WELCOME to 6th GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES MONTHLY UPDATES
SEPTEMBER
We begin the year with our Geography unit learning about the continents, oceans, and imaginary lines that make up our earth. We will investigate how humans interact with our environment, and why people choose certain places to live. We will begin learning our weekly procedures and activities including our weekly current event days (Thursday & Friday). Current events must be read on Thursday of each week to be able to participate in our class discussions on Friday. ALL information for this class will be found in Google Classroom under your class period and Mrs. Boswell. Please e-mail me for more information at [email protected].
By the end of September students will be able to:
- Label all of the continents, oceans, and imaginary lines on a World Map
- Use an Atlas to find places on the earth (continents, countries, cities, landforms)
- Describe the differences between a political and physical map
- Identify the latitude and longitude of a location on earth when given coordinates or the location
- Compare and contrast the geographic characteristics of different locations in the United States
- Discuss the Who, What, Where, & When of Current Event
OCTOBER
We are working on our Hispanic Heritage Project this month. Students chose to work independently or with a partner to research and present on a Spanish-Speaking country. Students were given a list of countries to choose from and are investigating the country using G.R.A.P.E.S: Geography, Religion, Achievements, Government, Economy, and Society. This project began on October 4th, due date October 15th with presentations beginning Monday, October 18th. With the conclusion of these projects we will begin our first Ancient Civilization Unit: Mesopotamia.
By the end of October students will be able to:
- Evaluate, Research, & Present information about a chosen country using G.R.A.P.E.S
NOVEMBER
This month will focus on continuing with our Mesopotamia unit. Our weekly Notecard News assignment will continue on Thursdays.
By the end of November students will be able to:
-Begin to Identify how cultures are similar and different around the world
-Display understanding of the impact of religion, achievements, government, economy, and social structure of Mesopotamia on the civilization itself and larger impact on the world
-Define major vocabulary words including: surplus, irrigation, division of labor, polytheism, and social hierarchy
DECEMBER
We are moving on to the 2nd portion of our ancient civilization Mesopotamia Unit called the Empire Challenge. Students are working together on different weekly tasks learning how to collaborate in order to make decisions to make their Empire successful. All of the assignments we are completing for this unit can be found in the Classwork tab of Google Classroom called Empire Challenge. Our weekly Notecard News assignment will continue on Thursdays. This will take us until Winter Break. When we return from break, we will begin our next unit, Ancient Egypt.
JANUARY
In January, we will begin our next section of study in our Culture Unit which is Africa and Ancient Egypt. We will again move through the G.R.A.P.E.S model to identify and analyze the similarities and differences between two ancient civilizations and our own.
By the end of January students will be able to:
-Compare and Contrast two major civilizations based on geographic and cultural characteristics
-Label major geographical features in Africa
-Explain the importance of mummification to Ancient Egyptians
FEBRUARY
In February we continue to learn about more aspects of life in Ancient Egyptians including religion, the pyramids, and the pharaohs. We will take a brief pause while studying Ancient Egypt to research influential African Americans to create a Word Art Portrait of. This project is usually presented at our Black History Celebration at Prairie Trail.
By the end of February students will be able to:
-Define and explain major vocabulary from our Egypt Unit
-Explain the impact of an influential African American on the world
MARCH
In March, we continue studying Egypt and preparing for our assessment over Ancient Egypt's geography, culture, and government. We continue to read and discuss current events until Spring Break.
By the end of March students will be able to:
- Explain how pyramids evolved and what they were used for in Ancient Egypt
- Explain the Social Hierarchy of Ancient Egypt and how classes effect status of people in a society
-Compare and Contrast Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia based on geographic and cultural characteristics
APRIL
Upon returning from Spring Break we begin our Civics Unit discussing what makes an engaged citizen and how citizens make change in their communities. Student learn the basics about what is means to be a citizen, voting, and public policy. Students take their knowledge and put it into practice by choosing a topic based on a problem in the community, country, or world to research and brainstorm meaningful solutions.
By the end of April students will be able to:
- Define civics, citizen, and public policy
- Explain and give examples of civic values and how they connect with policies and laws governments decide to make
MAY
We will then be completing our last and final unit on Financial Literacy looking at how money affects our lives and how to best understand saving and spending for our future!
By the end of May students will be able to:
- Define basic financial/economic terms
- Understand and practice concepts of saving and budgeting
- Explain how different factors influence the amount of money we have to spend and how we choose to spend it
SEPTEMBER
We begin the year with our Geography unit learning about the continents, oceans, and imaginary lines that make up our earth. We will investigate how humans interact with our environment, and why people choose certain places to live. We will begin learning our weekly procedures and activities including our weekly current event days (Thursday & Friday). Current events must be read on Thursday of each week to be able to participate in our class discussions on Friday. ALL information for this class will be found in Google Classroom under your class period and Mrs. Boswell. Please e-mail me for more information at [email protected].
By the end of September students will be able to:
- Label all of the continents, oceans, and imaginary lines on a World Map
- Use an Atlas to find places on the earth (continents, countries, cities, landforms)
- Describe the differences between a political and physical map
- Identify the latitude and longitude of a location on earth when given coordinates or the location
- Compare and contrast the geographic characteristics of different locations in the United States
- Discuss the Who, What, Where, & When of Current Event
OCTOBER
We are working on our Hispanic Heritage Project this month. Students chose to work independently or with a partner to research and present on a Spanish-Speaking country. Students were given a list of countries to choose from and are investigating the country using G.R.A.P.E.S: Geography, Religion, Achievements, Government, Economy, and Society. This project began on October 4th, due date October 15th with presentations beginning Monday, October 18th. With the conclusion of these projects we will begin our first Ancient Civilization Unit: Mesopotamia.
By the end of October students will be able to:
- Evaluate, Research, & Present information about a chosen country using G.R.A.P.E.S
NOVEMBER
This month will focus on continuing with our Mesopotamia unit. Our weekly Notecard News assignment will continue on Thursdays.
By the end of November students will be able to:
-Begin to Identify how cultures are similar and different around the world
-Display understanding of the impact of religion, achievements, government, economy, and social structure of Mesopotamia on the civilization itself and larger impact on the world
-Define major vocabulary words including: surplus, irrigation, division of labor, polytheism, and social hierarchy
DECEMBER
We are moving on to the 2nd portion of our ancient civilization Mesopotamia Unit called the Empire Challenge. Students are working together on different weekly tasks learning how to collaborate in order to make decisions to make their Empire successful. All of the assignments we are completing for this unit can be found in the Classwork tab of Google Classroom called Empire Challenge. Our weekly Notecard News assignment will continue on Thursdays. This will take us until Winter Break. When we return from break, we will begin our next unit, Ancient Egypt.
JANUARY
In January, we will begin our next section of study in our Culture Unit which is Africa and Ancient Egypt. We will again move through the G.R.A.P.E.S model to identify and analyze the similarities and differences between two ancient civilizations and our own.
By the end of January students will be able to:
-Compare and Contrast two major civilizations based on geographic and cultural characteristics
-Label major geographical features in Africa
-Explain the importance of mummification to Ancient Egyptians
FEBRUARY
In February we continue to learn about more aspects of life in Ancient Egyptians including religion, the pyramids, and the pharaohs. We will take a brief pause while studying Ancient Egypt to research influential African Americans to create a Word Art Portrait of. This project is usually presented at our Black History Celebration at Prairie Trail.
By the end of February students will be able to:
-Define and explain major vocabulary from our Egypt Unit
-Explain the impact of an influential African American on the world
MARCH
In March, we continue studying Egypt and preparing for our assessment over Ancient Egypt's geography, culture, and government. We continue to read and discuss current events until Spring Break.
By the end of March students will be able to:
- Explain how pyramids evolved and what they were used for in Ancient Egypt
- Explain the Social Hierarchy of Ancient Egypt and how classes effect status of people in a society
-Compare and Contrast Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia based on geographic and cultural characteristics
APRIL
Upon returning from Spring Break we begin our Civics Unit discussing what makes an engaged citizen and how citizens make change in their communities. Student learn the basics about what is means to be a citizen, voting, and public policy. Students take their knowledge and put it into practice by choosing a topic based on a problem in the community, country, or world to research and brainstorm meaningful solutions.
By the end of April students will be able to:
- Define civics, citizen, and public policy
- Explain and give examples of civic values and how they connect with policies and laws governments decide to make
MAY
We will then be completing our last and final unit on Financial Literacy looking at how money affects our lives and how to best understand saving and spending for our future!
By the end of May students will be able to:
- Define basic financial/economic terms
- Understand and practice concepts of saving and budgeting
- Explain how different factors influence the amount of money we have to spend and how we choose to spend it