A Trip Back in Time: Early and Ancient Civilizations

Teachers,
This webquest is geared for 6th grade social studies classes. Through this webquest students will come to a greater understanding of the early and ancient civilizations and how they have influenced our world today.

Standards

This webquest meets the Arizona (and most states)state educational standards for social studies. It takes the following concepts from each of the 6th grade social studies strands.
AZ- Arizona Academics Standards
Strand 1: American History
Concept 2: Early Civilizations
Performance Objective : PO 4. Describe the Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian mound-building cultures: a. location, agriculture, housing, arts, and trade networks b. how these cultures adapted to and altered their environment
Performance Objective : PO 5. Describe the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan/Inkan civilizations: a. location, agriculture, housing, and trade networks b. achievements (e.g., mathematics, astronomy, architecture, government, social structure, arts and crafts) c. how these cultures adapted to and altered their environment
Strand 2: World History
Concept 2: Early Civilizations (Note: Early civilizations were introduced in Grades 1[Egypt], 2 [Asia], 3 [Greece and Rome], 4 [North and South America].)
Performance Objective : PO 2. Determine how the following factors influenced groups of people to develop into civilizations in Egypt, India, Mesopotamia, and China: a. farming methods b. domestication of animals c. division of labor d. geographic factors Connect with: Strand 4 Concept 2, 4,6 Strand 5 Concept 1
Performance Objective : PO 3. Describe the importance of the following river valleys in the development of ancient civilizations: a. Tigris and Euphrates - Mesopotamia b. Nile - Egypt c. Huang He - China d. Indus- India Connect with: Strand 4 Concept 1, 2, 4, 5
Performance Objective : PO 4. Compare the forms of government of the following ancient civilizations: a. Mesopotamia � laws of Hammurabi b. Egypt � theocracy c. China � dynasty Connect with: Strand 3 Concept 3, 5
Performance Objective : PO 5. Describe the religious traditions that helped shape the culture of the following ancient civilizations: a. Sumeria, India (i.e., polytheism) b. Egypt (i.e., belief in an afterlife) c. China (i.e., ancestor worship) d. Middle East (i.e., monotheism)
Performance Objective : PO 6. Analyze the impact of cultural and scientific contributions of ancient civilizations on later civilizations: a. Mesopotamia (i.e., laws of Hammurabi) b. Egypt (i.e., mummification, hieroglyphs, papyrus) c. China (i.e., silk, gun compass) d. Central and South America (i.e., astronomy, agriculture) Connect with: Strand 5 Concept 2
Performance Objective : PO 7. Describe the development of the following types of government and citizenship in ancient Greece and Rome: a. democracy b. republics/ empires Connect with:
Strand 3 Concept 5
Strand 3: Civics/Government
Concept 3: Functions of Government
Performance Objective : PO 1. Describe the impact of the Laws of Hammurabi on the lives of ancient people and how it relates to current laws. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2
Performance Objective : PO 2. Describe the impact of the Greek democracy on ancient Greeks and how it relates to current forms of government. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2
Performance Objective : PO 3. Describe the impact of the Roman republic on ancient Romans and how it relates to current forms of government. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2
Concept 5: Government Systems of the World
Performance Objective : PO 1. Describe the structure of the following governments: a. theocracy b. dictatorship c. republic d. monarchy e. democracy f. anarchy Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2, 4, 5
Strand 4: Geography
Concept 3: Physical Systems (Science Strands are summarized below as they apply to Social Studies content in Grades K-8. These concepts are reinforced in Social Studies classes, but assessed through Science.)
Performance Objective : PO 1. Identify the physical processes that influence the formation and location of resources such as oil, coal, diamonds, and copper.
Performance Objective : Connect with: Science Strand 3 Concept 1 Evaluate the effects of, and describe how people plan for and respond to natural disasters.
Performance Objective : Science Strand 4 Concept 3 Describe how sunlight, water quality, climate, population density and pollution affect quality of life.
Performance Objective : Science Strand 6 Concept 1 Describe the composition of and interactions between bodies of water and the atmosphere.
Performance Objective : Science Strand 6 Concept 2 Explain the water cycle and factors that affect climate.
Concept 5: Environment and Society
Performance Objective : PO 1. Describe ways that human dependence on natural resources influences economic development, settlement, trade, and migration.
Performance Objective : PO 3. Explain how changes in the natural environment (e.g., flooding of the Nile) can increase or diminish its capacity to support human activities. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2
Performance Objective : PO 4. Identify the way humans respond to/ prepare for natural hazards (i.e., lightning, flash floods, dust storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes) in order to remain safe.
Concept 6: Geographic Applications
Performance Objective : PO 1. Describe ways geographic features and conditions influenced settlement in various locations (e.g., near waterways, on high terrain, with adequate fresh water, on good land for farming, in temperate climates) throughout different periods of time, places, and regions. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 2
Strand 5: Economics
Concept 1: Foundations of Economics
Performance Objective : PO 1. Identify how limited resources and unlimited human wants cause people to choose some things and give up others.
Performance Objective : PO 4. Compare how money, as opposed to barter, facilitates trade.
Performance Objective : PO 5. Explain how trade promoted economic growth throughout world regions. Connect with: Strand 2 Concept 3 Strand 2 Concept 4
Strand 5: Economics: Concept 1 Foundations of Economics- PO 1
(Arizona Department of Education, 2005)

Credits

Pictures taken from Google Images.

Other

It might be best to allow students to work in teams especially if you have students who need differentiated curriculum. This will help those students be able to participate and interact with others.

On the vocabulary section, the website from which the vocabulary words were taken is attached in below. There are more vocabulary words and information available on this pdf. document.