Welcome to Social Studies 9R!

1. Welcome to Social Studies 9R! • Please take a textbook from off the table. Then, go to the desk with your name on it. Start filling out the bookcard in front of you.

2. Welcome to Social Studies 9R • On the back of your book card, please write the following: • If you have a nickname or shortened version of your name that you prefer. • Your Social Studies teacher last year. • 2-3 hobbies or activities that you enjoy in your spare time. • 2-3 strengths that you feel you have as a Social Studies student. • 2-3 weaknesses that you feel you have as a Social Studies student. • 1 overall goal that you have for your freshmen year.

3. What Are We Going to Study? Quarters 1 & 2: Ancient World (10,000 B.C.- 500 A.D.) • Exploring Key Concepts in Social Studies – History, Geography, Culture • Prehistory and Early Human History – Earliest Humans, Paleolithic Age, Neolithic Revolution • The Rise and Fall of the River Civilizations– Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River Valley, Early China • Rise and Fall Classical Civilizations – Chinese Dynasties (Zhou, Qin, Han), Mauryan Empire, Greece, Rome • Emergence and Spread of Belief Systems – Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism and Christianity

4. What Are We Going to Study? Quarter 3: Expanding Zones of Exchange (500-1200) • The Byzantine Empire and Russia • The Rise of the Islamic Civilization and Religion in the Middle East • The Middle Ages and the Crusades in Europe • Development of Chinese Civilization – Tang and Song Dynasties, Mongol invasion, Ming dynasty

5. What Are We Going to Study? Quarter 4: Global Interactions (1200-1700) • Japanese Civilization and Culture • The Renaissance and Reformation in Europe • African Civilizations – Mali, Ghana and Songhai • Mesoamerican Civilizations – Mayans, Aztecs and Incas • The Age of European Exploration • The Age of Absolutism in Europe • The Scientific Revolution

6. Enduring Issues • Conflict • Cooperation • Power • Inequality • Innovation (new ideas or technology) • Interconnectedness • Ideas and Beliefs • Environmental Impact / Geography • Scarcity

7. Enduring Questions • What causes conflict or cooperation between groups, regions or civilizations? What are the effects of these interactions? • How do civilizations gain and lose power? Are civilizations easier to build than they are to maintain? After it falls, what impact does a civilization have on history? • Why is there inequality? What effect does it have on a society or civilization? • How does innovation affect people, places and regions? Is the new technology that comes from innovation always a good thing? • How do physical and human geography affect people, places and regions?

8. Enduring Questions 6. How have religious ideas and beliefs shaped people’s lives in different civilizations and societies? Are these beliefs still relevant in the 21st century? 7. How do the movements of people and ideas brought about by interconnectedness affect world history? 8. In a world with scarce resources, how do people get what they need and want? What are the effects of their actions? 9. What are the characteristics that make us human?

9. Skills We Are Going to Work On • Critical Thinking • Essay Writing • Analyzing Documents • Collaboration • Understanding Multiple Perspectives

10. Homework • Get your Requirements and Policies sheet signed for tomorrow.