Seventh Grade Social Studies Curriculum
Written by
Victoria Morton & Jena Murphy
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Social Studies
Instructional Map
Grade 7
Curriculum Revision Committee
Written By:
Victoria Morton
&
Jena Murphy
2
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Dear Educators:
This curriculum guide is an instructional tool designed to assist teachers in developing and implementing a quality Social
Studies instructional program. With traces of Common Core implementation throughout, this map provides guidance for
teachers as lesson plans are created. Although new Social Studies Standards will be introduced next year, we have taken the
first step towards introducing Literacy Standards into this curriculum. In addition, we have also included a “Tool Box”, which
lists district resources for you. This document contains live links and will be constantly updated each quarter as new
information/strategies/resources become available. Each time the map is posted, it will be posted in its entirety. We suggest
saving it on your desk top and overriding each version with the latest update. You also have the option of printing only the
pages you need.
Best Regards,
Ljillauna Smith
3
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Table of Contents
Quarter One
Quarter Two
Quarter Three
Quarter Four
Tool Box
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
5
21
32
40
45
*Click on the Assessment Button
in the top right
corner of each Quarterly heading to access the Common Assessment
4
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
QUARTER 1
Era: Fall of the Roman Empire
Teaching Time: Week 1-3
The Standards:
C=Culture
E=Economics
H=History
G=Geography
P= Political
Fall of Roman
Empire
Students analyze the
geographic, political,
economic, social and
religious structures of
these
7.1 Analyze the
legacy of the
Roman Empire.
(C, H)
What people
influenced the
culture and
existence of the
Roman civilization?
What was the
culture like in
ancient Rome?
Who were the
mythical brothers
that founded the city
of Rome?
What major
historical time
period is Rome
associated with?
What is the
geography of
7.2 Summarize the
consequences of the Rome?
fall of the Roman
Empire including
What major
the continuation of
(Click on all pictures or icons below to link to sites)
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aqueduct
barter
inflation
mosaic
ode
Pax Romana
reform
regent
saint
Aegean Sea
Alaric
Augustus
Black Sea
Constantine
Constantinople
Diocletian
Galen
Horace
Justinian
Odacer
Ptolemy
Theodora
Theodosius
Tribonian
Direct Instruction
Interactive Instruction
Independent Study
Experiential Learning
Cooperative Learning
Reciprocal Teaching
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
Fall of the Roman Empire
Blog
Students can create a cause and effect chart
explaining the how the Etruscans affected
the development of the Roman civilization. Click the coin to connect to a blog
Provide Students with a blank map of
Europe. Instruct them to locate the Roman
civilization. Also locate all landforms that
are associated with it. They are to label
them and color them the appropriate
colors. Make a map key explaining the
colors and symbols. They are to define all
landforms on the map.
containing the corresponding
Glencoe chapter, Activity
Workbook, `
streaming video, slideshows and
many other resources.
Did Rome Really Fall?
Pair students together. Give them clues of
trends, importance and requirements for
trade during this time period. Have them
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
the Eastern Roman
Empire as the
Byzantine
Empire,Justinian
and the significance
of Constantinople.
(C, E, G, H, P).
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
to Read:
Excerpts from
Eusebius of
Caesarea,
"Ecclesiastical
History," that
describes
Constantine
Guiding
Question/Topic
landforms are
associated with
Rome?
Vocabulary
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What people
influenced the
culture and
existence of the
Roman civilization?
What was Rome’s
religion during the
time of the empire?
What were the social
roles and lifestyles
for men, women in
Rome’s city states?
What was Rome’s
art and literature like
and who were
some of its famous
writers?
What are some
important
architectural
examples of Rome
and how did it
influence our
architecture today?
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Virgil
Byzantine
Empire
Eastern
Orthodox
empire
barbarian
satire
ode
Forum
gladiator
paterfamilias
Virgil
Horace
Galen
Spatacus
vault
Odoacer
Belasarius
regent
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
interpret their maps and write a paragraph
providing logical answers to explain how
they would trade with others during this
time period. Have them share their ideas
with the class.
Instructional Resources
Fall of Rome Links
Have students research as a group and find
characteristics about each Roman god and
goddess. Have students write and study
them. Display the Roman god and goddess
activity and assess them in a game format.
Students can do an activity pretending they
live in Rome. Form groups and
brainstorm/research the characteristics of
obtaining citizenship. Share with the class.
Fall of Rome Web Quest
Have students create bubble maps about
Rome’s significant people. Ensure they
give important characteristics.
Research and do a comparative chart of
two epic poems (Roman/ Greek).
Inventions of Rome
Provide students with a blank map of
Europe. Instruct them to locate the Roman
civilization. Also locate all landforms that
are associated with it. They are to label
them and color them the appropriate
colors. Make a map key explaining the
colors and symbols. They are to define all
6
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
landforms on the map.
What were some of
Rome’s important
Inventions?(i.e.
Roads systems,
Aqueducts, currency
and etc.)
What were the
different ways to get
citizenship in
Rome?
What government
systems were
established in Rome
and what were their
characteristics?
What were the
different ways to get
citizenship in
Rome?
What government
systems were
established in
Rome?
Instructional Resources
Culture of Rome
Pair students together. Give them clues of
trends, importance and requirements for
trade during this time period. Have them
interpret their maps and write a paragraph
providing logical answers to explain how
they would trade with others during this
time period. Have them share their ideas
with the class.
Have students research as a group and find
characteristics about each Roman god and
goddess. Have students write and study
them. Display the Roman god and
goddesses’ activity and assess them in a
game format.
Literature of Rome
Students can do an activity pretending they
live in Rome. Form groups and
brainstorm/research the characteristics of
obtaining citizenship. Share with the class.
Have students create bubble maps about
Rome’s significant people. Ensure they
give important characteristics.
Project- Build a Roman
Arch
Research and do a comparative chart of
two epic poems (Roman/ Greek).
What were some
weaknesses of the
7
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Roman Empire?
