1. Introduction to Geographic Luck
LT: Students will begin to understand the concept of geographic luck by exploring the story of crops and animals around the world.

2. What is “Geographic Luck”?
Developed by Jared Diamond
Tries to answer the question: Why did some civilizations grow faster and become more advanced than others?
It is NOT biological/physical traits or ingenuity
It is geographic factors that set up some civilizations up for success

3. These factors weren’t present in every civilization, some just had geographic advantages, or “Geographic Luck”

4. Take a guess…which geographic factors might matter most?
Turn and talk with your partner

5. What factors mattered? WATER:
Every civilization needed water if they were going to grow crops
Access to a fresh water source (rivers)
Trade routes

6. What factors mattered? CLIMATE:
A more mild climate was better to live in than too hot or too cold
Goldilocks conditions

7. What factors mattered? A VARIETY OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Early Humans were nomadic (moved around in search of food sources)
If there were plants/animals around that could be domesticated…THEN suddenly communities had a dependable and nutritious food source on hand

8. Domestication
Domesticating plants and animals allowed for a more sedentary or permanent lifestyle
Domesticate:
to breed or train (an animal) to need and accept the care of human beings : to tame (an animal)
to grow (a plant) for human use

9. Crops & Animals
Today we are going to investigate different crops and animals that helped civilizations advance and get a head start
Some crops and animals were only located in certain areas of the world

10. Think. Pair. Share.
What crops/animals would be key for development of a civilization? Think about what you ate for your lunch today…

11. Jigsaw

12. Expert Groups You will become experts on a specific crop or animal
Read the article ALOUD as a group
Talk about the key details of your crop/animal

13. Complete the worksheet
Map where your plant or animal was FIRST domesticated by coloring in the circles
Then show where it spread to by drawing arrows
Finally, discuss your crop or animal. Work together to decide these three key pieces of information:
How the crop/animal was domesticated and where?
How the crop/animal spread around the world?
The importance of the crop/animal to humans? (are they still important today as well?)

14. Learning Groups
Everyone present the key information for your specific crop/animal. TEACH your classmates, do not just give them your worksheet to copy from
Work together to plot where each crop/animal was originally domesticated on the group world map. Please use a different color for each crop/animal. Make a key that states which color is which crop/animal.
Discuss what common patterns you see according to the key details and the group map