Ancient Egypt A Teaching Unit for 2nd Grade

Students

Prepared By: Shannon Parker

Url: http://scparker.wmwikis.net/

Submitted as Partial Requirement for ED 405

Elementary and Middle Social Studies Curriculum and Instruction

Professor Gail McEachron

The College of William and Mary

Fall 2010

Contents

Historical Narrative: 2

Map/Globe Skills Lesson: 9

Critical Thinking and the Arts: 13

Civic Engagement: 18

Global Inquiry: 30

Assessments, Objective and Essay: 40

Bibliography: 42

Appendix A National and State Standards: 45

Expenses

Historical Narrative

Introduction

Ancient Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations, spanning close to 3000 years

(Carr, 2009). It is the home of one of the earliest forms of writing, hieroglyphics, as well

as the incredible pyramids. While many people think of Ancient Egypt as a fairly

constant culture and society, there were in fact many changes throughout the period.

Within the culture of Ancient Egypt, there existed much stratification that surprisingly

closely resembles the make-up of many modern societies today.

According to Virginia Standards of Learning (standard 2.1), second grade

students are expected to learn how Ancient Egypt contributed to modern culture,

particularly through architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language (Virginia

Department of Education). The Standards of Learning also highlight map and globe

skills, which are reinforced throughout this unit. Other sets of pertinent standards are

located in the Appendix of this unit.

Through the study of Ancient Egypt, students understand how important events in

the past contribute to the present day, and that our world is constantly changing, building

on history to create anew. They can learn to appreciate the study of history as a subject

that helps us know more about who they are today and where they came from. The study

of Ancient Egypt is particularly important for second grade students, as it is at this age

that students can begin critically thinking of cultures and peoples that differ from them in

significant ways. Students will develop an understanding that there are cultures that differ

from theirs, and that each of these cultures has merit and contributes to our world.

Key Ideas and Events

Ancient Egypt is located in the fertile valley of the Nile River (Carr, 2009).

Surrounded by the dry land of the Sahara Desert, ancient Egyptians relied on the River

for life. Each year, the Nile flooded, spreading rich black soil across the valley. This soil

allowed the ancient Egyptians to grow crops and survive in such a dry climate. During

the rest of the year, the Egyptians used complex irrigations systems to bring water from

the Nile to their fields. The crops produced in this valley were used for a variety of

reasons, including as food, as trade crops, and as paper.

Ancient Egypt as we know it began as two different nations, Upper Egypt and

Lower Egypt (Donn). The “beginning” of Ancient Egypt occurred when the first Pharaoh,

Menes, conquered these two lands and combined them as one (Millmore). From this

point on, Ancient Egypt was primarily ruled by kings, called pharaohs, who were

considered gods on earth (Carr, 2009). Many scholars separate Egyptian history into

several main eras, based on the ruling families. These eras include the Early Dynastic

Period, the Old Kingdom, the First Intermediate Period, the Middle Kingdom, the Second

Intermediate Period, the New Kingdom, the Late Dynastic Period, and the Greek-Roman

Period (Kinnaer, 2010).

The intermediate periods were characterized by instability and foreign take-over

of Ancient Egypt. The kingdoms, on the other hand, were characterized as periods of

relative stability in Ancient Egypt, where the pharaohs held a firm rule over the nation

and kept Ancient Egypt united. For the most part, a ruling family held power throughout

the generations during each kingdom. The pharaohs, as kings practiced a monarchy in

which they held absolute rule over everyone and used government officials, who were

responsible for smaller sections of the nation, as administrators. These officials, or

viziers, also served as judges in the communities they controlled. Their opinions were

final, but they had to explain their reasons for their judgments out loud, creating a kind of

justice for the people (Donn).

Much of what we know of Ancient Egypt comes from its famous burial tombs

(Carr, 2009). Ancient Egyptians believed in an after-world, and sought to prepare their

dead for life in this after-world. Because of this, people were buried in tombs, the most

well-known of which are the famous pyramids of Giza. These pyramids were tombs for

pharaohs, who had the power and wealth to commission massive structures for their

tombs (Carr, 2009). Many of the tombs were quite elaborate, with wall paintings and

artifacts depicting life in Ancient Egypt. These wall paintings give current scholars the

vast majority of their knowledge on Ancient Egypt.

Many of the paintings depicted Egyptian gods, demonstrating that religion played

an important role in Ancient Egypt. Egyptians were polytheistic, believing in a variety of

gods, who represented important aspects of nature and life. Some of these gods include

Amun, king of the gods, Anubis, god of the dead, Horus, god of the sky, Isis, goddess of

protection, Osiris, ruler of the underworld, and Ra, the sun god (Ancient Egypt). The

Book of the Dead was also included in tombs (Donn). This book contained spells to

ensure that those buried reached the afterlife.

Hieroglyphics, one of the earliest forms of writing, were also found on the tomb

wall paintings (Kinnaer, 2010). This form of writing used pictures to indicate both ideas

and sounds, and formed the basis for two other forms of writing in Ancient Egypt,

hieratic and demotic. For many years, archeologists were unable to translate

hieroglyphics, but then they discovered the Rosetta Stone two hundred years ago. This

stone showed the same passage, writing in Greek, demotic and hieroglyphics (Donn),

allowing archeologists and other scholars to finally be able to translate hieroglyphics.

This lead to a huge increase in understanding about life in Ancient Egypt.

Artifacts in the tombs gave evidence to the technology of Ancient Egypt. The

bodies of the dead were preserved through a mummification process, which preserved

these bodies for thousands of years (Ancient Egypt, 1999). The Egyptians believed that

the dead would be able to use their bodies in the afterlife, so they worked to prevent

decomposition. Other technologies and inventions attributed to the Ancient Egyptians

include the water clock (Ancient Egypt, 1999), the solar calendar, with 365 days in the

year and leap year (Crystal), paper, black ink, ox-drawn plows, organized labor, and sails

(Ancient Egypt Online, 2008). For images of Egyptian artifacts, see Allen and Allen’s

webpage (Allen & Allen, 2003).

As depicted on these wall paintings, the Ancient Egyptians also held a formal

army unit (Strachan, 2010). A professional standing army existed at all times, and more

were assembled and trained in times of war. This military was pivotal to the survival of

the civilization. Ancient Egypt was surrounded by different peoples, including the lighter

skinned Europeans to the north and the darker skinned Africans to the east. Because of

their medium-toned skin, Ancient Egyptians believed themselves to be the “perfect

people,” at a mid-range of color compared to their neighbors (Carr, 2009). Some of these

darker skinned neighbors, like Nubian and Libyan mercenaries, also served in the

Egyptian military (Strachan, 2010).

Wall paintings also demonstrate Ancient Egyptians enjoying themselves through

music and dancing. While few instruments remain, depictions of the instruments on wall

paintings show that they had stringed instruments similar to harps and guitars as well as

reed flutes (Carskadon, Yoxall, & Stohr-Hunt, 1998).

Men, Women, Youth, and Children

The most famous people in the Ancient Egyptian civilization are undoubtedly the

pharaohs. Scholars know much more about them because their burial tombs were often

very elaborate, depicting their lives in great detail. Some of the most famous pharaohs

include Amenhotep, Akhenaten, and Tutenkhamun, who ruled during the New Kingdom

(Millmore). Amenhotep was considered a great pharaoh because he ruled in a time of

great stability in Ancient Egypt, building many temples and statues. Akhenaten is most

well known for his idealism. He attempted to convert Egypt to monotheism, claiming that

Aten, the god of the sun, was the only god. However, polytheism was so deeply ingrained

in Egyptian culture that the civilization maintained its views of multiple gods,

particularly after Akhenaten’s death.

Tutenkhamun is perhaps the most famous of all the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs,

mostly due to the legend and mystery surrounding his tomb. He became pharaoh when he

was only 9 years old, and died after ruling for a mere nine years (Crystal). Each pharaoh

had many wives (Carskadon, Yoxall, & Stohr-Hunt, 1998), but there was usually a “great

royal wife” named. She was usually related to the pharaoh and helped maintain the

bloodline of the ruling family (Strachan, 2010).

While the ruling men of Ancient Egypt are most well known, there are a

significant number of famous women as well. Hatshepsut was the first prominent female

figure recorded in history (Millmore). She served as pharaoh for 20 years after her

husband died, claiming that the god Amun-Ra spoke to her and declared her king. She

dressed as a man to preserve the image of the pharaoh and Ancient Egypt flourished

under her rule. Cleopatra is another famous woman from Ancient Egypt. She is known as

the last pharaoh before Egypt fell to the Romans, and she ruled well until exiled by

supporters of her brother and husband (Ancient Egypt Online, 2008).

Like many other societies, Ancient Egyptian society was comprised of various classes,

mostly separated into nobility and non-nobility. A unique story highlighting the

differences in classes can be found here:

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/life/story/main.html. The lives of most people in Ancient

Egypt focused around the family unit. These family units usually consisted of a father,

mother, and children, similar to the nuclear family of today (Carr, 2009). Most men

worked as farmers, craftsmen, or scribes (Ancient Egypt, 1999). Boys went to school to

learn reading and writing and then often worked alongside their fathers. Girls did not go

to school but instead stayed home with the other women to learn their household duties.

Some children were slaves, but their lives were not much different than those of non-

slave children. Many women worked in the home, but some worked at jobs (Carskadon,

Yoxall, & Stohr-Hunt, 1998). Women’s primary role was taking care of daily family

needs, but unlike other more patriarchal societies, women could hold property and could

pursue a craft. They also had the right to chose whether or not they wanted to marry a

man, and could seek divorce (Donn). These descriptions include native Egyptians, other

races were addressed in the previous section.

Closing and Legacy

Great variety existed in Ancient Egypt, much of it mirroring more modern

cultures. Studying this civilization allows students to develop a deeper understanding of

society today by learning where many of our traditions come from. By preserving

knowledge through burial tombs, the Ancient Egyptians have left a window into the past

from which students can learn. Ancient Egypt contributed great advances in architecture

through their pyramids and temples, as well as creating an early writing system. The

modern calendar exists as a testament to Ancient Egyptian knowledge, and well as the

use of paper. The concepts of justice, organized rule, and organized labor all arose out of

Ancient Egypt, and without these contributions, modern society would not exist as we

know it today.

Ancient Egypt still fascinates scholars and lay people alike. Archeologists are still

making new discoveries, increasing our knowledge of this civilization. The rich culture

and traditions of Ancient Egypt have helped Egyptians retain a unique identity through

the multitude of foreign occupations that the country has faced over the years, including

conquests by the Romans, Muslims, Ottomans, and Napolean (Isseroff). In the present

day, Egypt occupies a unique position. While located in Africa, Egypt is considered part

of the Middle East, due to the fact that it is largely Muslim, a remnant of one of its early

occupancies.

Lesson #1: Ancient Egypt Map Prepared by Shannon Parker Audience: Second grade students Standards:

Virginia SOLs: 2.4-- The student will develop map skills by a) locating the United States, China, and Egypt on world maps; b) understanding the relationship between the environment and the culture of ancient China and Egypt 2.6 --The student will demonstrate map skills by constructing simple maps, using title, map legend, and compass rose. 2.7 --The student will describe natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings). 2.9 --The student will explain that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services. National Geography Standards Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective" Standard 9: "The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human population on Earth's surface" Standard 10: "The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics" Standard 17: "How to apply geography to interpret the past"

Materials/Time/Space: computer with Internet access (class set/mobile laptop cart), http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/ts/viewTrack.do?number=4158021), class copies of blank maps (Xpeditions Atlas. National Geographic Xpeditions. Retrieved from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html?Parent=africa&Rootmap=egypt&Mode=b), Fairfax County map (Park and Ride/HOV Map. Fairfax County

Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/pnr_hovmap.htm), document camera, 2 index cards, pencils and colored pencils; 1 hour; ~20 students, typical classroom spaced, desks grouped in sets of 2, whole group except for independent practice (in pairs) 1 References can be found on the Trackstar cite or in the final bibliography. There was not enough space to include all references here

