What Makes Detroit a Community?

Lesson 7
Overview
This lesson is part of the following unit:
Identity & Community: An Introduction to 6th Grade Social Studies
Following Lesson 6, students should have a conceptual understanding of the term
community. In Lesson 7, students explore the meaning of community in a more concrete
way. Through describing Detroit, Tennessee, a community with which they are all
familiar, students will begin to identify important factors that have shaped the identities
of communities throughout history. Students have already learned that certain factors
such as biology, personal experiences, and group affiliations influence individual
identity. Now they will see how factors such as geography, politics, economics, and
culture/ entertainment influence the identities of communities. And just as students
have thought about how their own identities have changed over time, they can see how
the identity of Detroit has changed as a result of new technology, shifting values, social
movements, and migration.

Learning Goals
1. Students will be able to describe Detroit, Michigan
2. Students will identify factors that shape the identity of a community/society.
3. Students will begin to understand the concept of society.