Social Studies - 6th Grade

Print this page

Standard I    Standard II    Standard III    Standard IV

 Standard I Students will understand how ancient civilizations developed and how they contributed to the current state of the world.

Books Books

Picture Books
  • Roxaboxen,  by Alice McLerran; ISBN: 0060526335
  • Weslandia,  by Paul Fleischman; ISBN: 0763610526
  • If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World's People, by David Smith; ISBN-10: 1550747797
  • Cleopatra, by Diane Stanley; ISBN: 0-688-15480-8
  • A Faith Like Mine, by Laura Buller; ISBN: 0-7566-1975-0
  • The Greek News, by Anton Powell; ISBN: 0-7636-0340-6
  • The Roman News, by Andrew Langley & Philip De Souza; ISBN: 0763603414
  • I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert, by Eve Bunting; ISBN: 0-15-202464-6
  • Kids Discover Magazines - Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Greece, India, Pyramids, Ancient Mesopotamia, Roman Empire
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be a Slave in Ancient Greece!, by Fiona MacDonald; ISBN: 0531146006
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman Soldier!: Barbarians You'd Rather Not Meet, by David Stewart; ISBN: 0531124487
  • You Wouldn't Want To Be In Alexander The Great's Army!: Miles You'd Rather Not March, by Jacqueline Morley & David Antram; ISBN: 0531123901
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be a Pyramid Builder: A Hazardous Job You'd Rather Not Have, Jacqueline Morley & David Salariya; ISBN: 0531163962
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be a Greek Athlete: Races You'd Rather Not Run, by Michael Ford; ISBN: 0531163946
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be an Egyptian Mummy!, by David Stewart & David Salariya; ISBN: 0531162060
  • Egyptian Town, by Scott Steedman; ISBN: 0-531-15344-4
  • Roman Town (Metropolis), by Hazel Mary Martell ISBN: 0-531-15345-2
  • The History of Counting, by Denise Schmandt-Besserat; ISBN: 0688141188
  • Who Built the Pyramid, by Meredith Hooper; ISBN: 076363046-2
  • The Egyptian Cinderella, by Shirley Climo; ISBN: 0-06-443279-3
  • A Street Through Time, by Anne Millard; ISBN: 0-7894-3426-1
  • Egyptian life (Early civilizations), by John Guy; ISBN: 0-439-14914-2
  • In Search of Tutankhamun: The Discovery of a King's Tomb, by Giovanni Caselli; ISBN: 0-439-22643-0
  • Egypt, by Stephen Krensky; ISBN: 0-439-27195-9
  • Pyramids: Egyptian, Nubian, Mayan, Aztec, Modern, by Anne Millard; ISBN: 0-590-63247-7
  • Egyptian Mummies, by Henrietta McCall; ISBN: 0-531-18602-4
  • Motel of the Mysteries, by David Macaulay; (ISBN: 0-395-28425-2
Teacher Resource Books & References
  • World Religions, by Gabriel Arquilevich, Patty Carratello, & John Carratello; ISBN: 1-55734-624-0
  • Teaching Social Studies: A Literacy-Based Approach, by Emily Schell & Douglas Fisher; ISBN: 0-13-170017-0
  • A Teacher's Guide to Religion in the Public Schools, by Rinehart and Winston Holt & The First Amendment Center; ISBN: 0030419298
  • Read-Aloud Plays: The Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid: Three Classics Adapted Into Engaging Plays-Plus Background and Activities-Just for Middle Schoolers, by Gwen Bowers; ISBN: 0-439-62918-7
  • Mysteries in History: Ancient History, by Wendy Conklin; ISBN: 1-4206-3049-0
  • Writing: Cave Paintings to Printing Presses, by Jackdaw Publications
  • Maps: Ancient Civilizations, Gr. 4-6, by Alaska Hults; ISBN: 978-1-59198-124-4
  • Tutankhamun & the Discovery of The Tomb, by Jackdaw Publications
  • Exploring World Beliefs Christianity, by Teacher Created Resources; ISBN: 0-7439-3684-1
  • Exploring World Beliefs Islam, by Teacher Created Resources; ISBN: 0-7439-3680-9
  • Exploring World Beliefs Judaism, by Teacher Created Resources; ISBN: 0-7439-3685-X
  • Usborne Timelines of World History, by Jane Chisholm; ISBN: 0-439-28191-1
  • The Usborne Internet Linked Encyclopedia of World Religions, by Kirsteen & Clare Hickman Rogers; ISBN: 0-439-44328-8
  • Comprehension Homework Packets: 36 Take-Home Packets That Include Short Passages, Graphic Organizers With Questions, and Practice Tests, by Jan Meyer; ISBN: 0-439-65094-1
Novels
  • The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1), by Rick Riordan; ISBN: 0786838655
  • The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2), by Rick Riordan; ISBN: 0786856866
  • The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3), by Rick Riordan ISBN: 1423101456
  • The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4), by Rick Riordan ISBN: 1423101464
  • Heroes & Monsters of Greek Mythology, by Bernard & Dorothy Evslin & Ned Hoopes; ISBN: 0590410725
  • The Greek Gods, by Hoopes & Evslin; ISBN: 0590441108
  • The Trojan War, by Bernard Evslin; ISBN: 059041626X
  • Myth-O-Mania: Have a Hot Time, Hades! - Book #1, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786808578
  • Myth-O-Mania: Phone Home, Persephone! - Book #2, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786816651
  • Myth-O-Mania: Say Cheese, Medusa! - Book #3, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 078681666X
  • Myth-O-Mania: Nice Shot, Cupid! - Book #4, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786816678
  • Myth-O-Mania: Stop That Bull, Theseus! - Book #5, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786816686
  • Myth-O-Mania: Get to Work, Hercules! - Book #7, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786816708
  • Myth-O-Mania: Go for the Gold Atalanta! - Book #8, by Kate McMullan; ISBN: 0786816716
  • Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw; ISBN: 0140319298
  • Short Story- The Dog of Pompeii, by Louis Untermeyer
  • The Golden Goblet, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw; ISBN: 0140303359
  • Sword of Egypt, by Bert Williams; ISBN: 0590710583

Objective 1: Explain why physical geography affected the development of early civilizations.

Indicators:

  1. Identify the major physical features of the regions where ancient civilizations flourished.
  2. Describe how these features influenced the success or decline of the civilizations.
  3. Compare maps of these ancient civilizations to current political maps and make inferences about the continuing affects of physical geography on cultural development.

Objective 2:
Evaluate how religion has played a central role in human history from ancient times to today.

Indicators:

  1. Explore the importance of religion in the cultural expression of ancient civilizations (e.g. customs, artistic expression, creation stories, architecture of sacred spaces).
  2. Identify key tenets of the major world religions (i.e. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism).
  3. Analyze how religious ideas influence current issues.

Objective 3:
Explain how modern governments can trace some of their attributes to the systems of power, authority, and governance established in ancient civilizations.

Indicators:

  1. Identify forms of government within these civilizations.
  2. Compare those forms to existing systems of governance in today’s world.

Objective 4:
Analyze how the earliest civilizations created technologies and systems to meet community and personal needs.

Indicators:

  1. Identify innovations in manmade structures over time (e.g. irrigation, roads, building materials) and their influence on meeting needs.
  2. Examine the evolution and importance of writing.
  3. Identify cultural expressions that reflect these systems (e.g. architecture, artistic expression, medicine, philosophy, drama, literature).
  4. Compare social classes, vocations, and gender roles within ancient civilizations.
Back to top

 Standard II Students will understand the transformation of cultures during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the impact of this transformation on modern times.

Books Books

  • Atlas of World History, by Nystrom; ISBN: 0782509401
  • Read Aloud Plays: The Middle Ages, by Jeanette Sanderson; ISBN: 0590769936
  • Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi; ISBN: 0786816589
  • Redwall Series, by Brian Jacques
  • The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite De Angeli; ISBN: 0440227798
  • Kings, Queens, Castles and Crusades, by Zelma Kallay; ISBN: 1564176665
  • Middle Ages: Everyday Life, by Jane Pofahl; ISBN: 0513021949
  • The Middle Ages, by Tim McNeese; ISBN: 0787703907
  • Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction,  by David Macaulay; ISBN: 0808507664
  • You Wouldn't Want to Be a Medieval Knight: Armor You'd Rather Not Wear, by Fiona MacDonald & David Salariya; ISBN: 0531163954
  • A Farm Through Time, by Angela Wilkes; ISBN: 0789479028

Objective 1:
Explain how physical geography affects economic and cultural expansion.

Indicators:

  1. Identify natural resources and physical features that affected expansion.
  2. Describe the development of international trade via the desert, sea, and land and the resultant cultural exchanges between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe (e.g. the Silk Road)

Objective 2:
Explore the importance of religion in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and its relevance to modern times.

Indicators:

  1. Explain the influence of religion on cultural expression (e.g. the arts, architecture, government, education, family structure).
  2. Compare relations between the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish faiths during the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the modern world (e.g.
    Crusades, periods of peaceful coexistence, periods of conflict).

Objective 3:
Examine how systems of governance began steps toward self-rule during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Indicators:

  1. Examine relationships between significant events and ideas and their influence on systems of government (e.g. the rise of the merchant class, the Magna Carta, the impact of the Black Death, Germanic tribes, feudalism, manors, city-states).
  2. Compare individual rights of people in the United States today with the rights of selected groups in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (e.g. serfs, nobility, merchant class).

Objective 4:
Explain the importance of the Renaissance as a rebirth of cultural and intellectual pursuits.

Indicators:

  1. Investigate how technological and scientific developments of the time promoted literacy and the exchange of ideas that continue to this day (e.g. moveable type, telescope, microscope).
  2. Identify leading Renaissance artists and thinkers and their contributions to visual arts, writing, music, and architecture (e.g. Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Palestrina, Shakespeare, Tallis).
Back to top

 Standard III Students will understand how revolutions have had an impact on the modern world.

Books Books

  • The Rights of Man, The Reign of Terror, by Susan Banfield; ISBN: 0397323530
  • Triumph and Terror: The French Revolution, by Steven Otfinski; ISBN: 0735102139
  • You Wouldn’t Want to be an Aristocrat in the French Revolution! A Horrible Time in Paris You’d Rather Avoid, by Jim Pipe; ISBN: 0531139271
  • The French Revolution, by Herve Luxardo; ISBN: 9780237602697
  • History in a Hurry 12: French Revolution, by John Farman; ISBN: 9780330370899
  • Revolution is not a Dinner Party, by Ying Chang Compestine; ISBN: 9780805082074
  • Red Land Yellow River: A Story from the Cultural Revolution, by Ange Zhang; ISBN: 0888994893
  • Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution, by Ji-li Jiang; ISBN: 0060275855
  • China’s Son: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution, by Da Chen; ISBN: 044022926X
  • Among the Free, by Margaret Peterson Haddix; ISBN: 0689857993
  • History News: Revolution, by Christopher Maynard; ISBN: 0763604917
  • Little Green: Growing up During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, by Chun Yu; ISBN: 9780689869433
  • Letters from Rifka, by Karen Hesse; ISBN: 0140363912
  • Russian Revolution, 1914-24, by Stewart Ross; ISBN: 1852103221
  • Angel on the Square, by Gloria Whelan; ISBN: 0064408795
  • Blood Red, Snow White, by Marcus Sedgwick; ISBN: 1842556371
  • Witnesses of the Russian Revolution, by Harvey Pitcher; ISBN: 0719551714
  • Anastasia’s Album, by Hugh Brewster; ISBN: 0618062777

Objective 1:
Understand processes of revolution.

Indicators:

  1. Examine social, religious, and economic issues that may lead to revolution.
  2. Identify and compare how revolutions develop in multiple areas of human life (e.g. scientific, agricultural, industrial, political, medical).

Objective 2:
Analyze the impact of selected revolutions.

Indicators:

  1. Identify representative people from selected revolutions (e.g. Napoleon, Martin Luther, James Watt, Isaac Newton, Madame Curie, Anton Van Leeuwenhoek).
  2. Examine the outcomes of selected revolutions (e.g. the Scientific and Industrial revolutions, the Reformation, the French Revolution).
Back to top

 Standard IV Students will understand current global issues and their rights and responsibilities in the interconnected world.

