This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 6th Grade Social Studies.

In this unit, students will study what common interests and goals lead to the rise of great civilzations, the political leadership and government influence on ancient cultures, and what common factors broght about the decline of notable civilizations.

This unit will view different cultures from around the world in an attempt to see how they developed and to find similarities and differences in the way they developed and the way they lived.

In this lesson, students will conduct research in order to create a map that shows the many different groups that migrated to the Mesopotamian region in ancient times. The module overview, from which the supplemental resources can be accessed, is located at http://teachmiddleeast.lib.uchicago.edu/historical-perspectives/the-question-of-identity/before-islam-mesopotamia/index.html

In this activity, students will determine the similarities between three early river valley civilizations - Mesopotamia, India, and China - focusing on government/laws, religion, and social structure. Students will write an essay using examples from all three civilizations.

This lesson focuses on the concept of the afterlife and the importance of pleasing the gods and goddesses, the significance of tombs and tomb building, and the burial customs and traditions of the ancient Egyptians. After learning about all of these concepts, students will design a tomb, create a model of it, and complete a short written assignment explaining the design and contents of the tomb.

HISTORY H1 THE WORLD IN TEMPORAL TERMS: HISTORICAL HABITS OF MIND Evaluate evidence, compare and contrast information, interpret the historical record, and develop sound historical arguments and perspectives on which informed decisions in contemporary life can be based.

Compelling Questions:

How does historical thinking help us understand our world?

Chapter Supporting Questions:

How do we learn about the past?


Does thinking about the world with historical habits of mind help to make a better world?


How would you describe temporal thinking? Provide a scenario or specific event to illustrate.


What steps and tools do historians use to do their job?


How do historians collect and analyze evidence?


How do historians use evidence to construct theories, perspectives and hypotheses  (claims), and accounts about the past?


How and why are these historical claims controversial?

This resource looks at how the governments and people of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, and of England's French territories, interacted in politics, warfare, religion, trade, and everyday life.

This inquiry provides students with an opportunity to investigate the role of agriculture in the growth of complex societies. Students will examine sources related to the development of agriculture, the emergence of ancient writing in Mesopotamia, and the rise of social inequalities as they construct an argument in response to the compelling question "Was the development of agriculture good for humans?"

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of ancient Hebrew history and Judaism by using various sources that consider the historical and theological foundations, as well as issues related to geography and place.

This inquiry provides students with an opportunity to evaluate a series of innovations by three complex civilizations - Maya, Aztec, and Inca. Students explore how complex societies and civilizations adapt to and modify their environment to meet the needs of their people.

In this activity, students will study maps of the medieval city of Chertsey, make comparisons, and discuss areas of continuity and change.

In this lesson, students will learn that enslaved people resisted their captivity constantly. Because they were living under the domination of their masters, slaves knew that direct, outright, overt resistance"”such as talking back, hitting their master or running away"“"“could result in being whipped, sold away from their families and friends, or even killed.

This lesson plan explores the contributions of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II, and their aviation legacy.