Social Studies Curriculum

Grade 7 - World Geography
Unit Guides

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Unit: The Ancient Civilization of Mesopotamia

Time frame for unit: 2nd Quarter—2 weeks

Content Standards

National World History Standards:
Era 2- Early Civilizations and the Emergence of Pastoral Peoples, 4000-1000 BCE
(The rise of civilization in Mesopotamia marked the beginning of 3,000 years of far-reaching transformations that affected peoples across wide areas of Eurasia and Africa. This is the period when civilizations appeared, shaping all subsequent eras of history. Students must consider the nature of civilization as both a particular way of organizing society and a historical phenomenon subject to transformation and collapse. In this era many of the world’s most fundamental inventions, discoveries, institutions, and techniques appeared. All subsequent civilizations would be built on these achievements. Early civilizations were not self-contained but developed their distinctive characteristics partly as a result of interactions with other peoples. Students will learn about the deep roots of encounter and exchange among societies.)
Standard 1 -The major characteristics of civilization and how civilizations emerged in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus valley
(For more details, see the website: http://nchs.ucla.edu/standards/worldera2.html)

Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions

1. Civilizations are interrelated societies with advanced levels of social, political, material, scientific, and artistic progress.
   • What are the characteristics of a civilization?
   • How do civilizations develop? How do they decline?
   • How do the legacies of ancient civilizations affect us today?

Knowledge

The student will be able to define / apply the following terms:
Tigris, Euphrates, Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Assyria, Sumeria, agriculture, Hammurabi’s Code, scribe, cuneiform, ziggurat

The student will be able to explain the significance of the following concepts:

• The geography of the Fertile Crescent and the rise of civilization.
• Sumer’s first cities and religion.
• The empires of Babylonia and Assyria.
• A system of written laws.

The student will be able to describe the following:

• How Hammurabi’s Code influences laws today.
• The impact of the development and use of writing, reading, and math.
• The characteristics of a civilization.

Skills

The student will be able to:

• Use graphic organizers to mentally organize the material from the textbook.
• Compare and contrast hunter-gatherers v. farmers/herders.
• Label landforms, cities, and bodies of water on a map.
• Apply the knowledge of Mesopotamian geography to create mental maps.
• Take notes over oral and written material.
• Interpret special purpose maps, graphs, and charts of the area.
• Organize and sequence a series of events in Mesopotamia.

Assessment Evidence

Example Performance Task:
Students work in groups to design a newspaper from a Mesopotamian civilization. Include articles on religion, government, laws, specialization of labor, social classes, art, architecture, and writing. Also include letter to the editor, want ads, cartoons, fashion page, etc.

Example Evidence:

• Mental mapping quizzes.
• Quizzes of facts related to the Mesopotamia.
• Test on geographic features.
• Written responses to the Essential Questions.

Example Learning Activities:

1. Read and discuss Ch. 1-2 in Prentice Hall World Studies: The Ancient World.
2. Create, label, and analyze maps of Mesopotamia.
3. Write a letter using clay tablets and cuneiform.
4. Design a photo collage of Mesopotamian art or artifacts.
5. Design a ziggurat, the Gates of Babylon, and/or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
6. Create a timeline of events of Mesopotamian history.
7. Read selections from The Epic of Gilgamesh.
8. View and discuss a video, for example. “Lost Civilizations- Mesopotamia,” “Discovery Channel- Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers.”
9. Research Sargon the Great or Nebuchadnezzar and their empires.
10. Provide students with opportunities for self-evaluation such as reflective writing, rubrics, and peer discussions.
11. Review unit data through games such as bingo, jeopardy, and group competitions.

* These are suggested activities. Other assessments, performance tasks, and learning activities may be implemented.

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