Books Books

  • Vietnam: The Roots Of Conflict, by Chester A. Bain; ISBN: 0139421025
    A good general history of the Vietnam War.
  • Aftershocks: A Tale of Two Victims, by David Haward Bain; ISBN: 0416006817
    Discusses the psychological and emotional effects of the Vietnam War on veterans.
  • Out Now! A Participant's Account of the Movement in the United States Against the Vietnam War, by Fred Halstead; ISBN: 093709112X
    A participants account of the American movement against the Vietnam War during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
  • Dispatches, by Michael Herr; ISBN: 0679735259
    A frank personal account of the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a journalist.
  • My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and Its Aftermath, by Seymour M. Hersh; ISBN: 0394714504
  • Cover-up: The Army's Secret Investigation of the Massacre at My Lai 4, by Seymour M Hersh; ISBN: 0394474600
  • Our Vietnam Nightmare, by Marguerite Higgins; ISBN: 0060118903
    Traces the American involvement in the Vietnam War through 1965.
  • America in Our Time, by Godfrey Hodgson; ISBN: 0394725174
    A good general comprehensive account of the 1960’s and early 1970’s
  • The Wound Within: America in the Vietnam Years, by Alexander Kendrick; ISBN-10: 0316488410
    Discusses the turmoil going on in the United States during the Vietnam War years.
  • Born on the Fourth of July, by Ron Kovic; ISBN: 1888451785
    A soldier’s account of the Vietnam War; offers personal narratives demonstrating conflicts.
  • The Green Berets, by Robin Moore; ISBN: 0312984928
    An account of the role of the Green Berets during the Vietnam War.
  • Why We Were In Vietnam, by Norman Podhoretz; ISBN: 0671470612
    Discussion on the reasons for United States involvement in the Vietnam War; attempts to justify our intervention.
  • No Victory Parades: The Return of the Vietnam Veteran, by Murray Polner; ISBN: 0030860113
    Discusses the lack of concern for the Vietnam veteran.
  • The Lost Revolution, by Robert Shaplen
    The story of 20 years of neglected opportunities in Vietnam and America’s failure to foster democracy there.
  • Values Clarification, by Dr. Sidney B. Simon, Leland W Howe & Howard Kirschenbaum; ISBN: 0446670952
    A good handbook of practical strategies for teachers and students. The book provides the teacher with specific practical strategies to help the students to consider alternative modes of thinking and acting.
  • Looking Away, Hollywood and Vietnam, by Julian Smith; ISBN: 0684139545
    A look at the way in which movies have depicted the Vietnam War.
  • Just And Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations, by Michael Walzer; ISBN: 0465037070
    Covers such subjects as the moral reality of war, the theory of aggression, dilemmas of war and the question of responsibility. He presents his arguments for antiwar by giving examples dating back to ancient Greece to Vietnam.
  • A Rumor of War, by Phil Caputo; ISBN: 080504695X
    An honest account of a young college graduate’s experience in the Vietnam War as a lieutenant in the Marine Corp., admits to having enlisted in the marines for the “heroic” experience of war.
  • America’s Wars-Why?, by Elinor Goettel; ISBN: 0671325477
    Traces the involvement of the U.S. on the world’s battlefields; Why did America fight? Is there any set pattern?
  • Peace Without Conquest, by Lyndon Johnson
    Public Papers of the President of the U.S., Volume I Washington D.C. Government Printing Office, 1966. President Johnson presents his defense for the American involvement in the Vietnam War.
  • The Letters of PFC Richard Marks, by Richard Marks
    A personal account of a young private’s experiences in Vietnam in the Marine Corp.
  • They Chose Honor: The Problem of Conscience in Custody, by Lewis Merklin; ISBN: 0060129395
    Presents the arguments used for those young men who were issued conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War.
  • 12, 20 And 5: A Doctor's Year in Vietnam, by John A Parrish; ISBN: 0553260294
    A memoir of one man’s agonized confrontation with war; a young doctor who reluctantly accepts a military commission and spends a year behind the front lines in Vietnam.
  • The Vietnam Reader, by Marcus G. Raskin & Bernard B. Fall
    A collection of articles and documents on American foreign policy and the Vietnam crisis.
  • The Draft and the Vietnam War, by Jacquin Sanders
    Discusses the various options that were available to young men of draftable age during the Vietnam War.
  • Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War, by Al Santoli; ISBN: 0345322797
    An oral history of 33 Vietnam veterans telling of the experiences they had and the feelings they encountered.

Classroom Magazines

Objective 1:
Analyze how major world events of the 20th century affect the world today.

Books Books

  • Spotlight on America: 20th Century Wars, by Robert W. Smith; ISBN: 1420632191
    Worksheets and information on the wars – a must-have for background information
  • Atlas of World History, by Nystrom; ISBN: 0782509401
  • World War II, by Tom MacGowan; ISBN: 0531156613
    Nonfiction on World War II; each short chapter explains one year of the war
  • Feathers and Fools, by Mem Fox; ISBN: 9780613284820
    Differences ignite fear and two flocks of birds learn about war and peace. (picture book)

Indicators:

  1. Identify key events, ideas, and leaders of the 20th century (e.g. World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts, dynamic Asian economies).
  2. Describe the impact of these events on the world today.

Objective 2:
Explore current global issues facing the modern world and identify potential solutions.

