This lesson plan is concerned with early humankind and its development into human societies. It presents four topics for Unit I: (1) cave art; (2) paleontological discoveries; (3) evolution from hunting-gathering to farming; and (4) development of language. It also suggests completion time for each topic; addresses the uses and significance of the…

This planning grid for teaching visual arts in grade 6 in Delaware schools outlines the following six standards for students to complete: (1) students will select and use form, media, techniques, and processes to create works of art and communicate meaning; (2) students will create ways to use visual, spatial, and temporal concepts in creating…

When archaeologists dig up the artifacts of ancient civilizations, they make discoveries and attempt to find out what life was like for ancient people. Students in the classroom explore the civilizations of the ancient world attempting to answer questions about how people lived thousands of years ago. In this activity for grade 6, students, in…

In this lesson, student teams research one of the species of early humans. Teams will create presentations that include information on physical traits, habitat, era, means of survival, culture, and relationship to modern humans. Students are provided with background information, detailed instructions, on-line resources, and reflection questions.…

This unit for sixth-grade students provides a fuller understanding of Julius Caesar's significance. Before students delve into the sample topic, they need an understanding of Roman values, lore, republican ideals, and structure of early Roman history. The first few activities in this lesson are to be taught prior to beginning the actual study of…

These unit planning grids for grade 6 music education in Delaware public schools outline nine standards for students to attain in music. Standards cited in the grids are: (1) students will sing, independently and with others, a varied repertoire of music; (2) students will perform on instruments, independently, and with others, a varied repertoire…

This unit for sixth graders focuses on the origins of Chinese civilization, the rise of early Chinese imperial centers, and the breakdown of order by the beginning of the sixth century B.C. Among the topics in the unit are: Early history and geography of India; Buddhism; Early history and geography of China; Confucius; and Culture, politics,…

Item specifications developed by the Arkansas Department of Education as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT) appear in this document. Specifically, the social studies materials given to sixth-grade students on the MPT are included. The purpose of an item specification is to provide an overview of the general content and format of…

Banpo is a village that existed 6,000 years ago near Xi'an in the Shaanxi Province of China. Artifacts unearthed from the Banpo site are all that remains of this prehistoric clan-based community. Five excavations conducted from 1953 to 1957 revealed the remains of 45 houses, 200-odd storage pits, six kilns, 250 tombs, and more than 10,000 stone…

This model lesson for sixth graders about the beginnings of civilization in the Near East and Africa aims to have students focus on the cultural and geographical features of a region: landforms, climate, and vegetation. The lesson features three major topics: (1) Sumer and Mesopotamia, (2) Egypt, and (3) Kush. It addresses the uses and…

Important ideas from the Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman traditions are formally introduced to students in the sixth-grade course. Units three and five focus on people and ideas that form the roots of western civilization. The goal is to help students perceive how the viewpoints of Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman are congruent and divergent. Unit…

These Connecticut Curriculum Trace Maps for music are designed to help curriculum developers and teachers translate Connecticut's K-12 performance standards into objectives and classroom practices. Trace Maps provide specific descriptions of what students should know and be able to do at smaller grade level clusters. Elements in the Trace Maps are…

In this California state curriculum model for grade 6, "World History and Geography: Ancient Civilization," students learn that religious ideas have inspired and influenced the lives and actions of men and women, including Cesar Chavez. They see how his unselfishness, compassion for others, tolerance, and nonviolence have roots reaching…

This book provides 12 theme-based model lessons for gifted students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Introductory material addresses ways to integrate middle school curricula with established national standards and principles of differentiated curriculum. Each lesson follows a five-part outline: (1)motivation (stimulating the learner); (2) input (providing…

In this interdisciplinary grade 6 world history and language arts unit, students examine the fall of Rome (Italy). Working in teams to research the causes of Rome's demise, participants develop a theory explaining why Rome fell. The student guide provides detailed instructions on how to complete the activity, a list of resources, and includes…