Eco-Friendly
Two Weeks
Social Studies
Lesson Plan
Teacher:
th
8 Grade Social Studies Teacher
Grade:
8th Grade
Lesson Title:
Early River Valley Civilizations
STRANDS
Culture
Economics
Geography
Governance and Civics
History
Individuals, Groups, and Interactions
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
This unit will be split into two different projects. For the first project students will be studying the health of the local watershed. In science students will be looking at the
importance of biodiversity and reviewing how to use a dichotomous key to identify an unknown organism. Specifically, students will be looking at invertebrates. For this
first half students in language arts will be reviewing how to communicate through technical writing, in math they will be looking at the Pythagorean theorem and how
scientists use triangulation and in social studies students will be looking at geography and the importance of location. The culmination of this first half of the unit will be a
field project where students will rotate through different stations looking at water quality, invertebrates in the water, GPS and location, soil layers, water flow, biodiversity
in the soil, and invertebrates in the leaf litter. The second half of the unit students will be looking ahead to high school standards. In science students will be looking at
physics standards relating to heat transfer. Students will design an experiment to test the most energy efficient roofing materials, home orientation, and home location. In
science students will investigate the transfer of heat using systems of equations. In language arts students will be writing about the results of the experiment. In Social
Studies students will be explaining how cultures around the world build homes that fit the environment they live in. Students will also be learning more about energy and
energy transfer in iWellness and they will be working to finalize and communicate their results in Media.
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites, literature)
MOTIVATOR
Who was King Tut?
This is a brief video clip showing an attempt to extract DNA from the actual remain of King Tut in Egypt. Historians there are attempting to find out who King Tut really was
and possibly how the 19-year-old pharaoh was killed so early in his life.
DAY
Objectives
(I can….)
1
I can explain how
geography led to
the development
of the Fertile
Crescent.
I can summarize
some of the
difficulties faced
by the
Sumerians.
Materials &
Resources
I-Pads, Apple
TV, MacBook
Airs,
Mesopotamian
house diagram
(Appendix A).
Instructional Procedures
Differentiated
Instruction
Essential Question:
Remediation:
Based upon their location, what were some of the advantages for the
Sumerians?
Heterogeneous
Grouping.
Set: Ask students to use their i-Pads and research the where the following cultures
are located on a map: Sumerians, Egyptians, and the Babylonians. Next, ask
students what each of these civilizations has in common with one another and
initiate class discussion.
Students may
complete an
“informative
brochure” about
the Sumerian
civilization in place
of a storyboard.
Teaching Strategy(s):
1. Students will be divided into groups of two. Students will create virtual
storyboards on the following topics using their i-Pads to conduct research: The
Fertile Crescent, Sumerians, Sumerian Government, Sumerian Religion, Sumerian
Science and Technology. Students will present their findings to the class.
2. Next, students will research what a Sumerian house might have looked like.
Students should research the materials that were used to construct their houses.
3. Students will examine a picture of a typical Mesopotamian house (Appendix A).
Students should answer the following question: How is the house like the homes
Enrichment:
Students will
research the
meaning of cultural
diffusion. Students
will identify
present examples
of cultural
Assessment
Formative
Assessment:
Students will
answer both of
today’s I can
statements on an
index card before
exiting the
classroom.
of today, how is it different?
Summarizing Strategy: Students will write a paragraph using the following
prompt: Do you think that living near a river or other body of water helps or hurts
the development of a civilization? Students should provide examples of specific
civilizations in their response.
2
I can summarize
the events
leading up to the
establishment of
the Babylonian
Empire.
I can explain the
importance of
Hammurabi’s
Code.
I-Pad, Apple
TV.
diffusion in
fashion, music,
sports,
entertainment,
politics, etc.
Essential Question:
Remediation:
How did the Code of Hammurabi influence later civilizations?
Heterogeneous
Grouping.
