Description of the unit
The unit was under the theme “where we are in time and place” with the central idea “Changes in
human civilization can have positive and adverse impacts on the livelihoods of generations to come”.
The unit was done with grade 5 learners whose age was between 11-12 years. The first lesson was
on identifying and naming early civilizations and what characterized them. This topic aimed for
students to get an informed background of how societies have progressed from early civilizations
until the current era through a set of inquiry activities. This unit also aimed at making students
acquire knowledge about the characteristics of a civilization. Most of the components that
characterize the current world, such as governance, class divisions, economic activities, religion, and
geography, all relate somehow to ancient civilizations thus learners were meant to understand how
history is tied to the present by starting backward and working their way forward in history.
Reflection on the summative assessment of the unit
To assess information literacy, students researched on major civilizations in Africa and Europe and
how the changes have benefited the current generation as well as noting the challenges. Students
made presentations on their findings and provided visual evidence in the form of computergenerated images, photographs, and videos. Students also did a project on a global environmental
crisis that has resulted in changes in civilization over time. Role-plays were done by the learners as
different members of society such as government officials, NGOs, and lobby groups, and decided on
actions to minimize the crises identified in their projects.
The students managed to understand the importance of knowledge acquisition, exploring concepts,
and building skills such as thinking and research, however, it was noted that these alone do not
promote international-mindedness in learners. It is vital to focus on the development of personal
attitudes toward people during discussions. During reflection, I observed that it is important to have
a solid application of triangulation assessment in which written, observational and conversational
evidence should be integrated.