Understanding By Design Unit Template
(Revised & adapted)
Title of Unit / Latin America / Grade Level / 5th GradeSubject / Social Studies / Time Frame / April 19th – June 28th
Developed By
Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results
Narrative about this Unit of Study: (including the Big Idea)
5.1: The Western Hemisphere, comprised of North and South America, has an expansive and varied geography comprised of different regions, physical features, climates, and human communities.
5.2: The physical environment and natural resources in North and South America encourages development of the first human settlements and cultural systems by Native Americans.
5.5: Across time and place, the people of the Western Hemisphere have held differing beliefs regarding power, authority, governance, and law; resulting in dynamic periods of colonial rule, revolutions, and state building.
5.9: Across time and place, different cultural groups and populations have struggles and fought for civil rights and equality using different means, and the sources of power and authority in the Western Hemisphere nations have responded to issues of justice and inequality with different approaches.
5.11: the types and availability of natural resources shape the economic systems of nations in North and South America and play a strong role in determining the overall strength and influence of those nations.
Learning Outcomes – Identified Primary Standards
What relevant goals will this unit address?
Standard 2: World History
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history; and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
Standard 3:Geography
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—including the distribution of people, places, and environments over Earth’s surface.
Standard 4:Economics
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision‐making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.
Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas implied in the PLOs are desired? / Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content?
Students will understand that...
5.1.b – the extensive biodiversity in North and South America produces unique biomes and species of plants and animals.
5.1.c – North and South America can be divided into regions that share common human and/or physical features.
5.2.c – different types of structures, forms of agriculture, and location of urban centers are examples of ways people adapt to the physical landscape to form settlements.
5.2.d – human settlements modify the physical landscape and environment by creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources.
5.5.a – During colonial eras, Europeans held beliefs about power and economic needs that led them to colonize and exert control over other lands and people.
5.9.c – citizens find ways to confront and challenge their government.
5.9.d – protests by groups of people have led to increased individual rights, but they have also intensified the suppression of rights.
5.11.c – the strength and influence of a nation are partially determined by the size and health of its economy. / 1. How has geography impacted the development of Latin America?
2. What were the characteristics of the native cultures of Latin America?
3. What were the achievements of the Native Cultures of Latin America?
4. How did colonization impact Latin America?
5. How did Latin American countries achieve independence?
6. What keyfactors have impacted the development of Latin America?
Knowledge:
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? / Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know
· The extensive biodiversity of South America produces unique biomes and species of plants and animals.
· South America can be divided into regions that share common human and/or physical features.
· Different types of structures, forms of agriculture, and location of urban centers are examples of ways people adapt to the physical landscape to form settlements.
· Human settlements modify the physical landscape and environment by creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources.
· During colonial eras, Europeans held beliefs about power and economic needs that led them to colonize and exert control over other lands and people.
· Citizens find ways to confront and challenge their government.
· Protests by groups of people have led to increased individual rights, but they have also intensified the suppression of rights.
· The strengths and influences of a nation are partially determined by the size and health of its economy. / Students will be able to…
Ø Identify, analyze, and evaluate relationship between multiple causes and effects.
Ø Recognize, analyze, and evaluate dynamics of historical continuity
and change over periods of time.
Ø Relate patterns of continuity and change to larger historical processes and themes
Ø Identify and compare multiple perspectives on a given historical experience.
Ø Describe the relationship between geography, economics, and history as a context for events and movements.
Ø Connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place and to broader regional, national, or global processes.
Ø Ask geographic questions about where places are located and why their location is important.
Ø Identify, describe, and evaluate evidence about events from diverse sources (including written documents, works of art, photographs, charts and graphs, artifacts, oral traditions, and other primary and secondary sources).
Ø Describe and analyze the arguments of others.
Ø Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussions and classroom; respectfully disagree with other viewpoints.
Ø Participate in persuading, negotiating, and compromising in the resolution of conflicts and differences; introduce and examine the elements of a debate.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills?
Brief Written Description of the Performance Task
Choose 2 colonies that were established by 2 different European countries to compare and contrast.
Including:
a) Relationship with and impact on Native Peoples.
b) Their development as colonies.
c) Key factors that caused a desire for independence.
d) Steps the people of the colony took to gain independence
e) Influential people in the movements for independence.
f) Development as an independent nation.
