Using a G.R.A.P.E.S. Chart to organize information about ancient Civilizations is a useful tool to enhance students' analysis of the characteristics and contributions of a society. Going further and including visuals helps students to better retain the details of each category. In this activity, students will create a spider map that focuses on the geography of ancient India.
By focusing on just one category, students are encouraged to include more information and should complete 3-6 cells. Students can come together after they’ve created their storyboards to share what they’ve learned. The full G.R.A.P.E.S. Chart can be used as a post assessment after students have presented.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map focusing on the different characteristics of the Geography of ancient India.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Minimum of 3-6 cells showcasing different characteristics of the Geography of ancient India. Appropriate scenes to illustrate each cell. 1-3 sentence description for each cell demonstrating your understanding.
Begin by simply introducing the concept of geography. Ask the students what geography is according to their knowledge and why it is important besides knowing where a country or region exists. Explain to the students the significance of geography as a subject and how the knowledge of this subject can create a great difference.
One of the simpler aspects of geography is to locate a region on the map. Students can use an old map to pinpoint this location with the help of teachers and discuss all nearby regions as well. Once students are done with the old map, they can print out a modern-day map and try to match the pinpoint locations on the old map with the new one and discuss the transformation and evolution.
Explain to the students that analyzing landforms and waterbodies for a particular region is also included in geography and how this analysis gives a lot of meaningful and significant information about trade routes and agricultural practices. Students can search for any famous or significant landforms or waterbodies in ancient Indian civilization as a topic for research.
Help the students to compare the topography of ancient India to that of Mesopotamia, Egypt, or China. Students can also compare the geography of various ancient civilizations or modern civilizations to find out major differences and what other factors are coming into play here.
Include exercises involving maps, role-playing games, or simulations to help students engage with the geographic features of ancient India. Encourage the students to actively participate in discussions and debates for a better learning experience.
Ancient India's main physical characteristics included the Himalayan mountain range to the north, the plains of the Indus and Ganges rivers, the Thar Desert, and the Deccan Plateau.
Due to its dry environment, which made cultivation difficult, the Thar Desert faced obstacles. The Himalayas also functioned as a natural barrier, affecting trade routes and relations with adjacent areas. Some of these areas still face these challenges especially because of the change in climate and related activities.
Agriculture depends on the monsoon season, which is marked by torrential rainfall. Monsoons were crucial to Ancient Indians' economy and way of life since their timely arrival affected the success of their harvests. Agriculture was one of the major livelihoods of the ancient Indian society back then.