Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Civilization in the Americas

Name: Miriam Martinez

Content Area: World History

Grade Level: Grade Seven

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Students compare and contrast the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the
Meso-American and Andean civilizations.
1. Study the locations, landforms, and climates of Mexico, Central America, and South America and their effects on
Mayan, Aztec, and Incan economies, trade, and development of urban societies.
2. Study the roles of people in each society, including class structures, family life, warfare, religious beliefs and
practices, and slavery.
3. Explain how and where each empire arose and how the Aztec and Incan empires were defeated by the Spanish.
4. Describe the Meso-American achievements in astronomy and mathematics, including the development of the
calendar and the Meso-American knowledge of seasonal changes to the civilizations agricultural systems.
Big Ideas:
How did the locations, landforms and climates affect trade, economies and development of societies?
How did roles of people affect other aspects of life and structures in each society?
What were the causes and effects of the rise and fall of the Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations?
How can we identify the differences in achievements and contributions?
Unit Goals and Objectives:
At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the locations and climates and be able to describe how they
affected trade, economy, and development of societies in the civilizations.
At the end of the course, students will be able to examine how the roles of people affect other aspects of life and
structures in each society.
At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the events that led to the rise and fall of these civilizations.
At the end of the course, students will be able to describe and recognize the achievements and contributions of each
civilization.
Unit Summary:

In this Digital Unit, we will analyze the 3 civilizations geographical locations and how this affected trade. We will also
examine the roles of people in each society and the achievements of each society. Lastly we will analyze the events
that led to the rise and fall of each civilization. The theme of the unit will be centered on the culture and customs of the
Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations and their contributions to modern society.

Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Brainstorm on how each empire
rose and how the Aztec and
Inca were defeated by the
Spanish.

Lesson 1

Formative:
Online quiz on the conquest of
the Aztec and Inca civilizations
by the Spanish.
Flashcards about the economy
and development of urban
societies, using quizlet.
Students will do a quickwrite on
the religious beliefs and
practices of the Maya, Aztec
and Inca civilizations.
Students will do a graphic
organizer where they will create
a concept map with the
characteristics of the society of
the Maya, Aztec or Inca
civilization.

Summative:
Presentation on the
achievements of Mesoamerican
civilizations.
Infographic on the effects of
locations, landforms and
climates on economy, trade
and development.

Student Learning
Objective:
By the end of the
unit, students will
be able to describe
and differentiate all
the achievements
and contributions of
each civilization, as
well as analyze how
its location affected
their economies.

Acceptable
Evidence:
Students write a one
page summary of
their analysis of the
achievements of
each civilization and
their contributions
to societies, and
their analysis of the
location and its
effect on the
civilizations
economies.

Instructional
Strategies:

Communication
Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Lesson Activities:
Lecture with guided notes. With the use of their
textbook, and students write a short essay about the
achievements, of the civilizations. The students
present their essay to the rest of the class so they
can receive feedback from classmates and instructor.

Lesson 2
Student Learning
Objective:
By the end of the
unit, students will
be able to identify
all the causes and
effects of the events
that led to the rise
and fall of the Maya,
Aztec, and Inca
civilizations.

Acceptable
Evidence:
By doing research,
students will
understand the main
factors that led to
the rise and fall of
the three
civilizations. This
would be in the form
of a timeline.

Instructional
Strategies:

Communication
Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Lesson Activities:
Students will work together to create a timeline with
sources provided and answer questions about the
rise and fall of the civilizations and the effects that
these had in future generations.

Lesson 3
Student Learning
Objective:
By the end of the
unit, students will

Acceptable
Evidence:
Completion of
concept map that

Instructional
Strategies:

Communication

Lesson Activities:
Students work in groups to brainstorm on the roles of
people in each society. (Write down on piece of
paper).

The teacher will be collecting the assignment at the

end of class.

be able to classify
and identify all the
roles of people in
each society,
including class
structures, family
size, warfare,
religious beliefs and
practices, and
slavery.
Unit Resources:

examines the roles

of people in each
society and uses the
sources provided to
complete it.

Collection
Collaboration
Presentation
Organization
Interaction

Students would then collaborate with the entire class

to share their answers and organize them
accordingly, and begin forming groups for the
Graphic organizer exercise.

World History: Medieval to Early Modern Times. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 2006. Creately, Prezi, Quizstar.
Useful Websites:
http://www.ballard-tighe.com/ewhweb/exploremore/emch09.pdf This document includes general information
regarding the rise and fall of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilization.
http://www.simsbury.k12.ct.us/page.cfm?p=2773 Includes links to sites with useful information.
http://www.oberlin.edu/faculty/svolk/latinam.htm Includes links to General and specific information about the
three civilizations.
http://www.ancient.eu/Inca_Civilization/ Website that includes information about the Inca civilization.