Unit Plan 11 (Grade 6 Social Studies): Mesopotamia—The Cradle of Civilization
Explore how Mesopotamia’s environment, irrigation, surplus, writing, law, and early exchange systems shaped the rise of powerful city-states—connecting cuneiform, governance, and economy to the first empires.
Focus: Explore the Tigris–Euphrates region’s innovations, writing, economy, and governance, and explain how environment and surplus supported cities, law, and empire.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Social Studies (Geography • History • Inquiry/Skills)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students examine how river valley environments enabled the rise of Mesopotamian city-states and how cuneiform, law, and trade transformed social and political life. Using maps, artifact images, and short texts (e.g., tablet excerpts, law code snippets), they connect surplus to specialization, record-keeping, taxation, and governance.
Essential Questions
- How did the Tigris–Euphrates environment shape settlement, farming, and urban growth?
- Why did writing and law emerge—and how did they change power, economy, and daily life?
- How did people store and exchange value (barter, silver by weight, tribute, taxation) in early cities?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Locate Mesopotamia and describe how rivers, soils, and irrigation supported farming and cities.
- Explain why cuneiform developed and how writing supported administration, trade, and law.
- Compare governance in city-states/empires and analyze Hammurabi’s Code as a turning point.
- Describe how people earned, stored, and exchanged value (barter, silver weight, tribute, taxation).
- Build a concise, evidence-based explanation using maps, artifacts, and translated excerpts.
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (C3-based custom)
- 6.C3.Hist.2: Causes/effects for key developments (agriculture → urbanization → empires/belief systems).
- 6.C3.Hist.3: Diverse perspectives/experiences using multiple sources.
- 6.C3.Hist.4: Turning points/big ideas (law codes, writing, empire) and legacies.
- 6.C3.Econ.3: How people earned, saved, stored, and exchanged value (barter, early money, tribute, taxation).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can show how environment and irrigation enabled surplus and city growth.
- I can explain how cuneiform and law codes changed trade and governance with specific evidence.
- I can describe exchange systems (barter, silver weight, tribute/tax) and support claims with sources.