UNIT 3:
WHAT IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT
COMPONENT OF A
SOCIETY?
THINK + SHARE
THINK:
 30 seconds of silent thinking.
SHARE:
 30 seconds- Partner A shares, Partner B only listens.
 30 seconds- Partner B shares, Partner A only listens.
 30 seconds- Open dialogue.
Question 1: What are some of the ways that your family stays organised?
Question 2: What are some of the ways that St George’s keeps 1300 people in
two separate buildings organised? Think about routines/procedures, specific
positions or jobs, organisational structures, shared goals or values, etc
Question 3: What are some of the ways that Canada or the entire world stays
organised? Think about organisations/groups, laws, habits, goals, etc.
UNIT INTRODUCTION
Course Questions
 How do societies change
over time?

What common themes and
issues can be found
throughout different
societies?

What and how are themes
from historical societies
relevant to us today?
Unit Questions:
What is the most important part of a
society?
• What is the purpose of government?
• What is an economy?
• What is social class?
• What is slavery?
• What are civil rights?
• What is the role of health & the impact
of disease?
Why do we use course and unit questions?
UNIT INTRODUCTION
Unit “topics”:
 European feudalism
 Japanese feudalism
 European, Japanese and Islamic medieval
trade and economics
 Social Structure & Hierarchy
 Magana Carta & Royal Power
 Serfdom and slavery
 Black Death
 Era-appropriate maps
 Relevant and parallel contemporary issues
(sovereignty, urban planning, caste systems,
pandemics, Canadian trade)
 The components of an effective thesis
statement/hypothesis.
 Searching for evidence.
 The elements of “historical thinking”
Unit Questions:
What is the most
important part of a
society?
• What is the purpose of
government?
• What is an economy?
• What is social class?
• What is slavery?
• What are civil rights?
• What is the role of health
& the impact of disease?
UNIT INTRODUCTION
Unit Questions:
Unit activities:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Note taking
Interactive lectures
Short videos, films
Web-based activities
Working on hypothesis construction
Working on supporting evidence
Designing your own feudal manor
Field trip to Olympic Village
What is the most
important part of a
society?
• What is the purpose of
government?
• What is an economy?
• What is social class?
• What is slavery?
• What are civil rights?
• What is the role of health
& the impact of disease?
WHAT IS A SOCIETY?
TODAY: WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW?
1. Fill in the “I Know” Column of your notes sheet for each row. Each row contains a
sub-question of our unit.
2. Around the room are large posters with the same questions. Following the
instructions from your teacher, visit each and jot down your comments. Be sure to
read the comments of others.
3. At the end of the unit, we will fill in the last column to compare our knowledge
“before” and “after” our unit activities.
TODAY: SETTING UP OUR NOTES PAGES
1. Take 7 pieces of paper.
2. On the top of each page, write one of the following
questions:
1. What is the most important part of a society?
2. What is the purpose of government?
3. What are civil rights?
4. What is the role and function of an economy?
5. What is social class?
6. What is slavery?
7. What is the role of health & the impact of disease?
3. On each page, write your name.
4. On each page, create a space for the date.
TODAY: SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC CATEGORIES
Often in Social Studies, we use the terms
• Social
• Political
• Economic
1. What do we mean by each of those categories?
2. Look at the questions for the unit. Categorise each of
them as Social, Political or Economic. Write the
appropriate term(s) above each question.
PREP:
For next class, in your textbook,
read pages: