Standard 2.4

The student will develop map skills by
a) locating China and
Egypt on world maps;
b) locating the regions of the Powhatan, Sioux, and Pueblo Indians on United States maps;
c) comparing the climate, land, and plant life of these regions;
d) describing how people in these regions adapt to their environment.

• Terms to know:
  Climate: The kind of weather an area has over a long period of time
  Land: The shape of the land's surface
  Environment: Surroundings
• China is located in Asia . Egypt is located in Africa .
  
  

  	Anceint Egypt	Ancient China
  Climate	Hot and Dry	Seasons
  Land	Nile River Desert Flooding	Forest Hills, Mountains, Desert
  Plant Life	Grasses along the Nile River	Great variety of plant life

• Ways people adapted to their environment:
  The ancient Chinese fished, farmed, and irrigated the land.
  The ancient Egyptians farmed and irrigated the land near the Nile River.
  

Standard 3.1

The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy), and sports.

• Terms to know:
  Contribution: The act of giving or doing something
  Direct democracy: A government in which people vote to make their own rules and laws
  Representative democracy: A government in which people vote for (elect) a smaller group of citizens to make their rules and laws for everyone
• Architecture
  The architects of ancient Greece and Rome used columns and arches in the construction of their buildings. Ancient examples still exist today:
  • Greece —The Parthenon (columns
  • Rome —The and aqueducts (arches)
• The Arts
  • Mosaics
  • Sculpture
  • Paintings
• The Government of the United States
  The government is based on the ideas developed in ancient Greece and Rome
  • Greece : Birthplace of democracy (government by the people); a direct democracy
  • Rome : Republican (representative) form of government; a representative democracy
• Sports
  Olympic games of today are modeled after the games of ancient Greece .
  

Standard 3.2

The student will study the early West African empire of Mali by describing its oral tradition (storytelling), government (kings), and economic development (trade).

• Africa was the home to several great empires. One of the most prosperous was the empire of Mali .
• Many storytellers in Mali passed on traditions and stories from one generation to the next.
• The kings of Mali were rich and powerful men who controlled trade in West Africa . Mali became one of the largest and wealthiest empires in the region and was an important trade center.
• Mali lay across the trade routes between the sources of salt in the Sahara Desert and the gold region/mines of West Africa . For the people of the desert, salt was a natural resource. People used salt for their health and for preserving foods. Miners found gold in Western Africa . Therefore, salt was traded for gold.
• Timbuktu was an important city in Mali . It had a famous university with a large library containing Greek and Roman books.

Standard 3.4

The student will develop map skills by
a) locating Greece , Rome , and West Africa ;
b) describing the physical and human characteristics of Greece , Rome , and West Africa ;
c) explaining how the people of Greece , Rome , and West Africa adapted to and/or changed their environment to meet their needs.

• Terms to know:
  Characteristics: Different traits
• Ancient Greece and Rome were located on land near the Mediterranean Sea . The empire of Mali was located in the western region of the continent of Africa
• Physical characteristic
  • Ancient Greece : Located among mountains and hills, surrounded by Mediterranean Sea and limited rich soil
  • Ancient Rome : Located next to a river; city built on many hills; limited rich soil
  • Empire of Mali : Located in West Africa ; near rivers; desert-like conditions; gold mines
• Human characteristics
  • Ancient Greece : Farmers, shipbuilders, and traders
  • Ancient Rome : Farmers, road builders, and traders
  • Empire of Mali : Farmers, miners, and traders
• Ways they adapted to their environments
  • Ancient Greece : They farmed on hillsides; trading took place on the Mediterranean Sea ; small independent communities developed because of the many mountains.
  • Ancient Rome : They farmed on hillsides; trading took place on the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Empire of Mali : Salt was an important natural resource for people in the desert; salt was traded for gold.

Standard 3.8

The student will recognize the concepts of specialization (being an expert in one job, product, or service) and interdependence (depending on others) in the production of goods and services (in ancient Greece , Rome, the West African empire of Mali , and in the present).

• Terms to know:
  Economic specialization: Focusing on one product or service
  Economic interdependence: Two or more people depending on each other for goods and services
• Economic specialization occurs when people focus on the production of selected kinds of goods and services.
• Economic specialization and interdependence of communities in the past
  • Ancient Greece and Rome both focused on building ships, farming, and making pottery. (Specialization)
  • Greeks and Romans traded their goods with Egypt and other nearby communities. (Interdependence)
  • In the empire of Mali , some people specialized in protecting the empire, while others specialized in growing food for the empire. (Specialization)
  • The people of Mali traded (gold for salt) with other people. (Interdependence)
• Interdependence in the present
  • Virginia is known for its expertise in shipbuilding. (Specialization)
  • Virginia sells its coal to other countries but depends on other countries for oil. (Interdependence)