Set: Hammurabi's Code Video Clip
This video clip introduces students to the need for laws in society. It asks students
to imagine a society without laws and what that society might be like. The clip
goes on to explain the legacy of King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire and
how his code of laws helped lay the foundation of government’s role in every day
society.
Teaching Strategy(s):
1. Students will be placed in groups of two. Students will use their i-Pads create
their own system of laws (at least 10) or rules for the class.
2. Students will then be asked to join another group and examine each other’s
original laws/rules.
3. Next, each group will create their final version of their ten laws/rules. Students
will airplay their results and the class will discuss and vote on which groups
laws/rules to go by for the remainder of the semester.
Summarizing Strategy: Students will write a letter to the editor of their local
newspaper on the issue of Hammurabi’s Code and if its idea of “eye for an eye”
Students may
come up with five
laws/rules instead
of ten.
Enrichment:
Students will
research five laws
created by
Hammurabi and
rewrite them in
modern
terminology.
Formative
Assessment:
Students will be
asked if they
could answer
today’s I can
statements by
showing thumbs
up or thumbs
down.
justice is a good or poor basis for making laws.
3
I can explain the
importance of
the Nile River to
the Egyptian
people.
I can describe
some of the
main
achievements of
the Ancient
Egyptian people.
I-pads, Apple
TV, MacBook
Airs.
Essential Question:
Remediation:
How did the Egyptians use their environment to sustain their civilization?
Heterogeneous
Grouping.
Set: Ancient Egypt Clip
Students will view a brief video explaining the construction of the Great Obelisks at
Luxor. Students will get a glimpse of the amount of planning, manpower, and
determination that the Egyptians had to please their ruler-Ramses.
Teaching Strategy(s):
1. Students will be divided into groups of two and assigned one of the following
topics: Ancient Egypt and the Nile River, Ramses, the Egyptian pyramids, Osiris, Ra,
Isis, King Tutankhamen, Cleopatra.
2. Students will create a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation about their assigned
topic. Students will be required to have pictures on every slide and a video clip if
possible about their topic.
3. Students will present the following day to their classmates. As groups present,
have the audience write ten facts from each presentation. After all presentations
are complete, each student is to write two sentences about what they learned
from each of the presentations today.
Summarizing Strategy: Students will write an obituary for both King Tutankhamen
and Cleopatra. Students are to describe how each obtained power in Egypt and
describe the accomplishments or failures of each of the pharaoh’s. Students are to
be as historically accurate as possible.
In place of a
presentation the
student may write
a two to three
page report on
their topic.
Enrichment:
Students will
research the
practice of
embalming today
and
compare/contrast
it with the
embalming
practices of the
Egyptians.
Formative
Assessment:
Students will
answer both of
today’s I can
statements on an
index card before
exiting the
classroom.
4
Project Day – See Unit Plan
Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Watershed Health –
Field Day
5
Project Day – See Unit Plan
Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Watershed Health –
Field Day
6
I can explain the
purpose of the
Egyptian
pyramids.
I can summarize
the importance
of religion to the
I-Pads, dry
erase board,
Apple TV,
Mummy Case
picture
(Appendix C),
About the Art
information
(Appendix D),
Essential Question:
Remediation:
Formative:
How did the Egyptian civilization view death?
Students will use
their i-pads and
research the tomb
of King Tut. The
student will then
create a one-slide
presentation about
Students will
answer both of
today’s I can
statements on an
index card before
exiting the
classroom.
Set: Making a Mummy Clip
Students will view a short clip explaining the process of making a mummy in
ancient Egypt. Students learn what organs are taken out of the body and what
organs actually stay with the body. The video also explains why the Egyptians went
Egyptian people.
Venn Diagram
(Appendix E).
to great strides to preserve the dead and place them in extravagant tombs.
Teaching Strategy(s):
what was found in
King Tut’s tomb.
1. Airplay the picture of the Mummy Case (Appendix C).
Enrichment:
2. Allow students to closely examine the picture and write down as many
interesting things about the picture as possible.
3. Next, allow students to use their I-pads and research as much information as
they can about Egyptian coffins (sarcophagus), Egyptian symbols, and Egyptian art.
Students should write at least six to seven facts they learn from each of the topics.
Students may use “About the Art” (Appendix D)
4. Bring the entire class together and once again airplay the picture of the Mummy
Case. Ask the class if they notice anything on the case that they didn’t see or
recognize before?
5. Lastly, students will now use poster board and design their own mummy case.
Students are to design their own glossary of symbols and keep record of what their
symbols represent to them personally.
Allow students to
research modern
day funeral rituals
of Jews or
Muslims. Have
students use a
Venn diagram
(Appendix E) to
compare with
modern day
Christian funeral
rituals.
Summarizing Strategy: Students will design their own tombstone and write their
own epitaph. Students should be certain to include what impact they have made in
this life as human beings as well as what they believe people will most remember
about them once they are gone from this world.
7
I can summarize
why Indus Valley
cities were
uniform in their
structure and
I-pads, Apple
TV, MacBook
Airs.
Essential Question:
Remediation:
What does the attention the Indus people gave to plumbing and sewer systems
say about its culture?
Heterogeneous
Grouping
Set: Students will use their I-pad to research and answer the following prompt:
How is wastewater disposed of from your home and explain the purpose and
Students may
create a Lotus
Formative
Assessment:
Students will
answer today’s I
can statement on
functionality.
functionality of a wastewater treatment plant. Once students have shared their
research be certain to explain that the Indus Valley people stressed cleanliness and
sanitation in their culture.
Teaching Strategy:
diagram on their ipads and fill in the
information about
the Cities,
Geography,
Culture, Trade, and
Decline.
1. Divide students into five groups.
2. Assign each group one of the following five topics for the people of the Indus
Valley region: Cities, Geography, Culture, Trade, and Decline.
3. Allow students to use their I-pads and research each topic. Use your dry-erase
board to create a chart with all of the headings from above. Call on students to
write their findings in the appropriate column.
4. Once the column is completely filled out on the board, call on students to
explain their portion of the chart to the rest of the class.
5. Next, have students create a “Bragging Wall” for the achievements of the Indus
Valley culture. Once students have put together a list have them categorize the
achievements. Assign groups to each category and have the group come up with
one paragraph on how their achievement helped advance the Indus Valley
civilization.
Summarizing Strategy: Students will design their own residential neighborhood.
Students will create a layout/diagram of what their neighborhood is going to look
like and propose it to the local county commission. Students will need to make
certain to include the layout of the sanitation system, and what the roads will look
like in the neighborhood.
Enrichment:
Assign students to
research the
history/planning of
Kingsport,
Tennessee.
Students should
make a PowerPoint
presentation and
include such things
as industry, parks,
schools, and local
entertainment
venues that people
took interest in.
an index card
before leaving
class.
8
Project Day – See Unit Plan
Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof – Research
and Hypothesis
9
Project Day – See Unit Plan
Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof – Build and
Test
10
Project Day – See Unit Plan
Experimenting for a Sustainable Future: Top Roof –
Conclusions
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
GLE 1. 1. Understand the multi-cultural components to world culture.
GLE 1.3. Understand the ways in which individuals and groups contributed to changes in social conditions.
GLE 2.5. Understand the contribution of individuals to the economy systems of the world.
GLE 3.1. Understand the importance of physical geographic features on world historic events.
GLE 4.1. Understand the development of major systems of world governance.
GLE 5.1. Understand the chronological flow of historical eras and events in World History.
GLE 5.2. Understand the processes that gave rise to the earliest human civilizations.
GLE 5.3. Understand the maturation of Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Oceanic, and the Americas and their continuing impact on the modern world.
GLE 6.1. Understand the impact of one’s culture on identity, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status.
GLE 6.2. Recognize the role of individuals in various cultures such as Western, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and indigenous cultures.
GLE 6.3. Understand the extent to which individuals, groups and institutions interact to produce continuity and change throughout world history.