Grade 6
Social Studies
Unit: 03
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 4 days
Culture and History of Central America
Lesson Synopsis:
This unit builds further on the ideas of cultural traits and culture regions by examining the geography, demographics,
economies, and governments of Central America and the Caribbean. It addresses the interplay between historic events
and current conditions – social, political, and economic. The unit also addresses scarcity of resources and allows
students to explore how countries with similar geographic advantages have developed in different ways due to political
and social factors.
TEKS:
6.1
History. The student understands that historical events influence contemporary events. The student is expected to:
6.1A
Trace characteristics of various contemporary societies in regions that resulted from historical events or factors
such as invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration, and trade.
6.4
Geography. The student understands the factors that influence the locations and characteristics of various
contemporary societies on maps and globes and uses latitude and longitude to determine absolute location. The
student is expected to:
6.4B
6.6
6.6A
6.7
6.7B
6.8
Identify and explain the geographic factors respoinsible for patterns of population in places and regions.
Geography. The student understands that geographical patterns result from physical environmental processes. The
student is expected to:
Describe and explain the effects of physical environmental processes such as erosion, ocean currents, and
earthquakes on Earth's surface.
Geography. The student understands the impact of interactions between people and the physical environment on
the development and conditions of places and regions. The student is expected to:
Identify and analyze ways people have modified the physical environment such as mining, irrigation, and
transportation infrastructure.
Economics. The student understands the factors of production in a society's economy. The student is expected to:
6.8B
Identify problems and issues that may arise when one or more of the factors of production is in relatively short
supply.
6.15
Culture. The student understands the similarities and differences within and among cultures in various world
societies. The student is expected to:
6.15A
6.17
6.17D
Define culture and the common traits that unify a culture region.
Culture. The student understands relationships that exist among world cultures. The student is expected to:
Identify and define the impact of cultural diffusion on individuals and world societies.
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
6.21
6.21B
6.22
6.22A
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through
established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources including electronic technology. The student is
expected to:
Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifyinging cause-and-effect relationships, comparing,
contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences
and conclusions.
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
Use social studies terminology correctly
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):
©2012, TESCCC
04/18/13
page 1 of 5
Grade 6
Social Studies
Unit: 03 Lesson: 01
•
Read the biographical sketch (provided) of a new friend from Central America. Write a letter to your social studies
teacher where you apply what you know about cultural traits, historical events (invasion, conquests, colonization,
immigration, and trade) and geographic factors (patterns of population) of Central America to make inferences
and draw conclusions about your friend, explaining your conclusions and the reasoning behing them.(6.1A; 6.4B;
6.15A; 6.21B; 6.22A)
1C; 4J
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
•
Contemporary societies reflect cultural traits of different groups inhabiting the same location over time, the
influences of past conflicts on the present, and the relationship between geographic factors and population
patterns.
— What characteristics in Central America are a result of invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration or
trade?
— What geographic factors are responsible for the patterns of population?
— What are the effects of physical environmental processes?
— How have people modified the physical environment?
— What problems and issues exist when factors of production are in short supply? (labor; capital)
— What cultural traits unify this region?
— How has cultural diffusion impacted the region?
Vocabulary of Instruction:
•
•
•
linguistic diversity
colonialism
social factors
•
•
economic
interdependence
communism
•
•
indigenous
cultural diffusion
Materials:
•
Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments:
•
Handout: Biographical Sketch
Resources and References:
•
None identified
Advance Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
Preview materials and websites according to district guidelines.
Prepare and copy materials and handouts as needed.
Research images of children in Latin America to provide in the Engage activity.
Background Information:
“A majority of Central Americans are Native American or mixed Native American and Spanish. There are also smaller
ethnic groups of African descent in Belize and unmixed Spanish inhabitants in Costa Rica. With the exception of Belize,
the official language of the countries is Spanish. In Belize it is English. Several Native American languages are still
spoken, including many that began with the Maya. Central Americans of African ancestry called the Garifuna also speak
their own language. These people arrived when the ships carrying them as slaves from West Africa wrecked in the
Caribbean in 1635. They mixed with the Native American inhabitants and eventually formed communities in Belize,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.” - Globio Glossopedia. (2013). Central america. Retrieved from
http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=46&art_nm=Central America
•
There are two types of peoples in Central America:
©2012, TESCCC
04/18/2013
page 2 of 5
Grade 6
Social Studies
Unit: 03 Lesson: 01
•
•
• Indigenous (Mayan) – their culture is reflected in the architecture, clothing, domestication of crops, religious
practices, and trade
• European – their culture is reflected in the language, religion, government, and introduction to global trade
networks.
There are 7 countries in Central America: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and
Panama.
The population of Central America is almost 42 million people. Three-fifths (3/5’s of the population is of mixed
European (mostly Spanish) and Indian heritage. These people are known as Mestizos. One fifth of the population is
Indian. The rest of the population includes a wide variety of other cultures.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Central America and the Caribbean
1. Without identifying the geographic region, post around the
classroom 4-8 photographs that reflect the geography and
people from Central America and the Caribbean.
2. Explain to students that they are making predictions about
culture traits based on their observations of the photographs:
Culture traits to consider: food, language, family, education,
art
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 10 minutes
Materials:
Photographs reflecting Central America and the
Caribbean
Purpose:
Students make predictions about the region they
are about to study.
TEKS: 6.15A
3. Students may be divided into small groups and additional photos
may be added. Each group has about three minutes to view the
photo and write their predictions based on their observations.
4. The photos may be rotated from one group to another clockwise
until all photos have been viewed by all groups.
5. After all photos have been viewed, student groups discuss what
they have seen, draw inferences through their analysis, and
speculate on why there are so many different cultures in Central
America and the Caribbean. (Allow 3-4 minutes for this activity.)
Appropriate questions to consider include:
• What culture traits have we observed in the pictures?
• There are many different cultures in Central America.
What (political, economic, social, geographic) factors
account for this?
6. Groups each prepare a statement summarizing their
observations and speculations, select a reporter to make their
statement to the class, and explain their conclusions regarding
the cultures of Central America.
7. Explain to students that they are about to embark on a different
journey filled with interesting places and rich histories.
EXPLORE
1. Review the factors that define a region.
• Historical (What history do they share in common?)
2. Provide a list of the Central American and Caribbean countries:
©2012, TESCCC
04/18/2013
Suggested Day 1 (cont’d) – 40 minutes
Materials:
• Butcher paper or chart paper
page 3 of 5
Grade 6
Social Studies
Unit: 03 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
(note that this is not an all inclusive list).
• Belize:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1055.html
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_985.html
• El Salvador
• Costa Rica
• Panama:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_994.html
• Cuba:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html
• Haiti: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5239.html
• Dominican Republic
• The Bahamas
• Jamaica
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Dominica
• Santa Lucia
• Barbados
•
Pencil colors, multi- colored markers
Purpose:
Students locate, label and research countries in
Central America and the Caribbean. The
research includes multiple aspects of cultural
traits/components.
TEKS: 6.1A; 6.4B; 6.6A; 6.7B; 6.8B; 6.17D;
6.21B
Instructional Note
The countries that have been bolded are the
countries that are studied in depth as they
prepare for the performance indicator.
Additional information should be made available
from other resources including district adopted
textbooks.
3. Project a map of Central America and the Caribbean (refer to
resources and references).
4. In groups of three or four, students sketch a large map of Central
America and the Caribbean, labeling the countries, major bodies
of water, and the Panama Canal.
5. Assign to each group one of the bolded countries for further
research. A possible/optional website for this research is:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
6. The research includes the following:
• Brief history (questions to consider)
• Were they ever invaded?
• Were they colonized and if so, by whom?
• Indications of cultural diffusion based on invasions
or colonization.
• Modifications/adaptions/natural hazards
• What current system of government do they have?
• Current economic issues
EXPLORE/EXPLAIN
1. Groups continue with the previous day’s activity.
2. Each group presents their findings to the class.
Suggested Day 2 – 50 minutes
Purpose:
Groups explain findings based on the country
that was assigned to them for further research.
3. While each group presents, the other groups note-take using a
Cornell Note format or a graphic organizer. (Note: the idea is to
keep all students engaged while other groups present their
findings.)
TEKS: 6.1A; 6.4B; 6.6A; 6.7B; 6.8B; 6.17D;
6.21B
ELABORATE
Suggested Day 3 – 50 minutes
Purpose:
1. Students continue to work on their “Kids of the World” and
©2012, TESCCC
04/18/2013
page 4 of 5
Grade 6
Social Studies
Unit: 03 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
Postcards book.
Students expand upon their knowledge of a new
region by adding to their ongoing project.
2. Students use the ABCs of culture as a guideline and continue to
use the postcard template for creating a postcard. Students may
select any one of the countries that they researched.
TEKS: 6.1A; 6.4B; 6.6A; 6.7B; 6.8B; 6.17D;
6.21B
EVALUATE
Suggested Day 4 – 50 minutes
•
Read the biographical sketch (provided) of a new friend from
Central America. Write a letter to your social studies teacher
where you apply what you know about cultural traits, historical
events (invasion, conquests, colonization, immigration, and
trade) and geographic factors (patterns of population) of Central
America to make inferences and draw conclusions about your
friend, explaining your conclusions and the reasoning behind
them. (6.1A; 6.4B; 6.15A; 6.21B; 6.22A)
1C; 4J
©2012, TESCCC
04/18/2013
page 5 of 5