Ancient+India+Detailed+Lesson+Plans+and+Activities


 * Ancient India:**
 * Essential Questions:**
 * 1. What defines a civilization? **
 * 2. Why is the Harrappan Civilization significant? **
 * 3. What is the Aryan debate and what does it mean for the legacy of ancient India today? **

= Day 1: Do Now: Answer the following questions in your notes and be prepared to discuss: = 1. Is the group in the picture below part of a civilization? Why or why not?

2.What does a group of people need to have to be considered a civilization? 3.How does a city differ from other human settlements? What are the MOST important characteristics of a city? 4.What are the most important advantages and disadvantages of living in a city? a. Explain your reasons for considering your choices the “most important” ones. b. In what ways, if any, do the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city differ for various groups in a city’s population?

Think-pair-share with a partner next to you. Then we will discuss as a class. Be sure to write down your final answers to the above questions that we come up with as a class so you can reflect at the end of the lesson.

a) Consider the following: People’s relationship to the environment (economic organization) People’s relationship to each other (political and social organization) People’s systems of ideas (religion, values, the arts, science) b) For which of the above is the information needed to make comparisons most lacking? c) What reasons could you give for differences in the availability of information? d) Explain how you decided what was “important.”
 * Questions to answer today:**
 * 1. To What Extent can the Harrappan Valley Civilization truly be considered a civilization?**


 * 2. What is the Aryan Debate and which side has a stronger argument?**
 * 3. How has ancient India shaped India today? (Specifically discuss religion and the caste system)**

• [| Indus Valley] and explore the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization to help you answer the above questions Share your responses with the class. What makes the Indus Valley Civilization a "civilization"? Label each piece of information with a letter that corresponds to the topics above for question 2.
 * Activity 1:** With a partner, read the story on the following BBC link:


 * Activity 2:** Watch the clips below:

media type="youtube" key="n7ndRwqJYDM" height="315" width="560"

media type="custom" key="14104130"


 * Activity 3: If the Indus Valley Civilization disappeared, who are the Indians of today descendants of?** **Aryans? Read the following [|article], watch the clip below and research about the Aryan Debate. What is the Aryan debate about? Be prepared to discuss!**

Do you agree with this perspective on the Aryan Debate? What evidence is there that Indo-Europeans influenced India? What evidence is there against it? Which perspective do you agree with most and why?

[|Aryan Debate]

[|BBC admits flaws in Indo-European Invasion Theory] (Look at the section titled: //Vedic Period////)//

Indian Scientist refutes Indo-European Invasion Theory (35 minutes) media type="custom" key="25017264"

How has ancient Indian history shaped the India of today? (not in a positive way) [|Caste system roots] [|The problem of the caste system still lingers.]
 * Activity 4: Also, read the article below and answer:**


 * Exit Slip:**
 * 1. To What Extent can the Harrappan Valley Civilization truly be considered a civilization?**
 * 2. What is the Aryan Debate and which side has a stronger argument?**
 * 3. How has ancient India shaped India today? (Specifically discuss religion and the caste system)**


 * Homework:**
 * Quiz Next Class!**
 * Read the following section and ADD to your responses to today's questions** (Note: you don't need to re-write the same answers that you've already written. Just add any extra detail you learn from the reading):

[|The Early History and Religion of India]
 * Reading:**


 * 1. How can the Harappan Valley Civilization be considered a civilization?**

a) Consider the following: People’s relationship to the environment (economic organization) People’s relationship to each other (political and social organization) People’s systems of ideas (religion, values, the arts, science) b) For which of the above is the information needed to make comparisons most lacking? c) What reasons could you give for differences in the availability of information? d) Explain how you decided what was “important.”