Agriculture
Two Weeks
Social Studies
Lesson Plan
Teacher: 6th Grade Teacher
Grade: 6th Grade
Lesson Title:
Agricultural Revolution
STRANDS
Geography, History
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
LESSON OVERVIEW
This unit is focused on the Agricultural Revolution. Within the unit the class will be creating a large, graphically organized timeline of the Neolithic Era through the
Agricultural Revolution all the way to modern day. Each class session will realize new material to be included in the timeline. There will be a heavy focus explanatory
writings to hypothetical questions about agriculture and how it has affected lives throughout history. There will also be a focus on the technologies developed during
this revolution and if they use the same engineering design process as is used today. There will also be math skills utilized to quantify ratios of how much food a given
person could produce in a given time frame. Students will be asked on a daily basis a higher order thinking question centered around the theme that agriculture is
necessary for the development of civilizations. Additionally, students will examine possible negatives that have resulted from the Agricultural Revolution.
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites,
literature)
MOTIVATOR
“Crash Course” Video found in Appendix A.
“Focus on Surplus” Video found in Appendix D.
DAY
1
Objectives
(I can….)
Materials &
Resources
I can describe the life of
iPads
Instructional Procedures
Essential Question: What was life like before the Agricultural Revolution?
Differentiated
Instruction
Enrichment:
Adjusted
Assessment
Formative: Exit
a nomad.
Apple TV
Nomads
Questions
Set: “What would your life be like if YOU were responsible for finding
your own food? There are no grocery stores, no vending machines, no
convenience stores, etc. You have to find your own food in nature.”
Students will be given a few moments to formulate their responses.
Select students will share their thoughts with the class.
1.How might
seasons affect
where a nomad
is?
Teaching Procedure:
 Students will work in groups at their tables to generate a working
definition of “nomad.”
 After a few moments to find valuable information volunteer
groups will share their findings with the class.
 The goal is to come to a definition that totally identifies what a
nomad was. Nomad: A person living the Paleolithic Era that
migrated from place to place in search of food, held no
permanent residence, and typically traveled with a group of 20-30
other people.
During this unit the class will be creating a large timeline of the
Agricultural revolution to be placed in the hallway. Each class period will
identify new items to include. Today’s lesson needs to have identified a
graphic for nomads and five bullet points to describe them.



Each table will search on their iPads for a graphic to place on the
timeline.
Any table who thinks they have found a usable image will airplay
it for the class. Once an adequate image is discovered we will
move on to formulating bullet points as a class.
To formulate five bullet points students will volunteer items they
think should be included. We will decide this information as a
class.
Select students will need to save the image and bullet points to be printed
and placed on the timeline later in the unit.
Closing Strategy: As an exit ticket students will include two things they
learned about nomads.
2.Have we
realized any
information that
tells us how
nomadic life
ended?
3.Are there any
benefits to being a
nomad over living
in a community?
Remediation:
Prompting
Seating to
minimize
distractions
Tickets
2
I can explain the
Agricultural Revolution.
I can explain how the
Agricultural Revolution
changed the way
people lived.
Resources
found in
Appendix A
iPads
Apple TV
Essential Question: What is the agricultural revolution?
Most significant invention in human history
Set: “What is a revolution?” Students will be given a few moments to
generate a response. Volunteer students will share their thoughts with
the class. A comprehensive definition of this word needs to be obtained
to understand what the Agricultural Revolution really was.
Revolution: a sudden, extreme, or complete change in the way people
live, work, etc.
Teaching Procedure:

Students will watch “Crash Course – Agricultural Revolution” and
be directed to write down items they feel are important to
understanding what the Agricultural Revolution really was.

Student responses from information realized from the video will
be recorded on the board as we create a working summary of the
Agricultural Revolution.

Students will then read “Agricultural Revolution – Bonfire” and
perform the corresponding worksheet.

After this short exercise is done, as a class, we will discuss the
worksheet’s answers in depth.
Enrichment:
Choice Activity –
Found in Closing
Strategy
Remediation:
Prompting
Seating/grouping
to minimize
distraction
Formative: Exit
Tickets,
Worksheet
The items from this class period to be included in the timeline will be a
graphic(s) for Agricultural Revolution and five bullet points.

Students will then be directed to find a good graphic for
“Agricultural Revolution.” They will work in groups of 3-4 and
search on their personal iPads.

Once each group has found a graphic they will airplay it for the
class on the AppleTV and allow other students and the instructor
to select the best image.

Students will then volunteer suggestions for the five bullet points
to be included in the timeline. The class will work with the
instructor to make these points as comprehensive and concise as
possible.
Select students will need to save the selected graphic and bullet point
information so that they may be printed later in the week.
Closing Strategy: As an exit ticket students will provide a definition of the
Agricultural Revolution in their own words.
Choice Activity: Explain how life today might be better had agriculture
never been developed.
3
I can explain the system of
irrigation in Mesopotamia.
Resources in
Appendix B
Essential Question:
1. Where did the Agricultural Revolution take place?
iPad
2. What was farming like in Mesopotamia?
Enrichment: Peer
Tutoring
Adjusted
Formative: Exit
Ticket,
Worksheet
Apple TV
Fertile Crescent
Questions
Set: “What is one reason people settled near coasts?” Students will be
given a few moments to formulate a response. Select students will share
their thoughts to generate class discussion.
1.What leadership
needed to be
evident to make
the irrigation
systems in
Mesopotamia
work?
Teaching Procedure:

Students will be directed to “Farming in Mesopotamia” and will
independently perform the corresponding worksheet. (Skip down
the to heading “Irrigation in Mesopotamia”.)

After students have completed the work we will discuss their
responses as a class discussion.

Students will then be directed to “Ancient China – Ducksters” to
read about farming in this ancient civilization.

After students have read this the class will briefly discuss the
highpoints of their reading.

Students will then be directed to find a map of locations that the
Agricultural Revolution took place using their iPads and Internet
browser.

When a student thinks they have an adequate graph they will
airplay it for the class on the Apple TV.

Once a map has been found the class will be directed to
formulating bullet points about the various locations the
Agricultural Revolution took place. This will be their homework
for the class period.
Select students will need to save the selected graphic and bullet point
information so that they may be printed later in the week.
Closing Strategy: “How do you think the same revolution (same
2. Without job
specialization
would irrigation
be feasible?
Remediation:
Seating/grouping
to minimize
distractions
Adjusted
Questions
1.How does
irrigation allow for
more food to be
produced?
2.How does more
food production
help the
maintenance that
irrigation systems
required?
agricultural developments) took place in multiple locations around the
same time period?” Students will be given a few moments to formulate a
responses and provide it an exit ticket.
4
I can identify
innovations that aided
the Agricultural
Revolution.
Resources in
Appendix C
Essential Questions: How did smooth stone tools play a part in the
Agricultural Revolution?
iPad
Smooth stone tools
Apple TV
Set: “How did irrigation aid the Agricultural Revolution?” Students will be
given a few moments to formulate their responses. Volunteer students
will be given the opportunity to share their responses for class discussion.
Teaching Procedure:

Students will be directed to “Farming Tools in the Stone Age”.

Student will write a sentence or two on each tool and how it was
useful in the transition towards societies utilizing agriculture.

Students will then talk at their tables to try and reach a consensus
on which tool was the most useful.

Each table will informally present to the class which tool their
table finds the most useful.

The class will then have a brief discussion about why these
various simple tools were invented. The goal of the discussion
being that technologies are tools made to meet needs. (Whether
a modern invention or a Paleolithic Era invention.)

Students will then be directed to find graphics of tools used in the
Enrichment:
Adjusted
Questions
1.Are technologies
researched,
tested, and
revised during the
Agricultural
Revolution like
products today?
2.What does a
tool do for a
farmer?
3.How is that
similar to
mechanization in
farming today?
Remediation:
Prompting
Seating to
minimize
Formative: Class
discussion, Exit
Ticket
Agricultural Revolution to be placed on the class timeline.
Students will air play any images they feel are adequate and the
class will decide on two images to use.

As a class we will then create bullet points to explain the tools
pictured.
Select students will need to save the selected graphic and bullet point
information so that they may be printed later in the week.
Closing Strategy: As an exit ticket students will explain what “technology”
is and why inventions happen.
distraction
Adjusted Question
1. Technologies
meet needs, what
needs did tools
meet during the
Agricultural
Revolution?
5
Project Day 1 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic – Landscape Design
6
I can explain job
specialization during
the Agricultural
Resources
found in
Essential Question: What were the first jobs that resulted from
Agricultural Surplus?
Enrichment:
Choice Activity –
Formative: Exit
Ticket
Revolution.
Appendix D
Job Specialization
iPad
Set: “What jobs would not exist if people had to farm for their own
food?” Students will be given a few moments to formulate a response.
Selected students will be given the opportunity to share their thoughts.
Apple TV
Teaching Procedure:
 There will be a brief lecture following the set discussion. The main
point of this lecture will be that there would be no other jobs
besides farming if people had to farm for their own food. If each
person had to farm and could only produce enough food to feed
themselves there is no time for anything else.
 Students will then watch “Focus on Surplus”. Students will be
directed to take down notes on what results from agricultural
surplus.
 Students will then volunteer the information they have taken
down for class discussion. The instructor should keep track of
items students generate on the board.
 Students will then search for a graphic of “job specialization” to
be placed on their timeline later in the week.
 Students will airplay items they think are adequate.
 Once a graphic has been selected the class will generate several
bullet points about job specialization to be placed on the timeline.
Select students will need to save the selected graphic and bullet point
information so that they may be printed later in the week.
Closing Strategy: “Ancient Egypt is famous for their building of grand
monuments and temples, what would be different about Ancient Egypt
without Agricultural Surplus?” Students will be directed to write a
paragraph and provide it as an exit ticket.
Choice Activity: “Would societies in general be more peaceful with less
agricultural surplus and less job specialization?”
Found in Closing
Strategy
Remediation:
Seating to
minimize
distractions
Feedback and
Prompting
7
I can identify various
advancements
civilizations made as a
result of the
Agricultural Revolution.
Resources
found in
Appendix E
Essential Questions: How did the Agricultural Revolution lead to the
development of civilizations?
First Civilizations
iPad
Apple TV
Set: “Could civilizations exist without agriculture?” Students will be given
a few moments to formulate a response. Volunteer students will share
their thoughts for class discussion.
Teaching Procedure:
 Students will be directed to “Neolithic Revolution BBC”. They will
create two questions and answers for each heading.
 After the class has finished this reading and exercise there will be
a discussion oriented lecture about the reading’s content.
 As a class we will then create five or six bullet points about what
advancements were made in the development of civilizations as a
result of the agricultural revolution. These bullet points will be
placed on the timeline later in the unit.
 Students will then search for representative graphic(s) to go on
the timeline. Students will airplay images they would like to
include and the class will decide which ones will be placed on the
timeline.
Select students will need to save the selected graphic and bullet point
information so that they may be printed later in the week.
Closing Strategy: As an exit ticket students will tell two significant
advancements that were results of the agricultural revolution.
8
Enrichment:
Adjusted
Questions
1.Were there any
negative effects of
the Agricultural
Revolution in the
development of
civilizations?
2.The developed
world today is
becoming more
and more reliant
on agricultural
surplus, will this
trend continue?
Remediation:
Seating to
minimize
distraction
Prompting
Formative: Exit
ticket
Project Day 2 – refer to Unit Plan
Topic—Landscape Design
9
Project Day 3—refer to Unit Pan
Topic—Landscape Design
10
I can explain what the
Agricultural Revolution
Rectangular
Essential Question: What was the Agricultural Revolution?
Enrichment: Peer
Formative:
was.
paper 5’x3’
Timeline Construction
tutoring
Markers
Set: “What is agriculture?” Having never truly defined the word that
this unit is centered around, students will define it for themselves.
Having two weeks of discussion about the Agricultural Revolution,
students should provide very solid definitions. Volunteer students
may share their thoughts for class discussion.
Remediation:
Peer tutoring
Glue Sticks
Printer
MacBook
Teaching Procedure:

