8.1
PO1 The Enlightenment
Rationale: The Middle Ages in Europe is typically a high-interest topic, and therefore a quarter structured
around it, with other content POs used to support that overall topic, makes sense. The one Essential
Standard will also help teachers, plagued by AIMS scheduling, to keep students on track by having a
narrow focus.Quarter 4
Focus: The contemporary world; application of geography skills; transition to U.S.-focus
Content Essentials
S2 C9 PO1 Examine current events from various sources
S2 C9 PO2 Connect current and historical events
Research Essentials: C1/2 PO6 Determine credibility/bias of sources; PO7 Analyze cause & effect
S1 AH
S3 C/G
S4 Geog.
S5 Econ.
C10 Contemporary U.S.
C4 Rights, Resps.
C4 Human Systems
C5 Personal Finance
PO1 Current events
PO2 Good character
PO4 ID factors that
impact regional relations
PO1 Costs & benefits of
using consumer credit
PO2 Connect current &
past events
PO3 Importance of
involved citizenship
C5 Env. & Society
PO2 Interest as the price of
money
PO3 Key events of late
20th/early 21st
C5 Govt Systems of
the world
PO3 Impact of env.
changes on humans
Content Essentials
S2 C9 PO1 Examine current events from various sources
S2 C9 PO2 Connect current and historical events
PO1 Comparative
govt’s
PO4 ID ways humans
prepare for disasters
C6 Geog. Applications
PO2 Use geog. skills to
discuss current events
Common Core
Reading
RH.6-8.8
Writing
WH.6-8.8
Rationale: Ending the year with a current events unit will enable teachers to go back and assess skills
and knowledge studied earlier in the year while tying them both to what’s in the news at that point.
Additionally, it will provide for a smooth transition from a focus on World History to one on American
History, in preparation for 7th grade.