1. How Does Geography Affect the Development of Civilizations?
Geography and its role in pre Columbian Civilizations.

2. Unit Summary
The way people live, work and play are determined by the geography and the environment in which they live. The pre Columbian cultures all developed rich and advanced ways of living and were depended upon their environment for survival. Students will develop an environment that will sustain a culture.

3. Curriculum Framing Questions
How does geography play a role in the social, political and economic development of a civilization?
How did the different pre Columbian civilization adapt to their environments?

4. Content Questions
Where were the Aztec, Mayan and Incan Civilizations located?
What resources were the civilizations depended upon?
Describe different ceremonies that revolved around the geography of the cultures?

5. The project will help my students in the 21st century by:
Creativity and Innovation
Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work
Developing, implementing and communicating new ideas to others
Communication and Collaboration
Demonstrating ability to work effectively with diverse teams
Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work
Initiative and Self-Direction
Monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs
Defining, prioritizing and completing tasks without direct oversight
Utilizing time efficiently and managing workload
Productivity and Accountability
Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time
Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g., being punctual and reliable)

6. New York State Standards
1. To describe the relationships between people and environments and the connections
between people and places
2. To describe the reasons for periodizing history in different ways
3. To map information about people,places, and environments
4. To identify and compare the physical,human, and cultural characteristics
of diff e rent regions and people
5. To understand the geography of settlement patterns and the development
of cultural patterns
B. Geographic factors affected the settlement patterns and living conditions of the earliest Americans
C. Major Native American civilizations in Central and South America
1. The Aztecs
2. The Incas
3. The Aztecs

7. Student Learning Outcomes
Students will identify how geography effects the development of cultures.
Students will tie the various social sciences with the geography of the area.
Students will identify the relationship between the environment and their own survival. Students will tie this with present day global warming.
Students will compare the use of resources by the Native Americans and the European settlers

8. How Does Geography Affect Civilizations
Curriculum-Framing QuestionsEssential Question How does geography affect the developments of civilizations?Unit QuestionsHow does geography play a role in the social, political and economic development of a civilization?How did the different pre Columbian civilization adapt to their environments?Content QuestionsWhere were the Aztec, Mayan and Incan Civilizations located?What resources were the civilizations depended upon?Describe different ceremonies that revolved around the geography of the cultures?

9. Instructional Procedures
Students need to become familiar with the internet and using a web quest format.Students need to be able to research using a topographical map
Pre Instruction: Students will begin the unit by completing a web quest on the Incan, Aztec and Mayan civilizations.
Pre Instruction: Students will then locate the civilizations on a map and research the geography of the area… such as climate, soil, available water.
Project: Students will then use the information found in the web quest and the map exercise to re create the civilizations of the pre Columbian societies. Project: Students will then present their civilization through a movie using the smart board.

10. Assessment Summary
The project will be self, peer and teacher evaluated throughout. The use of checklists will ensure that students are progressing satisfactory throughout the project process. Peer Feedbacks and Self Assessments will be ongoing tools so that final products will already have been edited ready and ready for submission.