Title: Hammurabi’s Code and the Bill of Rights
Teacher Kelly Rao
Course/Subject Social Studies
Grade(s)
6
#students
125
# with IEP, 504
Days of Class
M-F
Enduring Understandings
• People develop systems to manage conflict and create order.
• Every society has laws and consequences to protect citizens.
Essential Questions
• How are governments created, structured maintained, and changed over time?
• Why do we have rules & laws; and what would happen if we didn’t?
• How is Hammurabi’s Code of Laws similar and different to the Bill of Rights?
Learning Standards Addressed (from MA Curriculum Frameworks or Local
Standards) as well as Historical Thinking Skills Standards
MA Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks:
5.26 Identify the rights in the Bill of Rights and explain the reasons for its inclusion in the
Constitution in 1791.
7.11 Describe who Hammurabi was and explain the basic principle of justice in
Hammurabi’s Code.
Historical Thinking Skills Standards 5-12:
Chronological Thinking: A, G
Historical Comprehension: D
Historical Analysis and Interpretation: A, B, D, J
Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making: A, F
Materials/Resources Needed
• Hammurabi’s Code
• Bill of Rights
• Picture/Questions sheet
• Venn Diagram
• Paper
• Writing Utensil
Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
• Picture/Questions Pre-Reading strategy
• Venn Diagram
• Role Play
• Homework assignment
Learning Activities/Plan
1. Students will complete Picture/Questions handout as a pre-reading strategy to
Hammurabi’s Code and the Bill of Rights.
2. Class will discuss their answers as a whole group.
3. Teacher gives a brief introduction about King Hammurabi and his code of laws.
4. Students are separated into groups of 3-4.
5. A copy of 20 of Hammurabi’s laws and the American Bill of Rights are handed
out (1 per group), along with a venn diagram to each student.
6. Students read each document and fill in the venn diagram to compare and contrast
the two sources.
7. Teacher instructs students to pick 1 difference and 1 similarity to act out in a short
role play.
8. Students create 2 role plays and perform for the class.
Closure (Summarize, Review, Homework, Preview Next Day)
As a whole group, students discuss the most surprising thing they learned about
Hammurabi’s Code of Laws. For homework they draw a picture of one of the laws
Additional teacher information (other resources, websites, etc.)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode.html
http://www.mrhistory10.com/custom3_2.html
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/billofrights.html
Name______________________________________________ Social Studies
Picture/Questions
Directions: Look at the image below. Use the 5 W’s and How to create questions you
could ask a classmate about this image.
Who:
Where:
When:
What:
Why:
How:
Any other questions:
Now, answer these questions: What is your guess about who these people may be?
What could they be doing?
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Title: American and Athenian Democracy
Teacher
Kelly Rao
Course/Subject
Social Studies
Grade(s)
6
#students
125
# with IEP, 504
Days of Class
M-F
Enduring Understandings
• Democratic societies must balance the rights and responsibilities of individuals
with the common good.
• Governments are based upon effective ideals and principles
Essential Questions
•
•
•
What did democracy look like in ancient Athens?
What does democracy look like in America?
What elements of Athenian democracy are reflected in American democracy?
Learning Standards Addressed (from MA Curriculum Frameworks or Local
Standards) as well as Historical Thinking Skills Standards
MA Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks:
5.24 Describe the basic political principles of American democracy and explain how the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights reflect and preserve these principles.
7.26 Explain why the government of ancient Athens is considered the beginning of
democracy.
Historical Thinking Skills Standards 5-12:
Chronological Thinking: A, G
Historical Comprehension: G
Historical Analysis and Interpretation: A, B, D, E, J
Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making: A, E
Materials/Resources Needed
• Warm up paper
• Writing utensil
• Paintings/Questions worksheet
• Drawing paper
• Colored pencils
Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
• Warm up
• Paintings/Questions worksheet
• Democracy today drawing
• Homework assignment
Learning Activities/Plan
1. Students begin class answering the warm-up question, “What can artwork tell us
about history? Write 3 examples.”
2. Teacher leads whole group class discussion answering the warm-up question.
3. Students are broken up into pairs and given the Paintings/Questions worksheet,
featuring Raphael’s The School of Athens (1509) and George Caleb Bingham’s
The County Election (1852).
4. Teacher projects color copies of the paintings on the board.
5. Students study paintings and complete worksheets.
6. As a whole group the class discuss their thoughts recorded on their worksheets.
7. Teacher gives background information regarding the paintings and their relevance
to democracy in ancient Athens and America.
8. Teacher splits class in two. Half of the class creates possible title names for the
Greek painting while the other brainstorms titles for the American painting.
9. Class records possible title names on a master list on the board.
Closure (Summarize, Review, Homework, Preview Next Day)
For homework, students create their own artwork depicting what democracy looks like
today. During the warm up the following day students will create titles for their
classmate’s work.
Additional teacher information (other resources, websites, etc.)
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/1/athens.html
http://www.metmuseum.org/special/americanstories/objectView.aspx?sid=3&oid=18
Paintings/Questions
What do you see?
What does this painting remind you of?
What is the most important part of this painting?
What story does this painting tell?
What is worth remembering about this painting?
How did the artist achieve making that part worth remembering
What do you see?
What does this painting remind you of?
What is the most important part of this painting?
What story does this painting tell?
What is worth remembering about this painting?
How did the artist achieve making that part worth remembering?