DPS Unit Map
6th Grade SS Unit 1: Geography & First Human Societies
5 Weeks
Stage 1: Examine and Unpack Standards
These unpacked standards are expected in every Durham Public Schools classroom.
UNIT STANDARDS
Social Studies
6.H.2.3 - Explain how innovation and/or technology
transformed civilizations, societies and regions over
time.
6.G.1.1 Explain how the physical features and human
characteristics of a place influenced the development
of civilizations, societies and regions.
6.G.1.2 - Explain the factors that influenced the
movement of people, goods, and ideas and the effects
of that movement on societies and regions over time.
6.G.1.4 - Explain how and why civilizations, societies
and regions have used, modified and adapted to their
environments.
6.G.2.1 - Use maps, charts, graphs, geographic data
and available technology tools to draw conclusions
about the emergence, expansion and decline of
civilizations, societies and regions.
Common Core/Literacy
RH.6-8.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources.
RH.6-8.2 - Determine the central ideas or information
of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge
or opinions.
WHST.6-8.1.A - Introduce claim(s) about a topic or
issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from
alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons
and evidence logically.
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
 Demonstrate an understanding of geography and the development of a civilization
Making Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that…
1. How does geography influence the way
1. Innovation or technology can be temporary or
people live?
long lasting and have positive or negative
2. What is history?
consequences.
3. How do people adapt to their environment?
2. Physical features and human characteristics
may influence the emergence, expansion and
decline of civilizations, societies and regions.
3. Scarcity of resources can often be motivating
factors in influencing the movement of people,
goods and ideas.
4. Civilizations and societies adapt to the
environment in order to meet needs.
Acquisition
KNOWLEDGE
SKILLS
Students will know…
Students will be able to…
1. Humans may adapt their behavior as their
1. Demonstrate an understanding of geography
environment changes.
and the development of a civilization
2. Regions are the basic unit of study in geography.
2. Interpret and draw conclusions from maps,
3. Factors that motivate the movement of people,
charts, graphs and geographic data.
goods and ideas.
3. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of
4. Physical features of a place may include climate,
primary sources.
landforms, soils, and vegetation.
4. Present a claim about an issue, distinguish
5. Innovation and technology includes more than
the claim from alternate claims, and
just inventions. Innovation can include
organize evidence logically.
thoughts, processes and procedures.
Key Vocabulary
Tier 3 Vocabulary Words
Domesticate, Archaeology, Agrarian, Artifact, Culture
Tier 2 Vocabulary Words
Migration, Location, Population, Place, Scale, Technology, Region, Movement, Hemisphere, Physical Map, Key/Legend, Political Map, Longitude, Latitude
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Page 1 of 4
DPS Unit Map
6th Grade SS Unit 1: Geography & First Human Societies
5 Weeks
Notable Individuals, Places, Events, and Documents
Stone Ages, Otzi, Neolithic, Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Lucy
Stage 2: Calibrate Rigor and Design Assessment
Evaluative Criteria for Assessment District Provided Assessment Tasks
Rubric
Criteria
Addressing
the prompt
Cite Evidence
(from text –
primary or
secondary
sources)
1
The product
does not
address the
goal of the
performance
task.
There is no
evidence to
support the
answer.
No attempts to
explain how
the evidence
Explain
addresses the
prompt have
been made.
Conventions
Many
grammatical
errors exist
that obscure
meaning.
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
2
The product
partially
addresses the
goal of the
performance
task.
Examples are
provided that
loosely
support the
answer.
The attempts
to explain how
the evidence
addresses the
prompt are
unclear or
insufficient.
Some
grammatical
errors exist,
but do not
obscure
meaning.
3
The product
addresses the
goal of the
performance
task.
Examples are
provided that
fully support
the answer.
The
explanation of
the evidence is
clear and
insightful.
No
grammatical
errors exist.
Performance Task (Option 1)
Goal - Students will work in small groups to create presentations that identify and
compare cultural adaptations to geographic environments.
Role – Geographers
Audience – Classmates
Situation – Students will begin by participating in a discussion about the different areas
of their school building, the characteristics of each area (physical, social environment
for students, etc.) and how they adapt to each environment. Next, students will choose
a region of the world and research how people in that region of the world adapt to their
environment.
Product – Students will create presentations that compare people’s methods of
adapting to their environments and present these methods to the class.
Performance Task (Option 2)
Part 1 - Students will create a comic strip that shows the changes in people's lives from
the Paleolithic age to the Neolithic age.
