Unit Topic and Rationale

The unit my students will be working on next is a History Unit exploring the
ancient civilizations of North and South America as well as the Old World (the
Americas) meeting the New World (European Explorers). It will be separated in to
four sub-units that will include ancient civilizations (Incans, Mayans, and Aztecs),
Early Explorers, impacts of the Columbian Exchange, and how Native Americans
adapted to their geography (Inuits, Ancestral Puebloans, and other early Native
American cultures). The students have already completed a unit on geography and
civics, which will be addressed again throughout the history unit to help refresh
those skills as well as provide background knowledge and context for the
civilizations and explorers. This is an essential unit for these 6 th graders because it
begins to introduce them to the ideas of globalization and the lasting impacts of the
clashing of different cultures. This unit will also begin to illustrate to them that
history isnt just one sided that there are always multiple perspectives, which can
dictate how we view our history.
It will be imperative to start with the ancient civilizations already in place like
the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incans to give them some context of what life was like prior
to Western (European) contact. It will also allow for them to get information on the
geography of each region and understand how each culture was unique to their
region. Providing them with this information will enable them to make some bigger
picture thinking and understand the lasting effects of the Columbian Exchange.
With an understanding of the big three American civilizations and their
cultures will enable a greater awareness of the impact that was made following
Columbus and other explorers like Cortez and Pizarro arrival to the Americas. This
will allow for the students to get a good idea about how drastically the Americas
were changed following the clashing of cultures as well as the impacts of the New
World integrating itself into the Old World Americas.
With the basis of knowledge concerning the American civilizations and early
explorers it will enable a nice transition into the lasting impacts of the Columbian
exchange and how that impacted the American Continents forever. It will allow
students to recognize the impacts on the Americas changing population and how
the New World technology also greatly impacted the future of the Western
Hemisphere.
Lastly looking at other cultures in the Western Hemisphere like the Inuits and
Ancestral Puebloans will help integrate that past learnings of Geography and how
societies/cultures are impacted by the environment/geographic location.

This History Unit will cover a number of the Colorado sixth grade standards
for History as well as Geography. With Lucile Erwin being a IB World School IB
standards will also be included. They include:
Colorado 6th Grade Standards for Social Studies
History Standard 1.1- Analyze and interpret historical sources to ask and
research historical questions
a.

Identify ways different cultures record history (DOK 1)

b. Interpret documents and data from multiple primary and secondary

sources while formulation historical questions (DOK 1-3)
History Standard 1.2- The historical eras, individuals, groups, ideas and
themes in regions of the Western Hemisphere and their relationships with one
another
a. Explain how people, products, cultures, and ideas interacted and are
interconnected over key eras in the Western Hemisphere (DOK 1-2)
b. Determine and explain the historical context of key people, events, and
ideas over time including the examination of different perspectives from
people involved. Topics to include but not limited to Aztec, Maya, Inca,
Inuit, early Native American cultures of North America, major explorers,
colonizers of countries in the Western Hemisphere, and the Columbian
Exchange (DOK 1-3)
c. Identify examples of the social, political, cultural, and economic
development in key areas of the Western Hemisphere (DOK 1-2)
Geography Standard 2.1- Use geographic tools to solve problems
b. Collect and analyze data to interpret regions in the Western Hemisphere
(DOK 1-3)
Geography Standard 2.2- Human and physical systems vary and interact
b.
Identify physical features and explain their effects on people in the
Western Hemisphere (DOK 1-2)
c.
Give examples of how people have adapted to their physical
environment (DOK 1)
d.
Analyze positive and negative interactions of human and physical
systems in the Western Hemisphere (DOK 1-2)

IB Standards:
A. Students develop factual and conceptual knowledge about individuals
and societies. In order to reach the aims of individuals and societies,
students should be able to
use terminology in context
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of subject-specific
content and concepts through descriptions, explanations and examples
B. Investigating: In order to reach the aims of individuals and societies,
students should be able to
formulate a clear and focused research question and justify its
relevance
formulate and follow an action plan to investigate a research
question
use research methods to collect and record relevant information
evaluate the process and results of the investigation
C. Communicating: In order to reach the aims of individuals and
societies, students should be able to
communicate information and ideas using an appropriate style for
the audience and purpose
structure information and ideas in a way that is appropriate to the
specified format
document sources of information using a recognized convention
D. Thinking Critically: In order to reach the aims of individuals and
societies, students should be able to
discuss concepts, issues, models, visual representation and theories
synthesize information to make valid arguments
analyze and evaluate a range of sources/data in terms of origin and
purpose, examining values and limitations
interpret different perspectives and their implications
It is relevant to teach about the History of the Western Hemisphere pertaining
to the three largest civilizations (Mayans, Incans, and Aztecs) because it helps
students to understand that each culture has its own perspectives of their history
especially when discussing the clashing of two very separate cultures. History
Standard 1.1 will allow us to look at a variety of sources and identify how each
culture preserved their history and how the meeting of European explorers changed
that. History Standard 1.2 will enable us as a class to delve deeper into the cultures
of Mesoamerica in regard to why they were successful and again interpret the
lasting effects of the Columbian exchange. Geography Standard 2 will allow my

students to understand how their geographic locations contributed to how and what
they traded, their subsistence, and differences/difficulties each explorer had in
interacting with that civilization.
This is relevant to the IB standards because it has students get a better
knowing and understanding of the countries around America and their history and
how it pertains to the future creation of the United States. Students will be
continually investigating different aspects of each civilization as well as those that
are smaller but are important to the Western Hemisphere. They will be using the
communicating criterion by making sure that we continually practice our
collaboration, writing, recognizing types of sources, and discussing skills. I will also
include higher order thinking activities within this History Unit that get them to think
critically about the unit and specifically looking at the lasting effects of the
Columbian Exchange.
This topic is extremely significant to the social studies discipline for US sixth
graders as it not only provides historical context for the Americas but also provides
an essential building block of information, skills, and tools for understanding history
beyond sixth grade. The students should have a personal connection to this
information as it pertains to events that happened in and around the United States
prior to its inception. This provided a backbone and a basis of background
knowledge as to how our country was formed. This allowed me to provide some
context into why slavery lasted as long as it did in the United States or why Mexico,
Central America, and South America have a different culture as a result of the
Columbian Exchange. It is significant on a global scale because it provides nearly
the best example of foreign cultures meeting for the first time, altered the Western
Hemisphere forever, and laid the foundation for the Americas we live in today. Lastly
it is significant to me personally because it not only helps to explain the beginnings
of our US History but it also explores the ingenuity of Native societies in our
backyard.