The first of three lessons on Pre-Columbian era with a focus how the Mesoamerica physical environment influenced human activities. Students apply the concept of relative location as they interpret and analyze a series of maps about the physical environment including topography, climate, and vegetation. Students identify possible challenges Pre-Columbian civilizations faced and make predictions about the civilization’s social, political and economic response to the environment. Key questions: What are the physical characteristics of Mesoamerica?; How did the physical environment influence the development of Mesoamerican civilizations?; How did the Aztecs and Maya overcome the limitations of their physical environment?

The second of three lessons on Pre-Columbian era with a focus how the South American physical environment influenced human activities. Students apply the concept of relative location as they interpret and analyze a series of maps about the physical environment including topography, climate, and vegetation. Students identify possible challenges Pre-Columbian civilizations faced and make predictions about the civilization’s social, political and economic response to the environment. Key questions: What characteristics distinguished the physical environment of the Incan civilization?; How does location influence the development of a civilization?; How did the Incas overcome the limitations of their physical environment?

The third of three lessons on Pre-Columbia era with a focus on cultural landscapes. These reflect ideas and beliefs of a place’s inhabitants and include shelter, religious and government buildings, monuments, and more. Students develop and refine the skill of interpreting images to support hypotheses and uncover similarities and differences among the civilizations of the Americas. Key questions: How have different cultures shaped their cultural landscapes?; How does the cultural landscape provide evidence of human interaction with the environment?

Students examine images to determine how early humans used the environment. Students use skills of observe and identify details in images and then place them in eight categories: location, migration, physical geography, shelter, settlements, food acquisition, technological advancements, and social advancements. After learning characteristics of the Neolithic and Paleolithic eras, students determine whether or not images depict life in the Paleolithic or Neolithic Era. Students are challenged to make inferences and draw conclusions supported by evidence from the images. Key questions: How did early humans use the environment to meet their basic needs? How did hunter gatherer and agricultural societies differ in their use of the land?

The Renaissance is known as a rebirth of culture that began on the Italian Peninsula. Many crusades had their points of departure from this region. The interaction with the Middle East resulted in increased trade and diffusion of ideas. Students identify the benefits of geographic location for the northern Italian city-states in terms of their local conditions (site) and the developing trade connections throughout Europe and the Middle East (situation). Key questions: How did land and sea routes connect people and places? How does location influence the ability to interact with the rest of the world?