Social Studies Thematic Unit Curriculum Map

6th Grade
Theme,
Enduring
Understandings
, & Essential
Questions for
This Unit

Standards-based
Essential Skills
(GLE) & Concepts
to be Targeted
Unit

Themes

Common Core

Learning Targets

Social Studies

Short Stories:

People, Places,
and Environment

CCSS.ELALITERACY.WHST.6
-8.1.B
Support claim(s)
with logical
reasoning and
relevant, accurate
data and evidence
that demonstrate
an understanding
of the topic or text,
using credible
sources.

I can evaluate whether claims use

evidence effectively and explain how to
make a claim stronger using evidence.

GLE 5.2.1
Creates and uses research questions to
guide inquiry on an historical event.

I can develop a research question to

guide inquiry about a historical event,
which effected the physical environment
(storm, earthquake, hurricane, etc.) and
develop a possible solution to lower the
negative effects of this event if it were to
reoccur.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.B
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and
relevant, accurate data and evidence that
demonstrate an understanding of the topic or
text, using credible sources.

3 short stories
about young
immigrants found
here:
http://teacher.schol
astic.com/activities/
immigration/young_
immigrants/

Global
Connections
Culture

Essential
Questions
To what extent
can evidence
and research be
used to learn
more about
historical
events?
To what extent

Social Studies
GLE 5.2.1
Creates and uses
research questions
to guide inquiry on
an historical event.

How Students will Demonstrate Their

Understanding

I can determine if a population was

pushed, pulled, or blocked from
residence in particular locations by using
evidence from a variety of stories
regarding settling and migration.
I can verbally explain how stereotypes
can affect interactions between societies
and how culture affects the perceptions
of others.

Strategies / Best Practices Used to

Explicitly Teach the Skills & Concepts

Evaluating Evidence
For this strategy, the teacher displays
three columns with responses that use
evidence in the center. The first
response is the weakest use of
evidence, second is a medium
response, and the third is the
strongest use of evidence. Students
will identify the positive aspects of
each response after reading them as
a group. The positives are listed in the
left column. The students will also
make concrete suggestions to make

Resources for
this Multi-Genre
Unit

Before We Were
Free
by Julia Alvarez
&
Home of the Brave
by Katherine
Applegate
Found at:
http://www.scholast
ic.com/ups/booklist
s/

do societies
interact with one
another?

Civics

GLE 1.3.1
To what extent
Analyzes how
do maps, globes, societies have
and charts teach interacted with one
us about the
another in the past
world?
or present.
Geography

I can construct a map of the world,

including places and regions, and draw
conclusions about physical and cultural
characteristics.
I can compare environmental, social and
economic factors of various maps to
understand issues related to global
issues of sustainability.
Success Criteria

Students will evaluate whether claims

use evidence effectively and explain how
to make a claim stronger using evidence.
Students do this by identifying the
positive aspects and make concrete
suggestions to make each response
stronger. Students will be expected to
identify at least three statements that use
evidence (strong, medium or weak) and
make at least two suggestions to make
GLE 3.1.2 Identifies stronger claims. By doing this, students
will demonstrate the ability to identify
the location of
places and regions effective and ineffective uses of evidence
before applying this understanding.
in the world and
Then, students will demonstrate
understands their
understanding of effectively using
physical and
evidence by writing letters about a
cultural
historical event that has had an effect on
characteristics.
the physical environment (storm,
earthquake, etc.). Students will develop a
research question to guide inquiry about
their particular historical event and
develop a possible solution to lower the
GLE 3.3.1
Understands that
learning about the
geography of the
world helps us
understand issues
related to global
issues of
sustainability.

