Social Studies Department

Burlington City High School

Burlington City, New Jersey

WORLD CULTURES

CURRICULUM GUIDE

August 2005

Lindsey Perry

AN INTRODUCTION

Ø The Burlington City High school core curriculum standards for World Cultures are designed to prepare students for their future responsibilities as intelligent and active citizens in our democratic society. The study of history and geography are emphasized to provide students with understanding of human interaction through time. Students will learn to view contemporary problems facing the nation and the world as products of complex historical, institutional and environmental processes, rather than as isolated events which lack deep meaning. Students will learn to use maps, charts and other geographical tools to develop a connection between the physical world and the political and social worlds. Students will be able to read, summarize and pull out the significance of both historical texts and periodicals. Students will work in cooperative learning groups to gain a thorough understanding of the material and to develop solutions to global and local problems. These standards offer students a set of shared understandings about our nation and the world which are the basis for intelligent discussion about how to achieve democratic goals of justice, equality and social progress.

World Cultures

Ø Standard 6.1: All students will utilize historical thinking, problem solving, and research skills to maximize their understanding of civics, history, geography, economics.

Ø Standard 6.2: All students will know, understand and appreciate the values and principles of American democracy and the rights, responsibilities, and roles of a citizen in the nation and the world.

Ø Standard 6.3: All students will demonstrate knowledge of world history in order to understand life and events in the past and how they relate to the present and the future.

Ø Standard 6.5: All students will acquire an understanding of key economic principles.

Ø Standard 6.6: All students will apply knowledge of spatial relationships and other geographic skills to understand human behavior in relation to the physical and cultural environment.

Objectives for World Cultures

Goals Involving Attitudes

Ø Students should recognize that the past has an impact on their present lives and helps to change their futures

Ø Students should be aware that knowledge of their personal heritages can contribute to pride in themselves and confidence needed to effect personal and social change.

Ø Students should examine and evaluate their personal values and the values of others.

Ø Students develop understanding and appreciation for other cultures and ethnic groups.

Ø Students should learn to identify and question all stereotyping, discrimination and prejudices.

Ø Students should develop a commitment to the basic principles of democracy and a free society.

Ø Students should recognize their obligations and rights as citizens of a free society.

CURRICULUM

Unit 1: The Basics of Geography (25 days) 6.1, 6.6

Objectives, Concepts, Key terms

Ø Explain the five themes of geography.

v geography

v absolute and relative location

v human-environment interaction

v movement

v region

v place

Ø Compare the advantages and disadvantages of maps and globes.

v globes

v hemisphere

v equator

v prime meridian

v latitude and longitude

v cartographer

v map projection

v differences and uses for physical and political maps

v parts of a map (key, scale, title, compass rose)

Ø Identify key features of the earth’s physical geography and the forces shaping it.

Ø Describe the solar system and earth’s location on it

v core, mantle, Magma, crust

v continental drift

Ø Describe the components of the water systems and landforms on earth be able to recognize and describe landforms in oceans & on earth

Ø Explain how earthquakes are caused, their effects and their locations

v plate tectonics

v epicenter

v Richter scale

v tsunami

v volcano

v Ring of Fire

Ø Describe chemical and mechanical weathering

v chemical weathering

v mechanical weathering

v erosion

Ø Explain how annual changes in the relationship between the earth and the sun cause the seasons

v solstice

v equinox

Ø Identify the factors that influence the weather and extreme weather.

v weather

v climate

v hurricane

v typhoon

v tornado

v blizzard

v drought

Ø Explain the factors that influence the climate of a region

v wind currents

v ocean currents

v zones of latitude

v elevation

v topography

v El Nino

v global warming

v different types of climates

Ø Describe what makes up culture and how cultures change and spread

v society

v ethnic group

v diversity

v diffusion

v innovation

v language

v religion

v cultural region

v governments

Ø Identify and define the four basic types of economic systems; distinguish among renewable, non-renewable and inexhaustible resources, traditional, command, market and mixed economies, natural resources, GNP, GDP

Suggested Learning Activities

Ø Describe where you live/ your favorite place using the five themes of geography.

Ø Create a political map and physical map of the continents and oceans.

Ø Make a map of the world using all the key parts of a map.

Ø Work in groups to find as many different kinds of map in the text book as you can.

Ø Pick five places in the world that you would like to visit, find their exact and relative location and five things that are interesting about their culture.

Ø Describe Burlington City’s culture using all the aspects of culture we discussed in class.

Ø Write a three page paper, using at least three sources, about an example of extreme weather (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.)

Ø Research the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Write a newspaper article and a journal entry describing it.

Ø Work in groups to look at the cause and effects of the 2005 tsunami, including the physical causes and effects as well as the effects it had on the culture and economies of the countries affected.

Ø Why do we not have volcanoes in New Jersey?

Ø Give students a location and have them describe the climate and vegetation.

