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Grade 6:
World Geography
Sixth graders study the world outside of the United States and North
America. Students systematically learn geography around the world continent
by continent, similar to the way in which atlases are organized. They also
learn about each continent in an order that reflects, first, the early
development of the river valley civilizations and then the later development
of maritime civilizations in the Mediterranean area and in Northern and
Western Europe. In so doing, students are better prepared for the study of
early civilizations around the Mediterranean area in grade 7.
In grade 6, students address standards that emphasize physical and political
geography and embed five major concepts: location, place, human interaction
with the environment, movement, and regions. Location refers both to
absolute location indicated by longitude and latitude and to relative
location, indicated by direction, distance, or travel time. The concept of
place refers to the physical and man-made characteristics of a place such as
a town or city. Human interaction with the environment encompasses the many
ways in which people have adapted to their surroundings or altered them for
economic reasons. The movement of people, goods, and ideas is the fourth
concept. The fifth, region, refers to ways of categorizing areas of the
earth, such as by climate or religion.
Grade 6 Concepts and Skills
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Students should be able to:
Apply concepts and skills learned in previous grades.
History and Geography
1. Use map and globe skills learned in pre-kindergarten to grade five to
interpret different kinds of projections, as well as topographic, landform,
political, population, and climate maps. (G)
2. Use geographic terms correctly, such as delta, glacier, location,
settlement, region, natural resource, human resource, mountain, hill, plain,
plateau, river, island, isthmus, peninsula, erosion, climate, drought,
monsoon, hurricane, ocean and wind currents, tropics, rain forest, tundra,
desert, continent, region, country, nation, and urbanization. (G)
3. Interpret geographic information from a graph or chart and construct a
graph or chart that conveys geographic information (e.g., about rainfall,
temperature, or population size ). (G)
4. Explain the difference between absolute and relative location and give
examples of different ways to indicate relative location for countries or
cities across the world. (G)
5. Identify how current world atlases are organized and the kind of
information they provide for each continent and country. (G)
6. Identify what time zones are, when and how the precise measurement of
longitude was scientifically and historically determined, the function and
location of the international date line, and the function of the Royal
Observatory in Greenwich, England, and give examples of differences in time
in countries in different parts of the world. (G)
7. Use the following demographic terms correctly: ethnic group, religious
group, and linguistic group. (G)
Civics and Government
8. Define what a nation is and give examples of the different ways nations
are formed. (C)
9. Give examples of several well-known international organizations (e.g.,
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund, the British Commonwealth, and the United Nations) and explain
their purposes and functions. (C)
Economics
10. Provide examples of currencies from several countries and explain why
international trade requires a system for exchanging currency between
nations. (E)
11. Give examples of products that are traded among nations, and examples of
barriers to trade in these or other products. (E)
12. Define supply and demand and describe how changes in supply and demand
affect prices of specific products. (E)
Supply is what producers or sellers want to sell or exchange. Demand is what
consumers or buyers want to get in exchange or buy.
13. Identify the key elements of a market economy. (E)
In a market economy, the major decisions about production and distribution
are made in a decentralized manner by individual households and business
firms following their own self- interest.
14. Describe how different economic systems (traditional, command, market,
mixed) try to answer the basic economic questions of what to produce, how to
produce, and for whom to produce. (E)
15. Compare the standard of living in various countries today using gross
domestic product per capita as an indicator. (E)
Africa
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape
Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cτte dIvoire,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mayotte (Fr.), Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion (Fr.),
Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia,
South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Western
Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe
A.1 On a map of the world, locate the continent of Africa, the Atlantic
Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Great Rift Valley.
