7 t h Grade World History Road Map
Over the course of the 7th grade social studies curriculum the students
will study the ancient civilizations of the world. Each unit of study will
involve examining how and why each civilization flourished and the
influence each civilization had on those that followed. The course of
study begins with the hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age, moves
through ancient Asian and African civilizations and concludes with the
Renaissance and Reformation.
In the study of Africa in grade 7, students will learn about the significant
features of ancient Egypt and Nubia, two civilizations that developed in
the Nile Valley. They will learn about such features as the natural
environment, urban development, social hierarchy, written language,
belief systems, government and economy of each civilization. Our
studies will also encompass the spread of Islamic civilizations that
developed in the area of North Africa, as well as, an examination of the
West African kingdoms of Mali, Ghana and Songhai, and the East
African kingdoms of Ethiopia and Aksum.
The students will continue to develop their skills of thinking like a
geographer and archeologist, begun in grade six, and start to think like
an historian, a skill they will utilize in their grade 8 U.S. History course.
This means students will be asked to analyze, interpret and make
judgments about the knowledge they obtain through their course of
study.
Core Text: History of Our World
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
1
FIRST MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1
Unit 1
The beginnings of civilization
and the Fertile Crescent are
the topics examined in this
unit.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 weeks
Grading Period 1
Weeks 1-5

Module 2

Culminating Project
Students will reflect on the
characteristics and
accomplishments of the
groups/cultures they have
studied in this unit. Working
in groups, students will
identify 2 to 3 artifacts that
most accurately portray their
assigned group/culture. Next,
in conjunction with the art
teacher, each group will
make 1 artifact, write a
description of their artifact
and an explanation of why
they feel it reflects their
assigned group/culture.
Finally, each group will give
an oral presentation in which
they share their artifact with
the class.
What kinds of clues do
historians use to
understand how people
lived in the past?
How did prehistoric people
learn to adapt to their
environment in order to
survive?
Module 3

What were the major
characteristics and
achievements of the
civilizations that emerged in
Mesopotamia between
3200 B.C. and 500 B.C.?
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content
 The clues historians and
archeologists use to interpret
the past
 The hunter-gatherers of the
Stone Age and the development
of agriculture
 Mesopotamia was the site of
the world’s first civilizations.
Skills
 Analyze a primary source.
 Identify what tools are used to
understand history.
 Identify the connection between
history and geography.
 Describe what archaeologists
do when they examine artifacts
from the past.
 Distinguish between primary
and secondary sources.
 Create a time line.
 Draw conclusions, compare and
contrast, hypothesize and make
predictions.
Student Products
 Students develop a list of items
for a time capsule portraying
their generation.
 Each student will complete a
chart in which they list and
describe the various
achievements and adaptations
prehistoric people made to their
environment in order to survive.
 The students will complete a
chart in which they describe the
characteristics and
accomplishments of various
Mesopotamian Civilizations.
2
FIRST MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1
Unit 2
The civilization of ancient
Egypt
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 weeks
Grading Period 1
Weeks 5-9
Culminating Project
Students will be asked to
create a tomb design for a
famous Egyptian pharaoh or
woman of power that is
consistent with ancient
Egyptian designs, colors,
style, and the religious
customs and traditions of
the time.

How did physical
geography affect the
growth of ancient
Egyptian civilizations?
Module 2

What were the religious
beliefs and values of
the ancient Egyptians?
Module 3

What historical
accomplishments are
the ancient Egyptians
known for and how
have we learned about
them?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content
 How the geography and
natural resources of ancient
Egypt affected the
development of the empire
 The Egyptians’ belief in the
afterlife
 Accomplishments of the
ancient Egyptians
Skills
 Analyze maps and their
related data to learn about
geography and natural
resources.
 Analyze a picture.
 Conduct research.
 Describe, draw conclusions,
summarize and hypothesize.
Student Products
 The students will describe
how the geographic features
and natural resources of the
Nile River Valley led to its
development as one of the
great civilizations of the
ancient world.
 The students will write an
essay in which they
summarize the religious
beliefs and values of the
ancient Egyptians.
 The students will write an
essay about an invention
made by the ancient
Egyptians. They will explain
why it was the most
important invention of the
time and why it has lasted
over 3,000 years.
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
3
SECOND MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1
Unit 3
This unit explores the
civilization of ancient India.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 weeks
Grading Period 2
Weeks 1-5
Culminating Project
The students will be asked to
view themselves as Indus
Valley merchants selling a
variety of goods such as:
cotton, cooper tools, pottery,
cloth, gold, jewelry, silver,
shells and beads. As
merchants they will need a
seal to use on all of the
goods they sell. They will
design a seal that represents
them in some way. The
students will then describe
what these seals tell us
about life in the Indus River
Valley.
 What role did geography
play in the development of
the first civilizations in
ancient India? What were
the features of these early
civilizations?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content
 Geography and the
development of ancient
civilizations in India.
 Hinduism and Buddhism in
ancient India
 The accomplishments of the
Maurya and Gupta Empires
Module 2
Skills
 What were the beliefs,
values and religions of the
people of ancient India
and what are some of the
ways we have learned
about this civilization?
 Identify geographic features.
 Analyze a work of art.
 Describe, explain, compare
and contrast, analyze, draw
conclusions, summarize and
hypothesize.
Module 3
Student Products
 How did the leaders of the
Maurya and Gupta
Empires bring prosperity
to much of India and what
were the main
accomplishments of each
empire?
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
 The students will decide on
a location for a new city
somewhere in the Indus
River Valley, explain why
they chose that location and
how they would build it to
protect it from invaders and
natural disasters.
 The students will complete
the Teachings of the
Buddhist and Hindu
Religions Chart where they
identify the similarities
between the two religions
and then record the actual
evidence they examined.
 The students will create
posters that show the
accomplishments of the
Maurya and Gupta Empires
and then write a paragraph
in which they identify the
accomplishments we
continue to use today.
4
SECOND MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Unit 4
Module 1
This unit explores the
civilization of ancient China.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 Weeks
Grading Period 2
Weeks 5-9

Module 2

Culminating Project
The students will create a
map of the Silk Road;
describe the climatic and
geographic conditions on the
Silk Road, the means of
transportation used and how
the terrain affected travel
and the routes followed. The
students will also identify the
products and ideas
exchanged from east to west
on the Silk Road and identify
the products and ideas
exchanged from west to
east. They will then draw
conclusions as to how
important the Silk Road was
to the ancient world and in
what ways the Silk Road
acted as a tool to transmit
various cultures.
What characteristics
defined the culture of
ancient China?
What types of
leadership and
government did the Qin
and Han Dynasties
establish and how did
this impact the people
of China?
Module 3

7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
What historical
accomplishments are
the ancient Chinese
known for and how
have we learned about
them?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content
 Confucianism and the culture
of ancient China
 The leaders and
governments of the Qin and
Han Dynasties
 The historical
accomplishments of the
ancient Chinese
Skills
 Analyze poetry.
 Analyze primary source
documents.
 Analyze works of art.
 Analyze artifacts.
 Conduct research.
 Write a persuasive essay.
Student Products
 The students will write an
essay in which they
summarize the
characteristics that defined
the culture of Ancient China.
 The students are to write an
essay in which they compare
and contrast the leadership
styles, governments and
policies of the Qin and Han
Emperors.
 Each student will identify one
ancient Chinese invention as
the most important to the
development of civilization
and write a persuasive essay
defending their choice.
5
THIRD MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1:
Unit 5
Ancient Greece is the focus
of this unit. The students will
discover how the geography
of ancient Greece influenced
the development of citystates, the numerous
accomplishments of the
Greeks, the cultures of
Athens and Sparta and the
relationship between these
two powerful city-states.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 weeks
Grading Period 3
Weeks 1-5
Culminating Project
The students will create a
PowerPoint travelogue about
ancient Greece that allows
them to demonstrate their
knowledge of the history,
culture, beliefs and values of
the people of the country.
They will also compare and
contrast the government and
culture of ancient Greece
with modern day America.
 How did the physical
geography of ancient Greece
influence the development of
independent city-states and
contribute to their role in
maritime trade?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content
 The geography of Greece
and the need for trade
 The achievements of the
ancient Greeks
 Athens and Sparta, allies
and enemies
Skills
Module 2
 What major achievements did
the ancient Greeks make in
areas such as art,
architecture, government,
literature, philosophy, math,
and science and how have
we learned of these
accomplishments?
Module 3
 What were the similarities
and differences between
Athens and Sparta, the two
most powerful city-states in
Greece, and why did they
become such fierce
enemies? Why and how did
Athens fall and how do we
know about this?
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
 Analyze a primary source.
 Use map interpretation skills
to draw conclusions.
 Summarize, make
predictions, and draw
conclusions.
 Identify the cause and
effect.
 Evaluate the pros and cons.
 Create a time line.
 Describe the similarities and
differences.
Student Products
 The students will write a
paragraph in which they
describe how the physical
geography of ancient Greece
influenced the development of
independent city-states and
contributed to their role in
maritime trade.
 The students will list
examples of Greek
achievements in the areas of
government, philosophy,
architecture, sculpture,
pottery, dramatic arts,
mathematics and science and
then identify which of these
achievements still influence
Western Civilization through
their presence or use today.
 The students will write an
essay in which they describe
the similarities and differences
between Athens and Sparta,
explain why these two citystates became enemies, and
why and how Athens fell to
the Spartans.
6
THIRD MARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1
Unit 6
This unit explores ancient
Rome. The students will
examine how Rome was
transformed from a republic to
an empire and the
characteristics of life in the
empire. In addition, students
will explore the historical
achievements of the Romans
and what factors led to the
decline of the empire.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 weeks
Grading Period 3
Weeks 5-9

