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6th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 12

Ancient India & China

Dynasties, beliefs and inventions

What your child practices

The Indus Valley and Yellow River, Chinese dynasties and the Mandate of Heaven, Confucius, Hinduism and Buddhism, and inventions such as paper and zero.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 6.H3.2; 6.H1.1 · ancient India and China and the beliefs that began there

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The Harappan civilization grew along the Indus River; early Chinese dynasties along the Yellow River (Huang He).
  2. The Mandate of Heaven said Heaven gave a ruler the right to rule and could take it from a bad ruler.
  3. Emperor Ashoka turned to Buddhism and nonviolence after a bloody war.

Example: Along which river did the Harappan civilization grow? It is also called the Indus Valley civilization. The name gives away the river. Answer: the Indus

Ancient India & China in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 5 of 12 in 6th grade Social Studies, after Mesopotamia & Egypt and before Greece & Rome.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Indian mathematicians developed which idea we still use?

    • Tally marks
    • Roman numerals
    • The number zero and the digits we write today
    • Cuneiform numbers

  2. Question 2

    The Harappan (Indus Valley) civilization grew along which river?

    • The Euphrates
    • The Yangtze
    • The Nile
    • The Indus

  3. Question 3

    Confucius taught that society works best when…

    • Everyone ignores rules
    • People respect family, elders and their duties
    • No one has duties
    • Only soldiers rule

  4. Question 4

    The Mandate of Heaven was the Chinese idea that…

    • Heaven gave a ruler the right to rule, and could take it away from a bad ruler
    • Rulers were elected
    • Only farmers could rule
    • The emperor could never lose power

  5. Question 5

    Which religion began in India and teaches about many gods and goddesses, karma and rebirth?

    • Islam
    • Christianity
    • Judaism
    • Hinduism

  6. Question 6

    Legalism, used by the Qin, believed people behave well when…

    • Laws are strict and punishments harsh
    • Rulers are kind and gentle only
    • Everyone votes
    • There are no laws

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