Rubric for Assessment:
Universal Design for Learning
REPRESENTATION
The ‘what’ of teaching & learning.. / ACTION & EXPRESSION
The ‘how’ of teaching & learning… / ENGAGEMENT
The ‘why’ of teaching and learning…
Multiple means of Representation:
What does it look like in our classroom? / Multiple means of Action and Expression:
What scaffolds am I providing?
How do I support students to understand and interact with knowledge and skills and then demonstrate what they know and understand in a range of ways? / Multiple means of Engagement:
How do I create an engaging/motivating learning environment to foster independent learning?
What opportunities do I provide for students to CHOOSE how they demonstrate their understanding?
How do I support students to demonstrate what they know and understand in a range of ways?
What opportunities do I provide for students to learn through their interests?
How do I make the connections to real life contexts?
How is the learning socially relevant – audience beyond the teacher?
Other Evidence
Through what other evidence – student work samples, observations, quizzes, tests, self-assessment or other means – will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
Objective(s)
Related to knowledge, skills or both? / Lessons to develop the Learning Intention / Assessment / Resources
1. How has geography impacted the development of Latin America?
5.1.b – the extensive biodiversity in North and South America produces unique biomes and species of plants and animals.
5.1.c – North and South America can be divided into regions that share common human and/or physical features. / Lesson Focuses:
1. Reading Maps: Physical Maps
2. Understanding the Key Features of the Maps.
3. Explore various physical maps of different regions of Latin America.
4. Explore the unique biomes and species of plants and animals.
5. Understand how different regions can share common geographic traits.
6. Develop a logical argument for the settlement of a particular region.
The Wonder of It All: Exploring the Geography of Latin America
- Students will investigate the geographic features of a specific region in Latin America to identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with different geographic regions.
Teachers Guide pgs. 74 – 76. / Geography Resources and
Environment of Latin America
http://www.utdallas.edu/~pujana/latin/PDFS/Lecture%202-%20Cultural%20Geography%20of%20Latin%20America.pdf
http://www.digiatlas.com/ejem1/america_sur_rel_rel.jpg
Geography: An Inquiry
- Students will further explore a region by narrowing their topic into a subtopic to research.
- Students will use maps and text to develop a deeper understanding of the physical regions of Latin America
Teachers Guide pgs. 77 – 79
2. What were the characteristics of the native cultures of Latin America?
5.2.c – different types of structures, forms of agriculture, and location of urban centers are examples of ways people adapt to the physical landscape to form settlements.
5.2.d – human settlements modify the physical landscape and environment by creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources. / Lesson Focuses:
1. Explore the structures, forms of agriculture, and location of urban centers of the Inca, Maya, and Aztec empires.
2. Understand how Maya, Inca, and Aztec people adapted to their physical environments in order to build their settlements.
3. Understand how Maya, Inca, and Aztec people modified the physical landscape by creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources.
Learning about the Aztec, Inca and Maya cultures through inquiry.
- Students will research facts about each culture and create inquiry questions.
- Facts and inquiries will be based on standards 5.2c and 5.2d
Guide Book Lessons:
1. A Day In the Life of a Mayan
pg. 84 – 90 (4 day lesson)
· This lesson can also be adapted for the Inca and Aztec
2. Archaeology: An exploration of the Incan Empire pgs. 91 – 94
· This lesson can also be adapted for the Inca and Aztec / Learning Through Inquiry Graphic Organizers ???? Da / Refer to Latin America Teacher’s Guide
Pgs. 80 – 97.
http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infocentral/frameset/civilizations/maya/daily/index.html
http://mayas.mrdonn.org/dailylife.html
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/history/maya-14296.html
http://incas.mrdonn.org/inventions.html
http://www.english-online.at/history/inca/inca-civilization.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-ancient-aztec-inventions.htm
http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/index.html
3. What were the achievements of the Native Cultures of Latin America?
5.2.c – different types of structures, forms of agriculture, and location of urban centers are examples of ways people adapt to the physical landscape to form settlements.
5.2.d – human settlements modify the physical landscape and environment by creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources. / Lesson Focuses:
1. Investigate the achievements of the Inca, Maya and Aztec people in creating different types of structures, forms of agriculture, and urban centers.
2. Investigate the achievements of the Inca, Maya and Aztec people in modifying the physical landscape and environment; creating transportation systems, industries, and methods to harness and control natural resources.
