Study Guide:
9-weeks Social Studies Test
October 31, 2014
My child ______studied for this test. ______
Parent Signature
Important Vocabulary / Maps / flat representations of placesglobe / sphere shaped, or round, model of our earth
Map title / the name or kind of map.
Map legend/key / a list of shapes and symbols used on a map and what they mean
Compass rose / a symbol that shows direction on a map
continent / a large land mass
equator / an imaginary line around the middle of the earth that divides the globe into the northern and southern hemispheres
prime meridian / an imaginary line that divides the globe into the eastern and western hemispheres.
hemisphere / half of a sphere (globe) created by the prime meridian or the equator.
regions / places that have common characteristics
ancient / a long time ago
adaptation / to change to fit the environment in which one lives
terraces / flat areas farmers built into the sides of hills to grow crops
good / things that are made or bought to satisfy needs and wants
service / work that someone does for someone else
human characteristics / traits that describe people (jobs)
direct democracy / a government where citizens vote to make laws
climate / how much matter it contains
physical characteristics / features found in nature, such as land or water
architecture / the design of buildings
contribution / The act of giving or doing something
government / A group of people who have the power to make and enforce laws for a country or area.
representative democracy / A government in which the people vote for (elect) a smaller group of citizens to make the rules and laws for everyone (also known as a republican form of government)
environment / the conditions that surround someone or something (for example: the architecture, climate, soil, and jobs that exist where you live).
mosaic / a decoration on a surface made by pressing small pieces of colored glass or stone into a soft material that then hardens to make pictures or patterns
Strategies and Examples / Look at a map of the world together. Have your child point out continents and oceans that he/she knows. See if your child can name all of the continents and oceans.
Have your child describe places in relation to one another, like “Europe is to the west of Asia.”
If you have an atlas, look through it with your child, and have them practice using the simple grid to find places.
See if your child can identify Greece and Rome!
The world’s continents are:
North America
South America
Europe
Africa
Asia
Australia
Antarctica / The world’s oceans are:
Atlantic Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Indian Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Southern Ocean
Physical Characteristics of Greece / Human Characteristics of Greece
· located on land near the Mediterranean Sea
· located on a peninsula with many islands, mountains, and hills
· surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea
· had limited rich soil / · Farmers (farmed on hillsides)
· Shipbuilders
· Traders (traded on Mediterranean Sea)
The contributions of Ancient Greece:
o Architecture: The architects of ancient Greece used columns in the construction of their buildings. Ancient examples, like the Parthenon still exist today.
o Art: Sculpture and paintings are displayed on buildings
o Government
§ The United States government is based on ideas developed in ancient Greece.
§ The Greeks created a form of government called direct democracy. A direct democracy is a government in which people vote to make their own rules and laws.
§ Greece is known as the birthplace of democracy (government by the people).
o Sports: The Olympic Games of today are modeled after the games of ancient Greece.
Physical Characteristics of Rome / Human Characteristics of Rome
· Located on land near the Mediterranean Sea
· Located next to a river
· Built on many hills
· Had limited rich soil / · Farmers (farmed on hillsides)
· Road Builders
· Traders (traded on Mediterranean Sea)
The contributions of Ancient Rome:
o Architecture: The Romans are known for their use of arches in their buildings. Some famous examples from ancient Rome are the Colosseum and aqueducts.
o Art: The Romans used mosaics, sculpture, and paintings to decorate their buildings. Have your child look for examples of this art or even create their own at home!
o Government: We have a representative democracy based on the ideas of ancient Rome. We vote to elect leaders who help make decisions for our government.