Family Life in Rome
Primary Source Document
Link- Eusebius of Caesarea
How to Become a Citizen
Weakness of the Roman
Empire
8
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Era: Islamic World
Teaching Time: Weeks 4-5
The Standards:
7.3 Identify the
physical location
and features and
the climate of the
Arabian Peninsula,
its relationship to
surrounding bodies
of land and water,
including Northern
Africa,
Mediterranean Sea,
Black Sea, Caspian
Sea, Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers,
Nile River. (G)
7.4 Describe the
expansion of
Muslim rule
through conquests
and the spread of
cultural diffusion of
Islam and the
Arabic language.
(C, E, G, H)
Where, when, and
why did the Islamic
religion begin?
Who was
Muhammad?
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What were all of the
aspects of the
Islamic religion?
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What was the
Muslims way of
life?
How did
Muhammad start
the religion of
Islam?
What are some ways
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
(Click on all pictures or icons below to link to sites)
What was the
Quran?
What did Islam,
Christianity, and
Judaism have in
common?
Social Studies
7th Grade
Mediterranean
Sea
Black Sea
Caspian Sea
Tigris &
Euphrates
Rivers
Nile River
Northern
Africa
Quran
Abbasid
Agra
Akbar
Al-Razi
Baghdad
Bedoin
Damascus
Delhi
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Sina
Indonesia
Kaaba
Madinah
Maakka
Mogul
Omar
Exam View Test Generator
Section Assessment
Reading Check
Standardized Test Practice
Guided Reading
Vocabulary Enrichment
Geography Enrichment Independent/
Group Study
Formative Assessments
Direct Instruction
Interactive Instruction
Examine the religion of Islam, its origins
in early history, and the processes that
helped the Islamic faith to spread.
Islamic World Blog
Click the photo above to link to the
Islamic World Blog for a
corresponding Glencoe chapter,
Activity Workbook, streaming
video, slideshows and many other
resources.
Create a Five Pillars of Islam book jacket
Interpret a passage from the Quran.
History of Muhammad
Have students create bubble maps about
the Islamic significant people. Ensure they
give important characteristics.
Events: Have students create flow charts
explaining each detail. Have them share
with the class.
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
7.5 Trace the
origins of Islam and
the life and
teachings of
Muhammad,
including Islam’s
historical
connections to
Judaism and
Christianity. (C,H)
7.6 Explain the
significance of the
Qur’an and the
Sunnah as the
primary sources of
Islamic beliefs,
practice, and law
and their influence
in Muslims’ daily
life. (C, H, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
that
Muslim scholars
have
influenced the
world?
Vocabulary
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Khayyam
Sufi
Suleiman I
Timbuktu
Umayyad
almsgiving
caliph
prophet
pilgrimage
Sunnah
monotheism
Qur’an
Mecca
mosque
Shari’ah
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Compare Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
Instructional Resources
Origins of Islam
The Holy Book Of Islam
Inventions of Islamic
Scientists
7.7 Analyze the
origins and impact
of different sects
within Islam,
Sunnis and Shi’ites.
(C, H)
7.8 Examine and
summarize the
contributions
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
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Muslim scholars
made to later
civilizations in the
areas of science,
geography,
mathematics,
philosophy,
medicine, art, and
literature. (C, G, H)
7.9 Describe the
establishment of
trade routes among
Asia, Africa, and
Europe and the role
of merchants in
Arab society. (E, G,
H)
7.10 Gather
relevant
information from
multiple print and
digital sources to
examine the art and
architecture,
including the Taj
Mahal during the
Mughal period. (C,
H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
The Shah Abbas
The Hadith
The Book of Golden Meadows
7.11 Explain the
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
importance of
Mehmed II the
Conqueror and
Suleiman the
Magnificent. (H, P)
7.12 Write an
explanatory text to
describe the Shah
Abbas and how his
policies of cultural
blending led to the
Golden Age and the
rise of the Safavid
Empire. (C, H, P)
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
to Consider:
excerpts from The
Hadith,
Muhammad;
excerpts from The
Book of Golden
Meadows, Masoudi
12
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Era: Medieval China, Japan, Africa
Time Teaching: Week 6-9
Instructional Activities/Assessment
(Click on all pictures or icons below to link to sites)
The Standards:
China:
400A.D-1500
Students analyze
the geographic,
political, economic,
social, and
religious structures
of the civilizations.
7.19 Create a visual
or multimedia
display to identify
the physical
location and major
geographical
features of China
including the
Yangtze River,
Yellow River,
Himalayas, Plateau
of Tibet, and the
Gobi Desert. (G)
7.20 Describe the
reunification of
China under the
Tang Dynasty and
What was the way
of life of people in
medieval China?
What were the
dynasties of
medieval China?
What inventions
originated in China?
How have Chinese
inventions impacted
the history of the
world?
Who was Ghengis
Khan?
How did the
Mongolians effect
trade?
Who did Mongol
emperors choose to
Instructional Resources
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Medieval China Blog
Yangtze River
Yellow River
Himaylayas
Plateau of
Tibet
Gobi Desert
Tang Dynasty
Buddhism
Beijing
Chang’an
Duo Fu
Empress Wu
Genghis Khan
Gobi
Karakorum
Khanbaliq
Korea
Kublai Khan
Li Bo
Mongolia
Nanjing
Portugal
Wendi
Yong Li
Zheng He
Zhu
Examine the culture of Medieval China.
Create a foldable and research the
dynasties of Medieval China.
Students will recognize artifacts as
Chinese.
Students will determine the effect that
technology and cultural achievements
change how people live and interact.
Students can use the internet and print
resources to create short presentations on
Chinese inventions. Students should
explain what the item is and how this
invention was important to China and the
world.
Click the photo above to connect to
the Chinese Blog for a
corresponding Glencoe chapter,
Activity Workbook, streaming
video, slideshows, and many other
resources.
Dynasties of China
Examine the impact the Mongols had on
trade.
Students create a map of the Mongol
empire. Include the Silk Road.
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
reasons for the
cultural diffusion of
Buddhism. (C, G,
H, P)
7.21 Analyze the
role of kinship and
Confucianism in
maintaining order
and hierarchy. (C,
H, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
help them rule?
Who got most
government jobs
during the Tang
Dynasty?
How did the Song
Dynasty
use civil service
exams to create a
7.22 Summarize the meritocracy?
significance of the
rapid agricultural,
What was neocommercial, and
Confucianism?
technological
development
during the Song
Dynasties. (C, E, H)
7.23 Trace the
spread of Chinese
technology to other
parts of Asia, the
Islamic world, and
Europe including
papermaking,
wood-block
printing, the
compass and
gunpowder. (C, E,
Vocabulary
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Yuanzhang
Ming Dynasty
Great Wall
Forbidden City
Tang Dynasty
Silk Road
meritocracy
Confucianism
NeoConfucianism
porcelain
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Geography of China
Technology of China
Ming Dynasty
14
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
G, H)
7.24 Describe and
locate the Mongol
conquest of China
including Genghis
Khan, Kublai Khan.
(G, H, P)
7.25 Engage
effectively in a
collaborative
discussion
describing the
development of the
imperial state and
the scholar-official
class (NeoConfucianism). (C,
H, P)
Genghis Khan
The Analects by Confucius
7.26 Draw evidence
from informational
texts to analyze the
contributions made
during the Ming
Dynasty such as
building projects,
including the
Forbidden City and
the reconstruction
of the Great Wall ,
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
isolationism, and
sea voyages. (C, E,
H, P)
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
to Read: excerpts
from The Analects,
Confucius
Japan:
400 A.D.-1500
7.27 Compare the
major features of
Shinto, Japan’s
indigenous religion,
and Japanese
Buddhism. (C, H)
7.28 Explain the
influence of China
and the Korean
peninsula upon
Japan as
Buddhism,
Confucianism, and
the Chinese writing
system were
Medieval Japan Blog
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What is feudalism?
What are the major
differences between
Shinto and Zen
Buddhist religions?
What influence did
China and the
Korean Peninsula
have upon the
Japanese?
Compare the
emergence of the
Nara period (710794) with that of the
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Ashikaga
Takauji
Heien
Hokkaido
Honshu
Japan
Jimmu
Kamakura
Kyoto
Kyushu
Minamoto
Yorttomo
Murasaki
Shikibu
Shikoku
Shotuku
Nara
Shinto
Zen Buddhism
Diagram the social structure of medieval
society in Japan
Students create a diagram for the feudal
system in Japan.
Because of Japan’s geographic isolation,
the country today has very few minorities.
There is, however, one group that may
have descended from Japan’s very first
inhabitants—the
Ainu people. Most now live on the
northernmost main island, Hokkaido.
Although many Ainu have
intermarried with other Japanese, a few
still live in isolated villages where they
follow their traditional way of life. The
Click the photo above to link to the
Medieval Japan Blog for a
corresponding Glencoe chapter,
Activity Workbook, streaming
video, slideshows and many other
resources.
The Heian Period
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Curriculum Guide
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adopted. (C, G, H)
7.29 Trace the
emergence of the
Japanese nation
during the Nara,
710-794, and the
Heian periods, 7941180. (H, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Heian period (7941100) in Japan.
How did the Heian
aristocracy create
enduring Japanese
cultural
perspectives?
7.30 Describe how
the Heian
(contemporary
Kyoto) aristocracy
created enduring
Japanese cultural
perspectives that
are epitomized in
works of prose such
as The Tale of
Genji, one of the
world’s first novels.
(C, H)
What was the role of
the shogun and the
samurai in the
militarized society
of Japan in the 12th
c.?
7.31 Analyze the
rise of a military
society in the late
twelfth century and
the role of the
shogun and
samurai in that
society. (C, H, P)
What samurai values
and traditions still
influence
Japan today?
What roles did
shoguns, daimyos,
and samurai
serve in Japan?
What was Bushido?
How has Japan’s
Vocabulary
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shogun
samurai
imperial
daimyo
Bushido
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Ainu people have a long history of
discrimination and forced assimilation in
Japan. Ask students to discuss how a small
ethnic minority can best preserve its
culture and identity, particularly in a
homogeneous nation like Japan. Interested
students may want to investigate the
current status of the Ainu people in Japan.
Summarize the major political, economic,
and cultural developments of early
Japanese civilizations. Use a large flip
book to display information.
Instructional Resources
The Nara Period
Bushido
Students will depict their own suit of
samurai armor through drawings or
models.
Help students understand the arguments
behind a strong central government in
Japan versus the independence and local
power of the nobles. Ask students to write
the text of a fictional debate that takes
place between two opposing leaders in
Japan. Tell them to emphasize logic and
reason as they write statements for the two
fictitious leaders. Ask students to compare
and contrast local control and strong
central government, listing the advantages
and disadvantages of each. This debate can
be compared to issues in American history
The Tale of Genji
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
to Read: excerpts
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
400 A.D.-1500
7.13 Analyze the
growth of Ghana,
Mali, and Songhai
kingdoms including
trading centers
such as Timbuktu
and Jenne, which
would later develop
into centers of
Instructional Activities/Assessment
over states’ rights versus a federal
government jurisdiction. After students
have completed their assignment, hold a
class debate on these issues.
geography affected
its history?
Organize the class into groups of four or
five. Each group is to become a panel of
experts on a topic about Japanese culture.
Subjects may include art forms and
rituals coming from Zen Buddhism, such
as ikebana (flower arranging), meditation
gardens, and the tea ceremony; Kabuki or
No theater; architecture; the samurai; and
various customs relating to food,
clothing, manners, education, child rearing,
or holidays. Choose a leader for each
group. Each member of each group should
prepare a five-minute presentation on one
aspect of the group’s subject.
from The Tale of
Genji
Africa:
Social Studies
7th Grade
How did the spread
of Islam impact
Africa?
Who were some
people in medieval
Africa and how did
they effect history?
Trace the early
development of
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Askia
Muhammad
Axum
Ghana
Ibn Battuta
Makkah
Mali
Mansa Musa
Nzinga
Olaudo
Equiano
Songhai
Students can research the cultural
achievements of West Africa and the
influence of Muslim merchants through a
webquest.
Instructional Resources
Medieval Africa Blog
Click the photo above to link to the
Medieval African Blog to access the
Glencoe chapter, Activity
Workbook, streaming video,
slideshows and many other
resources.