Focus Content



Module 2
 What was life like in the
Roman Empire?
Module 3

Culminating Project
The students will create a
mosaic. The design of the
mosaic will represent some
aspect of the Roman Empire.
The students will also write a
paragraph that will be
attached to their mosaic in
which they explain how the
design of their mosaic
represents the Roman
Empire.
How and why did the
Roman Empire grow to
become the largest
empire in the world at the
time?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
What were the legacies
of the Roman Empire in
the areas of art and
architecture, science and
technology, literature,
language, and law and
how do we know about
them?
Module 4

What led to the decline
and fall of the Roman
Empire?
7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012

Reasons for the successful
expansion of the Roman
Empire
Daily life in the Roman
Empire
Achievements of the
Romans
The decline of the Roman
Empire
Skills





Compare and contrast.
Analyze and interpret.
Outline.
Identify the similarities and
differences.
Summarize.
Student Products

The students will write an
essay in which they
describe how the Romans
were able to incorporate
the people of conquered
nations into their empire
and successfully sustain
that empire for hundreds of
years.
 The students will identify
the similarities and
differences in the lives of
wealthy and ordinary
ancient Romans.
 The students will identify
achievements of the
Romans during the Roman
Empire and identify the one
achievement that had the
greatest impact on the
Roman Empire.
 The students write an
essay in which they identify
the factor that they believe
had the greatest impact in
causing the Roman
Empire’s decline.
7
FOURTH M ARKING PERIOD
UNIT
Module 1
Unit 7
This unit will explore the
emergence of Islam as a
new world religion, the rich
trade kingdoms of West
Africa and the powerful
civilizations of East Africa.
PACING
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 Weeks
Grading Period 4
Weeks 1-5
Culminating Project
The students will create an
electronic scrapbook of
ancient Africa that
demonstrates the student’s
knowledge of the golden age
of Muslim civilization and the
ancient kingdoms of East
and West Africa. In addition,
they will describe the role of
trade in changing the
religious and cultural
characteristics of the people
of East and West Africa.
 What are the origins of
Islam, how was it spread
and what important
contributions were made
by Arab scholars during
this time? How have we
learned of these
contributions?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content



The rise of Islam and the
Golden Age of Muslim
culture
West Africa kingdoms of
Ghana, Mali and Songhai
East Africa’s great trading
centers
Skills
Module 2
 In what way did
geography, resources and
trade influence the growth
of the West Africa
kingdoms of Ghana, Mali
and Songhai? How have
we learned about these
kingdoms?
Module 3
 What factors allowed cities
in East Africa, such as
Aksum, Kilwa and Great
Zimbabwe, to become so
powerful? How have we
learned about these citystates?






Student Products



7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
Describe physical
geographic features
Analyze and paraphrase
Describe, explain, compare
and contrast, analyze, draw
conclusions, summarize
and hypothesize
Place elements
appropriately on a timeline
Use a timeline to evaluate
data
Interpret the meanings
The students will write an
essay in which they
summarize the origins of
Islam, how it was spread
and what achievements
came about during the
Golden Age of Islam.
The students will write a
paragraph in which they
describe how geography,
resources and trade
influenced the growth of the
West African kingdoms of
Ghana, Mali and Songhai.
The students will describe
the specific factors, such as
location and/or resources,
which allowed each of the
regions, Aksum, Kilwa and
Great Zimbabwe, to
become such powerful
civilizations in Africa.
8
FOURTH M ARKING PERIOD
UNIT
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Module 1
Unit 8
This unit will explore the
Middle Ages, the
Renaissance and
Reformation. The political,
social, religious and economic
factors of the times will be
examined.
 What political, economic
and social system was
developed in Europe
during the early Middle
Ages and what was the
role of the Roman Catholic
Church at this time?
FOCUS CONTENT, SKILLS
AND STUDENT PRODUCTS
Focus Content



Feudalism; The Roman
Catholic Church
The Crusades; The Decline
of Feudalism
The Renaissance and the
Reformation
Skills
PACING
Suggested Pacing:
4.5 Weeks
Grading Period 4
Weeks 5-9
Culminating Project
The students will create an
Illumination that is
representative of the Middle
Ages, Renaissance and/or
Reformation.
Module 2
 What religious, political
and social changes took
place over the course of
the Middle Ages? How do
we know about these
changes?




Analyze and interpret
primary source documents
Analyze works of art
Draw conclusions and
summarize
Identify cause and effect
Student Products
Module 3
 How did the Renaissance
and reform movements
involving the Catholic
Church change life in
Europe? How do we know
about this?



7th Grade World History – Road Map 2011-2012
The students will write an
essay in which they describe
how the system of feudalism
and the Roman Catholic
Church affected the lives of
everyone in the Middle
Ages, from kings and lords
to peasants.
The students will write an
essay in which they describe
how the changes that took
place over the course of the
Middle Ages affected the
lives of the kings, nobles
and peasants of the time.
The students will write a
paragraph in which they
explain why the time period
following the Middle Ages is
called the Renaissance and
why Martin Luther’s protest
movement against the
Catholic Church is called the
Reformation.
9