11/21/21, 6:47 PM Ancient Civilizations

Computational Thinking Lessons

Ancient Civilizations
Grade 6, 60min

In the computer-based Ancient Civilizations activity, students create their own civilization
and see how it fares over the years based on choices they make for location, animals,
plants and materials. Students trade resources between their civilizations, repeatedly go to
war with unnamed enemies, and learn some fun facts about real-world ancient civilizations
along the way. This activity was inspired by Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

Topics addressed
Value of natural resources in ancient civilizations
Impact of ecological and pathological events on populations
Primary CT concept: abstraction. It would be foolish to try and explain all of ancient
history by looking at just the natural resources available to a civilization, but for the
purposes of this lesson, we abstract away all other details to focus on this important
aspect of burgeoning civilizations.
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 Students will be able to
11/21/21, 6:47 PM Ancient Civilizations

Describe the impact of the Bubonic Plague and understand how some civilizations
developed immunities, giving them significant advantage over other civilizations
Understand that some animals, plants and materials are more valuable to a burgeoning
civilization than others
Understand how certain resources can be beneficial during periods of war
Materials
Ancient Civilizations web app
Student worksheet:

Prep
Create a classroom code using the web app linked above. This will allow your students
to trade with one another.
If you’re focused on a particular ancient civilization, you could consider limiting the
resources student can pick from to those that were plausibly in that civilization. In this
way, you could repeat this activity in subsequent units with different civilizations.
Suggested lesson breakdown
This activity is incredibly flexible. Students can play for a few minutes a day over several
weeks, or they can play a full game within a sixty minute class period.

Washington State standards

WA.SS.6.2.1.1
Analyzes the costs and benefits of economic choices made by groups and individuals
in the past or present.
WA.SS.6.3.1.1
Constructs and analyzes maps using scale, direction, symbols, legends and projections
to gather information.
WA.SS.6.3.2.1
Understands and analyzes how the environment has affected people and how people
have affected the environment in the past or present.
WA.SS.6.4.1.2
Understands how the rise of civilizations defines eras in ancient history by explaining
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and comparing the rise of civilizations on two or more continents.

WA.SS.6.4.2.3
Understands and analyzes how technology and ideas from ancient civilizations have
impacted world history.

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