Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
Classical Civilizations
Desired Results
Essential Question: What makes a civilization classical?
The essential question allows for
students to answer it using various interpretations. Students
can support their statements using a variety of information
from the multiple information found in the unit of study.
Enduring Understanding: Students understand that classical civilizations such as the
Greeks, Romans, Han Dynasty and Maurya Empire shared common characteristics yet also
had differences that distinguished each from the others. Each of these civilizations left
lasting contributions that still impact us today.
The enduring understanding
incorporates a diverse exploration of culture. Furthermore, it
emphasizes the connection between previous civilizations
and modern day society.
Guiding Questions:
Process:
 How can you cite text to support the analysis of primary and secondary sources?
 What is the central idea of the text and how was it developed over the course of the
text?
 How do primary and secondary sources treat the same topic?
 How do you write a quality informative text?
 How do you conduct research, synthesizing information from multiple sources?
 How do you draw conclusions based on evidence from a wide range of sources?
Process guiding questions are linked
directly to speaking and listening standards
Content:
 What were the different belief systems of the classical civilizations and how did
these belief systems impact life in the classical civilizations?
 What geographic factors influence the development, life and eventual decline of
each of the classical civilizations?
 How has geography impacted the social, cultural, and economic characteristics of
civilizations?
 How did the classical civilizations expand their territories?
 What technical advancements were made in the classical civilization?
 What were the contributions of the classical civilizations?
 What political, economic and/or military conflicts led to the decline of the classical
civilizations?
 How are events in history related to each other across time and place?
Metacognitive:
 How did you organize information about the classical civilizations so that you could
compare their similarities and differences?
 What were the strengths and weaknesses of your strategy?
 What would you do differently the next time you conduct research?
Content and metacognitive guiding
questions are directly connected to social studies standards
and to the development of the skills to be addressed in the
unit. They enable students to think about their thinking and
self-monitor. They also enable the teacher to learn about
students’ thinking related to their learning.
Standards:
RH.9.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources,
attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Standards span multiple disciplines,
including those outside of the social studies content area (i.e.
writing, speaking and listening).
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
RH.9.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the
text.
RH.9.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and
secondary sources.
WHST.9.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical
events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important
connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of
the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to
the expertise of likely readers.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
WHST.9.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.
WHST.9. 7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry
when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation
WHST.9.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
SL.9.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of
ideas.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and
disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning
presented.
SL.9.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
Sl.9.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning,
and evidence and to add interest.
SL.9.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
L.9.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
L.9.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Content Understandings:
Classical Societies 500 B.C.E. – 500 C.E.
9.2 The emergence and spread of belief systems led to the development of universal truths
and ethical codes to live by, and these belief systems created connections among people
and influenced the development of cultural traditions; these beliefs had an ongoing
influence on later historical periods.
9.2a Though different religions and belief systems emerged in various civilizations, these
developed universal truths and ethical codes that shaped the cultures in which they were
practiced.
9.2b Religious traditions tended to support established authorities and social structures.
Different gender roles emerged under varying belief systems.
Content understandings are clearly
outlined and specific. Each content understanding is linked
to the essential question and helps to support the guiding
questions.
9.3 During the classical era, political organization became even more complex in Eurasia
and Mesoamerica, which resulted in the rise of empires; these early empires employed a
variety of techniques to expand and maintain control over vast territories, though both
internal and external forces led to their eventual decline.
9.3a Geographic factors have both enabled and hindered empire’s desires to expand and
interact with others.
9.3b Empires employed a variety of techniques to expand and maintain control over large
territories.
9.3c Technological achievements were often used to provide for the practical needs of
expanding populations and sometimes were preserved as monuments to the power and
abilities of an empire or state.
9.3d Political, economic, and/or military conflicts led to the decline of empires, with
regional impacts.
Social Studies Skills:
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
Chronological Reasoning and Causation
Articulate how events are related chronologically to one another in time and explain the
ways in which earlier ideas and events may influence subsequent ideas and events.
Comparison and Contextualization
Identify similarities and differences among geographic regions using specific geographic
vocabulary.
Identify similarities and differences between historical developments over time within a
similar cultural and geographical context.
Describe, compare, and evaluate multiple historical developments (within societies; across
and between societies; in various chronological and geographical contexts).
Describe the relationship between geography, economics, and history as a context for
events and movements.
Connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place and to broader
regional, national, or global processes.
Geographic Reasoning
Recognize and analyze how place and region influence the social, cultural, and economic
characteristics of civilizations.
Gathering, Using, and Interpreting Evidence
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).
Make inferences and draw conclusions from evidence.
Tier Two Vocabulary: ethical, internal, external, hinder, subsequent, context,
circumstances, preserve, divine
By defining the vocabulary integral
to the topic of study, the unit promotes the development of
academic language.
Tier Three Vocabulary: empire, cultural diffusion, city-states, Golden Age, patricians,
plebeians, republic, Senate, Pax Romana, caste system, dynasty, Mandate of Heaven,
Assessments
Diagnostic Assessment: Students respond to the essential question, what makes a
civilization classical? They are asked to use at least one example to illustrate their response
(When student responses are returned, they are periodically asked to update their original
response using new learning).
The diagnostic assessment allows for
students to reflect and revisit their own understanding.
Diverse learners may be given a list of characteristics of a classical civilization to use in
formulating their response. In addition to written feedback, teachers can provide student
feedback through conferencing in order to best meet the student’s needs.
The formative assessment acts as a
general progression in the development of the student’s
understanding of what makes a civilization classical. The
exploration of the topic through research and then writing
promotes inquiry and models the process of research writing.
Formative Assessment: Research Notes
Students read a variety of primary and secondary sources in order to gather information
about different classical civilizations. For each source they
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without permission.
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
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provide an accurate summary of the source
identify information related to the characteristics of civilizations
identify information that distinguishes the civilization from other civilizations.
cite information to support their analysis
Diverse learners may be provided with primary and secondary sources that are at their
reading level. In addition, texts that are given to students may be translated in other
languages if the student is an English language learner. Students who are struggling may be
given a worksheet or graphic organizer for each source in order to format their response.
Worksheets can use sentence starters or sentence frames in order to guide student
responses.
Performance Task: Students write a formal research paper that answers the question:
"What makes a civilization classical?" In their paper, students will
 introduce the paper by defining classical civilizations and identifying examples of
classical civilizations
 provide relevant facts, definitions and concrete details to show why one of the
civilizations can be considered classical and what makes it different from other
civilizations
 provide relevant facts and details that describe the development and eventual decline
of the chosen civilization
 organize ideas and information to show connections between the characteristics of
civilizations and examples of the characteristics as well as similarities and distinctions
from other civilizations
 cite specific textual evidence to support analysis
 use vocabulary that expresses the culture of the civilization
 provide a conclusion summarizing the information provided and explaining how the
civilization has impacted society today, and what society can learn from the classical
civilization.
The performance task incorporates
the application of content, process, and metacognitive
guiding questions.
During the performance task, diverse learners may be given a graphic organizer prior to
writing in order to map out their paper. In addition, the teacher can conference frequently
with students in order to give feedback and to help guide the writing process. Students can be
taught to use strategies of highlighting the source in order to help cite specific textual
evidence. Students may be given a list of vocabulary from the unit to integrate in their
response.
Students choose one example from their research that they feel best exemplifies what
defines a classical civilization and its lasting impact on society. They create 1 – 3
PowerPoint slides for a class presentation that illustrates their example and its evidence
today. Using this information they participate in a school assembly around the modern
implications of classical civilizations by discussing, does the United States exemplify the
characteristics of a classical civilization?
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The school assembly following the
research paper allows for a differentiated method of sharing
information, providing students with another way to report
on their findings. Additionally, the assembly other in the
school allows them to create meaningful connections
between what they have studied in history and what they
have experienced in their lives.
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
Students may be arranged in groups with members of varying levels of ability to complete the
PowerPoint activity. Students who may be struggling can be placed with students who are of
higher levels of ability in order to facilitate peer learning.
Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
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Learning activities are
differentiated based on type and resource. The activities
incorporate individual and collaborative work.
Students work in small groups to create a timeline illustrating the rise and decline of
one of the classical civilizations. Students combine the timelines to show the parallel
development of the civilizations. Learners with diverse needs may be given timelines that
have been filled in with some examples of the rise and decline of a civilization in order to
guide the activity. Students may be grouped with students of varying levels of ability in
order to foster social learning.
Students work in small groups to label the locations of the classical civilizations.
Students analyze their maps in order to write a brief description of how each location
influenced the development of the civilization. Students may be given guiding questions
about the location and development of their specific civilization in order to focus and
specify the task.
Students work in small groups to create a chart identifying the achievements of each of
the classical civilizations; highlighting the information where they see evidence of the
influence of another civilization. Groups may be formed according to varying levels of
ability in order to accommodate the needs of diverse learners.
Students work in small groups to list reasons for the decline of the ancient civilizations.
They write a summary of common reasons for the decline of a civilization. Groups may
be formed according to varying levels of ability in order to accommodate the needs of
diverse learners. The teacher may provide students with a list of discussion questions for
each group in order to help them analyze and draw conclusions about reasons for the
decline of a civilization.
Students create a visual representation of the Indian social classes. Students may be
given a choice of graphic organizers and methods of completing the assignment in order
to accommodate their needs.
Students read an excerpt from Pericles’ Funeral Oration. They rewrite the text in their
own words explaining Pericles definition of democracy. Students may be given different
excerpts or lengths of excerpts in order to accommodate various reading levels. Students
may be paired with a partner before writing in order to discuss their understanding of the
text.
Students read the Twelve Tables of Rome and a secondary source describing the
Twelve Tables of Rome. They write how the secondary source differed and clarified the
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without permission.
Activities integrate both primary
and secondary sources, allowing students to examine
documents and resources to extract meaning and compare
different perspectives..
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Curriculum Design Example: Annotated Unit of Study, Ninth Grade
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information contained in the primary sources. Students may be given a graphic
organizer and list of questions to consider when analyzing each source in order to guide
their discovery.
Students explain the Mandate of Heaven in their own words and provide specific
examples from Chinese history. Students may be given the option of working in groups
for the task.
Students read an excerpt of The Odyssey. They work together to explain how the
passage illustrates arête. The teacher may differentiate the length of the excerpt that
each student receives based on their reading level and needs.
Learning activities help to promote
critical thinking by allowing for the synthesis, analysis, and
application of material.
Resources and Technology:
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook:
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/asbook.asp
Primary Source:
http://www.primarysource.org/resourceguides
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without permission.
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