Grade Seven Social Studies Curriculum Map 2015-16

GRADE SEVEN
SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM MAP

GRADE SEVEN SOCIAL STUDIES- 32200713
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for Grade Seven Social Studies.
OVERVIEW
The Grade Seven Social Studies Program uses the five big ideas of social studies (government/civics, cultures
and societies, economics, geography, and historical perspective) to focus on an integrated approach to the
study of world history from earliest civilizations to 1500. Grade Seven Social Studies provides for the
development of historical perspectives and understanding through the study of early peoples and great
civilizations of the past. Students learn about those people and events that ushered in the dawn of major
Western and non-Western civilizations and examine factors of continuity and change across time, with a focus
on human history prior to 1500. Instruction emphasizes chronological thinking and historical analysis. Students
examine the ways in which past civilizations met common needs and concerns, and link past to present by
noting how these early societies contributed to our way of life.
HOW TO USE THE CURRICULUM MAP

Social Studies Curriculum Maps are guides to social studies instruction. The Social Studies Curriculum Maps
assist teachers in planning and pacing instruction. Specific dates or weeks that may be included in this document
are for reference. Each school and teacher must take into account the make-up of their students, focusing on
the needs and strengths of each child when pacing and planning instruction.
The curriculum for the year has been divided into four Curriculum Cycles to help pace instruction and ensure
students have consistent coverage of the social studies content. The Cycle Duration (the suggested amount of
time to spend on each cycle) does not accommodate for the scheduling of special events, inclement weather or
school events. Teachers, with principal guidance, should adjust pacing as needed to accommodate for these
events. To guide student inquiry during the curriculum cycle, a suggested Compelling Question is identified.
This question guides the students in the study of the content for the curriculum cycle. The curriculum cycle is
further broken down into topics. The Topics indicate the instructional focus of the curriculum cycle.
Each topic map contains the following components:
Kentucky Core Academic Standards are the Core Content for Assessment bullets from the Kentucky
Core Academic Standards (formerly Core Content for Assessment 4.1).
Supporting questions to guide the inquiry of each topic.
Vocabulary are potential terms student need to be familiar with and may struggle with during this topic.
Please note that this list is not intended to be used as the sole list of terms students need to learn or be
able to apply while studying social studies.
Learning Targets are the skills and concepts students are expected to know and be able to do by the end
of each topic. The Learning Targets listed in the curriculum maps are starting points. The list is not
exhaustive or exclusionary. Identification of the necessary understandings, skills, and concepts that
support these targets should be developed at the school level, based on an analysis of student data.
Instructional Suggestions are a collection of strategies that a teacher may use to teach the content.
These suggestions are gathered from the internet and other teachers and inclusion in this map does not
constitute or imply an endorsement.
Instructional Resources include resources that promote inquiry, student understanding, and mastery of
skills.
Academic Services Division/ Curriculum and Instruction/ Curriculum Management
Grade 7 Social Studies Curriculum Map REV June 2015
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GRADE SEVEN
Please keep the following in mind as you use the Social Studies Curriculum Maps:
Be sure to read the unit prior to instruction. This will help you choose the resources and activities that
best help your students learn the Kentucky Core Academic Standards.
Kentucky Core Academic Standards, Learning Targets, and Instructional Resources are not listed in a
specific teaching order under each topic. Teachers may sequence them to meet their own instructional
needs.
You must have a user name and password to access the Discovery Education Web site. (Contact your
library media specialist if you do not have a user name and password.)
RECOMMENDED STATE-APPROVED TEXTBOOKS

Per Kentucky State Statute, schools are responsible for adopting textbooks for use by students. The Kentucky
Department of Education recommends schools purchase textbooks from publishers that have assured the
accuracy of, availability of, support materials for, and durability of texts. In addition, the publishers should agree
to provide adaptable texts and other materials for English Language Learners. The Social Studies Department
does not endorse any particular program and/or textbook.
CONNECTIONS TO THE FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING

The Social Studies Curriculum Maps supports teachers in planning and preparation for instruction. The various
components of the maps provide support for teachers in the following areas of the Framework for Teaching.
Domain 1 - Planning and Preparation: Components A, C, D, E, F
Domain 3 - Instruction: Components A i; C i, iii, iv, and D i, ii
COLLEGE, CAREER, AND CIVIC LIFE FRAMEWORK PRACTICES OF THE INQUIRY CYCLE
The focus Social Studies is to continue to build upon students prior contextual knowledge so they develop
deeper levels of understanding around the many ways the world is connected. Students make comparisons,
consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints and refine their critical thinking skills. Throughout this course,
students should be afforded ample opportunities to engage in all Practices of the Inquiry Cycle.
DIMENSION 1
QUESTIONING
Students will independently and
collaboratively:
Develop compelling questions
that promote inquiry around
key disciplinary concepts and
embedded enduring issues.
Develop supporting questions
that identify facts, concepts
and research interpretations
associated with a key
disciplinary concept.
Determine the types of sources
that will assist in answering
compelling and supporting
questions.
DIMENSION 2
DISCIPLINARY THINKING
collaboratively:
Engage in disciplinary thinking
used by social scientists
(historians, economists, political
scientists and geographers)
independently and
proficiently resulting in civic
readiness.

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DIMENSION 3
EVALUATING SOURCES
collaboratively:
Gather relevant information
from multiple sources from a
wide range of perspectives and
evaluate for credibility.
Identify and utilize evidence to
seek solutions to questions.
Develop and create claims and
counterclaims using appropriate
evidence to construct strengths
and weaknesses
DIMENSION 4
COMMUNICATING
collaboratively:
Construct viable arguments,
relevant explanations and/or
public demonstrations that
convey ideas and perspectives
to a wide array of appropriate
audiences.
Critique the arguments and
explanations of others paying
particular attention to
credibility and relevance of
information.
Address options of individuals
and groups to identify and
apply a range of strategies and
complex reasoning to take
public action or propose a
solution.
GRADE SEVEN
Grade Seven Social Studies

Cycle 1
Duration:
9 Weeks
Key Focus Topics:
Historical Tools
Human Environmental Interaction
Production, Distribution, Consumption
Assessment:
Ongoing teacher-created formative assessments
Teacher-created summative assessments
District-designed formative diagnostic assessment
District-designed formative proficiency assessment
KENTUCKY CORE ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Government
SS-07-1.1.1 Students will compare purposes and sources of power in the most common forms of government (monarchy, democracy, republic,
dictatorship) in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D
Cultures & Societies
SS-07-2.1.1 Students will explain how elements of culture (e.g., language, the arts, customs, beliefs, literature) defined specific groups in the early
civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. and resulted in unique perspectives.
Economics
SS-07-3.1.1 Students will explain and give examples of how scarcity required individuals, groups and governments in early civilizations prior to 1500
A.D. to make decisions about how productive resources (natural resources, human resources, capital goods) were used.
SS-07-3.4.2 Students will describe how new knowledge, technology/tools and specialization increased productivity in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
Geography
SS-07-4.2.1 Students will describe how regions in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. were made distinctive by human characteristics (e.g., dams,
irrigation, roads) and physical characteristics (e.g., mountains, bodies of water, valleys) that created advantages and disadvantages for human
activities (e.g., exploration, migration, trade, settlement).
SS-07-4.3.1 Students will describe patterns of human settlement in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. and explain how these patterns were
influenced by human needs.
SS-07-4.4.1 Students will explain how technology in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. assisted human modification (e.g., irrigation, clearing land,
building roads) of the physical environment.
SS-07-4.4.2 Students will describe ways in which the physical environment (e.g., natural resources, physical geography, natural disasters) both
promoted and limited human activities (e.g., exploration, migration, trade, settlement, development) in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-4.4.3 Students will explain how the natural resources of a place or region impact its political, social and economic development in early
civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
Historical Perspective
SS-07-5.1.1 Students will use a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and conditions and to
analyze the perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group)
in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-5.1.2 Students will explain how history is a series of connected events shaped by multiple cause-and-effect relationships and give examples of
those relationships.
SS-07-5.3.1 Students will explain and give examples of how early hunters and gatherers (Paleolithic and Neolithic) developed new technologies as
they settled into organized civilizations
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GRADE SEVEN
SS-07-5.3.3 Students will describe the rise of non-Western cultures (e.g., Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Persian) and explain ways in which these
cultures influenced government, philosophy, art, drama and literature in the present day.
Historical Perspective and Pre-Historic People

TOPIC 1:
Archaeology and Tools for Studying Pre-History and History
SUPPORTING QUESTION(S):
How do we learn about the past? Why do we learn about the past?
SUGGESTED DURATION
2 Days
VOCABULARY:
history, culture, archaeology, fossil, artifact, primary source, secondary source, geography, landforms, climate,
environment, region, resources, historical perspective, historical context, government, historian, geographer,
archeologist, civilizations, investigate, ancient, modern
L EARNING T ARGETS
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
The Learning Targets listed are not exhaustive or exclusionary.
I can explain ways and reasons archaeologists learn

about the past.
TCI
TCI Online: History Alive! The Ancient World (hereafter designated as TCI Online:
Ancient World) Lesson 1 Investigating the Past History Alive! The Ancient World,
TCI, (Hereafter designated as TCI Ancient World) Chapter 1, Investigating the Past,
pp. 4-11
Other Resources
Archaeology, Life in Mesopotamia
Cave Paintings at Lascaux, Virtual Tour, (This website is in French, but the tour is
worth exploring)
TOPIC 2:
The Paleolithic Age
How did early humans live?
SUGGESTED DURATION
2 Days
VOCABULARY:
prehistory, hominid, ancestor, relative, Paleolithic, Stone Age, tool, chopper, hand axe, cave paintings, society,
art, language, religion, hunter-gatherers, scarcity, migrate, ice ages, land bridge, flint, Mesolithic
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can explain the elements of culture in the Paleolithic TCI

Age.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 2 Early Hominids
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 2, Early Hominids, pp. 12-23

I can explain how geographical factors promote and
limit human activities (hunting and gathering).
Other Resources
Prehistory, Life in Mesopotamia
Becoming Human: Lesson Ideas (NOVA)
Several segments from World History: Prehistory, Discovery Education

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GRADE SEVEN
TOPIC 3:
The Neolithic Age
How did human society change from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age?
SUGGESTED DURATION
3 Days
VOCABULARY:
Neolithic, domestication, stable food supply, agriculture, revolution, culture, megaliths, nomads, permanent shelters,
community, division of labor, trade, written language
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can explain why and give examples of how early

hunters and gatherers developed new technologies
(e.g., domestication, cultivation, and other forms of
specialization) as they settled into organized
civilizations.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 3 From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 3, From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers, pp. 2431
Other Resources
Episode 1, Out of Eden, of Guns, Germs, and Steel, National Geographic video
series based on the book by Jared Diamond, 2005. (Preview episode 1 and 2 and
consider showing both to give your students an overview for understanding this
years content.) See also National Geographics question-and-response session
here in which Jared Diamond addresses essential questions regarding the
transition from the Paleolithic to Neolithic Ages.
Life in Mesopotamia, University of Chicago
TOPIC 4:
Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent
How did Mesopotamia become the place where civilization began?
SUGGESTED DURATION
4 Days
VOCABULARY:
Fertile Crescent, Mesopotamia, silt, irrigation, canals, levee, surplus, rural, urban, city-state, nation-state,
citizen, empire, kingdom, polytheism, social hierarchy (social structure), king, priests, merchants, artisans,
farmers, technology, plow, wheel, cuneiform, pictographs, scribe, epics, architecture, ziggurat, government,
monarch, rule of law, Hammurabis Code, chariot, army, siege warfare, steles, tribute
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe multiple cause-and-effect

relationships that allowed the elements of
civilization to develop in Mesopotamia.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 3 From Hunters and Gatherers to Farmers
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 4 The Rise of Sumerian city-States
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 4, The Rise of Sumerian City-States, pp. 32-39
Other Resources
series based on the book by Jared Diamond, 2005. (Preview episodes 1 and 2
and consider showing both to give your students an overview for understanding
this years content.) See also National Geographics question and response
session here in which Jared Diamond addresses essential questions regarding

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GRADE SEVEN
the transition from the Paleolithic to Neolithic Ages.
The First Farmers & the First Cities, Life in Mesopotamia, University of Chicago
Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers, Discovery Education
Inventions and Innovations in Ancient Mesopotamia segment of Ancient
Civilizations video, Discovery Education
TOPIC 5:
SUGGESTED DURATION
The Accomplishments of Mesopotamian Civilization
3 Days
How did the civilization that developed in Mesopotamia have a lasting impact on our world?
VOCABULARY:
civilization, artifacts, primary source, irrigation systems, canals, levee, agriculture, domestication, food supply,
surplus, city-state, empire, kingdom, social hierarchy (social structure), technology, plow, wheel, cuneiform,
pictographs, scribe, epics, architecture, ziggurat, government, rule of law, Hammurabis Code, chariot, army,
siege warfare, steles, tribute
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe impact of the elements of culture

developed in Mesopotamia on world culture
(e.g., government, religion, writing, etc.).
I can explain the rule of law and describe its

benefits.
I can describe how the knowledge of domestication,

cultivation, and technology of Mesopotamia moved
among civilizations along similar latitudes.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 5 Ancient Sumer

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 5, Was Ancient Sumer a Civilization? pp. 40-49
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 6 Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 6, Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia, pp. 5061
Other Resources
The Elements of Security in Civilizations, Discovery Education
series based on the book by Jared Diamond, 2005 (Preview episodes 1 and 2
and consider showing both to give your students an overview for
understanding this years content.)
Law & Government & Warfare & Empire, Life in Mesopotamia, University of
Chicago
Mesopotamia, video segment Discovery Education
Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers, Discovery Education
The Code of Hammurabi, Academy for Ancient Texts
Ancient Egypt
TOPIC 1:
SUGGESTED DURATION
Geography of Egypt
3 Days
How did the geography of Ancient Egypt affect the way its civilization developed?
VOCABULARY:
river, cataracts, delta, topography, vegetation, physical features (physical characteristics), elevation, desert,
flood, silt
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GRADE SEVEN
L EARNING T ARGETS
The Learning Targets listed are not exhaustive or

exclusionary.
I can explain how the physical geography
promoted and limited human activities in Ancient

Egypt.
I can compare/contrast Ancient Egyptian culture
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 7 Geography and the Early Settlement
of Egypt, Kush, and Canaan
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 7, Geography and the Early Settlement of Egypt,
Kush, and Canaan, pp. 64-71
with present day American culture.

Other Resources
Ancient Egypt, Discovery Education
The Nile: Where Egypt Began segment of Ancient Civilizations video, Discovery
Education
TOPIC 2:
SUGGESTED DURATION
The Pharaohs and Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt
4 Days
How did the pharaohs promote and protect Ancient Egyptian culture and society?
VOCABULARY:
pharaoh, king, monarchy, kingdom, Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, god, reign, trade, general, peace
treaty, afterlife, mummies, elite, pyramids, engineering, trade routes, reunification
L EARNING T ARGETS

exclusionary.
I can describe the political, religious, and divine

roles of the pharaoh in the Old, Middle, and New
Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 8 The Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 8, The Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, pp. 72-79
Other Resources
TOPIC 3:
SUGGESTED DURATION
Cultural Characteristics of Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
4 Days
How do the elements of cultural reflect the unique perspectives of a civilization?
VOCABULARY:
civilization, social pyramid, social classes, pharaoh, government officials (nobles, advisor, vizier), priests,
scribes, artisans (artists, architects, soldiers), peasants, slaves, status, roles, afterlife, pyramids, agriculture,
mummification process, hieroglyphs, hieroglyphics, scribe school, harvest, taxes, granary
L EARNING T ARGETS
exclusionary.
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GRADE SEVEN
TCI
I can explain how the elements of culture and the

social pyramid of Ancient Egyptian society
reflected their unique perspectives.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 9 Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 9, Daily Life in Ancient Egypt, pp. 80-91
Other Resources
The Great Pyramid Deconstructed video, History Channel
Mummification song, History Teachers
TOPIC 4:
SUGGESTED DURATION
The Contributions of Ancient Egypt
4 Days
How did Ancient Egypt impact the development of government and culture today?
VOCABULARY:
civilization, primary sources, artifacts, hieroglyphics, papyrus, Rosetta Stone, sphinxes, obelisk,
sarcophagus, pyramids, empire,
L EARNING T ARGETS

exclusionary.
I can explain how elements of culture in Ancient

Egyptian society promoted lasting achievements in
government, science, writing, architecture, and
art.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 9 Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 9, Daily Life in Ancient Egypt, pp. 80-91
Other Resources
Ancient Egypt, Discovery Education,
Indus River Valley and China

