A L I E F
Independent
School
District
GRADE 6 SOCIAL STUDIES –CONTEMPORARY WORLD CULTURES
Unit 1: North America
Time: 6 Weeks
Hook ideas
here!
Universal
Generalizations
People create
different kinds of
tools to accomplish
different tasks.
Maps help answer
the question,
“Where?”
Maps show where
things are located
in relation to other
things.
Line ideas here!
Social Studies Pacing Guide
Developed 2005
Revised 2006, 2011
Sinker ideas
here!
Unit Understandings
Geographers use
maps and other
tools to understand
the world around
them.
concepts:
latitude, longitude,
hemisphere, continent,
nation, immigration
TEKS
Topics/Content
Unit Questions
(4) Geography. The student understands
the factors that influence the locations
and characteristics of locations of various
contemporary societies on maps and
globes and uses latitude and longitude to
determine absolute locations. The student
is expected to:
(A) locate various contemporary societies
on maps and globes using latitude and
longitude to determine absolute location;
(WG)
Geography of North
America
How do
geographer’s tools
help them and
others?
(6) Geography. The student understands
that geographical patterns result from
physical environmental processes. The
student is expected to:
(A) describe and explain the effects of
physical environmental processes such
as erosion, ocean currents, and
earthquakes on Earth's surface;
(WG 3B)
(10) Economics. The student
understands categories of economic
activities and the data used to measure a
society's economic level. The student is
expected to:
(A) define and give examples of
agricultural, wholesale, retail,
manufacturing (goods), and service
industries; (WG 10C)
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The World Map
Map of North
America
Continents and
Oceans
Hemispheres
5 Themes of
Geography
vocabulary:
geography, grid,
latitude, longitude,
compass rose, scale,
continent, nation,
legend, location,
immigration,
rainforest, gulf,
mountain, river,
plains
How do specific
physical features
found in North
America impact
how people in
those locations
live?
Resources
Essential Resources

Text, Activity Atlas (pp.
68-69)
 Text, Ch. 1, “Using
Geography Skills”
 Physical Features Map
Activity
 Printable Maps
Supplemental Resources
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5 Themes of
Geography PPT
Geography Review
(including Geography
Poster and Geography
Poster Key)
Discovery Education
Videos:
o World Geography:
North America:
(1:31:55)
o World Geography:
North America: The
United States
(1:43:29)
Thinking Maps Connections
(climate/vegetation double
bubble)
Instructional Considerations: Although Mexico will be introduced in Unit 1 as part of North America, the majority of instruction will occur in the Latin America unit
Alief ISD 2011
Grade 6
1
since the culture is more represented in that region. TEK 6.6A can be taught using examples such as earthquakes in California and/or the delta/fertile lands near
the Mississippi River.
People are often
willing to move to
improve their lives.
Groups of people
in many societies
originally came
from a different
society.
Immigrants come to
America for many
reasons, but all
come to make
better lives for
themselves and
their families.
concepts:
migration, immigration,
push-pull factors
(4) Geography. The student understands
the factors that influence the locations
and characteristics of locations of various
contemporary societies on maps and
globes and uses latitude and longitude to
determine absolute locations. The student
is expected to:
(B) identify and explain the geographic
factors responsible for patterns of
population in places and regions; (WG 6A
and 6B)
(13) Citizenship. The student
understands that the nature of citizenship
varies among societies. The student is
expected to:
(C) compare the role of citizens in the
United States with the role of citizens
from various societies with representative
and nonrepresentative governments. (WG
15B)
Reasons for
Immigration
 Push-Pull Factors
 Standard of
Living
 Political Reasons
vocabulary:
immigration, pushpull factors, standard
of living, political,
oppression, refugee
Why would people
leave their
homelands to move
to a different
country?
Essential Resources