Group students in groups of 4.

Groups will be assigned the following task:

o
The student who saved all the material from the
week will print the material and make sure all print
outs are visually appealing and easy to read. They
will lead their group in this task on a MacBook.
o
Dating each of the 5 items going on the timeline. This
will require some research.
o
Placing the printouts on the timeline neatly.
o
Writing the line itself, titling the timeline, writing the
date down on the timeline and titling each of the five
items being included in the timeline.
o
Write a short paragraph about agricultural production
today to be placed at the end of the timeline. They
will also need to find a graphic to correlate with the
paragraph.
The timeline will be organized as follows:
Numbers go on top of the line. Letters go directly below the
correlating number. For example 1 and A go together, 2 and
B go together, and so on.
Grouping to
minimize
distraction
Prompting
Closing Strategy
1. Nomad Graphic
2. Agricultural Revolution Graphic
3. “Where the revolution took place” graphic
4. “Technology developed to aid the revolution” graphic
5. “Agriculture’s effect of civilization” graphic
6. “Agriculture Today” graphic
a. Nomad bullets
b. Agricultural Revolution bullets
c. “Where the revolution took place” bullets
d. “Technology developed to aid the revolution” bullets
e. “Agriculture’s effect on the revolution” bullets
f.
“Agriculture Today” graphic
Closing Strategy: There will be a brief class discussion about
anything the students found interesting about the Agricultural
Revolution after seeing is built in a timeline.
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
Grade Level Expectation:
3.02 Know the location of places and geographic features, both physical and human.
5.01 Recognize the importance of fire, weapons, and tools to early cultures and agriculture.
5.02 Understand the place of historical events in the context of past, present and future.
5.04 Recognize the importance of agriculture, evolution of writing, education, law, and trade in the development of early civilizations.
Student Performance Indicator:
6.3.spi.3. Identify the location of early civilizations on a map (i.e. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Ancient Chinese, Indian.).
6.5.spi.2. Recognize the types of early communities (i.e., nomadic, fishing, farming).
6.5.spi.5. Identify major technological advances (i.e., tools, wheel, irrigation, river dikes, development of farming, advances in weaponry, written
language, and printing press).
6.5.spi.7. Recognize major historical time periods (i.e., Early Civilizations, Classical Period, Dark Ages, Middle Ages, Renaissance).
6.5.spi.12. Recognize the possible causes of change in civilizations (i.e., environmental change, political collapse, new ideas, warfare, overpopulation,
unreliable food sources, diseases).
6.5.spi.13. Identify the impact of advances in technology on history (i.e. agricultural revolution, Renaissance scientists, exploration during the 1400s).
Vocabulary:
1. Nomad: A person living the Neolithic Era, held no permanent residence, hunted and gathered their food.
2. Irrigation: Manipulating of landscape to funnel water through ditches to dry farmland.
3. Civilization: Living in the same location for long periods of time, based on agricultural surplus, advancement of human society.
4. Agriculture: Cultivation and domestication of plants for consumption.
5. Technology: Any tool developed to meet a given need.