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
2 days
Geography
How were the Indus River Valley and Ancient Chinese civilizations made distinctive by their human and
physical characteristics?
VOCABULARY:
subcontinent, monsoons, rivers, plateaus, mountains, desert , regions, plateau, plains, basins, tributaries,
isolation, Inner China, Outer China
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the Indus River Valley and

Ancient China were made distinctive by their
human and physical characteristics.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 13 Geography and Early Settlement of India
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 13, Geography and the Early Settlement of India, pp.
122-131

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GRADE SEVEN
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 19 Geography and the Early Settlement of China
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 19, Geography and the Early Settlement of China, pp.
182-193
Other Resources
Review Jared Diamonds, Guns, Germs, and Steel argument regarding the
movement of food packages and technology along the same latitude in Eurasia.
Huang He: From the Himalayas to the Gulf ofBo Hai, Discovery Education,
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa: The Contributions of the Indus River Civilizations 4 days
How do the human/environmental interactions of a civilization impact its cultural development and
decline?
VOCABULARY:
civilization, citadel, granary, weights, scales, great bath, artifacts, sewer system, channels, mud bricks,
Sanskrit, nomads, planned (organized) cities, polytheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Vedas, Varnas, Brahminism,
Sanskrit, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, caste system, Brahman, atman, reincarnation, dharma, karma,
Jainism, nonviolence, fasting, meditation, nirvana, eightfold path, missionaries, deities, the Buddha, ascetic,
four noble truth, Mauryan empire, Gupta dynasty
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the human/environmental

interactions of the Indus River civilizations
impacted their cultural development and
decline.
I can compare and contrast basic elements of
Hinduism and Buddhism.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 14 Unlocking the Secrets of Mohenjodaro
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 14, Unlocking the Secrets of Mohenjodaro, pp. 132-141
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 15 Learning About World Religions: Hinduism
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 15, Learning About Hindu Beliefs, pp 142-151
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 16 Learning About World Religions: Buddhism
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 16, The Story of Buddhism, pp. 152-159
Other Resources
Religions of the World: Hinduism, Discovery Education
Culture and Math: The Indus Valley, Discovery Education
Indus River Valley: Early Innovation, Discovery Education
Religions of the World: Buddhism, Discovery Education
Humans and Ideas segment of Patterns of Interregional Unity, World History for Us All
Rajesh Rao: A Rosetta Stone for the Indus Script, TED Talks.
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 3:
4 Days
The Contributions of the Ancient Chinese Civilizations
How do the contributions of the Ancient Chinese Civilizations impact the world today?
VOCABULARY:
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GRADE SEVEN
civilizations, kingdom, dynasty, clan, oracle bones, ancestor worship, priest, bronze, philosophy,
Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Mandate of Heaven, feudalism, lords, peasants, ethics, yin and yang, Great
Wall, conflict, censor, terra-cotta army, iron, aristocracy, bureaucracy, civil service exam, merit, terraces,
industry, calligraphy, acupuncture, sundial, seismograph, magnetic compass, silk, Silk Road, diffusion
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can explain how elements of culture in Ancient

TCI
Chinese society promoted lasting achievements in

government, technology, writing, philosophy, and
art.
I can compare and contrast basic elements of the

teachings of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism
I can compare the social institutions of Ancient

China with the social institutions of today
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 21 Three Chinese Philosophies

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 21, Three Chinese Philosophies, pp. 204-213
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 24 The Silk Road
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 24, The Silk Road, pp. 232-241
Other Resources
The Traditional Religions of China, Discovery Education
Several segments from China, Discovery Education
Humans and Ideas segment of Patterns of Interregional Unity, World History for
Us All
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 4:
3 Days
Medieval China
How did the politics, culture, and economics of Medieval China impact the modern world?
VOCABULARY:
imperial, emperor, dynasty, warlords, period of disunion, reunification, aristocracy, bureaucracy, civil service
exams, meritocracy, Mongols, economy, commerce, currency, urbanization, paper, tea, porcelain, steel,
gunpowder, inoculate, Grand Canal, wood block printing
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe the cultural influences of Medieval
TCI
Chinese civilization on the world.
TCI Medieval World, Imperial China, Setting the Stage, pp. 178-179
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 15 The Political Development of Imperial
China
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 15, The Political Development of Imperial China, pp.
180-187
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 17 Chinese Discoveries and Inventions
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 17, Chinese Discoveries and Inventions, pp. 196-207
Other Resources
Several videos from the China topic, Discovery Education
TOPIC 5:
Genghis Khan and the Mongols
SUGGESTED DURATION
2 Days

Page 10
GRADE SEVEN
How do primary and secondary sources create or challenge stereotypes?
VOCABULARY:
Mongols, government, invaders, nomads, khan, conquests, Yuan dynasty, public-works projects, isolationism
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can use primary and secondary sources to describe

and explain different perspectives concerning
Genghis Khan and the Mongols.
TCI
TCI Medieval World, Setting the Stage, pp. 178-179
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 10 From the Crusades to New Muslim Empires,
section 7, The Mongol Invasion
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 10, From the Crusades to New Muslim Empires, 10.7 The
Mongol Invasion, p. 125
Other Resources
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford, Three
Rivers Press, 2004, ISBN: 0-609-80964-4. The introduction of this book provides a
helpful overview of the impact of Genghis Khan on our world today. You can find
excerpts here.
Mongolian Culture, Mongolian Culture website
1279 AD: Barbarian Nomads Capture Control of China: Mongols Genghis Khan and
Kublai Khan video segment, Discovery Education
The Mongols: How Barbaric Were the Barbarians? in Document Based Questions
in World History, The DBQ Project, 2005, ISBN: 0-9711098-3-4
Humans and Other Humans segment of Patterns of Interregional Unity, World

History for Us All
Hebrews and Phoenicians

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
3 Days
The Contributions of the Ancient Hebrews
How do the contributions of the Ancient Hebrews impact the world today?
VOCABULARY:
monotheism, Israelites, covenant, Judaism, Torah, Old Testament, Dead Sea scrolls, exodus, ten
commandments, social justice, synagogue, prophet, diaspora, rabbis, Talmud, Passover, Hanukkah, ethics,
exiled, dispersed
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the elements of culture

developed among the Ancient Hebrews and
how they impact the world today.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 11 The Origins of Judaism
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 11, The Ancient Hebrews and the Origins of Judaism, pp.
100- 109
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 12 Learning About World Religions: Judaism
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 12, The Struggle to Preserve Judaism, pp. 110-119

Page 11
GRADE SEVEN
Other Resources
Religions of the World: Judaism, Discovery Education
Judaism: Sacred Symbols and Rituals, Discovery Education
Humans and Ideas segment of Patterns of Interregional Unity, World History for Us All
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
The Contributions of the Phoenicians
How did the Phoenicians impact the world?
2 Days
VOCABULARY:
Civilization, artifacts, primary source, Phoenicia, Phoenicians, purple dye, alphabet, trade, sailors, timber
(lumber), shipbuilding, explorers, colony, Carthage
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe cause-and-effect relationship between
the Phoenician trade and alphabet and the spread of

civilization across the Mediterranean Sea.
Other Resources
Alphabet and Written Language, Discovery Education
Grade Seven Social Studies Proficiency One

