ancient civilizations C.E.U. - 4th Grade
1. To start out, we worked in groups to brainstorm what a civilization might actually be - and a list of places that might be considered civilizations.
2. Then we were thrown into a scenario that caused us to think critically about our choices so that we would, at first, survive as a tribe - and then, hopefully, begin to thrive as a strong civilization.
3. Once we were a thriving civilization, we were able to reflect on how we got to that point so we could identify the elements of a successful civilization. After agreeing on the main elements, we tested our ability to categorize questions, related to a civilization, into the main elements.
4. Then we tried our hand at writing CTQs, critical thinking questions - questions that would need some serious research to really find the answers to them.
5. After learning about the elements of a successful civilization, it was time to learn about a REAL ancient civilization. We each chose one to research, focusing on one particular element.
6. While researching at home, in class we decided upon a hierarchy of the main elements of a civilization. Which elements were basic, as opposed to more advanced?
7. Time to get a bit creative. In our groups, we looked at a huge list of questions based on a civilization and chose five or six to focus on in order to develop our own made-up civilizations.
8. Once we had decided on certain aspects of our civilization, we began creating layouts with the main elements in mind.
9. Time to share our creative artifacts based on a specific element of a chosen civilization.