In class this week, we learned how ancient China was isolated by barrier – deserts, seas, mountain ranges – and how it developed a unique culture. It made the spread of goods or ideas to China (until the Silk Roads) challenging too. In class you learned what barriers and isolated mean, while making a human map to show how China is isolated.
This is a nice video which talks about the upsides (or good things) about being an isolated civilization. It uses Egyptians, the Mayans, and the Japanese civilizations as examples. However, many of the same things can be found in ancient China too.
We are currently learning about Sumer, the first civilization, in southern Mesopotamia. Sumer was made up of several city-states, including Kish, Nippur, and Ur. Our current lesson also focuses on the traits of a civilization.
A civilization is made up of many parts. We will use G.R.A.P.E.S. to remember them. The GRAPES acronym in Social Studies means:
Geography Religion Achievements Politics Economy Social structures
We are currently learning about historical themes (pages xxii – xxiii in your textbook). The themes listed in the book are the same as GRAPES. Click on this link to learn more about GRAPES.
To help you understand the themes you will be learning about this year, consider these questions and comment on one or more of them:
Geography: Is your town or city near a lake, ocean, or mountains? What is the weather like? How do the landscape and weather affect the way you live?
Religion or Belief Systems: As you are growing up, how do you learn what are the right and wrong ways of behaving? What people or groups taught you those things?
Politics or Government: In our school, what would happen if every student could come to class whatever time he or she wanted? Leave class whenever he or she wanted? Talk out loud anytime, even during tests?
Some students have created nice Google presentations of displaying the traits of a civilization. Two nice examples from Mr. Martin and Ms. Jaya’s class are Vinay’s, Mara’s and Jina’s presentations. A nice example from Mrs. Hall’s and Ms. Jaya’s class is Arya’spresentation. Here is another example from a good website for ancient history.
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
- Maya Angelou
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