Page 12
Download from CASCADE
GRADE SEVEN

Cycle 2
Duration: 9 Weeks
Key Focus Topics:
People Form Governments
Human Environmental Interactions
Classical Civilization impact the World
Assessment:

Government and Civics
SS-07-1.1.1 Students will compare purposes and sources of power in the most common forms of government (monarchy, democracy, republic, dictatorship) in
early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-1.1.2 Students will describe and give examples to support how some early civilizations (Greece, Rome) practiced democratic principles (e.g., justice, equality,
responsibility, freedom).
SS-07-2.1.1 Students will explain how elements of culture (e.g., language, the arts, customs, beliefs, literature) defined specific groups in the early civilizations
prior to 1500 A.D. and resulted in unique perspectives.
SS-07-2.3.1 Students will explain how conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) occurred among individuals and groups in early
SS-07-2.3.2 Students will explain how compromise and cooperation were possible choices to resolve conflict among individuals and groups in early civilizations
prior to 1500 A.D.
Economics
SS-07-3.1.1 Students will explain and give examples of how scarcity required individuals, groups and governments in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. to make
decisions about how productive resources (natural resources, human resources, capital goods) were used.
SS-07-3.4.2 Students will describe how new knowledge, technology/tools and specialization increased productivity in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
Geography
SS-07-4.1.1 Students will use a variety of geographic tools (maps, photographs, charts, graphs, databases) to interpret patterns and locations on Earths surface
SS-07-4.1.2 Students will describe how different factors (e.g., rivers, mountains, plains) affected where human activities were located in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
SS-07-4.2.1 Students will describe how regions in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. were made distinctive by human characteristics (e.g., dams, irrigation, roads)
and physical characteristics (e.g., mountains, bodies of water, valleys) that created advantages and disadvantages for human activities (e.g., exploration, migration,
trade, settlement).
SS-07-4.4.2 Students will describe ways in which the physical environment (e.g., natural resources, physical geography, natural disasters) both promoted and
limited human activities (e.g., exploration, migration, trade, settlement, development) in early civilizations prior to 1500
A.D.
SS-07-5.1.1 Students will use a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and conditions and to analyze the
perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group) in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
SS-07-5.1.2 Students will explain how history is a series of connected events shaped by multiple cause-and-effect relationships and give examples of those
Page 13
GRADE SEVEN
relationships.
SS-07-5.3.2 Students will describe the rise of classical civilizations and empires (Greece and Rome) and explain how these civilizations had lasting impacts on the
world in government, philosophy, architecture, art, drama and literature.
The Greeks
4 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC:
3 Days
Geography and Early Greeks
How did differences in geography affect human activities in Ancient Greece?
How did early civilization develop in Ancient Greece?

VOCABULARY:
Polis, classical, acropolis, influence
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how differences in geography affected

how and where human activities occurred in Ancient
Greece.
I can explain how trading cultures developed in the
Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.
I can explain why Greeks created city-states.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 25 Geography and the Settlement of

Greece
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 26, Geography and the Settlement of Greece, pp.
246-251
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 26 The Rise of Democracy
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 26, The Rise of Democracy, pp. 252-257
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 27 Life in Two City-States: Athens and
Sparta
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 27, Life in Two City-States: Athens and Sparta, pp.
258-269
Other Resources
The Geography and History of Greece, Discovery Education
The Earliest Greek Culture: Crete, Discovery Education
The Collapse of Mycenae: Colonial Expansion, Discovery Education
The Land and City States of Ancient Greece Discovery Education
TOPIC :
Government in Athens
How did the rise of democracy affect the world today?
SUGGESTED DURATION
3 Days
VOCABULARY:
Democracy, aristocrats, oligarchy, citizens, tyrant, Pericles, juries, jury,
L EARNING T ARGETS
Other Resources
I can describe how aristocrats and tyrants
ruled early Athens.
Ancient Greece: The Democracy of Athens, 500 BC, Discovery Education

Page 14
GRADE SEVEN
I can explain why Athens created the first

democracy.
I can compare and contrast ancient democracy

with modern day democracy.
Spartans video, History Channel

Prezi presentation Greece, Rome, & the United States: How has citizen
participation changed?
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC :
3 Days
Greek Mythology and Literature
How did the Ancient Greek civilization have a lasting impact on the world?
VOCABULARY:
Homer, Mythology, Aesop, fables, Sappho, Homer,
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can explain how the contributions of Ancient Greek TCI
civilization (government, mythology, art, drama,

architecture, literature, philosophy, science, history,
etc.) have had a lasting impact on our world today.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 29 The Golden Age of Athens

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 29, The Golden Age of Athens, pp. 278-287
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 31 The Legacy of Ancient Greece
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 31, The Legacy of Ancient Greece, pp. 196-303
Other Resources
Culture and Math: The Greeks, Discovery Education
The Impact of Ancient Greece, Discovery Education

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC:
2 Days
Sparta and Athens
How did life differ in Athens and Sparta?
How did the different cultures of Athens and Sparta influence the relationship between them?
VOCABULARY:
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe Spartan society.
TCI
I can explain Athenian Society.
I can explain how the relationship between Athens
and Sparta developed.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 29 The Golden Age of Athens

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 29, The Golden Age of Athens, pp. 278-287
Other Resources
Culture and Math: The Greeks, Discovery Education
The Impact of Ancient Greece, Discovery Education
TOPIC:
Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Culture
How do cultures spread?
Page 15
SUGGESTED DURATION
4 Days
GRADE SEVEN
VOCABULARY:
Alexander the Great, Hellenistic, phalanx, Phillip II, Peloponnesian War, custom, Macedonia, Alexandria, Thebes,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how Alexander the Great united his

empire and spread Greek ideas.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 30 Alexander the Great and His
Empire
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 30, Alexander the Great and His Empire,
pp.288-295
Other Resources
Alexander the Great, Discovery Education
Conquerors: Alexander the Great, Discovery Education
Macedonia song, History Teachers

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC :
Greek Achievements
How does the Ancient Greeks influence us today?
5 Days
VOCABULARY:
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, reason, Euclid, Hippocrates, statue, painting, architecture, Parthenon, drama, history,
neutral, unbiased, philosophy, Hypatia, Archimedes,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can identify and explain how the Greeks made
contributions to the arts.
I can explain the teachings of Socrates, Plato, and

Aristotle are the basis of modern philosophy.
I can explain the key discoveries the Greeks made

in math, medicines, and engineering.
TCI
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 31 The Legacy of Ancient Greece

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 31, The Legacy of Ancient Greece, pp. 196-303
Rome and the Rise of Christianity
4 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
3 Days
Geography, Etruscans, and the Founding of Rome
How are civilizations affected by their geography and the cultures that came before them?
VOCABULARY:
Aeneas, Romulus, Remus, republic, dictators, Cincinnatus, plebeians, patricians,

Page 16
GRADE SEVEN
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe how the geography of Rome promoted
TCI
and limited human activities.
I can describe how the culture and technology of the
Greeks and Etruscans influenced Roman culture and

the modern world.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 32, Geography and the Early
Development of Rome
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 32, Geography and the Early Development of
Rome, pp. 308-315
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 33 The Rise of the Roman Republic
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 33, The Rise of the Roman Republic, pp. 316321
Other Resources
Various segments of the Civilizations: Rise to Power video, Discovery

Education
Etruscans, Discovery Education
Romulus and Remus, Discovery Education

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
5 Days
From Republic to Empire
How did political, cultural, and economic factors change Rome from a republic to an empire?
VOCABULARY:
Cicero, Julius Caesar, Pompey, Augustus, currency, Pax Romana, magistrates, consuls, Roman Senate, veto, Latin,
checks and balances, Forum, legions, Punic wars, Hannibal, Gaius Marius, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Spartacus
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe multiple cause-and-effect relationships TCI
that turned Rome from a republic to an empire.
I can compare and contrast monarchy, republic, and

empire.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 34, From Republic to Empire

