Materials Needed

• World Map or large laminated map showing major rivers (Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Indus, Yellow).
• Printouts/Digital images of cuneiform tablets, the Code of Hammurabi Stele, Indus seals, and Chinese oracle bones.
• Construction paper, clay, or salt dough (for hands-on modeling).
• Markers, colored pencils.
• Timeline template (physical or digital).
• INSPECT Civilization Tracker (A simple table with columns: Civilization, I/E, S, P, E, C, T).
• Index cards (20-30 total) for the final summative assessment.

Learning Objectives (Success Criteria)

By the end of this 3-block module, the learner will be able to:

1. Geography (I/E): Accurately locate and describe the geographic advantages and challenges of at least three major river valley civilizations.
2. Government & Society (P, S): Compare and contrast the political structures (e.g., city-state vs. empire) and social hierarchies of Mesopotamian and Chinese civilizations.
3. Culture & Innovation (C, T): Identify and explain the purpose of the foundational writing systems and technological advances (e.g., irrigation, codified law, bronze casting) developed by these societies.
4. Synthesis: Successfully match key INSPECT facts to the corresponding civilization with 80% accuracy in the final assessment.

Block 1: The Fertile Crescent Foundation (50 Minutes)

Introduction (5 min)

Hook: The Farming Revolution

Educator Prompt: Imagine a place where the soil is so rich that every seed you plant grows massive crops—enough food to feed your family for a year. What would you do with all the extra time and food? (Discussion: The idea of 'surplus' leading to specialized jobs, settlement, and eventually, cities.)

Objectives Review

Today, we are visiting the world's first cities in Mesopotamia, focusing on how geography shaped their lives (I/E) and the amazing things they invented (C, T).

Body: The Cradle of Civilization (40 min)

I Do: Geography and City-States (15 min)

Content Delivery:

• I/E (Interactions with Environment): Locate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the map. Discuss the unpredictable flooding and the necessity of irrigation systems (canals and dikes). Explain how this environment led to competition between city-states (Sumer).
• P (Political Systems): Define a city-state (a city that acts like a country). Introduce the shift from independent city-states (Sumer) to the world's first empire (Akkad, Sargon).
• P/S (Law): Introduce Babylon and Hammurabi's Code. Discuss the concept of codified law and the idea of "eye for an eye" (showing the stele image).

We Do: Decoding and Defining (15 min)

Activity: Cuneiform Challenge (C, T)

1. Review images of cuneiform writing (wedge shapes). Discuss its purpose (recording grain, laws, taxes).
2. Practice: Provide a simple cuneiform alphabet key. Cora uses clay/dough or pencil/paper to write her name or a simple three-word phrase using the wedge shapes.
3. Discussion: How did cuneiform change society? (It allowed for complex records and history, moving beyond simple storytelling.)

You Do: Modern Law Creation (10 min)

Application:

Educator Prompt: Hammurabi created laws for his vast kingdom. If you were the leader of your family/classroom, what three clear rules would you write down, and what would be the consequence for breaking them? (Focus on clarity and fairness, relating to P and S.)

Formative Assessment: Review Cora's three rules. Check for understanding of the "codified law" concept.

Conclusion & Recap (5 min)

Recap: Review the primary contributions of Sumer/Babylon (Cuneiform, Irrigation, Hammurabi’s Code). Fill in the first sections of the INSPECT Tracker for Sumer/Babylon (I/E: Irrigation; C: Cuneiform; P: Code of Hammurabi).

Block 2: Empires and Isolation (50 Minutes)

Introduction (5 min)

Hook: The Mystery of the Missing Cities

Educator Prompt: We know exactly why Sumer and Babylon existed: they left massive temples and libraries. But what if a huge, complex civilization existed, and then just... disappeared? Today we explore the powerful Assyrians and the mysterious Indus Valley civilization.

Objectives Review

We will compare military power (Assyria, P) with extreme organization (Indus, T/I/E) and study how trade linked and isolated these groups (E).

Body: Empires and Urban Planners (40 min)

I Do: Military Might and Trade Routes (15 min)

Content Delivery:

• P/S (Political/Social): Introduce the Assyrian Empire. Discuss their reputation for disciplined armies, iron weapons (T), and their method of control (fear and deportation). Contrast their massive, centralized empire structure with the earlier Sumerian city-states.
• E (Economic Systems): Discuss the importance of long-distance trade. Locate the Indus River Valley (modern India/Pakistan). Explain that unlike Mesopotamia, the Indus region had access to valuable resources like timber, gold, and cotton.