Timbuktu
Students can bring in items such as extra
school supplies, books, candy, etc. to trade
with their classmates.
Students can make comparisons to the
modern economy.
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Curriculum Guide
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Standards
culture and
learning. (C, E, G,
H, P).
7.14 Draw evidence
from informational
texts to describe the
role of the transSaharan caravan
trade in the
changing religious
and cultural
characteristics of
West Africa and the
influence of Islamic
beliefs, ethics, and
law. (C, E, G, H, P)
7.15 Examine the
importance of
written and oral
traditions in the
transmission of
African history and
culture. (C, H)
7.16 Analyze the
importance of
family, labor
specialization, and
regional commerce
in the development
Guiding
Question/Topic
societies in West
Africa and the rise,
accomplishments,
and decline of early
West African
empires.
How did the spread
of Islam impact
Africa?
Vocabulary
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Sundiata Keita
Sunni Ali
Mali
Timbuktu
Jenne
Trans-Saharan
trade routes
oral history
caravan
savannah
patrilineal
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Students should write an evaluation of the
barter activity. Students should describe
how bartering works, what are the benefits
and drawbacks of a barter economy?
How did people
obtain resources
through barter?
What civilizations
arose in medieval
Africa?
Students will identify the resources that
drove trade in West Africa.
How did kingdoms
and empires develop
in West Africa?
Songhai
Trace the early development of societies in
West Africa and the rise, accomplishments,
and decline of early West African empires.
Students identify the empires of West
Africa (ie. Ghana, Mali, Songhai). They
should include trans-Saharan trade routes,
the imports and exports of the region.
Students should include a key with their
maps.
What were West
Africa’s main
products of trade?
Instructional Resources
History of Ghana and Mali
Students will locate and draw transSaharan trade routes.
Religions of Africa
What were the major
trade routes of this
region?
19
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
of states and cities
in West Africa. (C,
E, G, H, P)
7.17 Explain the
importance of
Mansa Musa and
locate his
pilgrimage to
Mecca in 1324. (C,
G, H, P)
7.18 Compare the
indigenous
religious practices
observed by early
Africans before and
after contact with
Islam and
Christianity. (C, H)
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
To read:
Excerpts from
Sundiata: An Epic
of Old Mali
Guiding
Question/Topic
How did the
kingdom of Ghana
become very
wealthy?
How did Ghana and
Mali become
powerful?
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Sundiata-An Epic of Old Mali
What are some ways
that Islam
influenced West
Africa?
20
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
QUARTER 2
Era: Middle Ages of Western Europe 400 A.D.-1500
Teaching Time: Weeks 1-5
The Standards:
Middle Ages in
Western Europe
Students analyze
the geographic,
political, economic,
social, and
religious structures
of the civilizations.
7.32 Identify the
physical location
and features of
Europe including
the Alps, the Ural
Mountains, the
North European
Plain, and the
Mediterranean Sea
and the influence of
the North Atlantic
Drift. (G)
Which
characteristics do art
from the European
middle ages share?
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What groups
migrated throughout
Europe during the
middle ages?
What major
religions spread
through Europe
during the
middle ages?
Why was the
Catholic church so
important? How was
its power used?
What were the roles
of people and their
functions in the
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The Alps
The Ural
Mountains
The North
European Plain
Mediterranean
Sea
North Atlantic
Drift
feudalism
manorialism
papacy
monarchy
Charlemagne
Gregory VII
Henry IV
Norman
Invasion
Battle of
Hastings
William the
Conqueror
Magna Carta
parliament
habeas corpus
(Click on all pictures or icons below to link to sites)
Direct Instruction-Review the
characteristics and examples of Medieval
art.
The Middle Ages Blog
Analyze how the cultural activities
influence the character of a place.
Label a blank map of Europe with the
groups the moved through Europe.
Examine how human migration effects the
character of a place.
Click the photo above to link to the
Medieval African Blog to access the
Glencoe chapter, Activity
Workbook, streaming video,
slideshows and many other
resources.
Recognize the role of major religions.
Identify the spread of Christian
beliefs in Europe.
Life in the Middle Ages
Direct instruction-Using Visual Aids
demonstrate different maps of Europe.
Students can create a flipbook including a
map of Europe for each type of map. Also
include the purpose of each.
21
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
7.33 Describe the
development of
feudalism and
manorialism, its
role in the medieval
European economy,
and the way in
which it was
influenced by
physical geography
(the role of the
manor and the
growth of towns).
(C, E, G, H, P)
7.34 Demonstrate
understanding of
the conflict and
cooperation
between the Papacy
and European
monarchs,
including
Charlemagne,
Gregory VII, and
Emperor Henry IV.
(H, P)
7.35 Examine the
Norman Invasion,
Battle of Hastings,
and the impact of
Guiding
Question/Topic
feudal system?
How did the
Bubonic plague
change the lives of
people in Europe?
What tools were
improved to make
farming easier
during the Middle
Ages?
How has human
history been divided
into time periods?
Why is the early
Middle Ages often
called the Dark
Ages?
What do the lives of
individuals in
Medieval Europe
tell us about their
society?
Who were the
Vikings?
What led to
Vocabulary
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monastery
diffusion
Crusades
Thomas
Aquinas
natural law
Iberian
Peninsula
merchant class
Reconquista
Inquisition
agrarian
Dark Ages
Vikings
Code of
chivalry
pagans
peasants
Bubonic Plague
Saxons
Angles
Normans
Francs
Magyars
Holy Roman
Empire
Clovis
Charles Martel
Otto I
Lombards
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Evaluate the purpose of a variety of maps.
Instructional Resources
Feudalism
Students can participate in a feudal system
simulation.
Consider how cooperation and conflict
affects the dissemination of resources,
rights, and privileges.
Students use the internet to research how
agricultural technology changed in the
Middle Ages.
The Crusades
Students should choose one tool and
explain its use and benefit to the people
that used it.
Students can create a large timeline.
Students should include major event from
each time period.
Label the time periods and designation
(BC/BCE/AD/ CE)
Primary Source Document
Letter of Ibn-Fadlan
Construct a time line of technological
innovations and historical events.