the response stronger. Suggestions to

make a stronger claim from evidence
are posted on the right. This strategy
requires students to evaluate
evidence. Students will decide if the
claims are strong and explain how to
use evidence to make each claim
stronger. This is a good strategy to
ensure students have a strong
understanding of how to use evidence
effectively before using evidence to
support their own ideas in the next
strategy.
Modification: Fill in the blank: For
students who are struggling, there
could be partial sentences provided by
the teacher. For example, This
statement lacks___ or This statement
would be better if it included _____
Extension: More statements:
Students could be given more than
three statements to evaluate to make
this exercise more challenging.
Writing Letters (Physical Systems)
This strategy requires students to
choose a historical event that has had
an effect on the physical environment
(storm, earthquake, global warming,
hurricane, etc.). To introduce this
activity, I will read the book A True
Book: The Superstorm Hurricane
Sandy by Josh Gregory as an
example of a text to gather evidence
to use in an example letter. I will bring

Nonfiction:
A True Book: The
Superstorm
Hurricane Sandy
By: Josh Gregory
Find it here:
https://store.schola
stic.com/Books/Pap
erback-Books/ATrue-Book-TheSuperstormHurricane-Sandy

negative effects if the event were to

reoccur. Students will use at least three
pieces of evidence effectively to support
their letter.
Each student will determine if a
population was pushed, pulled, or
blocked from residence in particular
locations by using evidence from a
variety of stories regarding settling and
migration. In the Post-it strategy, each
student will correctly put at least one
post-it note (with a few sentences about
a situation where a person/people have
been either pushed, pulled, or blocked)
under each heading. Each description
should have at least two sentences
accurately describing an event from a
story we read in class. Students will also
share their ideas about how stereotypes
can affect interactions between societies
and how culture affects the perceptions
of others through the Think, Pair, Share.
Each student will share at least two
comments that analyze how different
societies perceive each other. Students
will do this in pairs and with the entire
class to demonstrate their understanding
of the effects of stereotypes in the
interactions of societies.
Students will identify the location of
places and regions in the world by
creating a world map. Students will label
the six regions and every country on their

in a variety of books relating to various

physical systems, but encourage
students to look at other sources like
the internet and the library. First,
students will develop a research
question to guide their investigation.
Students will use evidence from a
variety of sources to create a plan to
prevent the effects from their
destructive event in the future. In this
writing activity, students will participate
in peer editing to produce their best
piece of writing.
Modification: Assign students a
particular event to research. Students
could also work in partners. A partially
filled out letter could also be provided
for students who have difficulty writing.
Extension: Students could find an
appropriate representative in the
government to send the letter.
Students would send their evidencebased proposal to the local official.

Civics
GLE 1.3.1
Analyzes how societies have interacted with
one another in the past or present.

Pushed, Pulled or Blocked

Post-it Activity
For this strategy, students will explore
the different reasons why students live
in different places. Some people are

color-coded world map. Students are

expected to color and label important
locations in the world. Students will also
label different regions. After students
have finished their maps, they will
participate in a group discussion to draw
conclusions about physical and cultural
characteristics they noticed while
constructing their maps. Each student
will be expected to share two
conclusions (at least one physical
characteristic and one cultural
characteristic) that they made
constructing their maps. In addition,
students will compare environmental,
social and economic factors of various
maps to demonstrate understanding of
issues related to global issues of
sustainability. Students will complete a
Compare & Contrast handout, with at
least two comparisons and two
differences of each of the maps provided.

Formative Assessment
Before students identify the positive
aspects and give concrete suggestions
for the evidence-based responses, I will
show them various examples of strong,
medium, and weak responses using
evidence. I will have students practice
this as a group, identifying the strength of
three pieces of evidence, before
responding individually. I will check for
understanding by asking students to put

pulled to a new location, while others

are Blocked or Pushed by a variety
of factors. Students will read a variety
of stories focusing on migration trends
throughout the world. Students will
see how different societies have
pushed, pulled, or blocked people
from residing in locations. After
reading a variety of stories, there will
be poster boards with the headings
Pushed, Pulled, and Blocked.
Students will be given post-it notes to
write a few sentences about a
situation where a person/people have
been either pushed, pulled, or blocked
that they read about. Students will be
expected to put one situation (from
one of the stories read) under each
heading.
Extensions: Have students research
more (or different) populations and
have them explain why they were
either pushed, pulled or blocked from
living in a particular location.
Modifications: Provide summary
handouts for each of the stories for
students who might have difficulty
summarizing from the entire stories.
Students could also work in small
groups for this strategy.
Think, Pair, Share (Stereotyping)
Students will share responses to
questions provided by the instructor
after showing a video