On a map of Africa, locate the northern, eastern, western, central, and
southern regions of Africa, the Sahara Desert, the Nile River, Lake
Victoria, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Cape of Good Hope. (G)
A.2 Use a map key to locate countries and major cities in Africa. (G, E)
A.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major African regions and countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
A.4 Identify when modern African countries became independent nations and
explain how independence was achieved. (H, G)
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
Africa and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in Africa. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
Africa. (G, H, E)
Explain how drought and desertification affect parts of Africa. (G,
E)
Explain how the physical features of Africa south of the Sahara have
affected transportation and communication networks. (G, E)
Describe the major obstacles to economic development in many African
nations, including linguistic, tribal, and religious diversity; corrupt
government; the lack of widespread education; and the political boundaries
established in the 19th century by European nations and the legacy of their
rule. (G, H, C, E)
Identify the locations and time periods of the sub-Saharan empires
of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. (H, G)
Western Asia (the Middle East)
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, area governed by the Palestinian Authority, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
WA.1 On a map of the world, locate Western Asia, or the Middle East. On a
map of the Middle East, locate the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Caspian
Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Peninsula, and the Persian Gulf. (G)
WA.2 Use a map key to locate countries and major cities in the Middle East.
(G, E)
WA.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major Middle Eastern countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
WA.4 Identify when the countries in the Middle East became independent
nations and explain how independence was achieved. (H, G)
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
Western Asia and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in Western Asia.
(G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
Western Asia. (G, H, E)
Compare the form and structure of government for Turkey, Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, and Israel. (C)
Identify the methods used to compensate for the scarcity of water in
some areas. (E)
Identify where the Kurds live and what their political aspirations
are. (H)
Discuss the reasons for and the effects of the United Nations
attempt in 1947 to partition the remainder of the Palestine Mandate,
including the migration of tens of thousands of European Jews to Palestine;
the flight of about 650,000 Arabs from Israel during its War of Independence
in 1948; and the flight of more than 800,000 Jews in Arab countries to
Israel after 1948. (H, G)
Central and South Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal,
Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
CSA.1 On a map of the world, locate Central and South Asia. On a map of
Central and South Asia, locate the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of
Bengal, the Ganges River, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Northern Mountains,
the Deccan Plateau, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Steppes. (G)
CSA.2 Use a map key to locate the countries and major cities in Central and
South Asia. (G, E)
CSA.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major Central and South Asian countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
CSA.4 Identify when India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
and the Central Asian republics first became independent countries and
explain how independence was achieved. Explain the relationship of the
Central Asian republics to the former Soviet Union. (H, G)
Optional Topics for Study
Explain the reasons for and the effects of the partition of the
Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947 and the exchange of more
than 12 million Hindus and Moslems.
(H, G, C)
Identify the historical factors that created a stable democratic
government in India and the role of Mohandes Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and
Indira Gandhi in its development. (H, C)+
Explain why the Indian government seeks to control population growth
and the methods it uses to control population growth. (H, G)
Describe the political, cultural, and religious differences between
the countries in South Asia and the Central Asian Republics. (H, C)
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
Central and South Asia and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in Central and South Asia. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
Central and South Asia. (G, H, E)
Locate the Khyber Pass in Afghanistan and explain its strategic
importance as a gateway from the north into the Indian subcontinent. (H, G)
Southeast Asia and Oceania
Brunei, Cambodia, Guam (U.S.), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar,
Northern Mariana Islands (U.S.), Palau, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
SEAO.1 On a map of the world, locate Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean,
Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, the major Pacific Islands, the Pacific
Ocean, and the Coral Sea. On a map of Southeast Asia and Oceania, locate the
Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the Great Victoria Desert, and the Great
Barrier Reef. (G)
SEAO.2 Use a map key to locate countries and major cities in the various
regions of Southeast Asia, Australia, and the major Pacific Islands. (G, E)
SEAO.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
