Social Studies — Grade 6

Resources on the web

Products across borders

In this lesson, students identify foreign products available in the United States and learn about U.S. companies that sell products abroad. The students discuss globalization and illustrate two maps to show where products come from and where they're sold. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Off the scale

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use real-world examples to solve problems involving scale as they examine maps of their home states and calculate distances between cities. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Mathematics and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

My little island

In this lesson from ARTSEDGE, students learn about the processes that lead to the formation of an island and study the impact that an island's geographic and geologic history has on the culture of the people who live there. Students divide into groups to... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–8 Science, Social Studies, and Theater Arts Education)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

My little island

In this lesson from ARTSEDGE, students learn about the processes that lead to the formation of an island and study the impact that an island's geographic and geologic history has on the culture of the people who live there. Students divide into groups to... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–8 Science, Social Studies, and Theater Arts Education)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Latitude, longitude, and mapmaking

This lesson requires students to review the concepts of latitude and longitude and to use these concepts to create maps of different countries on the computer. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Interpreting the evidence

This lesson, the second of a two-part series from Science NetLinks, offers useful information and activities to help students understand how scientists learn about civilizations that have disappeared. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Science and Social Studies)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Geography and your dream job

Introduces students to the five themes of geography. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Famous boundaries

Students label boundaries (between states or countries) on a map and then think about the boundaries they are familiar with near their homes. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Contour maps with DOGSTAILS

In this Xpeditions lesson, students craft miniature mountains from lumps of clay. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Clues from the Black Sea

Students discuss the scientific method and define “theory” and “hypothesis.” (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Capturing history

Students study the political and economic reasons for the African-American migration to Northern cities between the World Wars. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–8 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Boundary ballads

Students identify the boundaries that are “singing” odd geographical songs. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–7 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Adopt a lot

Students identify a place in the community that needs to be improved and develop a plan to renew the area. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

"Ad-ing" to geography

In this Xpeditions lesson, students examine how clothing and other consumer products influence peer identity. They classify several economic activities and analyze their spatial patterns, as well as use advertisements for contemporary products to explore economic... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic