6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 1: Foundations of World Geography

SS060105
Lesson 5

Unit 1 - Lesson 5: How Do Other Social Scientists Help Us Understand Our

World?
Big Ideas of the Lesson

Other social scientists besides geographers can help us understand our world.
These other social scientists include historians, economists, political scientists,
anthropologists, and sociologists.
Each of these social science fields uses a different perspective or lens and asks
different types of questions to understand our world.
By considering these different perspectives, we get a more complete view of people and
places around the world.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson students broaden their understanding of the social sciences. They review the
perspectives of historians, economists, political scientists, and anthropologists they studied in
previous grades and add a new perspective that of sociologists. The lesson begins with a
PowerPoint presentation during which students take guided notes relating to different concepts and
issues studied in each of these social science fields. Then, they apply what they have learned by
describing how each of the social scientists might investigate an earthquake.
Content Expectations: 6 and 7 - H1.4.3; G5.2.1; E3.3.1
7 H1.2.5
Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies: RH.6-8.4
Key Concepts
perspective
social science fields (anthropology, civics, economics, geography, history, sociology)
1.

2.

Lesson Sequence
Ask students to briefly summarize the main focus of the first four lessons of this unit in their
Global Investigators Notebook. Prompt student thinking by asking them what they have learned so
far about geography. Give students time to write and then have them share ideas in the large
group. Guide students in understanding that these lessons focused on how the tools, technologies,
and questions geographers use enable them to investigate our world.
Remind students that there are other social scientists besides geographers. Ask them to
identify ones they remember from elementary social studies. Display the Connecting Back to
Fourth Grade graphic organizer located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5) to
discuss the four social scientists studied at that grade level. Ask students if they remember the
type of social scientist added in 5th grade. Discuss their responses. If no one can remember
anthropologist write the term on the board and explain that these social scientists study culture.
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Copyright 2010-2015 by Oakland Schools

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 1: Foundations of World Geography

SS060105
Lesson 5

3.

Give each student a copy of the PowerPoint Notes chart located in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5). Explain that students will be completing the chart by filling in
information from the PowerPoint presentation. Teacher Note: A simple cloze technique has been
used on the chart as a beginning step toward note-taking.

4.

Use Slide 1 of the PowerPoint Unit 1, Lesson 5 to discuss the idea of different perspectives
among different social scientists. Explain that some people refer to these different perspectives as
viewing the world through different lenses.

5.

Use Slides 2 7 of the PowerPoint Unit 1, Lesson 5 to discuss the different social
scientists and their perspectives. Note that you may wish to relate each slide to a school or local
topic. For example, what might historians study about your school? What might economists study
about your school? Make sure to remind students to complete their chart as you discuss each
slide.
Teacher Note: While anthropologists can be either biologically or culturally oriented, the
definition used in this course is limited to cultural anthropologists. Students will be introduced to
the field of biological anthropology in the seventh grade curriculum. Teachers may want to
share this information with their students.

6.

Explain that studying the world and its people through the perspectives of different social
scientists helps give us a more detailed and complete view. Display the Earthquake
Photographs located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5). Explain that different
social scientists would investigate a natural hazard like an earthquake in different ways.

7.

Give each student a copy of the Different Perspectives on Earthquakes chart located in
the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5). Explain that students should think carefully
about the perspectives of each of the different social scientists they have studied in this lesson and
describe one question relating to earthquakes each might investigate. If necessary, model the
process by discussing the perspective of a geographer with the whole group. A geographer may
ask a question such as, What caused the earthquake?. Note that a chart showing sample
answers has been included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5) for reference.
If students need support in this activity, the teacher could place students in pairs for the activity
or read each of the questions below (one at a time) and have the pairs discuss and decide
which social scientist would be most likely to ask it.
How do social customs and belief of people affect their understanding of earthquakes?
How do people organize themselves to respond to natural disasters?
What is the impact of an earthquake on the economy of the affected area?
How does the government deal with the aftermath of an earthquake?
How have people responded to previous earthquakes in this area?
What types of social structures and networks do people create to respond to natural
disasters in this region?
What types of building codes could reduce damage and loss of life in the future?
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum
Copyright 2010-2015 by Oakland Schools

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6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 1: Foundations of World Geography

SS060105
Lesson 5

8.

When students have completed the activity have them share their ideas in pairs or small groups
and then with the whole class.

9.

Explain that as they explore different global problems and solutions during the year they need
to think about how different social scientists would approach these issues.

10.

If time permits, you may wish to have students use the Lesson Graphic Organizer located in
the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5) as the foundation for a more complex web in which
they add ideas about each of the six types of social scientists.

Reference Section
Content Expectations
6 and 7
G5.2.1:

Describe the effects that a change in the physical environment could have on human
activities and the choices people would have to make in adjusting to the change.

6 E3.3.1:

Explain and compare how economic systems (traditional, command, and market)
answer four basic questions: What should be produced? How will it be produced?
How will it be distributed? Who will receive the benefits of production?

Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies
RH.6-8.4:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Computer for PowerPoint presentation
Overhead Projector or Document Camera/Projector
Student Global Investigator Notebooks
Teacher Resource
New Zealand Earthquake Causes Widespread Damage. WTVY.com. 8 Sept. 2010. 11 August
2015 http://4warnwxteam.com/2010/09/08/new-zealand-earthquake-causes-widespreaddamage/>.
Egbo, Carol, Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 5). Teacher-made materials.Oakland
Schools, 2012. 2015.
- - -. Powerpoint Unit 1, Lesson 5. Oakland Schools. 3 August 2012. 2015.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum

Copyright 2010-2015 by Oakland Schools

Page 3 of 4
August 11, 2015

6th Grade Social Studies: World Geography and Global Issues

Unit 1: Foundations of World Geography

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum

Copyright 2010-2015 by Oakland Schools

SS060105
Lesson 5

Page 4 of 4
August 11, 2015