TCI Ancient World, Chapter 34, From Republic to Empire, pp. 322-333
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 35 Daily Life in the Roman Empire
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 35, Daily Life in the Roman Empire, pp. 334-345
Other Resources
Journals Through History: Ancient Rome: Building an Empire, Discovery

Education
Julius Caesar song, History Teachers

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 3:
8 Days
Romes Accomplishments and Decline
How did the government, culture, and technology of Rome impact the world?
How did the Byzantine Empire impact the world?
VOCABULARY:
Galen, aqueducts, roads, written laws, equal treatment under the law, rights, duties, strong bridges, columns, realist
statues, civic duty, romance languages, civil law, Diocletian, Attila, corruption, Justinian, Theodora, Byzantine Empire,
Page 17
GRADE SEVEN
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe the impact of Roman government,
TCI
culture, and technology on the world.
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 37 - The Legacy of Rome in the Modern World
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 37, The Legacy of Rome in the Modern World, pp. 360373
I can describe the rise of the Byzantine Empire and

explain how it has had a lasting impact on the world.
Other Resources
The Impact of Ancient Rome, Discovery Education
Viva Roma No. 5 song, History Teachers
Inside Byzantium section of Civilizations: Rise to Power, Discovery Education
The Byzantine Empire section of

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 4:
The Rise of Christianity
How did the teachings of Christianity impact the world?
4 Days
VOCABULARY:
Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, Bible, crucifixion, Resurrection, disciples, Paul, Constantine,
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe the impact of the teachings of
TCI
Christianity on the world (including democratic

principles).
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 36 - The Origin and Spread of Christianity
TCI Ancient World, Chapter 36, The Origin and Spread of Christianity, pp. 346359
TCI Online: Ancient World, Lesson 37 - Learning About World Religions:
Christianity
Other Resources
Religions of the World: Christianity, Discovery Education

Constantine song, History Teachers
Humans and Ideas segment of Patterns of Interregional Unity, World History
for Us All
Grade Seven Social Studies Proficiency Two

Page 18
GRADE SEVEN

Cycle 3
Duration: 8 weeks
Key Focus Topics:
Elements of Culture
Economic Decision Making
Civilizations Influence Each Other
Assessment:

SS-07-2.2.1 Students will compare how cultures (early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.) developed social institutions (family, religion, education, government,
economy) to respond to human needs, structure society and influence behavior.
SS-07-2.3.1 Students will explain how conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) occurred among individuals and groups in early

Page 19
GRADE SEVEN
prior to 1500 A.D
Economics
SS-07-3.1.1 Students will explain and give examples of how scarcity required individuals, groups and governments in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. to
make decisions about how productive resources (natural resources, human resources, capital goods) were used.
SS-07-3.4.1 Students will explain ways in which the basic economic questions about the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services were
addressed in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
Geography
SS-07-4.1.1 Students will use a variety of geographic tools (maps, photographs, charts, graphs, databases) to interpret patterns and locations on Earths surface in
SS-07-4.1.2 Students will describe how different factors (e.g., rivers, mountains, plains) affected where human activities were located in early civilizations
prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-4.2.1 Students will describe how regions in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. were made distinctive by human characteristics (e.g., dams, irrigation,
roads) and physical characteristics (e.g., mountains, bodies of water, valleys) that created advantages and disadvantages for human activities (e.g., exploration,
migration, trade, settlement).
SS-07-4.3.2 Students will explain why and give examples of how human populations changed and/or migrated because of factors such as war, disease, economic
opportunity and technology in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-5.1.1 Students will use a variety of tools (e.g. primary and secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and conditions and to analyze the
perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group) in early civilizations prior
to 1500 A.D
relationships.
SS-07-5.3.4 Students will describe developments during the Middle Ages (feudalism, nation states, monarchies, religious institutions, limited government, trade,
trade associations, capitalism) and give examples of how these developments influenced modern societies
The Early Middle Ages
2 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION:
TOPIC 1:
2 Days
Geography of Europe
How did the geography of Europe affect its patterns of human civilization?
VOCABULARY:
Eurasia, topography,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can explain and give examples of how the

geography affected where and how people lived in
Medieval Europe.
TCI
TCI Medieval World, Europe During Medieval Times, Setting the Stage, pp. 2-3
Other Resources
Several segments of World History: The Medieval Era, Discovery Education

Life of the Viking, History Channel

Page 20
GRADE SEVEN
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
8 Days
Europe After the Fall of Rome
How could order be maintained after the fall of Rome?
How did the feudal system organize social relationships in Medieval Europe?
VOCABULARY:
Middle Ages, medieval, Patrick, monks, monasteries, Benedict, Charlemagne, Vikings, Magyars, Scandinavia,
slavery, Gaul, Franks, Knights, vassals, feudalism, William the Conqueror, manor, serfs, Eleanor of Aquitaine,
chivalry, haiku,
L EARNING T ARGETS

I can describe how Christian institutions and French kings
maintained order in Medieval Europe after the fall of

Rome.
I can describe the structure of social relationships in the
feudal system in Medieval Europe.
I can explain how the feudal system impacted the
economic systems of Europe.
TCI
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 2 The Development of Feudalism in

Western Europe
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 2, The Development of Feudalism in
Western Europe, pp. 16-27
Other Resources
St. Benedict and the Dark Ages, History Channel
The Reign of Charlemagne, History Channel
Who were the Vikings? History Channel
Living History: Living in Medieval Europe, Discovery Education
The Medieval Times: Life in the Middle Ages (1000-1450 A.D.), Discovery
Education
The Later Middle Ages in Europe
5 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
2 Days
Popes and Kings
How did the use of the powers of the popes and kings result in conflict and compromise in Europe during
the Later Middle Ages?
VOCABULARY:
Pope, king, excommunicate, authority, Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor, Orthodox Church, Pope Gregory VII,
Emperor Henry IV,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe the conflicts and compromises

that resulted from the use of the power of the
Popes and kings in the Later Middle Ages.
TCI
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 3 The Roman Catholic Church in

Medieval Europe
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 3, The Roman Catholic Church in Medieval
Europe, pp. 28-39

Page 21
GRADE SEVEN
Other Resources
Middle Ages, History Channel
Several segments of The High Middle Ages, Discovery Education
The last bit of Part 1: Christianity: The Second
Thousand Years concludes an overview of the history of the first thousand

years of Christianity, with the conflict of Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman
Emperor Henry IV.
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
4 Days
The Crusades
How did the Crusades affect the lives of Christians, Muslims, and Jews?
VOCABULARY:
crusade, Holy Land, Pope Urban II, King Richard I, Saladin, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Muslim, First Crusade,
Second Crusade, Third Crusade, Fourth Crusade,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe cause-and-effect relationships

between Christians, Muslims, and Jews before,
during, and after the Crusades.
TCI
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 10 From the Crusades to New Muslim
Empires
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 10, From the Crusades to New Muslim Empires,
pp. 116- 127
Other Resources
Several videos in the Middle Ages topic, History Channel

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 3:
3 Days
Christianity and Medieval Society
How did the Roman Catholic Church exercise its influence in the Later Middle Ages?
VOCABULARY:
Clergy, religious order, Francis of Assisi, monk, friars, Thomas Aquinas, natural law
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how European social institutions and

culture were affected by the Roman Catholic Church
during the Later Middle Ages.
TCI

Medieval Europe
Europe, pp. 28-39
Other Resources
Saint Benedict and the Dark Ages video, History Channel
Several videos in the Middle Ages topic, History Channel