Use the Learning Through Inquiry Graphic Organizers to Compare characteristics of the native cultures of South America. They will record these comparisons on their Cultural Comparison Graphic Organizer.
Guide Book Lessons:
3. A Day In the Life of a Mayan
pg. 84 – 90 (4 day lesson)
· This lesson can also be adapted for the Inca and Aztec
4. Archaeology: An exploration of the Incan Empire pgs. 91 – 94
· This lesson can also be adapted for the Inca and Aztec / Critique: Using the Culture Comparison Chart, students will choose which of these cultures they feel is the most advanced. They must justify their response with appropriate evidence from their Learning Through Inquiry Graphic Organizers and their Cultural Comparison Graphic Organizers. / http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infocentral/frameset/civilizations/maya/daily/index.html
http://mayas.mrdonn.org/dailylife.html
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/history/maya-14296.html
http://incas.mrdonn.org/inventions.html
http://www.english-online.at/history/inca/inca-civilization.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-ancient-aztec-inventions.htm
http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/index.html
4. How did colonization impact Latin America?
5.5.a – During colonial eras, Europeans held beliefs about power and economic needs that led them to colonize and exert control over other lands and people. / Lesson Focus:
1. Investigate the beliefs about power and economic needs from various European countries and colonies in Latin America.
2. Analyze how these beliefs allowed the colonies to exert control over the native lands and native people.
Students will research motivations for Spanish exploration into the unknown Atlantic ocean.
Students will research early relationships between the explorers and the native people.
Students will evaluate the impact on the native people as Spanish colonies emerged in the New World.
Guide Book Lessons:
1. New Spain: Facts and Opinions. Pgs. 98 – 101
2. Characteristics of New Spain
Pgs. 102 – 106
3. Government: Middle America – Creating New Spain.
Pgs. 107
4. Viceroyality of New Spain.
Pg. 108 / Students will be able to analyze the relationships between the Europeans and the native people in order to prove that the colonists exerted control over other lands and people do to their beliefs about power and economics. / www.shmoop.com/spanish-colonization
5. How did Latin American countries achieve independence?
5.9.c – citizens find ways to confront and challenge their government.
5.9.d – protests by groups of people have led to increased individual rights, but they have also intensified the suppression of rights. / Lesson Focus:
1. Compare the ways citizens found ways to confront and challenge their government in Latin America from 1800-1830.
2. Analyze the Cause and Effect of protests by different groups of people, and how these protests lead to an increase or suppression of individual rights.
Students will identify the colonies grievances against their home countries.
Students will be able to identify individuals who played important roles in the independence of Latin America.
Guide Book Lessons:
1. Flowchart of Latin American Independence. Pgs. 109 – 113
2. Independence in Latin America. Pgs. 114 – 117
3. Key Figures in Latin American Independence. Pgs. 118 – 120
4. Celebrate Independence.
Pgs. 121 – 125
5. Struggle for Independence
Pgs. 126 – 129
6. Looking at the Law
Pgs. 130 – 136 / Flowchart of Latin America:
Model of chart is on pg. 112, and a blank copy is pg. 113, to go more in depth.
Identify key figures, events, and battles that took place during the time between (1800 – 1830) / http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/latinamericaindependence/The_History_of_Latin_America_the_Independence_Era_18071825.htm
-this website has a lot of information on the history of Latin American independence, influential individuals, and important events. EXPLORE THE ENTIRE SITE!
6. What keyfactors have impacted the development of Latin America?
5.11.c – the strength and influence of a nation are partially determined by the size and health of its economy. / Lesson Focus:
1. Investigate the strengths and weakness of various economies of Latin America.
2. Connect the strength and influence of a nation with the size and health of its economy.
Students will be able to analyze the growth of the economy of Latin America, and identify what key factors, individuals, and events contributed to its growth.
Students will also analyze the role geography played in the growth of the Latin American economy.
Guide Book Lessons:
1. The Panama Canal.
Pgs. 137 - 139
2. Reading Charts and Graphs. Pgs. 140 – 143
3. Latin America Today.
Pgs. 144 – 145
4. An Inquiry into Latin America today.
Pgs. 146 – 148 / http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h39la.htm
http://history.howstuffworks.com/south-american-history/history-of-south-america2.htm
http://www.mapsofworld.com/south-america/history/independence.html
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)