Direct Instruction-Review the occupations
of people during the Middle Ages.
22
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
the reign of William
the Conqueror on
England and
Northern France.
(H, G, P)
7.36 Conduct a
short research
project explaining
the significance of
developments in
medieval English
legal and
constitutional
practices and their
importance in the
rise of modern
democratic thought
and representative
institutions
including trial by
jury, the common
law, Magna Carta,
parliament, habeas
corpus, and an
independent
judiciary in
England. (H, P)
7.37 Examine the
spread of
Christianity north
Guiding
Question/Topic
feudalism?
What types of
government ruled
over Medieval
Europe?
What was the
Magna Carta?
How did the Magna
Carta change history
and influence future
documents?
What were the
Crusades?
How did the plague
travel from Asia to
Europe?
What was the impact
of the Bubonic
Plague on the people
of Europe?
How did
Charlemagne impact
Europe?
Who was Joan of
Vocabulary
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Vandals
Aachen
Scandanavia
fjords
Concordat of
Worms
vassal
serf
fief
knight
guild
nobles
Venice
Flanders
barter system
Phillip II
Saladin
Normandy
King John
common law
King Richard
Oleg
Kiev
Kievan Rus
Moscow
Jerusalem
heresy
anti-semitism
vernacular
Romanesque
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Have students choose one job. They can
write a short narration of what that
person’s day would be like.
Instructional Resources
Joan of Arc
Read the primary source statement by
Ahmed Ibn-Fadlan.
Have students use their textbook to
research how Viking attacks led to the
development of Feudalism.
Have students write a description of the
Viking people.
Provide students with definitions of
monarchy and theocracy. Have students
identify key words in each definition. Have
students give examples of how Europe was
each of these governments.
Black Death
Select passages from the Magna Carta.
Have students discuss what the passage
means.
Review the importance of this document
and how it influenced the US Constitution.
Decline of Ottoman Empire
Differentiate between the rights and
privileges of the individual.
Create a flow chart for the Crusades and a
separate chart for the Bubonic Plague.
23
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
of the Alps and the
roles played by the
early church and by
monasteries in its
diffusion after the
fall of the western
half of the Roman
Empire. (C, G, H)
7.38 Analyze the
causes, course, and
consequences of the
European Crusades
and their effects on
the Christian,
Muslim, and
Jewish populations
in Europe, with
emphasis on the
increasing contact
by Europeans with
cultures of the
Eastern
Mediterranean
world. (C, G, H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Arc and what role
did she play in the
Hundred Years war?
What was the
significance of
Isabella of Castile
and Ferdinand of
Argon?
Vocabulary
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Cathedral
Gothic
Cathedral
Scholasticism
Orleans
Joan of Arc
Ferdinand of
Aragon
Hundred
Years’ War
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Critique the impact of the Crusades and
Bubonic Plague on life in Europe during
the latter half of the Middle Ages.
Instructional Resources
The Life of Charlemagne
Students should include how each began,
important events, and events that happen as
a result in chronological order.
Create bubble maps to explain the
important events for each of these people.
Students can create a list of modern day
people that have made significant historical
impact.
Interpret how the actions of individuals
affected large groups of people.
7.39 Explain the
importance of the
Catholic church as
a political,
intellectual, and
aesthetic
24
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
institution,
including founding
of universities,
political and
spiritual roles of
the clergy, creation
of monastic and
mendicant religious
orders,
preservation of the
Latin language and
religious texts,
Thomas Aquinas’s
synthesis of
classical philosophy
with Christian
theology and the
concept of “natural
law.” (C, H, P)
7.40 Describe the
economic and
social effects of the
spread of the Black
Death (Bubonic
Plague) from
Central Asia to
China, the Middle
East, and Europe,
and its impact on
the global
population. (C, E,
25
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
G, H)
7.41 Trace the
emergence of a
modern economy,
including the
growth of banking,
technological and
agricultural
improvements,
commerce, towns,
and a merchant
class. (C, E, H)
7.42 Outline the
decline of Muslim
rule in the Iberian
Peninsula that
culminated in the
Reconquista,
Inquisition, and the
rise of Spanish and
Portuguese
kingdoms. (C, G, H)
Primary
Documents and
Supporting Texts
to Read: excerpts
from The Life of
Charlemagne: The
Emperor Himself,
26
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Einhard; selected
accounts of the
Black Death;
excerpts from
Summa
Theologica,
Thomas Aquinas
Era: Renaissance & Reformation Part 1
Teaching Time: Weeks 6-9
The Standards:
The
Renaissance
and
Reformation
Students analyze
the origins,
accomplishments,
and geographic
diffusion of the
Renaissance and
the historical
developments of
the Reformation.
7.43 Trace the
What ancient
cultures influenced
the Renaissance the
most?
Would the
renaissance have
started if trade
routes between
Europe and Asia had
remained closed?
What were some
important cities and
people of the
Renaissance?
How did Italian
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secular
city-states
Florence
Venice
Marco Polo
Lorenzo
de’Medici
Machiavelli
doge
Dante
Guttenberg
Da Vinci
Michelangelo
humanism
Petrarch
Albrecht Durer
Shakespeare
Globe Theater
(Click on all pictures or icons below to link to sites)
Section Assessment
Reading Check
Standardized Test Practice
Guided Reading
Vocabulary Enrichment
Geography Enrichment Independent/
Group Study
Formative Assessments
Direct Instruction
Interactive Instruction
Students can view various videos about
Europe’s middle ages, renaissance, and
reformation on various topics through
http://www.discoveryeducation.com
Renaissance & Reformation Blog
Click the photo above to link to the
Medieval African Blog to access the
Glencoe chapter, Activity
Workbook, streaming video,
slideshows and many other
resources.
Organize students into small groups. Have
them research items in their community
27
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
emergence of the
Renaissance,
including influence
from Moorish (or
Muslim) scholars in
Spain. (C, H)
7.44 Cite evidence
in writing
explaining the
importance of
Florence, Italy and
the Medici Family
in the early stages
of the Renaissance
and the growth of
independent
trading cities, such
as Venice, and their
importance in the
spread of
Renaissance ideas.
(C, E, G, H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
cities grow wealthy
during the
Renaissance?
What were the
different types of art
that developed
during the
Renaissance?
What was the
wealthiest city of the
renaissance?
What inventions
were made and how
were they so
important
during the
Renaissance?
Vocabulary
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Elizabeth I
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
that reflect the Renaissance and
Reformation. They could utilize their own
knowledge of the area and/or tourist
brochure. Use poster board and markers to
list the items. Then have each group
illustrate the list using
sketches, photographs, or images from the
Internet or print sources.
Students create a Venn diagram and label
the circles Florence, Both, and Venice.
Have students record information that
describes both city-states and information
that is unique to each one.
Have each student select the city-state in
which he or she would have most enjoyed
living in during the Renaissance. Have
each student write a story about everyday
life in that place and the effects of the
Renaissance.
Instructional Resources
Renaissance Art
Marco Polo
7.45 Summarize the
effects and
implications of the
reopening of the
ancient Silk Road
between Europe
and China,
including Marco
28
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Polo’s travels and
the location of his
routes. (C, E, G, H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Michelangelo
7.46 Describe how
humanism led to a
revival of classical
learning and
fostered a new
interest in the arts
including a balance
between intellect
and religious faith.
(C, H)
7.47 Analyze the
growth and effects
of new ways of
disseminating
information, ability
to manufacture
paper, translation
of the Bible into
vernacular, and
printing. (C, H)
The Hundreds Year War
Tudor Dynasty
7.48 Outline the
advances made in
literature, the arts,
science,
mathematics,
cartography,
29
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
engineering, and
the understanding
of human anatomy
and astronomy,
including Leonardo
da Vinci (Last
Supper, Mona
Lisa), Michelangelo
(Sistine Chapel,
The David), Johann
Gutenberg, and
William
Shakespeare. (C, G,
H)
7.49 Gather
relevant
information from
multiple sources
about Henry V,
Hundreds Year
War, and Joan of
Arc. (H, G, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Michelangelo
The Tudor Dynasties
7.50 Conduct a
research project
drawing on several
resources to
investigate the
Tudor dynasties of
Henry VIII, Mary I,
and Elizabeth I,
30
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
including their
family heritage, line
of succession,
religious conflicts,
Spanish Armanda,
and the rise of
English power in
Europe. (H, G, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
The Spanish Armada
31
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
QUARTER 3
Era: Renaissance & Reformation – Part 2: Focus on the Reformation
Time Teaching – Week 1-3
The Standards:
C=Culture
E=Economics
H=History
G=Geography
P= Political
7.51 Explain the
institution and impact
of missionaries on
Christianity and the
diffusion of Christianity
from Europe to other
parts of the world in the
medieval and early
modern periods. (C, G,
H)
7.52 Locate and
identify the European
regions that remained
Catholic and those that
became Protestant and
how the division
affected the distribution
of religions in the New
How did Martin
Luther lead a reform
against the catholic
church?
What were
indulgences and
why did they
become
controversial?
What was
Calvinism?
What were John
Calvin’s basic
beliefs about God’s
will?
What were
Protestants and
Catholics?
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Martin Luther
Desiderius
Erasmus
John Calvin
Reformation
indulgence
denomination
theology
predestination
Wittenberg
Geneva
Ninety-five
Theses
Charles V
Pease of
Augsberg
Christian
humanist
Peasant revolts
Ignatius of
Loyola
Henry of
Navarre
Henry VIII
(Click on all icons or pictures below to link to sites)
Martin Luther
Discuss with students the many changes
that took place in Europe as a result of the
Reformation and the Counter-Reformation.
Have students list the new Protestant
churches that arose during this period.
Causes and Effects of the Reformation.
Have students use their textbooks and
other sources to identify causes and effects
and record them under the appropriate tabs.
Have students write two paragraphs
identifying what they think was the most
significant cause and the most significant
effect.
John Calvin
Write a letter to the editor of a
Reformation era newspaper explaining
why you do or don’t support Martin
Luther’s Theses.
Create foldables comparing the beliefs of
the Catholic Church with those of the new
Protestant religions of the Reformation.
32
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
World. (C, G, H)
7.53 Explain the
heightened influence of
the Catholic Church,
the growth of literacy,
the spread of printed
books, the explosion of
knowledge and the
Church’s reaction to
these developments. (C,
H, P)
7.55 Outline the
reasons for the growing
discontent with the
Catholic Church,
including the main
ideas of Martin Luther
(salvation by faith),
John Calvin
(predestination),
Desiderius Erasmus
(free will), and William
Tyndale (translating the
Bible into English), and
their attempts to
reconcile what they
viewed as God’s word
with Church action. (C,
H, P)
7.56 Engage effectively
in collaborative
discussions explaining
Guiding
Question/Topic
How were they alike
and different?
How is Calvinism
similar, yet
different, from
Lutheranism?
Vocabulary
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What did the
Council of Trent
accomplish?
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What was the
CounterReformation?
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Why was Mary I
known as “Bloody
Mary” ?
Why was the Edict
of Nantes
important?
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Mary I
Elizabeth I
heresy
annul
Council of
Trent
Huguenots
Catherine de
Medici
Thirty Years’
War
The Hundred
Years’ War
Ferdinand &
Isabella
Maimonides
Spanish
Inquisition
Anglican
Church of
England
Puritans
James I
Charles I
Jesuits
Edict of Nantes
Petrarch
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Create a physical/political map of Europe
showing which parts of Europe remained
predominantly Catholic, and which parts
became predominantly Protestant, as well
as the denominations that were prevalent
according to geo-political regions.
Write a short essay summarizing the
influence of the Catholic Church in Spain
over the course of the 15th and 16th
centuries.
Instructional Resources
The Council of Trent
Bloody Mary
Create an architectural drawing on a poster
of the typical Italian city-state.
Create a 3D timeline of the religious wars
of Europe.
Create a research-based product explaining
the Spanish Inquisition.
Create a research-based project based on
illustrating American architecture that has
been influenced by Renaissance ideas.
Direct instruction-Using Visual Aids
demonstrate different maps of Europe.