Page 22
GRADE SEVEN
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 4:
12 Days
Political and Social Change
How did the Magna Carta promote democratic principles of justice, equality, responsibility, and freedom?
How did the Black Death affect the economy and social institutions of Europe?
How did the Hundred Years War impact social hierarchies and political power in Europe?
How are people who have different beliefs treated?
How did economic growth change society in the Later Middle Ages because of the rise of towns?
VOCABULARY:
Magna Carta, Parliament, Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc, William the Conqueror, habeas corpus, Black Death,
bubonic plague, heresy, Reconquista, King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella, Spanish Inquisition, discrimination, Judaism,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the Magna Carta promoted

justice, equality, responsibility, and freedom during
the Later Middle Ages and how it influenced modern
societies.
I can describe how the Black Death affected the
economy and social institutions of Europe.
I can describe cause-and-effect relationships that

led to and resulted from the Black Death.
I can describe how the Hundred Years War

impacted social hierarchies and political power in
Europe.
I can describe how the Roman Catholic Church

responded to heretics and non-Christian people in
Spain.
I can describe cause-and-effect relationships that led

to the decline of feudal manors and the rise of
towns.
I can describe the development of trade, trade

associations, and capitalism in the Middle Ages.
TCI
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 5 T he Decline of Feudalism

TCI Medieval World, Chapter 5, The Decline of Feudalism, pp. 50-61
Medieval Europe
Europe, pp. 28-39
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 4 Life in Medieval Towns
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 4, Life in Medieval Towns, pp. 40-49
Other Resources
The Magna Carta, History Channel
Segment of The High Middle Ages, Discovery Education
The Black Death: How Different Were Christian and Muslim Responses? in
Document Based Questions in World History, The DBQ Project, 2005, ISBN: 09711098-3-4
The Black Death song, History Teachers
Battle of Agincourt song, History Teachers Segment of The High Middle Ages,
Discovery Education
7 Things You Didnt Know About Joan of Arc , History Channel
Selected scenes from Secret Files of the Inquisition, Episode 2, Inquisition

Productions, et al., 2007
Spanish Inquisition song, History Teachers
Conclusion: The End of the Middle Ages video segment of Medieval Times:
Life in the Middle Ages (1000-1450), Discovery Education.
Towns, Guilds, and Trade Fairs, Middle Ages for Kids
Grade Seven Social Studies Proficiency Three

Page 23
GRADE SEVEN

Cycle 4
Unit Duration:
9 Weeks
Key Focus Topics:
Conflict and Cooperation
Geographic Tools
Movement
Assessment:

SS-07-1.1.2 Students will describe and give examples to support how some early civilizations (Greece, Rome) practiced democratic principles (e.g., justice, equality,
responsibility, freedom).
SS-07-2.2.1 Students will compare how cultures (early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.) developed social institutions (family, religion, education, government,
economy) to respond to human needs, structure society and influence behavior.
SS-07-2.3.1 Students will explain how conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) occurred among individuals and groups in early civilizations
prior to 1500 A.D.
prior to 1500 A.D.
Economics
SS-07-3.1.1 Students will explain and give examples of how scarcity required individuals, groups and governments in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. to make
decisions about how productive resources (natural resources, human resources, capital goods) were used.
SS-07-3.4.1 Students will explain ways in which the basic economic questions about the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services were
addressed in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
Geography
Page 24
GRADE SEVEN
SS-07-4.1.1 Students will use a variety of geographic tools (maps, photographs, charts, graphs, databases) to interpret patterns and locations on Earths surface
SS-07-4.1.2 Students will describe how different factors (e.g., rivers, mountains, plains) affected where human activities were located in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
SS-07-4.2.1 Students will describe how regions in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. were made distinctive by human characteristics (e.g., dams, irrigation,
roads) and physical characteristics (e.g., mountains, bodies of water, valleys) that created advantages and disadvantages for human activities (e.g., exploration,
migration, trade, settlement).
SS-07-4.2.2 Students will describe and give examples of how places and regions in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D changed over time as technologies, resources
and knowledge became available.
SS-07-4.3.1 Students will describe patterns of human settlement in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D. and explain how these patterns were influenced by human
needs.
SS-07-4.3.2 Students will explain why and give examples of how human populations changed and/or migrated because of factors such as war, disease, economic
opportunity and technology in early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.
SS-07-4.4.3 Students will explain how the natural resources of a place or region impact its political, social and economic development in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
SS-07-5.1.1 Students will use a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and conditions and to analyze the
perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group) in early civilizations prior to
1500 A.D.
relationships.
SS-07-5.3.4 Students will describe developments during the Middle Ages (feudalism, nation states, monarchies, religious institutions, limited government, trade,
trade associations, capitalism) and give examples of how these developments influenced modern societies.
SS-07-5.3.3 Students will describe the rise of non-Western cultures (e.g., Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Persian) and explain ways in which these cultures influenced
government, philosophy, art, drama and literature in the present day.
SS-07-5.3.5 Students will explain how the Age of Exploration (early civilizations prior to 1500 A.D.) produced extensive contact among isolated cultures and explain
the impact of this contact.
Islam and African Civilizations

TOPIC 1:
Roots, Beliefs, and Practices of Islam
How did teachings of Islam impact the world?
2 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION
5 Days
How did Islamic empires grow and have a lasting influence on our world?
VOCABULARY:
Oasis, caravan, Muhammad, Islam, Muslim, Quran, pilgrimage, mosque, jihad, Sunnah, Five Pillars of Islam, Abu Bakr,
caliph, Janissaries, Mehmed II, Suleyman I, Shia, Sunni, tolerance, Ibn Battutah, Sufism, Omar Khayyam, patrons,
minaret, calligraphy
L EARNING T ARGETS

Page 25
GRADE SEVEN
I can describe the impact of the teachings of Islam

(including the Five Pillars of Islam, democratic
principles, etc.) in the world.
TCI
I can describe how Islamic empires grew and were

organized.
I can give examples of how Islamic culture influenced
modern societies.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Setting the Stage, Islam in
Medieval Times, pp. 74-75
TCI Online: History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond (Lesson 7 The Origin
and Spread of Islam
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 7, The Origin and Spread of Islam, pp. 76-85
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 8 Learning About World Religions: Islam
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 8, Learning About World Religions: Islam, pp. 86-97
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 9 Muslim Innovations and Adaptations
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 9, Muslim Innovations and Adaptations, pp. 98-115
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 10 From the Crusades to New Muslim
Empires
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 10, From the Crusades to New Muslim Empires, pp.
116-125
TCI Medieval World, The Culture and Kingdoms of West Africa, Setting the Stage,
pp. 132-133
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 11 Early Societies in West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 11, Early Societies in West Africa, pp. 134-141
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 12 Ghana: A West African Trading Empire
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 12, Ghana: A West African Trading Empire, pp. 142151
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 13 The Influence of Islam on West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 13, The Influence of Islam on West Africa, pp. 152161
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 14 The Cultural Legacy of West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 14, The Cultural Legacy of West Africa, pp. 162-174
TCI Medieval World, Timeline Challenge, pp. 174-175
Other Resources
Religions of the World: Islam video segments, Discovery Education
Principles of Islam segment, History Channel
Islam: History, Society, and Civilization video segments, Discovery Education
A World of Faith, Calliope, November/December 2008, ISSN: 1050-7086
Us All
Religions of the World: Islam video segments, Discovery Education
Us All
Islam Come to Timbuktu video segments, Discovery Education
Salt: Trade Across Time and Cultures, by Susan Marlow, National Geographic,
2008, ISBN: 978-0-7922-4736-4
Africas Lost City segment of World History: The Medieval Era, Discovery
Education
Historic Sites of Kilwa, World Monuments Fund
Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania webpage, Aluka
Chapter 19, How Africa Became Black, pp. 376-401, Guns, Germs, and Steel by
Jared Diamond, W. W. Norton, 1999, ISBN:0-393-31755-2
TOPIC 2:
Early African Civilizations
How did teachings of Islam impact the world?
SUGGESTED DURATION
5 Days
How did Islamic empires grow and have a lasting influence on our world?
Page 26
GRADE SEVEN
How did trade change the kingdoms of West Africa?
How did trade with Muslims impact the kingdoms of East Africa?
VOCABULARY:
Rifts, sub-Saharan Africa, Sahel, savannah, rain forests, extended family, animism, silent barter, Tunka Manin, Sunfiata,
Mansa Musa, Sunni Ali, Askia the Great, oral history, griots, proverbs, kente,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can explain how trade and religion impacted the

