Unit: Mesopotamia (Grade 5) Content Area: Course(s): Time Period: Length: Status:

Generic Content Area Generic Course, Social Studies, Science, Social Studies 1 November 6 Weeks Published

Unit Overview

In this unit, students will study civilizations and empires in the Fertile Crescent.

Transfer Students will consider how geography affects where people live and list ways that people adapt to different places. Students will talk being treated "unfairly" and the meaning of "an eye for an eye." Students will think about the differences between hunter-gatherer societies and the ancient Sumerian's. The class will discuss how different civilizations form communities, trade for goods, and create art and architecture. The students will share their experiences about a system of writing they may have tried to learn, such as calligraphy.

For more information, read the following article by Grant Wiggins. http://www.authenticeducation.org/ae_bigideas/article.lasso?artid=60

Meaning Understandings The students will demonstrate the following enduring understandings: 

geography affects the way civilizations develop.

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technological innovations can enable one group to conquer another group.

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cultural practices can be passed along through trade even after a civilization has disappeared.

Essential Questions Students will keep considering... What are the consequences of technology?

Application of Knowledge and Skill Students will know... Students will know... 

the Fertile Crescent sustained the first known civilization.



Sumer had a class system in which priests and kings held power.

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Sargon conquered Sumerian city-states to create an empire.

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Hummurabi's Code defined laws that united the empire.



Assyrians and Persians created and governed vast empires.



Mesopotamian cultures made lasting contributions to the arts.



Phoenicians spread Mesopotamian civilization through ocean trade.



the Phoenician alphabet was a significant contribution.

Students will be skilled at... Students will be able to: 

identify main ideas and details about the Standard of Ur.



identify and create a modern "standard."



analyze causes and effects of the first empires.



draw conclusions about Hammurabi's Code and its impact on modern laws.



summarize how Assyrian and Persian empires were governed.



work in teams to plan Babylon's restoration.



summarize information about the Phoenicians.



categorize information to conduct a Phoenician trade exercise.

Academic Vocabulary Fertile Crescent - a region of the Middle East that stretches in a large crescent-shaped curve from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. Mesopotamia - a wide flat plain in present-day Iraq. This plain lays between two great rivers, the Tigis and the Euphrates. irrigate - supply water to crops. city-state - an independent state that includes a city and its surrounding territory. barter - trading system in which people exchange goods directly without using money. polytheism - the belief in more than one god. ziggurats - temples that were pyramid-shaped brick towers. cuneiform - a system of writing that uses triangular-shaped symbols to stand for ideas or things. empire - a state containing several countries or territories. ally - an independent state that works with other states to achieve a shared military or political goal. cultural trait - an idea or a way of doing things that is common in a certain culture. Hammurabi's Code - a set of laws that governed life in the Babylonian empire. rule of law - the idea that all members of a society - even the rich and powerful - must obey the law. A key part of modern democratic principles. cavalry - soldiers that fight while riding horses standing army - a permanent army of professional fighters.

tribute - payment that is made by a country to show loyalty to a stronger power. currency - money that is used as a medium of exchange, usually bills or coins. import - is a good or service sold within a country that is produced in another country. export - is a good or service produced within a country and sold outside the country's borders. navigation - the art of steering a ship from place to place colony - an area ruled by a distant country. cultural diffusion - the spreading of cultural traits from one region to another. alphabet - a small set of letters or symbols, each of which stands for a single sound.

http://quizlet.com/45006402/chapter-3-the-fertile-crescent-flash-cards/

Learning Goal 1 Ancient river valley civilizations developed due to favorable geographic conditions. They created centralized systems of government and advanced societies.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.b

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.d MA.5.CCSS.Math.Content.5.OA.B MA.5.CCSS.Math.Content.5.MD LA.5. LA.5. LA.5.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5

Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. Compare and contrast physical and political maps of ancient river valley civilizations and their modern counterparts (i.e., Mesopotamia and Iraq; Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt; Indus River Valley and Modern Pakistan/India; Ancient China and Modern China), and determine the geopolitical impact of these civilizations, then and now. Economics, Innovation, and Technology Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations. Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the factors that led to the rise and fall of various ancient river valley civilizations and determine whether there was a common pattern of growth and decline. Justify which of the major achievements of the ancient river valley civilizations represent the most enduring legacies. Analyze patterns and relationships. Measurement and Data Key Ideas and Details Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Informational Text

