Grade 5 Ancient Civilizations Unit

A Grade 5 Integrated Unit on Ancient Civilizations

By: Sondra Burrows, Bridgette Di Piazza, Jordy Luke, Stephanie Zarycky

Photo Cred: File:Wikijunior Ancient Civilizations Composite.png

The goal is for students learn about various Ancient Civilizations

Students will learn important vocabulary and information related to Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, North and South America, and China

Students will identify different structures in society, including political, social, and economic

Photo cred: Kyle Simourd

Know: Six different Ancient Civilizations Do: Research, question, organize, map, and

make connections between the civilizations and current life

Be: Appreciative of the past and open-minded

Photo Cred: commons.wikimedia.org

Students will create a 2-4 min. infomercial about an innovation from one Ancient Civilization Audience is the people of that civilization Must say how to use it, why it is useful and

why people should purchase it Students will create a blog thanking their

Ancient Civilization for the innovation, and explain how it is used today

Assessment on the presentation, script and blog

Photo Cred: chinancient.com

http://bit.ly/1btSe4

Students will watch a video on the various ancient civilizations

Students will use a map to outline

each ancient civilization Students will locate where they are

now as a comparison Students will use map for future reference Books will be displayed for student reference

Photo Cred: freeworldmaps.net

Students will view a PowerPoint presentation with key information and pictures of each

Ancient Civilization Students will complete a graphic

organizer with key information for

each Ancient Civilization Students will have time to set up their passport

(e.g. create a title page, 1 page per A.C) for each stop on the tour of Ancient Civilizations



Students will complete a WebQuest in pairs

http://questgarden.com/111/95/4/101104152334/index.htm

They will create postcards at each stop and bring back a souvenir

Students will also map their travels around Ancient Egypt

Photo cred: fotopedia.com

Students will watch an Ancient Greek Olympics video clip

Students will read diary entries from Ancient Greece, inferring what life in this time entailed

Students will discuss their findings as a class Students write a diary entry to compare

Ancient Greece and modern times

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eustaquio/

Students will research an aspect of Ancient Roman society in small groups

Students will create a dramatization to present their findings to the class

Students will understand key aspects of Roman life through watching and discussing each presentation

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unorthodoxy/

Jeopardy game to introduce three ancient North American civilizations: Iroquois, Mayan, Beothuk

Students will be split into groups will research Ancient North American civilization

Students will report similarities and differences between civilizations Students will present their information to the class Presentations will be placed in passports

http://bit.ly/hH4OG4

Students will learn Tlachtli played by the ancient Inca

Students will play a revised version - using feet they must get a soccer ball on top of a soccer net

Students will use the “think aloud” method and finish the reading

Students will create a comic strip about the Inca

http://bit.ly/feihEK

Teacher reads "The Dragon King's Key" to the class, pausing for students to make inferences about the story and the Ancient Chinese culture

Students will work in groups of 5 and research different aspects of the ancient Chinese culture

Students will create a poem about the ancient Chinese culture

http://bit.ly/dQQB0e

Students will travel to the Royal Ontario Museum and explore the exhibits on ancient civilizations

Back in class, the teacher will write down the students' "discoveries" on chart paper

Students will write a one paragraph reflection of the trip

http://bit.ly/eYNKfg

Students will visit five learning centres which will allow them to compare ancient civilizations, noting and investigating similarities and differences among civilizations science & technology social & political structures physical aspects thought (education, beliefs, values) meeting basic needs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwl/

In groups of four, students will play a board game that takes the students to all six of the Ancient Civilizations they’ve studied

At each stop, students have the chance to pick up an innovation from that civilization

Students will choose an innovation to use for the culminating task

Photo cred: commons.wikimedia.org

Students must create a tool that they think would be beneficial to a particular civilization

Students must then make a advertisement explaining their tool and why it is important

Students share their advertisements with classmates/ guests

Class debriefs experiences & new learning Individual reflection for consolidation


Questions?

Burrows, S., Di Piazza, B., Jamieson, E., Luke, J., Zarycky, S. (2011) The Travelling Passport, Integrated Unit for EDUC 8Y29.

Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum K-8 Health and Physical Education (2010)Language (2006)Social Studies & History and Geography (2004)The Arts (2009)

This unit was created for a Social Studies class at Brock University while being integrated with a Technology class

Contact us as aspiring pre-service teachers on Twitter to provide us with feedback

Sondra Burrows: @MsSBurrowsBridgette Di Piazza: @bdipiazza1Jordy Luke: @JordannaElizaStephanie Zarycky: @szarycky