empires of West Africa.
TCI
I can explain how trade with Muslims impacted the

kingdoms of East Africa.
TCI Medieval World, The Culture and Kingdoms of West Africa, Setting the Stage,
pp. 132-133
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 11 Early Societies in West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 11, Early Societies in West Africa, pp. 134-141
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 12 Ghana: A West African Trading Empire
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 12, Ghana: A West African Trading Empire, pp. 142151
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 13 The Influence of Islam on West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 13, The Influence of Islam on West Africa, pp. 152161
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 14 The Cultural Legacy of West Africa
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 14, The Cultural Legacy of West Africa, pp. 162-174
TCI Medieval World, Timeline Challenge, pp. 174-175
Other Resources
Salt: Trade Across Time and Cultures, by Susan Marlow, National Geographic,
2008, ISBN: 978-0-7922-4736-4
Africas Lost City segment of World History: The Medieval Era, Discovery
Education
Historic Sites of Kilwa, World Monuments Fund
Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania webpage, Aluka
Chapter 19, How Africa Became Black, pp. 376-401, Guns, Germs, and Steel by
Jared Diamond, W. W. Norton, 1999, ISBN:0-393-31755-2
Maya, Aztec, and Inca Empires
2 weeks
How did geographic features affect the civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca?
VOCABULARY:
Maya, Yucatan Peninsula, Pacal, maize, observatories, rebel, Mayan calendars, Aztecs, Mexico, Tenochtitlan, ritual,
Aztec Calendar, causeways, conquistadors, motives, Hernan Cortes, Moctezuma II, Inca, Peru, Machu Picchu,
Pachacuti, Quechua, masonry, Atahualpa, Francisco Pizarro,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how human activities and the elements

of culture were affected by the geographic features of
the Americas.
TCI
TCI Medieval World, Civilizations of the Americas, Setting the Stage, pp.
270-271.

Page 27
GRADE SEVEN
I can compare and contrast the Maya, Aztec, and Inca

civilizations.
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 26 Achievements of the Mayas,

Aztecs, and Incas
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 26, Achievements of the Mayas, Aztecs, and
Incas, pp. 314-325
Other Resources
Ancient Americans: The Mayans and Aztecs, Discovery Education
The Mayans, History Channel
The Aztecs video segment, Discovery Education
The Aztecs: What Should History Say? in Document Based Questions in

World History,
The DBQ Project, 2005, ISBN: 0-9711098-3-4
Perus Past segment of Ancient Civilizations video, Discovery Education
Several segments from The Explorers: Francisco Pizarro and the Inca,
Discovery Education
The Renaissance and the Reformation
2 Weeks
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
The Italian Renaissance
How did new ideas and technology develop as a result of trade?
10 Days
How did unique ideas and perspectives develop during the Renaissance?
How does the spread of information impact the development of human civilization?
How did the Reformation bring changes to Christianity?
VOCABULARY:
Johannes Gutenberg, Printing Press, Renaissance, Reformation, Erasmus, Machiavelli, Michelangelo, da
Vinci, Durer, William Shakespeare, sonnet, protestant, indulgences, 95 Thesis, heresy, vernacular,
humanism, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Jesuits, Council of Trent, missionary, Church of England, Henry VIII,
Treaty of Westphalia, federalism,
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how Italy changed as new technology,

resources, and knowledge became available during
the Renaissance.
TCI
I can explain how unique ideas and perspectives

developed during the Renaissance.
I can explain and give examples of how the spread of
information impacts the development of human
civilization.
I can describe how the Gutenberg printing press

spread information and promoted changes in history
I can describe how the Reformation brought changes

to Christianity.
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 28 Florence: The Cradle of the

Renaissance
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 28, Florence: The Cradle of the Renaissance, pp.
342-353
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 29 Leading Figures of the Renaissance
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 29, Leading Figures of the Renaissance, pp.
354-371
TCI Medieval World, Europes Renaissance and Reformation, Setting the
Stage, pp. 330-331
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 27 The Renaissance Begins
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 27, The Renaissance Begins, pp. 332-343
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 28 Florence: The Cradle of the
Renaissance
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 28, Florence: The Cradle of the Renaissance, pp.
342-353

Page 28
GRADE SEVEN
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 29 Leading Figures of the Renaissance

TCI Medieval World, Chapter 29, Leading Figures of the Renaissance, pp.
354-37 (especially Reading Further: From Gutenberg to the Internet, pp. 368371)
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 30 The Reformation Begins
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 30, The Reformation Begins, pp. 372-381
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 31 The Spread and Impact of the
Reformation
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 31, The Spread and Impact of the Reformation,
pp. 382-395
Other Resources
Exploring the Renaissance (1350-1650) video, Discovery Education
Renaissance Man song, History Teachers
The High Renaissance video, Discovery Education
Beyond the Big Bang: Galileo Galilei video clip, History Channel
The Canterbury Tales song, History Teachers
What Was the Most Important Consequence of the Printing Press? in
Document Based Questions in World History, The DBQ Project, 2005, ISBN:
0-9711098-3-4
The Book That Changed the World video, History Channel
Selected scenes from A Matter of Fact: Printing Transforms Knowledge (Day

the Universe Changed Ep. 4), The Science Channel
Gutenberg song, History Teachers
The Protestant Reformation (1517-1565) video, Discovery Education

Martin Luther Sparks a Revolution video, History Channel
Just the Facts: World History: The Reformation video, Discovery
Education
Martin Luther, History Teachers song Martin Luther, Calliope, May 1999,
ISBN:
0382443977
The Age of Exploration

SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 1:
2 Days
The Scientific Revolution
How did the Scientific Revolution change how people thought about the world?
VOCABULARY:
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the discoveries and inventions of

the Scientific Revolution changed the way people
thought about the world.
TCI
TCI Medieval World, Europe Enters the Modern Age, Setting the Stage, pp.
400-401
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 33 The Scientific Revolution
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 33, The Scientific Revolution, pp. 422-431
Other Resources
Ptolemy, Tycho Brahe, Copernicus and Galileo, Johannes Kepler, Isaac

Newton segments from Measure for Measure: Space: Distance and Time
video, Discovery Education

Page 29
GRADE SEVEN
Isaac Newton and a Scientific Revolution video, History Channel
SUGGESTED DURATION
TOPIC 2:
5 Days
Great Voyages of Discovery
How did the competition for economic opportunity during the Great Voyages of Discovery change the way
people in Europe viewed the world?
In what ways did economics and trade change because of the Columbian Exchange?
VOCABULARY:
Columbian Exchange
L EARNING T ARGETS
I can describe how the competition for economic

opportunity during the Great Voyages of Discovery
changed the way people in Europe viewed the world.
I can explain how scarcity of goods (silk, spices, etc.)
led to efforts to find new routes to the Orient and the
role of competition between countries during the
Great Voyages of Discovery.
TCI
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 32 The Age of Exploration

TCI Medieval World, Chapter 32, The Age of Exploration, pp. 402-421
TCI Online: Medieval World, Lesson 32 The Age of Exploration
TCI Medieval World, Chapter 32, The Age of Exploration, pp. 402-421
Other Resources
Exploring the World: The Age of Exploration Begins video, Discovery
Education
Columbus the Businessman video, History Channel
The Age of Discovery 1400-1550 video, Discovery Education
Just the Facts: World History: The Age of Discovery video, Discovery
Education
Consequences of European Colonization of Latin America segment of

Geography of the World: Latin America: The People video, Discovery
Education
The Aztecs video, History Channel
The Explorers: Hernan Cortes: Conqueror of Mexico, Discovery Education
I can describe how early explorers used new

technologies, resources, and knowledge as they began
their conquest of the Americas.
I can describe the economic interactions of the