SEAO.4 Identify when countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania became
independent countries and describe how independence was achieved. (G, H)
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
Southeast Asia and Oceania and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
Southeast Asia and Oceania. (G, H, E)
Explain how levels of education and work traditions contributed to
the post-World War II growth of East Asian and Southeast Asian economies
(e.g., South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore). (G, E)
Identify the refugees who left Southeast Asia over the past several
decades, the countries they came from, and why they are refugees. (G, H)
Identify and describe the major social features of the indigenous
peoples in Australia (the Aborigines) and New Zealand (the Maoris). (G, H)
Explain how Australias and New Zealands population size and
location affect their capacity to engage in international trade. (G, E)
North and East Asia
China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, Russia, South Korea
NEA.1 On a map of the world, locate North and East Asia, the Pacific Ocean,
and the Arctic Ocean. On a map of East Asia, locate the Sea of Japan, the
Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, the Gobi Desert, the Himalayas, and the
Huang He (Yellow) and Chang Jiang (Yantgtze) Rivers. On a map of North Asia,
locate Siberia and the Yenisey, Lena, and Kolyma rivers. (G)
NEA.2 Use a map key to locate the countries and major cities in the various
regions of East Asia. (G, E)
NEA.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major East Asian countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
NEA.4 Identify when North Korea, South Korea, and Mongolia became
independent countries and describe how independence was achieved. (G, H)
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
East Asia and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in East Asia. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
East Asia. (G, H, E)
Explain why Chinas geographical boundaries served to limit its
interactions with other regions and cultures for many centuries. (G, H)
Locate Tibet on a map and explain why its location may have
influenced Chinas decision to take over and colonize it. (G, H)
Explain how location has made the Korean peninsula both a
battleground and a cultural bridge between China and Japan. (G, H)
Describe why the Chinese government seeks to control population
growth and the methods it uses to control population growth. (G, H)
Describe and explain the status of Taiwan. (H, G)
Identify the number of time zones the Asiatic part of Russia spans;
identify the routes used by Russian explorers, traders, and religious
dissidents to cross into what is now Alaska. (H, G)
Europe
Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Channel Islands (U.K.), Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Gibraltar (U.K.), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,
Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom,
Vatican City, Yugoslavia
E.1 On a map of the world, locate the continent of Europe. On a map of
Europe, locate the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, and Barents
Sea. Locate the Volga, Danube, Ural, Rhine, Elbe, Seine, Po, and Thames
Rivers. Locate the Alps, Pyrenees, and Balkan Mountains. Locate the
countries in the northern, southern, central, eastern, and western regions
of Europe.
E.2 Use a map key to locate countries and major cities in Europe. (G)
E.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major European countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected countries in
Europe and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in Europe. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in various countries in
Europe. (G, H, E)
Explain why Europe has a highly developed network of highways,
waterways, railroads, and airline linkages. (G, H, E)
Describe the purposes and achievements of the European Union. (H, E)
Identify the countries that were once part of the Soviet Union in
the Baltic area, Central Asia, Southern Russia, and the Caucasus, and
compare the population and size of the former Soviet Union with that of
present day Russia. (H, G)
Explain the sources and effects of the massive pollution of air,
water, and land in the former satellite nations of Eastern Europe, in the
countries once part of the Soviet Union, and in Russia. (H, G)
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands
(U.K.), French Guiana (Fr.), Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay,
Venezuela
SAM.1 On a map of the world, locate South America and the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. On a map of South America, locate the Amazon, the Andes
Mountains, Cape Horn, and the southern, northern, eastern, and western
regions of South America. (G)
SAM.2 Use a map key to locate the countries and major cities of South
America. (G, E)
SAM.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and
the economies of major South American countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size
SAM.4 Identify when South American countries became independent nations and
explain how independence was achieved. (H, G).
Optional Topics for Study
Describe the general level of education in selected South American
countries and its relationship to the economy. (G, H, E)
Describe the political and social status of women in selected
countries in South America. (G, H, E)
Describe major ethnic and religious groups in selected countries in
South America.
(G, H, E)
Describe the major obstacles to economic development in many South
American nations, including the political influence of the military, corrupt
government, the lack of widespread education, and the absence of stable
governments. (G, H, C, E)
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