Daily Writing: What do you

know about North Korea?

S.P.I.C.E.

A tool for navigating World History

S.P.I.C.E. Categories
What is the purpose of utilizing the
S.P.I.C.E elements?

1. It represents 5 unifying threads through

which we can examine broader themes
throughout each country and period of
time. The acronym helps you categorize and
remember the 5 areas of analysis.
2. Great way to categorize important ideas
and concepts while note taking during
readings, documentaries, etc.
Heres a closer look
SOCIAL
Analysis of the processes through which social categories, roles and practices were created, maintained
and transformed.
Relationships among humans all societies develop ways of grouping their members, as well as norms
that govern interactions between individuals and their social groups.
Often presents itself as social stratification based on kinship systems, ethnic associations, and
hierarchies of gender, race, wealth and class.
 How does the group relate to
one another?
How do people communicate?
What do people do together?
How is the group organized
SOCIAL
(hierarchies)?
What are the family and gender
Development and relations?
Transformation of SOCIAL Are there ethnic and/or racial
structures divisions?
Are inequalities in social and
economic classes?
 Political
Refers to the processes by which
systems of rule have been constructed
and maintained and to the conflicts
generated through those processes
Includes the comparative study of
different types of governments across
time and the interaction among
themselves
Explores governmental relationships
among different states and countries,
including warfare, diplomacy, trade,
cultural exchange and the formation
of international organizations
 Who is in charge?
How much power do they have?
How is power transferred?
Is there a bureaucracy?
Who chooses the leader/s?
What is the government structure?
Political Are there revolts and revolutions? If
so, what are the causes and effects?
State-Building, Expansion and Are there significant wars, treaties,
Conflict courts or laws?
Did the political boundaries change
over time?
Did the political power shift over
time?
 Interaction with the Environment
How the environment and geography shaped human societies, but also how human
societies have affected the environment
Environmental factors such as rainfall, climate and vegetation and how that has
influenced settlement patterns and migration
The ability to master and exploit the environment for technological advancement
and rapid increases in human population

Interaction with
the Environment
Interactions Between Humans
and the Environment
In what geographical region is this
located?
What geographic landscape makes up
the region?
How are the people/events affected
by the geography?
How do the people interact with their
environment?
How does the environment define the
culture/civilization?
What are patterns of settlement
(urban/rural)?
How do the birth/death rate,
movement and migration affect the
spread of disease?
 Cultural
Explores the origins, uses,
dissemination, and adaptation of
ideas, beliefs, and knowledge
within and between societies
When people of different
societies interact, they often
share components of their
cultures, This will lead to cultural
blends as they adapt new belief
and knowledge systems
This is in relation to religions,
belief systems, education,
ideologies, science and technology
and the arts and architecture
 What is the meaning of life?
What is the religion and what
are the basic beliefs?
What are the philosophies and
ideologies?
What groups are given the
Cultural chance to learn?
What are the developments in
Development and Interaction of math and science?
CULTURES What innovations, technologies
and inventions develop?
How do they express
themselves through art, music,
writing and literature?
 Economics
Creation, expansions and interactions of economic systems
Surveys the patterns societies have developed to produce, distribute, trade and
consume goods and services amongst themselves and with others
The development of various labor systems associated with these economic
systems and the institutions that support them (capitalism and communism)
Stresses the distribution of wealth in a country among the various peoples

Economics
Creation, Expansion and
Interaction of Economic Systems
Is the economy based on agriculture,
commerce, small trades or
professions or industry?
Wheres the money?
How do people earn their food?
What is the economic system?
What are the valued and traded
commodities?
What are the patterns of trade and
commerce between various societies
(e.g. Silk Road, NAFTA)?
What is the labor system (e.g. slavery,
wage labor)?
Looking at your S.P.I.C.E.
chart, jot down in your
notebook 5 recent events,
causes or issues in your
community, state, region or
nation to exemplify each
S.P.I.C.E. element.
The Situation
 Your Task
1. Explore the issues surrounding North Koreas recent activities by assigning each
group member one of the provided articles.

2. Using the SPICE Graphic Organizer, find information and list ideas/ concepts/
questions/ connections about North Korea that relate to each SPICE category.

3. Share your with your group what you put in your SPICE chart and why you put it
there.

4. As a group, create a concept map Lucidchart and pool together everything you
have learned about North Korea.

5. When you are done with the concept map, turn it in on Google Classroom
Key Questions
1. How do the issues and problems surrounding our
current tensions with North Korea relate to each
SPICE category? What does that show about this
topic?

2. Which SPICE category is most relevant to our

examination of North Korea? Why?

3. Should the United States pursue aggressive military

action against North Korea? Why or why not?