Connecting Themes Used in 6th Grade Social Studies

Earth’s Human Geography

The student will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development

Earth’s Human Geography Population – total number of people Population Distribution – the way the

population is spread over the Earth Population Density – The average

number of people who live in a square mile or kilometer.

Population Density

Earth’s Human Geography Why is Population Distribution Uneven? Many factors determine where people

live: a. water b. fertile soil c. flat land d. climate e. food

Earth’s Human Geography

Discovering Population Density Population density is figured by

dividing the number of people by the square miles of land.

California31,430,697 ÷ ÷ 155, 973sq mi =

201.5 people per sq mi

Earth’s Human Geography Examining the continents: a) Asia, Europe, and North America

contain 81% of the Earth’s people on 35% of the world’s land…4.5 billion

b) Australia contains only 18 million people on 3 million square miles. The state of New York has about the same population.

c) Africa had 15% of the world’s land but only 12% of the world’s population…why?

d) South America has only 309 million inhabitants.

Earth’s Human Geography Birthrate – the number of live births

each year per 1000 people Death rate – the number of deaths each

year per 1000 people Life expectancy – the average number

of years people live.

Earth’s Human Geography

Questions

1) Why has the population increased greatly over the last four or five decades?

2) How have science and technology contributed to the growing population?

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

The student will understand that the culture of a society is the product of religion, beliefs, customs, traditions, and government of that society.

The Earth’s Cultural GeographyVocabulary: Culture – The way of life of a group of

people who share similar beliefs and customs.

Culture Trait – Skills, customs, and ways of doing things.

Technology – The tools and skills of a culture

Cultural Landscape – What cultures and peoples do to change the landscape to include usage of technology.

The Earth’s Cultural Geography Question – Take a minute to

describe our culture… There were four important

developments in human culture: a. Invention of tools b. Discovery of fire c. Agriculture d. Writing

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

Vocabulary: Social Structure – The cultures organize

their people into smaller groups. Nuclear Family – Father, mother and

their children Extended Family – Grandparents, aunts,

uncles, cousins, etc…

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

Ethics – Cultural defined standards of acceptable behavior.

The family is the basic most important social unit of a any culture.

Matriarchal – Mother is in charge Patriarchal – Father is in charge

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

There are three important features that define a culture:

a. Language b. Values/Beliefs c. Religion

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

The student will understand that the movement or migration of people and ideas affects all societies.

The student will understand that while change occurs over time, there is continuity to the basic structure of that society.

The Earth’s Cultural Geography Migration – Moving from one place to

another Immigrant – People who move from one

country to another Push–Pull Theory – People migrate

because something “pushes” them and the hope for better living conditions pulls

Urbanization – The movement of people to the cities

The Earth’s Cultural Geography Rural Area – Villages in the

countryside or farm lands Urban Area – The cities or nearby

towns

The Earth’s Cultural Geography Cultural Diffusion – The movement of

customs and ideas Acculturation – The process of accepting,

borrowing, and exchanging ideas Three things that cause cultural change – 1) Environmental change 2) A new idea 3) Technology

The Earth’s Cultural Geography

What are some examples of cultural diffusion and acculturation?

The cultures of the Caribbean Islands?

Economics

The student will understand that the productions, distribution, and consumption of goods/services produced by the society are affected by the location, customs, beliefs, and laws of society.

EconomicsVocabulary: Economy – A system for producing,

distributing, and consuming goods and services.

Producer – Owners and workers are producers Goods – The products they make Services – Goods that people perform for

other people Consumers – People who buy or use these

goods and services.

Economics

Economic Systems Capitalism – Most basic and non-basic

businesses are privately owned Mixed – The government owns most

basic industries for the good of society, not for profit

Communism – The government owns all basic and non-basic industries

Governance

The student will understand that as a society increases in complexity and interacts with other societies, the complexity of the government also increases.

Governance

Political Systems Government – The system that sets up and

enforces a societies laws and institutions Direct Democracy – Everyone participates

in running the affairs of the group Monarchy – A king or queen rules the

government Constitution – A set of laws that define and

often limit the government’s power

Governance Representative Democracy – Citizens

elect representatives to run the countries affairs.

Dictatorship – One person has almost total power over the country.

~Quiz~Compare and contrast the three main

types of economic systems.

Governance

The beginnings of society and governance:

Greeks – Democracy Romans – Representative Democracy

Humans and Their Environment

The student will understand that humans, their society, and the environment affect each other.

Humans and Their Environment Natural Resource – Any useful material

found in the environment or anything from the Earth that meets the need for food, water and shelter

Raw Material – Resources that must be altered or changed before they can be used

Recyclable resource – Materials that cycle through a natural process….water

Renewable resource – A resource that can be replaced….crops and food

Humans and Their Environment Nonrenewable resource – When they are

used up, they cannot be replaced….fossil fuels

Fossil Fuels – A nonrenewable resource made from the remains of prehistoric animals

Three types of resources: a. Recyclable b. Renewable c. Nonrenewable

Humans and Their Environment Manufacturing – When a product is

processed, changing it from a raw material to a finished process.

Developed nation – Countries that have many industries

Developing nation – Countries with few industries

Humans and Their Environment

Developed Nations Commercial Farming – Farms that are

commercially operated using advanced farming technology

Developing Nations Subsistence farming – Farmers raise enough food

and animals to feed their family Plantations – Farms that employ many people and

owned but only a few people Foreign Aid – Gifts or loans from one government

to another

Humans and Their Environment Ecosystem – A place where living elements

depend on one another – and on nonliving elements – for their survival

Deforestation – When people cut down forests for farming or other needs

Habitat – The places where a species of animals may live

Acid Rain – Rain that carries dangerous chemicals

Humans and Their Environment

Ozone Layer – The layer of gas in the upper part of the atmosphere

Global Warming – A slow increase in the Earth’s temperature

Recycle – Re-use old materials to make new products

Conflict and Change

The student will understand the when there is conflict between or within societies, change will result.

Conflict and Change

How does conflict with friends change your relationship?

Why is there change when you have conflict between or within societies?

Why does change always follow conflict?