Lesson Description Anticipatory Set: Place a copy of the Fairfax County Park and Ride/HOV Map on the document camera for all the students to see, covering up the title and legend with index cards. Ask the students what they think the map is showing, instructing them to come to a conclusion with their partner. After a few minutes, ask each pair what they think the map is showing, writing the ideas down on the board. Uncover the legend and ask students what they think the map is showing now, repeating the process of the first questioning and writing answers in a second list. Finally, uncover the title and again ask the students what they think the map is showing, writing the answers in a third list. Objective and Purpose: Using internet resources, students will fill in blank maps of Egypt with important geographical features and landmarks (at least 4) with reasonable accuracy,

develop a clear legend depicting all symbols used in the map, and provide a reasonable title. Instructional Input: After all three lists are complete, discuss how knowing what the symbols on the map mean are very important to interpreting a map. Introduce the word “legend.” Point out how the lists became more specific and more accurate as first the legend and then the title were uncovered. Discuss how the legend identifies and clarifies all the symbols used on the map. (~8 mins) Modeling: Pass out the blank maps to the students. Instruct them that they are to fill in the map with geographic features and important landmarks in ancient Egypt. Go over procedures for using the computer, showing them the Trackstar site and how to click on the links. Open the map of Africa link and examine the Nile river. Using the document camera, draw the Nile river onto a copy of the blank map with a blue colored pencil, adding it as a symbol in the legend box. While doing this, state how you are looking at the map and estimating where the river would go on your map. Say “I want people who are looking at the map to know what this means, so I am going to add it as a symbol in the legend.” (~5 mins) Check for Understanding: Ask the students “Why did I use the color blue for the Nile? Why did I draw a squiggly line in the legend instead of a rectangle or a triangle or some other shape? If you were going to draw a desert, what color might you use? How could you show this in the legend?” (~5 mins) Guided Practice: Have each student navigate to the Trackstar site and open up the “PBS NOVA Online—Mysteries of the Nile” site on their computers. Go through the site with them, pointing out some interesting landmarks, and discussing how they could figure out how to place them on the map. Have the students draw one of the landmarks on their maps and include it in the legend. Remind the students that their maps need a title, and encourage them to come up with a creative yet relevant title for their maps. (~8 mins) Independent Practice: Give the students time to work on their maps in pairs. (~20 mins) Closure: Have the students present their maps using the document camera. Point out different or unique symbols that students used. Ask the students if they noticed any similarities among the landmarks. Point out that they are all grouped around the Nile, and discuss how the Egyptians used the Nile as their main water source. Point out how most of the landmarks are tombs, and have students guess what might have been found in those tombs. Tell them that they’ll learn more about that in the next lesson. Evaluation: Formative—Use of questions during “Check for Understanding” and walking through the room during the activity to make sure students are on track. Summative—Why do we use legends in maps? A) To tell old stories about the map B) To show what the map symbols mean

C) To show the directions on a map

Background Information/Content: Ancient Egypt is centered around the Nile river. Everything else around it is desert, but the Nile provides water for the people so they can grow crops and live. We know this because most of the building projects that the Ancient Egyptians completed were located near the Nile. In Ancient Egypt, pharaohs built temples and tombs to celebrate themselves. Some of the famous ones include the great pyramids at Giza, the Sphynx, the Valley of the Kings, and the Temple of Amun. Some of the well-known cities include Alexandria and Thebes. These tombs and cities are very important to archeologists because they tell us what life was like in Ancient Egypt.

