MAJOR STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES

7.01

Identify and locate the geographical features of East Asia, including:  

•      China

•      Gobi Desert        •  Korean Peninsula         •  Sea of Japan (East Sea)

•      Himalayan           •  Pacific Ocean •  Yangtze River Mountains          _•  Plateau of Tibet                 •  Yellow River

•      Japan

G

7.02

Describe how the reunification of China prior to the Tang Dynasty helped spread Buddhist beliefs.  

C, G, H, P

7.03

Summarize agricultural, commercial, and technological developments during the Song Dynasties, and describe the role of Confucianism during the Song.   

C, E, G, H, P

7.04

Examine the rise of the Mongol Empire, including the conquests of Genghis Khan.

C, G, H, P

7.05

Describe Kublai Khan’s conquest of China, and explain how he was able to maintain control of the Yuan Empire.

C, G, H, P

7.06

Summarize the effects of the Mongolian empires on the Silk Roads, including the importance of Marco Polo’s travels on the spread of Chinese technology and Eurasian trade.

C, E, G, H

7.07

Analyze the achievements of the Ming Dynasty and reasons for its isolationism, including building projects (e.g., the Forbidden City and reconstruction of the Great Wall) and Zheng He’s sea voyages.

C, E, G, H, P

7.08

Describe the origins and central features of Shintoism:

•      Key Person(s): None  

•      Sacred Texts: No sacred text  

•      Basic Beliefs: localized tradition that focuses on ritual practices that are carried out with discipline to maintain connections with ancient past; animism and Kami  

C, G, H, P

7.09

Explain how Japanese culture changed through Chinese and Korean influences (including Buddhism and Confucianism) as shown in the Constitution of Prince Shotoku and the adoption of the Chinese writing system.

C, G, H

7.10

Describe how the Heian aristocracy contributed to the development of a Japanese national culture.

C, H, P

7.11

Analyze the rise of a military society in the late 12th century and the role of the shogun and samurai in Japanese society.

C, E, H, P

7.12

Identify the continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire as the Byzantine Empire, and describe the diffusion of Christianity and the Latin language.  

C, G, H, P

7.13

Explain the importance of Justinian’s political, social, and architectural achievements.

C, G, H, P

7.14

Analyze the importance of regional geography and the location of Constantinople in maintaining European culture.

C, G, H

7.15

Identify and locate the geographical features of Southwest

•      Arabian Peninsula          _•  Euphrates River

•      Arabian Sea      _•  Mecca

•      Black Sea           _•  Mediterranean

•      Caspian Sea      Sea

Asia and North Africa, including:

•      Persian Gulf

•      Red Sea

•      Tigris River

G

7.16

Describe the origins and central features of Islam:

•      Key Person(s): Mohammad  

•      Sacred Texts: The Quran and The Sunnah  

•      Basic Beliefs: monotheism, Five Pillars  

C, G, H, P

7.17

Describe the diffusion of Islam, its culture, and the Arabic language.

C, G, H

7.18

Summarize the contributions of the region’s scholars in the areas of:

•      Art         Medicine

•      Geography       •  Philosophy

•      Literature          ^•  Science

•      Mathematics   ^•

C, G, H

7.19

Explain the importance of Mehmed II the Conqueror, the fall of Constantinople, and the establishment of the Ottoman Empire.

C, E, G, H, P

7.20

Analyze the development of trade routes throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe and the expanding role of merchants.  

C, E, G, H

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AND/OR PROJECTS

-          Tibetan Flags Project: Buddhism and flags, having the students translate script into Mandarin Chinese and see what it’s like to write in Chinese.

-          Empires Game: Students will build Empires and then see if they can survive disasters and other issues.

-          Map Making – students will use playdough, legos, and other objects to build 3D maps of China

-          Feng Shui – students will design a house based on the rules of Feng Shui

-          Japanese Clan Flags.  Students will design a family Clan flag for their soldiers.

-          Justinian and Theodora Mosaic Project.  Students will create a byzantine portrait as a mosaic

-          Carmen Sandiego.  Students will track down and chase infamous criminal mastermind Carmen Sandiego across the Middle East to find and return the stolen Kaaba!

-          Arabic Art – Students will compare European and Arabic Art, particularly in Spain and Persia.

FIELD TRIPS PLANNED

None at this time.

THINGS YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP YOUR CHILD

-          We always have a test or quiz on Friday.  Your child should get a study guide on Thursday that you can study together.  They are set up so that you can ask your child the question and they will answer.  I nearly always give them the answers before they leave so that they can study.  The BEST thing you can do is teach them how to study so they’re ready for the test.  Our tests are much, much more difficult than 6^th Grade, so they HAVE to study!

-          Talk with the about the things we discussed in class.  Look on the webpage to see what we have studied this week and ask them what they think.  I’m always telling them interesting things that they might not have heard somewhere else, so ask them what they have learned.  Don’t let them say “nothing,” because we throw mind-boggling amounts of work at them.

-          Read!!  Read the news, read magazines, read historical-related books like Percy Jackson.  Even at this age, kids enjoy having someone read to them, I do it all the time.

-          Visit virtual museums and explore!

-          Use Google Earth and explore the world.  See what things you can find.  Drive around the streets of Beijing, Cairo, London.