Students will capitalize on their emerging intellect, sense of humor and curiosity and become more independent learners.  Content Knowledge, projects, public speaking, and collaborative learning will provide students with an opportunity to developing meaningful life skills as well as a great overall experience.

Sixth Grade History Curriculum

Essential Questions – Year

How does the time and place in which you live affect the way you see the world?

UNIT ONE  – “VIEWING THE WORLD” -- 3 weeks (September )

Content Topics

• Latitude and longitude
• Five themes of geography
• Maps and mapmaking

Omission, distortion, stereotypes, and bias

Essential Questions

       -          How does a lack of respect lead to bias?

       -          How does a person’s perspective influenced by their culture?

Texts and Resources:

• Geography Tools and Concepts
• Op-ed articles

Major Assessments:

• Introductory Unit Quiz

UNIT TWO – “THE JOURNEY OF HEROES” – 10 weeks (late September-early December)

Content Topics

• Role of social class in society
• Ancient Mali
• Islam
• Ancient India
• Hinduism
• Ancient China
• Buddhism
• Creating an oral history

Essential Questions

• How can people who live in different areas of the world share similar cultural values?

Texts and Resources:

• Sundiata epic
• Ramayana epic
• The Monkey King epic
• Wonders of the African World or Caravan of Gold DVD
• An Age of Voyages -  Chapter 7 (section on African kingdoms)

Major Assessments

• Unit test – Sundiata + Ramayana, Islam + Hinduism
• Oral History Project (3 weeks)

UNIT THREE – “STRUGGLING IN THE DARK” – 6 weeks (half of December, January)

Content Topics

• The feudal system
• The bubonic plague
• Medieval towns and cities
• Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages

Essential Questions

        -         How can people maintain hope in the midst of great despair?

        -         What affect can fear have on a culture?

Texts and Resources

• Crispin and the Cross of Lead
• An Age of Voyages, Chapter 1

Assessments

• Crispin and medieval Europe test
• Periodic vocabulary and reading quizzes

UNIT FOUR  – “FINDING THE LIGHT” – 5 weeks (February, first week of March)

Content Topics

• the Renaissance
• the impact of the printing press

Essential Questions

       -          How does a culture awake from darkness?

       -          How can information empower people?

Texts and Resources

1.               An Age of Voyages, Chapter 2 and 4

Major Assessments

1.               Renaissance Project

2.               Renaissance Quiz

UNIT FIVE – “CLASHES AND COMPROMISES” -  3 weeks (end of March-mid April)

• The Reformation
• The Elizabethan Age

Essential Questions

• How can peaceful religions become a source of violence and conflict?

Texts and Resources

1.               Good Queen Bess

2.               An Age of Voyages, Chapters 5 and 7

Major Assessments

• Reformation and Elizabethan Age Unit Test

UNIT SIX – “WHOLE NEW WORLD” – 6 weeks (mid April-late May)

Content Topics

• Explorers
• The slave trade
• The Columbian Exchange

Essential Questions

• What is a culture clash?
• How does bias lead to conquest and subjugation?

Texts and Resources

1.               An Age of Voyages, Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12

2.               Marco Polo excerpts

Major Assessments

• The Explorer Project

A week and a half is reserved for final exam preparation from late May to early June.