Books Books

  • Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World, by Bill Bigelow & Bob Peterson; ISBN: 9780942961287
    Activities and information on social issues from child labor to genetic engineering and more
  • Teaching About Global Awareness with Simulations and Games, by Steven L. Lomy; ISBN: 9780943804859
  • Conflict Activity Cards, by Caroline Starbird; ISBN: 9780943804958
  • Dangerous Planet, by Bryn Barnard; ISBN: 0375822496
    Nonfiction natural disasters that changed history
  • A Picnic in October, by Eve Bunting; ISBN: 0152016562
    Story of an Italian-American immigration and the Statue of Liberty (picture book)
  • The Composition, by Antonio Skarmeta and Alfonso Ruano; ISBN: 0888995504
    About peace/social justice in Chile (picture book)
  • Current Events: Contemporary Issues for Classroom Debates, Discussions, and Writing, by Diane Sylvester; ISBN: 9780881603255
    Activities to get kids thinking about everything from bullying to terrorism and civil rights
  • The Lotus Seed, by Sherry Garland; ISBN: 0152494650
    A Vietnamese tale about connections to one’s culture/history (picture book)
  • Fly Away Home, by Eve Bunting; ISBN: 0395559626
    A homeless boy finds hope in a bird escaping (picture book)
  • Smoky Night, by Eve Bunting; ISBN: 0152699546
    Unlikely friendships form during the Los Angeles riots
  • Encounter, by Jane Yolen; ISBN: 0152259627
    Another perspective on Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. (historical fiction picture book)
  • BLACK GOLD: A Technology-Filled Simulation
    A simulation book on oil and distribution issues

Indicators:

  1. Investigate pressing issues facing the world today (e.g. environmental, pollution, political turmoil, hunger, poverty, genocide, famine, natural disasters, child labor).
  2. Identify potential solutions to pressing issues.
  3. Identify individuals and groups making positive changes in the world today and support these choices with evidence.

Objective 3:
Determine human rights and responsibilities in the world.

Books Books

  • Teaching Writing Skills: A Global Approach, by Steven L. Lamy; ISBN: 0943804159
    Incorporates language arts ideas with social responsibility
  • Kids Care! 75 Ways to make a difference for people, animals and the environment, by Rebecca Olien; ISBN: 0824967925
    Service project ideas
  • Teaching Kids to Care: Nurturing Courage and Compassion, by Bettie B. Young, Joanne Wolf, Joani Wafer, & Dawn Lehman; ISBN: 9781571745484
    Civic responsibilities are taught through discussion and activities
  • Teaching Human Rights - Third Edition, by David Shiman; ISBN: 9780943804798
  • Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney; ISBN: 0670479586
    Miss Rumphius makes the world more beautiful (picture book)
  • The Dog Poop Initiative, by Kirk A. Weisler; ISBN: 1932280839
    Everyone plays soccer around poop until finally someone takes the initiative to clean it up. (picture book)
  • Running Shoes, by Frederick Lipp; ISBN: 1580891764
    Hope and determination for a small girl in Cambodia (picture book)
  • The Wartville Wizard, by Don Madden; ISBN: 0689716672
    Littering becomes a real problem for this community (picture book)
  • Something Beautiful, by Sharon Dennis Wyeth; ISBN: 0385322399
    A little girl makes her own world more beautiful (picture book)
  • If Everybody Did, by Jo Ann Stover; ISBN: 0890844879
    Shows what a disaster life would be if everyone just did their own thing for their own self. (picture book)
  • The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects by Barbara A. Lewis ; ISBN: 0915793822
    Service project how-to book
  • A Kid’s Guide to Hunger and Homelessness, by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.; ISBN: 1575422409
    How to take action on hunger issues
  • Peace Begins with You, by Katherine Scholes; ISBN: 0316774405
    People are different and how individuals can create peace by accepting different human needs and wants (picture book)
  • It’s Our World, Too, by Phillip Hoose; ISBN: 0613573080
    A collection of vignettes by and for kids to show how one person can make a difference in the community, along with tips on how to get started.

Indicators:

  1. Identify rights considered essential for all humans (e.g. health care, education, safety, freedom from fear, freedom of expression).
  2. Propose steps individual students can take to protect these rights (e.g. support for sister schools, energy and resource conservation, letter writing, career choices, fundraising efforts).
Back to top

Utah Education NetworkUtah State Board of EducationThe Online Standards Resource pages are a collaborative project between the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Network. If you would like to recommend a high quality resource, contact Robert Austin.