Ø Give students a location and have them research the weather in that particular place.

Ø Describe the vegetation, climate and weather for Burlington City.

Ø Track a hurricane as it is happening the United States, look at causes and effects (both short term and long term)

Ø Describe the differences between the technological world and the developing world; have students apply these terms to countries that they are familiar with (use textbook for help).

Ø Create a country by creating a map, climate, vegetation, weather, economy and culture.

Unit 2: World Religions (20 days) 6.1, 6.3

Objectives, Concepts, Key terms

Ø Describe religion and the different types of religion.

v Monotheism

v Polytheism

v Difference between belief, idea and opinion

Ø Locate where the worlds five main religions are practiced.

Ø Describe the history and beliefs of Judaism

v Abraham

v Torah

v kosher

v Passover

Ø Describe the history and beliefs of Christianity

v Jesus

v Bible

v Sacraments

v Easter/Christmas

v Ten commandments

Ø Describe the history and beliefs of Islam.

v Muhammad

v Mecca and Medina

v Allah

v Koran

v Five Pillars

v Sunnis, Shiites and Suffis

Ø Describe the history of Palestine and Israel; identify the current issues.

v Zionism

v Balfour Declaration

v Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and West Bank

v Intifada

v PLO, Hamas

v Jerusalem

Ø Describe the history and beliefs of Buddhism

v Buddha

v Noble Truths

v Siddhartha

v Fold Path

Ø Describe the history and beliefs of Hinduism

v Indus River Valley

v Polytheism

v Brahman

v Vedas

v Reincarnation

Suggested Learning Activities

Ø Create a list of rules that you live your life by.

Ø Work in groups to compare and contrast the five religions.

Ø Jerusalem: what are the Palestinians and Israelis fighting over? Research the history of the city and what is going on there today.

Ø Create a map that shows where the five religions are practiced

Ø Research another world religion.

Ø Work in groups, using sources that the teacher provides, about the religion laws in the United States. What are the laws protecting our freedom of religion? What are the laws about religion in government? School? How do these laws affect your daily life? Research another country and find out how the laws are similar and/or different there. Create a powerpoint presentation from your research to teach the class about what you found.

Ø Read “First they Came for the Jews” and discuss tolerance. Carry a paper heart around with you and rip a piece off when someone upsets you…. Write a response journal entry.

Unit 3: The Middle East (15 days) 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.6

Objectives, Concepts, Key terms

Ø Describe important landforms and resources of the Middle East.

v Desert

v Mountains

v Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

v Jordan River

v Dead Sea

v Oil

v Irrigation systems

Ø Discuss the influence of Islam, Judaism and Christianity in the area.

v Review history of the three religions

Ø Describe the history and effects of colonialism in the area

v Ottoman Empire

v British/French rule

v Saud Family

Ø Describe modern Arabic life.

v Urban life

v Transportation

v Water

Ø Define and discuss the cause and effects of refugees

v Refugee

v Kurds

v Palestinians

Suggested Learning Activities

Ø Create a political and physical map of the Middle East (pg. 482-483)

Ø Complete a crossword puzzle using vocabulary from unit

Ø Select a topic dealing with the history of the Middle East or a modern issue, research using at least three sources and create a five minute oral presentation with a visual aid.

Ø Read and discuss the role of women in the Middle East; work in partners to compare women’s roles in the United States to those in the Middle East.

Ø Create a chart describing the different parts of Jerusalem and the sacred spots for each religion

Ø Create a journal that describes the day in the life of a refugee.

Unit 4: Africa (20 days) 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.6

Objectives, Concepts and Key Terms

Ø Identify the major landforms, resources, climates, vegetations and human-environment interaction in Africa

v Plateau

v Basins

v Nile river

v Rift valleys

v Mt. Kilimanjaro

v Sahara desert

v Serengeti plain

v Desertification

v Aswan high dam

Ø Analyze the history and the effects of colonization in Africa.

v European powers

v Language

v Slave trade

v Effects (transportation, economies, political boundaries, ethnic groups)

v Apartheid (Nelson Mandela)

Ø Rwanda Genocide (Hutus, Tutsis, Dutch colonization)

Ø Sudan’s civil war

Ø Examine the AIDS pandemic in South Africa

v Differences between the United States and Africa

v Ways to solve the pandemic

Suggested Learning Activities

Ø Create a physical, political and cultural region map of Africa

Ø Create a chart comparing the five subregions of Africa

Ø Create a travel brochure for a country in Africa.

Ø Make an itinerary for a tour of all the major landforms of Africa

Ø Jigsaw using “Death Stalks a Continent” about the six characters and how contracted got AIDS and how they view the disease

Ø Jigsaw using teacher provided information about the Rwanda genocide to examine the history and effects of the genocide.

Ø Watch Hotel Rwanda and make a list of the historical facts in it. From your notes write a five paragraph essay examining the impact that the genocide will have in history. What can we learn from it?

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