The comic strip should include, but not be limited to the following topics:
1. food supply - how does the type of food eaten changed as well as how it is
acquired
2. shelter - what are the changes?
3. tools/weapons - what are the changes?
4. jobs - transitioning from hunter/gatherer to farming; what jobs need to be done
in order to survive?
5. religion - the fact they go from no religion to an idea of religion/afterlife in the
Neolithic age
The comic strip should have dialogue, illustrations, captions that show knowledge of the
above topics.
Part 2 - Writing
Explain the challenges of being a hunter/gatherer and why it would be beneficial to
begin farming as done in the Neolithic age. You need to include an opening statement,
an explanation as to why it is challenging to be a hunter/gatherer, the benefits of
farming, closing statement
Page 2 of 4
DPS Unit Map
6th Grade SS Unit 1: Geography & First Human Societies
5 Weeks
Other Evidence – Embedded Stage 3 Learning Events
Teacher designed
Teacher designed
DPS 6-8 RACER & ACES + C Rubric
PLC designed
Minute by Minute Assessments
Speech, Debate or Socratic Seminar
Text-Dependent Constructed Response Questions
PLC-Created Text or Concept Specific Common Formative Assessments
Stage 3: Plan and Deliver Instruction
This instructional pacing and sequencing represents one best practice option.
Professional Resources
Instructional Resources
Resources for Unit Concepts:
Teachers to Watch:
Summary of Key Learning Events, Opportunities, and Instruction
Standard(s)
Support
6.G.2.1
http://goo.gl/sbou0h
http://goo.gl/PLCVJV
The first few days of the school year may need to be used to introduce students to class and school
procedures. This unit will begin with map skills. Students will explore maps and discuss the different
types of maps (i.e. physical, political, climate, population, etc) and their purposes. Students should
identify the four main parts of a map (title, key, scale, compass).
1
# of Days
3
Focus of Lesson
Map Skills
2
5
Five Themes of Geography
6.G.1.1,
6.G.1.2,
6.G.1.4
3
7
The Paleolithic Era and the
6.H.2.3
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
http://goo.gl/lJaAcz
We will then continue our study of the geography. Students will locate and label the continents, the
oceans, equator, and prime meridian. This is foundational information which they will use in our
global study throughout the year. Then students will study each of the five themes of geography,
defining the terms and then applying them. For example, students may use absolute location
(longitude and latitude) to locate points on a map while using a school map and relative location for
the same end goal. After a literary passage (type “country profile” into cbbc site below and choose)
about a certain region, they may differentiate between the physical and human (cultural)
characteristics of a place in a t-chart. This is a great opportunity to also mention key vocabulary
about specific landforms (i.e. peninsula, island, etc.) while discussing physical characteristics.
Movement can be addressed discussing how people, goods, and ideas spread throughout the globe.
Human-Environment interaction may be illustrated with a comparison of a section of land 100 years
ago and that of today. Region may be studied using the four corners of the room as different regions
that students may go to depending on the topic (i.e. birth city, favorite sport, etc).
http://goo.gl/VSiYYz
Page 3 of 4
DPS Unit Map
6th Grade SS Unit 1: Geography & First Human Societies
First Humans
4
5
The Neolithic Era
6.H.2.3
5
5
Review and Assessment
All
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
5 Weeks
http://goo.gl/Bxg5il
Students will begin their study of the beginning of human societies. It will aid students in their
understanding if key vocabulary words (i.e. migration, archaeologists, artifacts, etc.) are discussed at
this time. Students should examine the mass migration of humans. Students will describe
characteristics of the nomadic lifestyle of the Paleolithic Era and explain why people lived in this
style. They will examine the techniques, technology, and development of society that fit with this
way of life.
http://goo.gl/FFyzh3
Students will move on to the emergence of agrarian societies in the Neolithic Era. They will examine
the techniques, technology, and development of society that fit with this way of life during the
Neolithic Age. Students should be able to compare and contrast the Neolithic and Paleolithic Eras.
Next students can explore the life of Otzi the Iceman, the preserved mummy of the man that lived
over 5300 years ago during the Stone Ages. As students study the items left with Otzi and his story,
they should be able to analyze the artifacts and evidence to come up with their own theory on Otzi’s
demise. Students will also be able to explain why Otzi and his belongings are artifacts of the Stone
Ages and draw conclusions from this evidence.
Complete Performance Task listed above
Page 4 of 4