a thumb up if the response is strong, a

thumb sideways if the response is
medium, and a thumb down if the
response is weak when using evidence.
If some students are struggling, I will
provide more direction and examples to
ensure they understand before
responding individually. Students will be
expected to identify the strength of at
least three statements using evidence
and provide two suggestions to improve
statements.
For the Writing Letters strategy, I will
start by providing an example letter that I
wrote to an official, regarding Hurricane
Sandy. This example would include
suggestions to minimize the effects from
this historic event. I will check for
understanding by asking students to
answer questions periodicity as they are
viewing my example, like When did I
use evidence to support my ideas? and
How did my research question guide my
letter? I will ask students to share some
of their ideas of possible solutions before
they move onto writing their letters. I will
be checking in with each student as they
are writing to ensure each student
understands their expectations when
completing the letters.
Rubrics:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yG
HyBaPJEVlE3WvFBUJatakZ5yhOKmz5
B7JS45b8Zvs/edit?usp=sharing

(http://study.com/academy/lesson/prej
udice-theories-and-ideas-onorigins.html) about stereotyping. The
teacher will lead a discussion on how
culture affects the perceptions and
stereotype of others. Students will
analyze how different societies
perceive each other. After sharing
thoughts with their partner, have a
whole-class discussion addressing
this topic. Through this discussion, we
will address how stereotypes can
affect interactions between societies.
Extensions: Ask students to share
what each of their partners ideas
were. This would develop students
listening and summarizing skills.
Modifications: Have a sentence
starter ready for students who may
need it to express their ideas. Ask
students to write down their thoughts
prior to sharing with a partner, giving
them a chance plan what they will say
in the discussion about stereotyping.
After writing down their reflections,
they share with partner, and then the
entire group.

Geography
GLE 3.1.2 Identifies the location of places
and regions in the world and understands
their physical and cultural characteristics.

World Map

As a class, we will read three short

stories about young immigrants
(http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/i
mmigration/young_immigrants/) and
excerpts from Before We Were Free
by Julia Alvarez and Home of the Brave
by Katherine Applegate before the
Pushed, Pulled or Blocked Post-it
Note activity. Students will use evidence
from each of these books to correctly put
at least one post-it note under each
heading. Each description should have at
least two sentences accurately
describing an event from a story we read
in class. I will put a post-it note up as an
example from one of the stories we read.
I will ask the students to put their thumbs
up if they are ready to start the activity or
their thumbs down if they need more
direction. If students are struggling, I will
provide more direction and/or provide a
summary handout of the stories for the
students to reference. If some students
show understanding quickly, I would
have students think about why this
population was pushed, pulled or
blocked from living in a particular
location. I would ask them to think about
all the influences that caused their move.
Students will also share their ideas about
how stereotypes can affect interactions
between societies and how culture
affects the perceptions of others through
the Think, Pair, Share. Each student will

This strategy has students label a

world map to identify places and
regions in the world. Students are
expected to color and label important
locations in the world. Students will
also label different regions. This
strategy also uses compasses,
making a key, and reviewing locations
of continents. Students will draw
conclusions about physical and
cultural characteristics in a group
discussion afterward.
Blank Map found here:
https://www.printableworldmap.net/pre
view/continents_blank_l
Modification: Colored map: A colored
map with a key would be a
modification for this strategy. The
students would be expected to label
continents on the world map
according to the provided key.
Extension: Rather than providing
specific colors for the key, students
would be expected to choose their
own colors to make their key. This
would give them more freedom to
form unique keys for their world map.
Students would still be expected to
label the same features on the world
map.

GLE 3.3.1 Understands that learning

about the geography of the world helps us
understand issues related to global issues
of sustainability.

share at least two comments that

analyze how different societies perceive
each other. Students will do this in pairs
and with the entire class to demonstrate
their understanding of the effects of
stereotypes in the interactions of
societies. During the Think, pair, share I
will be circulating the room to make sure
the students are sharing ideas about the
movie we watched about stereotypes. I
will have a sentence starter ready for
students who may need it to express
their ideas. I will ask each student to
write one key idea down on a sticky note
during the discussion that I will collect at
the end of the discussion.
Rubrics:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gg
K50LaTMWT7VHyaXbfQ8jfWQmwhETLt
B3Rqlp-NtnE/edit?usp=sharing
First, I will show students a globe and a
world map before asking them to
construct their own maps. I will also have
an example of a completed world map.
Before students label the six regions and
every country, I will ask students to point
to various countries and regions on the
world map. I will go around the room to
make sure the students are pointing the
correct region or country. If students are
struggling, I will review the regions and
countries. If students finish early, I will
ask them to think about different ways
they could model the countries and

Comparing & Contrasting Maps

This strategy has students compare
various maps. Students will complete
a compare & contrast handout that
asks students to compare and
contrast environmental, social and
economic factors of the various maps.
Some maps show different information
to gain more understanding. Students
will compare various maps that
provide information about global
issues, population, cultural factors,
and various other features. Some
maps found here
(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20
11/07/27/arts/spatial-maps.html).
Students will see environmental,
social and economic factors through
these maps that show issues related
to global issues of sustainability.
Modification: Students are provided a
modified T-chart: To assist students,
teachers could have starter sentences
on different sections of the T-chart.
This would support students who need
more help forming and writing down
their ideas about comparisons of
maps.
Extension: Students will design their
own map of a place they know. They
may choose a place they have been,
a place they have heard of or seen
pictures or, or even an imaginary
place. Students are expected to show
detail, as in seen maps, portray

regions of the world. After students have

finished their maps, they will participate
in a group discussion to draw
conclusions about physical and cultural
characteristics they noticed while
constructing their maps. I will have
sentence starters ready for the
discussion if students are having difficulty
forming connections. I will also have a
few examples ready to share if the group
is stuck in the discussion.

information on their maps.

After showing the various maps, I will

provide an example of a similarity and a
difference of the maps on my own
Compare and Contrast chart. As
students are working on their individual
Compare and Contrast charts, I will go
around the room asking each student to
share one of their comparisons with me
to ensure understanding. After students
have finished, I will generate a list of
comparisons and contradictions to the
variety of maps.
Rubrics:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xIc
0qLCx7qa2Pw5TdM4Jd3s22QzJmh5UGl
KtouHrfpI/edit?usp=sharing
Summative Assessment
Students will make a commercial for a
country, connecting the key components
of this unit. Students will research their
particular country, using online and

Commercial (students choice of

country)
Description: Have the students
choose any country in the world they
would like to learn more about.
Students will research their country to

literature sources. In this presentation of

multimedia, each student will share what
makes their destination unique, including
physical and cultural characteristics.
Each commercial will include information
about a historic event that happened in
the students particular country. Students
will also include information about how
the society in their particular country has
interacted with others. Their commercial
must also include a map of where the
country is and explain related
After students have created their
commercial, they will present what they
have learned with the class. In this
presentation, students will explain how
using maps and charts had helped them
learn more about their specific country.
Students will reflect on what they learned
through this unit and this project to share
with the class after their multi-media
presentation.
Rubric:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IzI
yDkrbq2Q0Gmlu_zzd8E5O1Dbtq66sLWj6Xc
TlT8/edit?usp=sharing

develop a commercial. Students could

make a video, a website, or perform a
skit to present their research in the
form of an advertisement. In this
commercial, students will incorporate
online and literature sources. Students
will present information learned
throughout the unit within this
commercial.
Rubric:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1
IzIyDkrbq2Q0Gmlu_zzd8E5O1Dbtq66sLWj6
XcTlT8/edit?usp=sharing

Extension: Ask students to create a

travel guide to expand on their
research. Have them do research on
surrounding areas, encouraging them
to find differences and similarities of
the locations.
Modification: Provide an outline of all
the components they must use in
commercial. Students can also work
on this project in groups.