We Do: The Great Drainage Challenge (15 min)

Activity: Mohenjo-Daro Design (T, I/E)

1. Present images of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Highlight the standardized bricks, grid street layout, and the sophisticated drainage and sewer systems. Discuss the "Great Bath."
2. Discussion: What does this advanced planning tell us about their political and social structure (S)? (They needed a strong, centralized government to enforce standards.)
3. Practice: Draw a simple blueprint for a modern city block or neighborhood. Ensure it includes a standardized grid, a system for waste/water, and a public gathering spot.

You Do: Analyzing the Evidence (10 min)

Application:

Provide images of Indus Valley seals (small carved stones often showing animals or unique writing).

Educator Prompt: These seals are found far from the Indus Valley, sometimes even in Mesopotamia. What do these tiny objects tell us about the Indus economy (E)? (Answer Focus: Extensive trade, standardized measurements for goods, and a unique, still-undeciphered writing system.)

Differentiation (Extension): If Cora is advanced, assign a short research task on the competing theories regarding the collapse or disappearance of the Indus Valley civilization.

Conclusion & Recap (5 min)

Recap: Review the key differences: Mesopotamia built up massive religious ziggurats and laws; Indus built perfectly organized cities and sanitation systems. Fill in the INSPECT Tracker for Assyria (T: Iron weapons; P: Large centralized empire) and Indus Valley (T/I/E: Urban planning, drainage; E: Trade seals).

Block 3: The Yellow River Dynasty & Synthesis (50 Minutes)

Introduction (5 min)

Hook: Firing the Ruler

Educator Prompt: In many early civilizations, the ruler was chosen by birth or strength. In ancient China, they had a concept called the "Mandate of Heaven." If a ruler was cruel or incompetent, the people believed the gods would take the Mandate away, and they had the right to overthrow him. Would this be a good political system today? Why?

Objectives Review

We will examine the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, focusing on unique political concepts (P), cultural practices (C), and comparing all four civilizations (Synthesis).

Body: The Middle Kingdom and the Mandate (40 min)

I Do: Dynastic Cycles and Culture (15 min)

Content Delivery:

• I/E (Interactions with Environment): Locate the Yellow (Huang He) and Yangtze Rivers. Discuss the geographical isolation of early China compared to Mesopotamia, and the challenge of the Yellow River’s destructive "China’s Sorrow" floods.
• P/C (Political/Cultural): Introduce the concept of the Dynasty (a ruling family) and the Mandate of Heaven (P). Discuss the cultural importance of ancestor worship and the use of Oracle Bones for divination (C).
• T (Technology): Highlight the advanced metallurgical skill—bronze casting—used for ritual vessels and weapons (Shang Dynasty).

We Do: Predicting the Future (15 min)

Activity: The Oracle Bone Reading (C)

1. Show images of genuine oracle bones (turtle shells or ox scapulae). Explain the process: writing a question, heating the bone until it cracks, and reading the cracks for answers.
2. Practice: Cora writes three simple yes/no questions relevant to her life (e.g., "Will it rain tomorrow?"). Using paper and pencil, she draws a crack pattern on each question and "interprets" the answers based on a simple provided key (e.g., crack points up = yes; crack points down = no).
3. Discussion: Contrast the permanence of cuneiform (for laws and history) with the religious, temporary nature of oracle bone script.

You Do: The River Valley Summit (10 min)

Synthesis Application (Reviewing all civilizations):

Cora uses the completed INSPECT Tracker to review the foundational achievements of Sumer/Babylon, Indus Valley, and Shang/Zhou China.

Educator Prompt: Which civilization had the best solution to its river problems, and why? (Tigris/Euphrates, Indus, or Yellow River?)

Conclusion & Summative Assessment (5 min)

Summative Assessment: INSPECT Civilization Card Sort

1. Prepare 20 index cards beforehand, each listing one key INSPECT fact (e.g., "Used iron weapons," "Mandate of Heaven," "Invented Cuneiform," "Built drainage systems," "Used oracle bones," "Ruled by city-states," "Code of Hammurabi," "Bronze casting").
2. Cora must sort the 20 cards into three piles: Mesopotamia (Sumer/Babylon/Assyria), Indus Valley, and Early China.
3. Success Criteria: 16 or more cards correctly sorted demonstrates mastery of the learning objectives.