Target 1 (Chapter 3, Section 1) Students will be able to describe why and how geographic location effects the creation of societies.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.b

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.d

Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. Compare and contrast physical and political maps of ancient river valley civilizations and their modern counterparts (i.e., Mesopotamia and Iraq; Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt; Indus River Valley and Modern Pakistan/India; Ancient China and Modern China), and determine the geopolitical impact of these civilizations, then and now. Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations. Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the factors that led to the rise and fall of various ancient river valley civilizations and determine whether there was a common pattern of growth and decline. Justify which of the major achievements of the ancient river valley civilizations represent the most enduring legacies.

Target 2 (Chapter 3, Section 2) Students will be able to: 

analyze causes and effects of the first empires.



draw conclusions about Hammurabi's Code and its impact on Modern Laws.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.d

Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations. Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. Justify which of the major achievements of the ancient river valley civilizations represent the most enduring legacies.

Target 3 (Chapter 3, Section 3) Students will be able to: 

summarize how Assyrian and Persian empires were governed.



work in teams to plan Babylon's restoration.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.b

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.a

Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. Compare and contrast physical and political maps of ancient river valley civilizations and their modern counterparts (i.e., Mesopotamia and Iraq; Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt; Indus River Valley and Modern Pakistan/India; Ancient China and Modern China), and determine the geopolitical impact of these civilizations, then and now. Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.b

Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. Justify which of the major achievements of the ancient river valley civilizations represent the most enduring legacies.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.d

Target 4 (Chapter 3, Section 4) Students will be able to: 

summarize information about the Phoenicians



categorize information to conduct a Phoenician trade exercise.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.A.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.a

Explain why different ancient river valley civilizations developed similar forms of government. Explain how codifying laws met the needs of ancient river valley societies. Determine the role of slavery in the economic and social structures of ancient river valley civilizations. Determine the extent to which geography influenced settlement, the development of trade networks, technological innovations, and the sustainability of ancient river valley civilizations. Compare and contrast physical and political maps of ancient river valley civilizations and their modern counterparts (i.e., Mesopotamia and Iraq; Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt; Indus River Valley and Modern Pakistan/India; Ancient China and Modern China), and determine the geopolitical impact of these civilizations, then and now. Explain how technological advancements led to greater economic specialization, improved weaponry, trade, and the development of a class system in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the impact of religion on daily life, government, and culture in various ancient river valley civilizations. Explain how the development of written language transformed all aspects of life in ancient river valley civilizations. Analyze the factors that led to the rise and fall of various ancient river valley civilizations and determine whether there was a common pattern of growth and decline. Justify which of the major achievements of the ancient river valley civilizations represent the most enduring legacies.

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.B.2.b

SOC.5-8.6.2.8.C.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.a SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.b SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.c SOC.5-8.6.2.8.D.2.d

Summative Assessment All assessments are differentiated and aligned to the social studies standards and curriculum. Alternate assessments may include projects or presentations, or a common paper/pencil assessment or both. The assessment used with be from the my World History Assessment guide.

21st Century Life and Careers

WORK.5-8.9.1.8.1

The ability to recognize a problem and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve the problem is a lifelong skill that develops over time. Gathering and evaluating knowledge and information from a variety of sources, including global perspectives, fosters creativity and innovative thinking. Assess data gathered to solve a problem for which there are varying perspectives (e.g., cross-cultural, genderspecific, generational), and determine how the data can best be used to design multiple solutions. Collaboration and teamwork enable individuals or groups to achieve common goals with greater efficiency. Effective communication skills convey intended meaning to others and assist in preventing misunderstandings.

WORK.5-8.9.1.8.1 WORK.5-8.9.1.8.B.2 WORK.5-8.9.1.8.1 WORK.5-8.9.1.8.1

Formative Assessment and Performance Opportunities 

class discussion

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social studies notebook o

student journal section

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student displays and presentations

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quizzes

Differentiation/Enrichment

504 accommodations and IEP modifications Student Notebook entries

Unit Resources 

black line masters

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guest speakers

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Interactive white board activities

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Internet

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supplemental textbooks/teacher resources

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Social Studies Notebook

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videos and online videos

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ProGuide

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Activity Cards

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myWorldHistory.com

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Essential Question posters

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myWorld History wall maps

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Student Journal

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online project builder