Columbian Exchange that resulted from the Great
Convergence.
I can describe how mercantilism, capitalism, and a

market economy developed as a result of the
Columbian Exchange.
Grade Seven Social Studies Proficiency Four

Page 30
GRADE SEVEN
APPENDIX A: EXTENSIONS/ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ECE AND OTHER DIVERSE LEARNERS

Students with disabilities may require additional accommodations. Refer to IEP (Individual Education Plan) for specific
accommodations each individual students requires.
I.
Organize and Structure

A. Establish routines to insure that students have consistent opportunities to process information and to maintain an
effective learning climate.
Activate prior knowledge with a written or verbal review of key concepts at the beginning of class.
Establish well-defined classroom rules. Have students model and rehearse behavioral expectations.
Set clear time limits. Use a timer to complete tasks.
Utilize verbal/nonverbal cues and frequent breaks to keep students focused.
B. Plan and organize classroom arrangement to minimize disruptions and enhance efficiency.
Allow adequate space for effective traffic patterns, furniture and equipment.
Arrange classroom to limit visual and auditory distractions.
Provide preferential seating (near teacher, good view of board, special chair or desk) to increase attention and
reduce distractions.
Keep students work area free of unnecessary materials.
C. Display and use visuals, posters, objects, models, and manipulatives to increase memory, comprehension and
establish connections to the core content. Examples include
Mnemonic devices such as COPS (Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, Spelling).
A model of the final product before beginning an experiment, project, lab, etc.
Posters of steps for specific learning strategies (open response, writing process, formulas).
D. Use varied student groupings to maximize opportunities for direct instruction and participation.
Use of one-on-one and small group instruction for students who require additional support.
Carefully consider student abilities, learning styles, role models, type of assignment, etc., when grouping
students for cooperation learning and with peer partners.
Collaborate, co-teach, or consult with ECE, Comprehensive Teachers, etc.
E. Prior to instruction, design and organize content to strengthen storage and retrieval of information.
Design instruction that incorporates a multi-sensory approach (visual, auditory, tactile/kinesthetic) to insure
that all learning styles are accommodated. Include demonstrations, simulations, hands-on activities, learning
strategies, and mnemonic devices.
Identify and focus on information critical for mastery. Determine the content students need to know (vs.
what is nice to know). Organize instruction around the big ideas.
Design on agenda showing exactly what the students will learn.
Sequence presentation of content from easier to more difficult.

Page 31
GRADE SEVEN
Prepare study guides, a copy of class notes, or graphic organizers ahead of time. Allow same students to use
partially completed copies during the lesson.
Provide simplified versions of books and materials with similar content.
Design specific management procedures to insure acquisition of content and task completion using
o Planners, agendas, assignment sheets, homework/personal checklists, folders, notebooks, and/or
parent notes.
o Written as well as verbal cues/prompt, color-coding, symbols, picture clues.
II.
Instruct Explicitly
A. Present and pace explicit instruction to reinforce clear understanding of new concepts and make connections to
prior learning.
Teach, model and rehearse learning strategies pertaining to the content of the lesson including
organizational guide, cooperative learning skills, and memory/mnemonic devices. (KWL, Venn Diagrams,
SQRW=Survey Question, Read, Write, etc.)
Introduce new concepts by clearly connecting them to prior knowledge using key vocabulary, chapter review
questions, agendas, syllabus, etc. Present in both written and verbal form.
Present assignments/directions in small steps/segments.
Use short phrases, cue words, and signals to direct attention (my turn, your turn, eyes on me).
Adjust the volume, tone, and speed of oral instruction.
B. Frequently monitor students to enhance memory, comprehension, and attention to the content.
Use frequent and varied questioning strategies. Target higher order thinking skills.
Call on students by name. Restate student responses. Provide positive and corrective feedback.
Use and model think aloud, self-questioning, problem solving, and goal setting techniques.
III.
Reduce
A. Condense main ideas and key concepts to avoid overload and allow for developmental mastery.
Modify requirements of assignments based on information critical for mastery.
Provide clear, visually uncluttered handouts/worksheets.
Adapt assignment and test formats. Use alternate modes such as short answer, matching, drawing,
true/false, and word banks.
Break tasks into manageable segments. Adjust duration of instruction and independent work.
Reduce redundancy and unnecessary practice.
Use activities that require minimal writing. Avoid asking students to recopy work.
Adjust amount/type of homework and coordinate assignments with other teachers.
Provide credit for incremental learning.
IV.
Emphasize and Repeat

A. Use repeated practice/targeted cues to increase retention of essential concepts and to develop ability to monitor
own learning.
Provide frequent, but short, extra practice activities in small groups.
Have student read/drill aloud to self or peer partner.
Highlight text or use coding methods for key concepts.
Use bound notebooks and/or learning logs to store vocabulary, facts, references, and formulas.
Allow students guided practice and test taking strategies before assessments.
Frequently restate concepts/directions using short phrases.
Use computer activities, games, and precision teaching drills for practice activities instead of worksheets.
V.
Motivate and Enable

A. Enhance opportunities for academic success to remediate faulty learning/thinking cycles and to reduce failure.

Page 32
GRADE SEVEN
B.
Create unique learning activities including skits, posters, clay models, panoramas, dramatizations, etc. (see
textbook manuals for alternative activities).
Offer students choices of topics/projects and alternative methods to demonstrate knowledge (oral
tests/presentations, illustrations, cooperative groups, etc.).
Allow flexible timelines for assignment completion, homework, and testing with retakes.
Consider students learning styles when designing extent of involvement in a learning activity.
Extend time for students to process ideas/concepts, which are presented in lectures/discussions.
Use technology such as taped text, word processors, scanners, and audio feedback software.
Provide spare materials and supplies.
Provide personal word lists/spelling aids for written assignments.
Adjust grading procedures to reflect individual goals, only correct answers, and percent of completed work.
Allow extra credit projects to bring up grades.
Enhance opportunities for behavioral success to reduce frustration and confusion.
Increase positive comments and student interactions (make 3 positive statements for every one negative
statement).
Use positive and specific verbal/nonverbal praise. Provide immediate feedback.
Review rules regularly. Provide varied rewards and consequences.
Maintain close physical proximity to students especially during independent work sessions.
Alert students several minutes before transitions occur.
Use personal contracts and goal setting which match the students needs, interests, and abilities.
Teach self-monitoring skills using progress charts/reports. Gradually wean students from artificial incentives.
Maintain regular communication with parents.
References
Rief, Sandra and Heimburge, Julie, How to Reach and Teach all Students in the Inclusive Classroom (1996).
Hawthorne Educational Services, Inc., The Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (1993).
Choate, Joyce, Successful Inclusive Teaching (1997).
Winebrenner, Susan, Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom (1996).
Inspiration Software, Inc., (1999), www.inspiration.com
Phillips, Vickie and McCullough, Laura, SST Student/Staff Support Teams (1993).
Moll, Anne, Collaborative Strategies, (2001).

Page 33
GRADE SEVEN
APPENDIX B: COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR LITERACY IN HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
Anchor Standard
Grades 68
Key Ideas and Details

1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and

to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary

and secondary sources.
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze

their development; summarize the key supporting details
and ideas.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or

secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the
source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop

and interact over the course of a text.
Identify key steps in a texts description of a process related

to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how
interest rates are raised or lowered).
Craft and Structure

4
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,

including determining technical, connotative, and figurative
meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape
meaning or tone.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are

used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains
related to history/social studies.
Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific

sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g.,
a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and
the whole.
Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially,

comparatively, causally).
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and

style of a text.
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point of

view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or
avoidance of particular facts).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats

and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,

photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in
print and digital texts.
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a

text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the
relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a

text.

Page 34
GRADE SEVEN
9
Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or

topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the
approaches the authors take.
Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary

source on the same topic.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational

texts independently and proficiently.

Page 35
By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social

studies texts in the grades 68 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.

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