Humanities and Social Studies Curriculum FOR SIXTH GRADE
UNIT 1 - FROM THE 1918 SPANISH FLU TO COVID-19 TODAY
COMPLETE UNIT WITH INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY AND PLANS FOR THREE LESSONS
UNIT OVERVIEW:
Students will learn that America has faced a pandemic before - in 1918. They will compare and contrast the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic with COVID-19 today. Students will learn about the purpose of an archive and record their own experiences with COVID-19 in a time capsule. Students will have the opportunity to submit their time capsule to be preserved in the archive of the Fresno County Historical Society.
UNIT INCLUDES:
​
-
Introductory Activity: Defining an Archive
-
Learning Activity #1: Learning about the 1918 Spanish Flu
-
Learning Activity #2: Compare and Contrast the Spanish Flu with COVID-19
-
Learning Activity #3: My COVID-19 Time Capsule Project
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Below are links to download documents, and handouts for this lesson along with links to web resources and additional material that will be helpful in presenting the concepts of this unit to your class.
Web Resources:
​
What’s an Archive?
https://www.archives.gov/about/info/whats-an-archives.html
​
Fresno County Historical Society Mission
https://www.valleyhistory.org
​
National Archives News – The Flue Pandemic of 1918
https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/flu-pandemic-1918
​
Primary Resources:
​
Images from the 1918 Flu Pandemic from the National Archives and Pop Laval Foundation. (Hover over image to view caption. Click to view/show full screen)
Fresno, CA Armistice Parade, November 1918. Photo courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation
Parade in Fresno, CA during Spanish Flu in November 1918. Photo Courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation
Letter carrier in New York City wearing mask. (National Archives Identifier 45499319)
Fresno, CA Armistice Parade, November 1918. Photo courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation
Newspaper articles from the Fresno Weekly Republican and Fresno Morning Republican Newspapers from 1918 and 1919. Click Image for Downloadable PDF Documents.
Public Health Announcements from Government Offices. Click Image for Downloadable PDF Documents.
​
1918-1919 2020
Video Resources: https://video.wixstatic.com/video/50b680_a8379a5f5755430791e544af8b3b7c2f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4
Workbook:
​
My COVID-19 Time Capsule for Students . Click Image for Downloadable PDF Documents.
Unit 2 - Everybody Counts: Learning about the US Census
UNIT SUMMARY:
​
The Country is working to complete the 24th Census of the United States this year. This lesson will help students to learn what the Census is and why it is important to our daily lives. Students will be able to explain what the Census is and how it is used. Finally, students will complete a family census to share with the class.
UNIT INCLUDES:
​
-
Learning Activity #1: Understanding the Census
-
Learning Activity #2: Using the Census for Research
-
Extension Activity: Compare and Contrast the 1890 and 2010 Census
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Below are links to download documents, and handouts for this lesson along with links to web resources and additional material that will be helpful in presenting the concepts of this unit to your class.
Web Resources:
What’s the Census and Why is it so Important
Handouts:
Everybody Counts Questions Everybody Counts (Answer Key)
Primary Resources:
Historic Images of Millerton prior to the building of Friant Dam. Photos courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation. (Hover over image to view caption. Click to view/show full screen)
Shaw-Hedges Col- Millerton Courthouse, circa 1900.
Millerton Courthouse on road, Jan 12, 1920 - Robert Parker
Fresno County's first courthouse and courthouse exchange, better known as Payne's Saloon, 1868.
Shaw-Hedges Col- Millerton Courthouse, circa 1900.
Early Map of Fresno County - 1914
1860 Census from Millerton, California
1890 Census 2010 Census
Unit 3 - Your Story Matters: Understanding and Collecting Oral History
UNIT SUMMARY:
​
Oral Histories are primary-source first-person narrative recordings that help to round out the story of the past. At times, an interview may serve as the only source information available about a certain place, event or person. Oral history helps us understand how individuals and communities experienced life in a specific time and/or dealt with major historic events. This lesson will introduce students to what an Oral History is. They will have the opportunity to listen to a recorded oral history and learn how to collect an oral history from someone that they know.
UNIT INCLUDES:
​
-
Learning Activity #1: Understanding Oral History - Listening to stories from our community
-
Learning Activity #2: Conducting an Oral History
-
Extension Activities: Quick Write and Transcription and Evaluate
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Below are links to download documents, and handouts for this lesson along with links to web resources and additional material that will be helpful in presenting the concepts of this unit to your class.
Oral History Recordings:
Handouts:
At Home Oral History Interview Worksheet
Unit 4 - A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Analyzing Historic Photos
UNIT SUMMARY:
​
Historic and antique images are a valuable part of understanding history. They provide the clearest and most accurate depiction of the past. By studying a photograph, we can draw conclusions about places, people and events that we may otherwise not be able to fully understand. This unit will teach students local Fresno County history through photographs from the turn of the century as well as helping to improve visual literacy and critical thinking skills.
​
With photos from the Fresno County Historical Society Archive and from the Pop Laval Collection students will learn to view historic images and analyze them. They will learn about the founding of Fresno County and see how the city grew over time by comparing and contrasting photos from different decades. Students will analyze a historic image of Zapp’s Park in Fresno County prior to learning the true history behind the picture.
UNIT INCLUDES:
​
-
Learning Activity #1: Analyzing and Understanding Historic Photos: Zapp's Park
-
Learning Activity #2: Compare and Contrast City Scenes from throughout Fresno's History
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Below are links to download documents, and handouts for this lesson along with links to web resources and additional material that will be helpful in presenting the concepts of this unit to your class.
Web Resources:
​
As Pop Saw it: Valley Stories as photographed by Claude C. “Pop” Laval by Valley PBS
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4370276781091
​
Zapp's Park Photos (Located where the intersection of Olive Ave and Blackstone Ave is Today):
​
​
Reading:
​
"Zapp's Park: Fresno Best Amusement Park"
A Brief History of Early Fresno
Handout:
​
"What Do You Notice?" Questions Sheet
Handout:
​
Compare & Contrast Activity Sheets
Worksheet:
​
Compare & Contrast Activity Sheets
Fresno City Scenes Photos:
​
​
Unit 5 - Invention & Innovation: The History of Everyday Things
UNIT SUMMARY:
​
The everyday things that we rely on in our homes were all created by someone, somewhere. Most of the items that we use to keep things clean, to communicate and to entertain ourselves today are all innovative advancements on much simpler designs and early inventions. This unit will examine those early innovations from our history.
​
Students will learn that everyday items that we relay on today have their roots in earlier inventions. They will have the opportunity to discover the history of the Fresno Scraper and through the story of the development of this foundational farming tool they will learn about the phases of invention. The unit will conclude with students applying their new knowledge about the phases of invention to create with own innovation.
UNIT INCLUDES:
​
-
Learning Activity #1: History of Inventions - The Fresno Scraper
-
Learning Activity #2: Create an Invention
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Below are links to download documents, and handouts for this lesson along with links to web resources and additional material that will be helpful in presenting the concepts of this unit to your class.
Video Resource:
​
AJ Fox, On the Map segment for KSEE Channel 24
https://www.facebook.com/ajfoxwx/videos/2462636003861560
Handout:
​
History of the Fresno Scraper Questions Sheet
Curriculum made possible by:
