Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent

Introductory Video: Discover Mesopotamia with Bugs Bunny  Let Bugs Bunny take you on a one minute introductory tour of Mesopotamia, the world's very first civilization, in the video below.  

The Fertile Crescent: Vocabulary Study  Today we are going to be studying the key vocabulary related to the geography of Mesopotamia, also known as the 'The Fertile Crescent,' using the assignment The Fertile Crescent - Cognitive Content Dictionary located in your Social Studies Google Classroom. We will be using an excerpt from our Social Studies textbook, which can also be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom (and which you can also find here), to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts.

Current Event Friday

Watch this week's 'The Week in Rap' to find out what's happening in the NFL.

Flocabulary: The Week in Rap  Many important news events took place around the world this week. Let's review some of them with our friends at Flocabulary.

Researching and Summarizing a Current Event  This week Flocabulary rapped about players from National Football League protesting after comments by President Trump, President Trump's new travel ban, Saudi Arabia finally allowing women to drive, watermelon snow, how our brains are affected by live art, a lawsuit over a monkey's selfie being settled, and the rise in sea turtle populations, as well as the state of pandas. 

Your objective is to select the story the most interests you, click the link for additional information, take notes, and then write a current event summary. Locate the document Current Event Notes and Summary in your Social Studies Google Classroom. 

What Is A Civilization?

Video: How Civilization Began  What is a civilization and how did civilization begin? Watch this introductory video to get started: 

Concept Map: Civilization  The world's first cities began as farming villages. As early cities grew in size and power, some of them gave rise to civilizations. But what exactly is a civilization? Considering that we are studying 'Ancient Civilizations' this year, understanding the answer to that question is essential. 

To help us make better sense of what a civilization is, we are going to make a Civilization Concept Map today. You can find a document of the same name in your Social Studies Google Classroom.

Using the Concept Map (and the textbook excerpts below), we will first examine the characteristics or features of a civilization. Next, we will come up with a list of non-examples: examples that do not fit the criteria for a civilization. Then, we will decide on examples that do seem to embody our understanding of what a civilization is. Finally, we will decide on a definition for the concept  of civilization. Additionally, we will add images throughout our concept map to help us better understand the concept.
    

 

Civilization Review Video  Now that we have a better sense of what a civilization is, let's review what makes a civilization a civilization by watching the short informative video below. How is your civilization concept map both similar and different to the information put forth in the video?  

Examining Agricultural Tools and Reviewing for Quiz

Life at the Time: Tilling the Soil  Students: How might you plant a garden without using any tools?  It would be pretty difficult, wouldn't it. Therefore, can you understand why even early on using tools for farming was so important?  

Let's read the introductory paragraph from the passage below. Now take a moment and carefully study the images and accompanying captions in order.

Who probably made the tools show in the pictures? 

How might a toolmaker have been paid for the work? 

Look at how the toolmakers improved designs as time passed. Which sickle do you think would have been most efficient? 

Now imagine that you are farmer in the ancient Middle East and you have used one of the more advanced metal sickles for the first time. Discuss with the members of your group all the various benefits of using a metal sickle. In what what ways will it help you produce more food crops?   

Reviewing for Quiz: Three Videos  We are going to have a quiz tomorrow on the following topics we've studied recently: human migration, surviving the Ice Age, and the development of farming. But before we do, we are going to watch excerpts of three short videos to help you review the content and important ideas. You may use the document From Human Migration to the Development of Farming - Video Notes, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom, to take notes if your choose.

Homework  Study for your quiz on 'human migration, surviving the Ice Age, and the development of farming,' which you will be taking tomorrow, September 26.

The Costs and Benefits of Farming

The Costs and Benefits of Farming: Reading and Note-Taking Activity  Today in small groups you are going to read an excerpt and study a diagram from your text regarding the costs and benefits of farming. As you read, you will take notes on the Costs and Benefits of Farming using the document of the same name in your Social Studies Google Classroom. The text passage and diagram are featured below (but can also be found on pg. 35 of your Social Studies textbook). Towards the end of the period, each member of your group must be prepared to share at least one farming cost and/or one benefit they learned during the course of their study. 

Video: The Agricultural Revolution  Now let's watch as our friends at Crash Course hilariously explain the importance of the Agricultural Revolution.  

How the Agricultural Revolution Changed the Way People Lived

Cause and Effect Mini-Lesson  Before you can begin to understand the relationship between events related to the Agricultural Revolution you may need to a refresher on the nature of 'Cause and Effect.' Cause is what makes something happens. Effect is what happens as a result. To see 'Cause and Effect' in action, check out the video below. 

Early Agriculture: Guided Reading and Cause and Effect Activity  Today we will read about how the Agricultural Revolution changed the way people lived. The Early Agriculture - Reading Selection can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom, as well as here. As we read, you will make note of the relationship between key events related to the birth of agriculture and early farming using the Early Agriculture - Cause and Effect document, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom.

Early Agriculture (Day 2)

Early Agriculture: Vocabulary Study (Continued)  Let's complete our Early Agriculture - Cognitive Content Dictionary assignment today. Remember, you can find it in your Social Studies Google Classroom, along with the excerpt from our Social Studies textbook, which we will use to help us understand the lesson's key words and concepts.  

Video Excerpt: "The Story of All of Us"  Let's continue to develop our understanding of human migration and early agriculture by watching an excerpt of the program "The Story of All of Us." Take notes on what you observe, learn, and what questions you may have, using the document The Story of All of Us - Video Notes, which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom.