CIVILIZATION How do civilizations grow and change? What does it mean to settle somewhere permanently? How do our decisions influence culture and the people of the future? Copy these questions in your notes…. We may not look at them for a day or two, but everything we will be doing will aim to help you answer these questions. At the end of this activity you will be given a graded assignment based on these questions.

Overview You will be establishing a settlement based on the criteria given I will be reading situations which you will need to respond to by making a decision as to how your settlement will react or change. We will observe how your civilization and culture changes over time

Set Up Form a group of 4 – move your desks together Take one piece of chart paper and a marker

Save this space for working in after the events have been completed. When instructed, you will create your map here in the middle. Save room around the outside. Plan your settlement here based on the instruction given.

Imagine…. You are living sometime in the ancient past. You are part of a settlement that is either permanent or semi-nomadic. Permanent: Stays in one place Semi-Nomadic: Moves around, but may return yearly to a simple permanent settlement

Make a Decision… Will your settlement be permanent or semi- nomadic? Consider the pros and cons of each as outlined next. When you have decided, record your settlement style on the top of your sheet along with the immunities this decision offers you.

Make a Decision… Permanent: There are plenty of positive things associated with permanent settlement. You can develop wonders of the world, create a better social welfare system, have solid waste management, plant crops and develop trade. Negatives include the disastrous results of natural disasters that wipe out crops, famine, nutrition deficits in the first few generations of permanent settlement, and openness to attack from rivals. If your group of people has a permanent settlement they can plant crops, develop infrastructure and have solid housing. Your group will be immune to disease if you choose this option.

Make a Decision… Semi-Nomadic: Your group alternatively could be semi nomadic which means having some permanent settlement that you return to yearly. If you do you will follow herds to get protein and meats into your diet. You may have some permanent structures but no permanent crops. You will have some infrastructure but nothing that is not mobile. You will be immune to famine and war if you choose this option.

Make a Decision… Having decided whether you are a permanent or semi-nomadic settlement, choose a landform region that you live in (you may use the textbook as a reference) Mountain Highlands Equatorial Rainforest Savannah Grasslands River Valley

Research… Briefly record any important information you have about the weather, climate, and/or vegetation in the area you live. Use your textbook and use point form.

Create A Map Create a map of your settlement that includes: Food Sources Water Sources Transportation Housing Repository for the Dead If you are semi-nomadic show how your settlement will move (direction) and where any seasonal plants, or settlements are.

Oral Tradition & Cultural Expression Look at pages 19, 22, 23 together Record the definitions of the three vocabulary words Make a list of what different roles or purposes the oral traditions and masks serve “Why the Sun and Moon are in the Sky”

Think About Your Culture… How do your people govern themselves? Group of Elders Democratic Decision Making Other? Do they worship a god or idol in order to bring good weather and good crops? What do they do for entertainment? Dance Music Oral Storytelling Dramatic Storytelling Other? Record this information beside your map with appropriate titles.

Let Us Begin! Change markers with another group so we can see the changes you make as we go through the events.

Event #___ Listen carefully to the event as it is read. Will this event effect your civilization? If Yes, What changes will you need to make? Record these changes on your chart paper. Stay true to the realities of your geographic and cultural conditions

Event #___ Yes or No, How will this event be recorded in your history? How will it be remembered so future generations will learn about it? In physical art (pictures, sculptures, carvings) The creation of a dance, folktale, or dramatic retelling The creation of a new tradition or celebration NEXT EVENT

After the Exercise After having gone through several events over many generations, have a look at what your settlement looks like now.

Describe… Take a look at where your settlement ended up after the events. On the bottom of your sheet: Describe in detail the geography, way of life, and culture of the people. Write a brief history of your people or draw a timeline showing how your civilization changed over time.

A Glimpse of Your Culture Create something to share with the class that will show them a glimpse into your civilization’s history and culture. This could include: A folktale or dramatic telling of a story A song or dance An artifact (a piece of art, a tool, a weapon, etc…) A demonstration of a celebration, tradition, or worship practices Be prepared to share the history of this piece of cultural expression with the class (where did it come from?).

Individual Reflection… THINK ABOUT: Make point form notes. How do civilizations grow and change? What does it mean to settle somewhere permanently? How do our decisions influence culture and the people of the future?

Mind Map Create a mind map showing what you discovered in this exercise. Your map should reveal the answers to the reflection questions and should include: The connection between geography and climate to the growth of civilizations The connection between historical events and the growth of culture The consequences of different settlement patterns Your realizations and understanding of the growth of civilizations and culture