JACK H. SKIRBALL MIDDLE SCHOOL
6TH GRADE WORLD HISTORY:
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Teacher: Ms. Green
Email: agreen@laalliance.org
Room: 101
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30
Where did humans and human life as we know it come from?
Why do civilizations begin and end, and to what extent do civilizations ever begin and end?
How do we know about history if nobody alive today was alive then?
Welcome to Ancient Civilizations! Ancient Civilizations prepares you for all other History and
Social Studies classes you will take in Middle and High school. As geographers,
archaeologists, historians, and learners we will come to an understanding of where we as
humans come from and what it means to be human. We will also explore how different
groups of humans have adapted to their unique circumstances through culture, philosophy,
law, architecture, and many other features of civilizations. I am very excited to work with
each one of you and to grow along with you throughout the year.
Course Description
Students will explore the origins of humanity and the basis of the development of modern
society, from hominids through the fall of the Roman Empire. Students will utilize mapmaking, geography, artifacts, primary and secondary sources, and many other tools to
compare and contrast different civilizations throughout history and draw conclusions about
the foundations of human civilizations.
We’ll explore:
 World Geography
 Human Beginnings, Hominids, and Early Humans
 The Formation of the Ancient Civilizations Around the World, including the River Valley
Civilizations, Civilizations in Ancient Latin America, Ancient Africa and Egypt, China,
India, Mesopotamia, Rome, Greece, and many more!
Students will demonstrate inquiry and mastery through in-class writing assignments,
projects, collaborative work, and discussions that will culminate in two term projects.
Class Expectations
Listen – pay attention and ask questions
Engage – participate and be active in your learning
Attend – be in your seat on time, be here every day
Respectful, Responsible – respect & be aware of yourself & others
Negotiate – work with me to make our class work for you
Term Projects
20% Fall: Essay
Your Grade
20% Spring: Presentation
-
-
Does your project
reflect work from and
growth throughout the
semester?
Do you grapple with
the topics and themes
of the course?
Exams
10%
Engagement
10%
Term Projects
40%
Engagement
- Do you work on class assignments
throughout the entire period?
- Are you productive?
- When you need help or are stuck,
do you ask for assistance?
- Do you ask questions when you
have them?
- Are you respectful to yourself and
others?
- When you’re absent, do you make
up missed work?
Assignments
40%
Assignments
- Do you complete all assignments as your own original work?
- Do you seek help when you need it?
- Does you work improve as the semester goes on?
- Do you put pride and attention to detail in your work?
Standard-Based Grades
Grade Scale
4 points= Advanced
3.4- 4.0= A
Remember—
3 points= Proficient
2.7- 3.3= B
2 points= Basic
2.6- 2.0= C
1 points= Below Basic
1.99 and below= Not Proficient
It is my job to
help you succeed—
and I want each
and every one of
you to succeed.
If you need
something from me
to make this
class work for
you, let me know!
I will do
everything in my
power to help you
help yourself.
Homework and Classwork
Due to the nature of the course, most assignments will be
completed during class time. Therefore, it is imperative
that students remain on task to complete each assignment
in class. Homework should be turned in complete and on
time. Students will be required to attend mandatory
detention scheduled by the teacher that week to
complete all missing assignments.
Classroom Materials
Please see the 6th Grade Materials list.
--Ms. Green
Due: Thursday, August 6th (Periods 1, 3, 5) or Friday, August 7th (4, 6).
Students, please have a parent fill out and sign this portion of the syllabus.
Hello, parent or guardian! Welcome to Jack H. Skirball Middle School. I’m excited to
get to know your child and learn with them throughout the year in our Ancient Civilizations
class. I’d love to know a little bit more about you and your child.
Please fill out this form so your child can return it to me on Thursday/Friday (Day 3).
Throughout the year, feel free to contact me at agreen@laalliance.org with any questions,
comments, or concerns about our class or the transition to middle school.
Student’s name
_______________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s name
________________________________________________________
Email where I can reach you
______________________________________________________
What are three of your child’s strengths?
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
What else would you like me to know about your child?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s signature __________________________________________
Thank you!
--Ms. Green