• Course Description

    Through the study of geography, culture, and citizenship, students will study develop mental models of what the world looks like physically and culturally and develop initial understandings of how people connect with various forms of governments around the world. Students will practice the historical thinking skills of perspective taking, comparison and contrast and change over time. They will craft arguments using claim, evidence, reasoning, to back their positions and findings about the places, cultures, peoples and governments around the world and they connect/compare/contrast their learning from around the world to Kirkwood/St. Louis, Missouri. Utilizing the framework of Change Makers, students will evaluate the impact individuals have on their communities, countries, regions and the world.

    Grade Level(s):  Sixth Grade

    Related Priority Standards (State &/or National):  Missouri Learning Standards for Social Studies (6-12)

    Priority Standards:

    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time (6-8.GEO.1.CC.A)
    • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of geography to a contemporary issue (6-8.GEO.1.CC.C)
    • ​Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions, determine resources and consider multiple points of views represented in the resources (6-8.GEO.1.CC.D)
    • ​Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends (6-8.GEO.1.G.A)
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and the human characteristics of place (6-8.GEO.2.CC.A)
    • Explain how the movement of people, goods and ideas impact regions (6-8.GEO.2.G.D)
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions (6-8.GEO.2.PC.A)

    Essential Questions

    • What stories do maps tell?
    • How do you understand a group of people who are different from you?
    • How is culture expressed through art?
    • How/why is the Middle East at the crossroads of conflict?
    • How does geography shape the culture of India?
    • How do East Asian countries balance tradition and modernization?
    • How is European culture characterized by unity or division?  How is Russian culture?
    • How is Latin America similar to and different from other areas of the world?  

    Enduring Understandings/Big Ideas

    Students will:

    • Make and support claims using compelling questions and evidence
    • Identify text, context, and subtext of primary sources
    • Understand relevant vocabulary and apply it to concepts
    • Identify and apply multiple perspectives in civil discourse to support a final conclusion using credible sources
    • Take informed action to address personal, societal, or global issues

    Course-Level Scope & Sequence (Units &/or Skills)

    Unit 1: Mapping America - What stories do maps tell?

    In this unit, students will explore physical, political, and transport maps for Missouri and a state of their choosing.  Students will:

    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends.
    • Compare and contrast human characteristics within and among regions

    Unit 2: Cultures of Africa - How do you understand a group of people who are different from you?

    In this unit, students will explore seven cultural universals, compare/contrast continuity and change of maps of Africa, and begin generating research questions.  Students will:

    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions
    • Evaluate the impact of human settlement activities on the environmental and cultural characteristics of specific places and regions
    • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of geography to a contemporary issue
    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and the human characteristics of place

    Unit 3: Middle East - How/why is the Middle East at the crossroads of conflict?

    In this unit, students will compare/contrast the continuity and change of maps of the Middle East, explore similarities and differences among the three Abrahamic religions, examine conflict through various perspectives, practice claim/evidence/ reasoning, and examine a local conflict through various perspectives. Students will:

    • Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions, determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of views represented in resources
    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time
    • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of geography to a contemporary issue
    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and the human characteristics of place
    • Explain how the movement of goods and ideas impacts regions.
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions

    Unit 4: India - How does geography shape the culture of India?

    In this unit, students will analyze Hindu beliefs to determine their impact upon India and its people, explore how India has taken advantage of globalization, explore how Indian citizens interact with the world’s populous democracy, and explore how culture is expressed through art and culture.  Students will:

    • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of geography to a contemporary issue
    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time
    • Analyze religion and belief systems of a place to determine their impact on people, groups and culture
    • Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions, determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of views represented in resources
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and the human characteristics of place
    • Explain how the movement of goods and ideas impacts regions
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions

    Unit 5: China, Japan, and Korea - How do East Asian countries balance tradition and modernization?

    In this unit, students will compare/contrast Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism and explore their impact on East Asia and its peoples, study changemakers of East Asia, learn about East Asian art and culture, and explore China as a rising superpower.  Students will:

    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends
    • Using geographic lens, analyze laws, policies and processes to determine how governmental systems affect individuals and groups of society
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and the human characteristics of place
    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time.
    • Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions, determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of views represented in resources

    Unit 6: Europe & Russia - How is European culture characterized by unity or division?  How is Russian culture?

    In this unit, students will compare/contrast continuity and change of maps Europe, explore how Judeo-Christian and Enlightenment beliefs have shaped the culture and people of Europe, study the impact of globalization on Europe and Russian, explore how citizens interact with the European Union (EU) and their national governments, learn about European art and culture, and compare life in Germany, Great Britain, or Italy to life in Russia.  Students will:

    • Using an inquiry lens, develop compelling questions, determine helpful resources and consider multiple points of views represented in resources
    • Explain how the movement of people, goods, and ideas impact regions
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions
    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends
    • Create and use historical maps and timelines in order to represent continuity and change within and among regions over time

    Unit 7: Latin America - How is Latin America similar to and different from other areas of the world?

    In this unit, students will compare/contrast continuity and change of maps of Latin America, explore how Latin American culture is expressed through art and architecture, study urbanization in Latin America, learn about life in Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro, connecting life in those cities to that in Kirkwood/Glendale/St. Louis.  Students will:

    • With assistance, develop a research plan, identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics and create a research product which applies an aspect of geography to a contemporary issue
    • Explain how regions of the world change over time in relation to historical events and trends and human characteristics of place
    • Compare and contrast the human characteristics within and among regions
    • Create and use maps, graphs, statistics, and geospatial technology in order to explain relationships and reveal spatial patterns or trends
    • Explaining how the movement of people, goods, and ideas impact regions

    Course Resources & Materials: Discovery Education Social Studies Techbook, portions of the National Geographic World Cultures and Geography textbook (teacher copy used as a supporting resource)

    Date Last Revised/Approved:  2018