Students can create a flipbook including a
33
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Protestants’ new
practices of church selfgovernment and the
influence of those
practices on the
development of
democratic practices
and ideas of federalism.
(C, H, P)
7.57 Analyze how the
Catholic CounterReformation revitalized
the Catholic Church
and the forces that
fostered the movement,
including St. Ignatius of
Loyola and the Jesuits,
and the Council of
Trent. (C, H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
map of Europe for each type of map. Also
include the purpose of each.
The Voyages of Discovery
Excerpts from The Travels of
Marco Polo
7.58 Identify the
voyages of discovery,
the locations of the
routes (Da Gama, Dias,
Magellan), and the
influence of
cartography in the
development of a new
worldview. (C, G, H)
Primary Documents
and Supporting Texts
to Read: excerpts from
“Ninety-Five Theses”,
Martin Luther; excerpts
34
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
from The Travels of
Marco Polo
Primary Documents
and Supporting Texts
to Consider: excerpts
from In Praise of Folly,
Erasmus; selected
pieces from William
Shakespeare; excerpts
from The Prince,
Machiavelli
35
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Era: The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution
Teaching Time: Week 4-9
The Standards:
Students analyze the
historical
developments of the
Scientific Revolution
and its lasting effect
on religious,
political, and cultural
institutions. Students
analyze political,
social, and economic
change as a result of
the Age of
Enlightenment in
Europe.
7.59 Describe the roots
of the Scientific
Revolution based upon
Christian and Muslim
influences. (C, H)
7.60 Gather relevant
information from
multiple print and
digital sources
explaining the
significance of new
What happened to
the scientific
knowledge of the
Greeks and the
Romans?
What was the extent
of scientific
knowledge during
the middle ages?
Why was there a
sudden increase in
scientific invention
and discovery all
over Europe?
What was the
conflict between
Christianity and
science?
How did Europeans
react to this great
explosion of
knowledge?
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mercantilism
export
import
commerce
colony
cottage
industry
Ptolemy
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Copernicus
Kepler
Galileo
Newton
Descartes
theory
rationalism
scientific method
hypothesis
Francis Bacon
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Montesquieu
Voltaire
Prussia
Austria
St. Petersburg
natural law
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Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
(Click on all icons and pictures to link to all sites)
Descartes wrote, “I think, therefore I am,”
which became the iconic statement of the
Enlightenment. Reflect on this statement
and write an essay in response to this idea.
Why does it mean anything at all? What
exactly could it mean? How could this
statement embody the new attitude toward
science and reason?
Create a timeline of events tracing the
roots of the Scientific Revolution back to
exposure to Jewish and Islamic knowledge.
Excerpts from Ninety- Five
Theses
Scientific Invention
Create a table comparing famous quotes
from the thinkers of the Enlightenment and
how their ideas propelled the movement of
the Enlightenment.
Research “Muslim Architecture” online.
Choose a large color photograph of the
Muslim architecture you like best them be
creative! Make an artist rendition of the
photo using various materials.
social contract
separation of
powers
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
scientific theories, the
accomplishments of
leading figures
including Sir Frances
Bacon, Nicolaus
Copernicus, Rene
Descartes, Galileo
Galilei, Johannes
Kepler, and Sir Isaac
Newton, and new
inventions, including
the telescope,
microscope,
thermometer, and
barometer. (C, H)
7.61 Trace how the
main ideas of the
Enlightenment can be
traced back to such
movements and epochs
as the Renaissance, the
Reformation, the
Scientific Revolution,
the Greeks, the
Romans, and
Christianity. (C, H, P)
7.62 Describe the
accomplishments of
major Enlightenment
thinkers, including
Locke and CharlesLouis Montesquieu. (C,
H)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Why was Galileo’s
discovery so
threatening to the
Church?
How did Newton’s
discoveries make all
of the other
scientific theories in
physics and
astronomy possible?
How did the
Scientific
Revolution lay the
groundwork for the
expanding ideas in
philosophy, political
and governmental
theories, social
unrest, etc. that
came with the
fulfillment of the
Enlightenment?
How did the new
ideas about man and
his role in society
and the world
Vocabulary
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deism
absolutism
Louis XIV
Sun King
James II
William and
Mary
The Glorious
Revolution
Bill of Rights
philosophe
Voltaire
Mary
Wollstonecraft
Diderot
Rousseau
Baroque
Bach
Handel
Mozart
Frederick II
Frederick the
Great
Joseph II
Hapsburgs
Peter I
Peter the Great
Catherine II
Catherine the
Great
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Students may work in small groups to
complete posters highlighting one of the
Enlightenment thinkers studied in this unit.
The emphasis on the project should be how
these thinkers’ ideas influenced the world.
Instructional Resources
Galileo
Compare and contrast the ideas of John
Locke and Thomas Hobbes in an essay
Pass out a copy of the Declaration of
Independence to the students and
have them follow along as you read aloud.
Inform the students that
Thomas Jefferson designed this document
to be heard in large groups with
the intent that citizens would rally to
support the upcoming war with the
British. Discuss the importance of this
document. Explain that this piece
was one of the first to take the ideas of
Enlightenment thinkers and put
those ideas into action. Jefferson expands
on Hobbes ideas that people
need a strong government and need to be
ruled, but also incorporates
Locke’s idea that the government should
meet the needs of those
governed. The document is full of the
discussion of the natural rights of
man.
Newton
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
7.63 Explain the origins
of modern capitalism,
the influence of
mercantilism, and the
cottage industry; the
elements and
importance of a market
economy in 17th
century Europe; the
changing international
trading and marketing
patterns; including their
locations on a world
map; and the influence
of explorers and
mapmakers. (C, E, G,
H, P)
Primary Documents
and Supporting Texts
to Read: excerpts from
Two Treatises of
Government, John
Locke; excerpts from
The Spirit of Law,
Montesquieu
Guiding
Question/Topic
espoused by Locke
and others lay the
groundwork for the
American
Revolution?
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Market Economy in 17th
Century Europe
Primary Source Document
from John Locke
Primary Documents
and Supporting Texts
to Consider: excerpts
from Galileo Discovers
the Moons of Jupiter,
Galileo Galilee;
excerpts from The
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Principia and The
Correspondence of
Isaac Newton, Sir Isaac
Newton
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Montesquieu
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
QUARTER 4
Era: The Age of Exploration
Time Teaching: Week 1-3
The Standards:
Students compare
and contrast the
geographic,
political, religious,
social, and
economic
structures of the
Mesoamerican and
Andean
civilizations.
Students analyze
reasons for
movement of
people from
Europe to the
Americas,
describing the
impact of
exploration by
Europeans and
American Indians.
7.64 Identify the
locations of the
Who were the
conquistadors?
Why did the Aztec
think they should
welcome the
Spanish?
Besides weapons
and horses, what
else did the Spanish
bring that would
help them?
How did geography
play a role in
shaping
Mesoamerican
civilizations?
What was the class
structure of the
Mesoamerican
societies?
(Click on all icons and photos below to link to all sites)
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Mesoamerica
Teotihuacan
Cuzco
Cahokia
Olmec
Maya
Toltec
Moche
Inca
Hohokam
Anasazi
glacier
monopoly
Berengia
Mound
Builders
Peten
Tenochtilan
Pachacuti
Iroquois
quipu
igloo
adobe
confederation
Christopher
Conquistadors
Conduct an online research project to
catalogue new tools and inventions that
allowed exploration to flourish in this era
and present your findings to the class.
Using a blank world map, indicate by color
categorizing the empires that were created
through exploration.
Create a brochure showcasing your own
invention that would aid in some type of
exploration.
The Aztec People
Create a contrast and comparison chart of
five world explorers.
Divide into groups and create an ABC
book of the Age of Exploration (written
and illustrated).
Students will compare the rights of
individuals during this era to the rights of
40
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Olmecs, Mayans,
Aztec, and Incas
and explain the
impact of the
geographical
features and
climates of Mexico,
Central America,
and South America
on their
civilizations. (C, E,
G, H, P)
7.65 Describe the
highly structured
social and political
system of the Maya
civilization, ruled
by kings and
consisting of
agriculturally
intensive centers
around
independent citystates. (C, H, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
What is the impact
of exploration on the
economies of the
world at that time,
and how has it
continued to
influence modern
economies?
Vocabulary
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Columbus
Hernan Cortes
Montezuma II
Malintzman
Francisco
Pizzaro
Atahualpa
Conquistador
Treason
Hispaniola
Extramadura
caravel
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
the individual in modern society.
Were pirates the same as explorers?
Research one pirate and write a biography.
Share your finding with the class.
Mesoamerican Civilizations
Students will complete a webquest on the
Mayan, Incan or Aztec civilizations.
Students will create their own Incan god as
they learn about the religions of these
tribes.
Maya Civilization
7.66 Create a
graphic organizer
or concept map
explaining how and
where each empire
arose (how the
41
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Aztec and Incan
empires were
eventually defeated
by the Spanish in
the 16th century).
(C, G, H, P)
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Inca Empire
7.67 Explain the
roles of peoples in
the Aztec and Incan
societies, including
class structures,
family life, warfare,
religious beliefs and
practices, and
slavery. (C, H)
42
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
TCAP/Standardized Field Test Review – Weeks 4-5
These activities focus on vocabulary:
Students create an ABC Brainstorm or Alpha Blocks for terms from the entire school year. The class can review the list to fill in any missing
words. Then students can compete to define the most words within a specific time period.
The teacher will select some of the most difficult terms during the year and students will create a handmade word search for another student to
complete.
Students can take the vocabulary words from one theme (i.e. Geography, History, Economics, etc.) and use the words to create a poem or rap
song. Students can use instrumentals or beats from current rap songs.
Students can complete a pre-made crossword puzzle of difficult terms covered during the school year. (Textbook software puzzle maker or
edhelper.com)
Students will select one difficult term and create a colorful concept of a definition map on BIG paper
Students will play Say and Shoot with TCAP vocabulary. The teacher will give a definition for a key term. The student who identifies the terms
correctly gets a chance to shoot a paper ball in the garbage can. Game can be played in teams and keep points.
These activities focus on topics, vocabulary and concepts:
The teacher will select 30 terms from the school year. Students will put them on a Bingo card. The teacher will call out the definitions and
questions. Students must know the item described and mark on the Bingo cards.
Students will complete and class review the TCAP Practice Tests: Item Sampler from the State of TN, Textbook Standardized Practice (Holt &
Glencoe) Students can use signal cards to choose their answers or test format
Students will choose an SPI and create a board game complete with colorful board and 10-20 question and answers cards.
Students will create a crossword puzzle that includes questions or hints from for each TCAP theme. (Culture, History, Economics, Geography).
Students can make an SPI quilt. For each SPI students can create a photo size picture with an explanation on the back. Each quilt piece can be
taped, glued, or stapled to make a quilt.
Students can write a children’s storybook explaining one of the TCAP themes (i.e. Culture, History, Economics, or Geography)
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Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Facing History Unit
Teaching Time: Week 6-9
What is a death camp?
Holocaust and
How many were
Human
there? Where were
they located?
Behavior
Standards:
What does the term
"Final Solution" mean
and what is its origin?
Content Standard: 4
4.01 Understand
different systems of
governance.
How did the Germans
define who was
Jewish?
4.02 Understand how
cooperation and conflict
among people influence
the division and control
of resources, rights, and
privileges.
Vocabulary
Social Studies
7th Grade
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Night Study Guide
Click the icon above for the
7th Grade Facing History
Curriculum and Lesson Plans
What were the first
measures taken by the
Nazis against the
Jews?
Did the Nazis plan to
murder the Jews from
the beginning of their
regime?
What did people in
Germany know about
the persecution of
Jews and other
enemies of Nazism;
and, did all Germans
support Hitler's plan
for the persecution of
the Jews?
Instructional Resources
Night Vocabulary List
Click the picture above for
Holocaust links.
44
Social Studies
7th Grade
Curriculum Guide
2014/2015 State
Standards
Guiding
Question/Topic
Vocabulary
Instructional Activities/Assessment
Instructional Resources
Tool Box
Primary Source
Library
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