Teaching Ancient Civilizations often feels like a merry-go-round of information for students. It can feel as though we are ‘cramming’ civilization after civilization into the school year, and it can be enough to make students’ heads spin! Those are the situations when we often hear students say ‘I can’t keep track of it all’ or ‘It all sounds the same’. Teaching Ancient Civilizations doesn’t have to be a merry-go-round of confused information, it can be taught in a way that is organized and clear for your students. Let’s talk about how we do this!
ORGANIZE Information for your Students.
Frame your instruction using the same six topics for each civilization. Each civilization should be taught according to their:
SOCIETY
RELIGION
GOVERNMENT
ECONOMY
GEOGRAPHY
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Providing a consistent framework as you teach each civilization allows students to compartmentalize information, and you will also find that they will being making comparisons between the different civilizations on their own within this framework!
RECORD Key Information Throughout the Year – FREEBIE BELOW!
If you teach a civilization, assess that civilization, and then move on without going back to it, you cannot expect your students to remember the key details enough to make comparisons between the different empires. If you want your students to leave your classroom with a well-rounded understanding of Ancient Civilizations, you must review and revisit throughout the year. So how can you do this?
Use a fact tracker (FREE DOWNLOAD HERE)! At the end of each unit, record the most important aspects of the empire’s Society, Religion, Government, Economy, Geography, Science and Technology. As you move onto other empires, consistently go back to that ‘tracker’ to make comparisons and discuss how ideas and concepts evolved as different civilizations emerged and ruled!
When teaching Ancient Civilizations, the name of the game is REVISIT. Constantly revisit previously-studied empires in your discussions to help students not only retain important information, but to give them a well-rounded view of history!
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