Text, Chapter 3, Sec.2:
The Influences of
Human Migration (Why
People Move, Effects of
Immigration)
 Hemispheres Migration
Unit- Section 1: An
Introduction to
Migration (overview for
the teacher) pp. 1-18;
Student Activity: RuralUrban Migration in
Brazil (pp. 28-31)
Supplemental Resources
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Why Do People Move?
Where Do People Move
To or From (from
Hawaii)
TED - Hans Rosling
talk on Poverty
(immigration
connection)
Thinking Maps Connections
(population growth multiflow)
Instructional Considerations: “push-pull” theory: a theory of migration that says people migrate because certain things in their lives “push” them to leave, and
certain things in a new place “pull” them. “push-pull” factors: the factors that drive people away from a place (push) or draws them to a new location (pull) such
as religious or political freedoms, job opportunities, war or famine; Hemispheres Migration Unit- After instructional delivery for Student Activity: Rural- Urban
Migration in Brazil, teachers should use the lesson and experiences to engage students in discussions about similarities and difference in the Alief community.
Alief ISD 2011
Grade 6
2
When people
come to a new
place they often
bring and share
things from the
place they came
from.
When a significant
number of people
move to or away
from a place, the
place changes.
When immigrants
come to America,
they bring many
traits from their
original cultures
with them which
impact both Alief
and America.
concepts:
culture, culture traits,
culture region, cultural
borrowing, cultural
diffusion
(15) Culture. The student understands
the similarities and differences within and
among cultures in various world societies.
The student is expected to:
(A) define culture and the common traits
that unify a culture region; (WG 16B and
17A)
(B) identify and describe common traits
that define cultures; (WG 16A, 16B and
17A)
(C) define a multicultural society and
consider both the positive and negative
qualities of multiculturalism;
(17) Culture. The student understands
relationships that exist among world
cultures. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe how culture
traits such as trade, travel, and war
spread; (WG 1B and 18D)
(B) identify and describe factors that
influence cultural change such as
improved communication, transportation,
and economic development;
(4) Geography. The student understands
the factors that influence the locations
and characteristics of locations of various
contemporary societies on maps and
globes and uses latitude and longitude to
determine absolute locations. The student
is expected to:
(C) explain ways in which human
migration influences the character of
places and regions;
(17) Culture. The student understands
relationships that exist among world
cultures. The student is expected to:
(D) identify and define the impact of
cultural diffusion on individuals and world
societies; and (WG 1B)
(E) identify examples of positive and
negative effects of cultural diffusion. (WG
1B and 18D)
Sharing Cultures &
the Impacts
 Culture Defined
 The Culture
Traits of Alief
Families
 How Culture is
Shared
 Cultural Diffusion
 Change in Alief
 Change in
America in
General
vocabulary:
culture, culture traits,
cultural borrowing,
cultural diffusion,
institution, religion
Have immigrants
changed the
community of Alief
or has it changed
them?
Essential Resources
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Lesson Plan: Building
Bridges (Lessons 1-4)
Lesson Plan: Cultural
Comparisons and
Elements of Culture
PPT
Text, Ch. 6, Sec.1:
Cultural Diversity
Supplemental Resources
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Text, Ch. 3, Sec. 3:
Culture and Cultural
Institutions (Elements
of Culture)
Text, Ch. 6, Sec. 3:
Conflict and
Cooperation Among
Cultures
Discovery Education
Videos:
o Cultures:
Similarities and
Differences (27:00)
o American Heritage:
Immigration to the
United States :
Culture (02:31)
o Ancient
Civilizations:
Program 04: On the
Town : What is
Culture? (02:12)
Instructional Considerations: Introduce ideas of cultural diffusion and cultural borrowing which will be discussed again in future units to develop understandings
of these terms.
Alief ISD 2011
Grade 6
3
Collecting and
analyzing
information
(statistics) can help
us learn more
about groups of
people or things.
Income, health,
education and other
statistics can show
whether nations are
rich or poor.
concepts:
developed/developing
nations, statistics,
demographic factors
(10) Economics. The student
understands categories of economic
activities and the data used to measure a
society's economic level. The student is
expected to:
(B) describe levels of economic
development of various societies using
indicators such as life expectancy, gross
domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita,
and literacy; and (WG 5B)
Using Statistics to
Measure Standard
of Living
 What Does Each
Statistic
Measure?
 How to Interpret
Each Statistic
 How Statistics
show Push-Pull
Factors
 Personal
Examples
Can statistics help
us explain why
groups of people
would move from
one place to
another?
Essential Resources

Text, Ch. 3, Sec. 1
Population Patterns in
Places and Regions
(population statistics)
 Lesson Plan: Standard
of Living (Britton &
Verow)
o Individual Countries
o Sample Foldable
o CIA World Factbook
Supplemental Resources
vocabulary:
standard of living,
statistics, economy,
GDP, poverty rate,
per capita income,
literacy rate, infant
mortality
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Text, Country and
Regional Profiles (see
page xx for contents)
Text, Regional
Database (pp.602-645)
Text, “Student Success
Handbook,’ Map and
Graph Questions
(pages xxxii and xxxiii)
EarthTrends (extensive
comparison data on all
nations)
GEOHIVE (global
statistics)
Thinking Maps Connections
(population patterns tree
map, population growth
multi-flow)
Thinking Maps Connections
(population circle, tree,
double bubble and multflow)
Instructional Considerations: The six foundational statistics to be discussed throughout the year will include literacy rate, life expectancy, GDP, per capita
income, poverty rate, and infant mortality. Other areas will be discussed when relevant to the unit region.
Alief ISD 2011
Grade 6
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