Unit Plan 33 (Grade 6 Social Studies): Belief Systems and Global Values
Belief systems like Hinduism, Confucianism, Judaism, Buddhism, and polytheistic traditions shaped moral codes, laws, and social order, revealing how values such as justice, duty, and compassion guided early civilizations.
Focus: Explore how religions and philosophies shaped moral codes, law, and social order across early civilizations.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Social Studies (History • Civics • Culture • Inquiry)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students investigate how belief systems—such as Hinduism, Confucianism, Judaism, Buddhism, and polytheistic traditions—express values (justice, duty, compassion) and influence rules, roles, and everyday life. Using brief sources, visuals, and comparison tools, learners analyze how moral codes turn into laws and community expectations.
Essential Questions
- How do belief systems communicate right and wrong, and how do those ideas become rules or laws?
- Whose voices are centered in texts and traditions—and whose are missing?
- Which civic ideals (justice, rule of law, common good) appear across cultures, and how do they differ?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify core beliefs and practices in multiple traditions using accurate vocabulary.
- Explain how belief systems shaped rules, roles, and community behavior (family, school, governance).
- Compare civic ideals (justice, duty, rights/responsibilities) across at least two traditions.
- Evaluate sources for perspective, audience, and limits; note whose viewpoint is represented.
- Communicate a comparative claim with evidence and clear reasoning (CER).
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (C3-based custom)
- 6.C3.Hist.3: Describe diverse perspectives/experiences using multiple sources (gender, class, status; neighboring peoples).
- 6.C3.Hist.4: Identify turning points and big ideas (law codes, democracy, monotheism) and their legacies across time.
- 6.C3.Civ.4: Interpret civic ideals—justice, rule of law, common good—across cultures and eras.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name key beliefs and use terms like dharma, analects, Torah, eightfold path, virtue correctly.
- I can show how ideas (e.g., duty, compassion) shaped rules and everyday behavior.
- I can compare two traditions with evidence from texts/images and explain limits/bias.