Agriculture/Civilization Unit PlansCompelling Question: Was the development of agriculture good for humans?

Standards taught: SS.6.5, SS.6.6, SS.6.7, SS.6.9, SS.6.18, RH.6-8.1, WHST.6-8.1

● Timeline creation-- Give students slips of paper with major time periods and descriptions on them.

Have them put the events in chronological order. Share how far we’ve gotten in time (posters).○ Transition from the Paleolithic time period into the Neolithic period→ hunter-

gatherers to farmers. Make a list of struggles hunter-gatherers have (review). Discuss why farming would have been a good solution to these struggles.

○ Present compelling question: Was the development of agriculture good for humans?● Observe a list of human innovations and make a statement about why that innovation appears on the

list. What are some benefits of the innovation? What are some possible costs of the innovation to human culture?

○ Introduce summative performance task● Introduce support question #1: How did environmental changes and new technology affect the

development of agriculture? Introduce formative performance task.○ Ask students what you need in order to farm successfully? (soil, seeds, sun, water, tools) Lead

students to realize that some of these items have not always been available to humans. Which ones would need to be created? (tools)

○ Provide Sources A-C. View C first, analyze on G.O. Source A second○ Discuss how this information helps us better understand how agriculture developed.○ Discuss with students the factors of farming that are out of our control. (rain, soil, sun) As a

farmer, where would you want to live?○ Look at Source B and analyze on G.O○ Review graphic organizers and have a discussion on how environment and improved tools

impacted the development of agriculture.● Introduce supporting question #2: How did the development of agriculture in Mesopotamia lead to the

development of writing?○ Have students predict where farming began in our world using My Maps.○ Watch Big History’s “Why Was Agriculture So Important?” video (start at 4:11)

■ When and where did farming begin?■ Are humans living alone or together at this point in time? Why?■ Explain to students that humans are beginning to rely on each other for food and other

resources such as protection. City-states are beginning to form, such as Sumer, which is arguably one of the first civilizations.

○ Introduce SQ#2.○ Choose 4 students to perform Writing Skit○ Use the discussion questions for the skit to process with students

● Provide students with Sources A-C to analyze and a graphic organizer. ● Personalized Learning Research Project (See Google File) Animal/Plant domestication, Egyptian

Hieroglyphs/Chinese Oracle Bone Script○ Share with other sixth graders

■ Divide students into groups of 4■ Give each group a collection of infographics (a few of each topic)■ Give each student an Infographic Share paper■ As a group, read through the infographics together and complete the questions on the

paper■ When done, write constructive feedback on a sticky note and stick it to the infographic.

● Introduce supporting question #3: What were the consequences of agriculture for humans?○ CER Introduction

■ Hook→ Who is the bravest movie character? (claim)-- write down your thoughts

● What did he or she do in the movie to make you think they were brave? (evidence)-- write down your thoughts

● How does that action prove bravery? (reason)-- write down your thoughts● Call on a few volunteers to read their thoughts aloud, sequentially● Label thoughts with CLAIM, EVIDENCE, REASON

■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faSAI0Anf9E video with CER notes handout○ Introduce formative performance task○ Provide Source A (population growth chart) for students to analyze. With Claims, Evidence, and

Reasoning chart● Review Paleolithic vs Neolithic periods.

○ Provide Source B (images) for students to analyze (questions on source sheet)○ Investigate what epidemic diseases are.○ Provide Source C (graph) for students to analyze with Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning Chart

● What are some other potential consequences of the development of agriculture?● Make a statement of belief: Agriculture led to ______. I believe agriculture was ______. As a result of

the development of agriculture, humans were able to ______.○ Complete formative performance task by using the belief statement to write a paragraph with a

claim, evidence, and reasoning.● Review summative performance task.

○ Allow students an opportunity to discuss with others their opinions of agriculture and develop their opinion by learning others viewpoints.

● Complete the “Evidence Chart” in small chunks.● Produce a final media project that shares each piece of the evidence chart in order. ● Introduce “Taking Informed Action” project