Lesson #2: Hieroglyphics Prepared by Shannon Parker Audience: Second grade students Standards:

Virginia SOLs: 2.1-- The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language. National Standards for Visual Art Content Standard #2: Using knowledge of structures and functions Students know the differences among visual characteristics and purposes of art in order to convey ideas Students use visual structures and functions of art to communicate ideas Content Standard #3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas Students explore and understand prospective content for works of art Students select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning Content Standard #4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures Students know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures Students identify specific works of art as belonging to particular cultures, times, and places Students demonstrate how history, culture, and the visual arts can influence each other in making and studying works of art

Materials/Time/Space: document camera, pencils and colored pencils, 10 brown paper bags cut into strips 6 in x 12 in (enough strips for each student and teacher), tape, hieroglyphics image1, hieroglyphics translator worksheet2; 1 hour; ~20 students, typical classroom spaced, desks grouped 3-4 small groups, whole group except for art conversation (in small groups) 1 Egyptian hieroglyphics scroll. Byteful Gallery. Retrieved from http://byteful.com/media/v/Photography/Travel/Field-Museum-Chicago/Egyptian+Hieroglyphics+scroll.jpg.html 2 Language. A taste of Egypt. Retrieved from http://www.atasteofegypt.co.uk/index.php?page=info&action=Language

Objectives: 1. Given an image of hieroglyphics, students will critically examine and discuss the image, creating a working understanding of what hieroglyphics were used for. 2. Given art supplies, students will create their own hieroglyphic nameplate and an accompanying image describing themselves.

Art Analysis: Opening: Review with students what they have learned about Ancient Egypt so far. Tell students that Ancient Egypt is also very famous for a special kind of art that they used, called hieroglyphics. Put the hieroglyphics image on the document camera and give students a minute or so to look at it. Tell the students that you want them to think about

what this image could be. Inform them that you will ask them some questions about the image, and that you want them to discuss what they think with the other members of their group. Objective Questions: How many people do you see? Who do you think the people are? What are they doing? What else do you see besides people? What do you think this is painted on? What colors do you see? Reflective Questions: What do you notice most about this? Have you ever seen anything like this before? What does this remind you of? Do you recognize anything in the painting? Why are the people dressed this way? Interpretive Questions: Why do you think this was painted? What is it trying to show? Why did the painter use the colors you see? What do you think it means? Decisional Questions: How does the artist show meaning in this painting? Why did the artist paint this? What else do you need to know about this to understand it? How might you draw or paint something like this? Closing: Have members of the groups share with the class their answers to the questions. Make sure to emphasize that there are multiple interpretations when analyzing art, and that students should be open and receptive to different opinions. Share the history and importance of hieroglyphics with the students, based on the background information. Specifically mention that there are sound, syllable, and idea hieroglyphics, as students will be using this information in their demonstration of artform.

Demonstration of Artform: After discussing the technicalities of hieroglyphics, place the translator on the document camera so the whole class can see it. Pass out paper bag strips and invite students to create their own hieroglyph. Tell them that you, as a class, are going to make a list of the members of the class. Relate it to how hieroglyphics were used on tombs to tell about the people inside. Have the students write their name in hieroglyphics and, next to it, create a unique idea hieroglyph that tells something about them. Use the teacher model as an example. Once the students are finished, attach each hieroglyph one below the other and display.

Assessment: Formative—Use of questions in art analysis and individual student responses, walking around the classroom to hear student ideas during discussion and to monitor progress during the craft. Summative—Why did the Ancient Egyptians use hieroglyphics? A) As an early system of writing B) To decorate their clothing C) As a method of transportation

Background Information/Content: The ancient Egyptians created a form of picture-writing known as hieroglyphs around 3100 BC. Each picture was a symbol representing something they observed in their surroundings. A simple drawing of the sun represented the sun, a drawing of a rope indicated a rope, and so on. But certain objects, and more particularly ideas, were difficult to represent with a single drawing. Eventually, a system evolved in which a symbol was drawn to represent a specific sound (a consonant). Several symbols were written together to make a word. This is the closest the Egyptians ever came to creating an alphabet. Vowels were not written, but were added by the reader. For this reason, we don't know exactly what ancient Egyptian sounded like. Hieroglyphs were written vertically (top to bottom) or horizontally (left to right or right to left). To read a horizontal line, one moved toward the faces of the animal symbols. Although there are thousands of symbols, the most commonly occurring are a set of 24, which modern archaeologists use as a working alphabet. They include vowels sounds, although in Egyptian the sound would have been that of a vowel linked with a consonant. Hieroglyphs were used at first by a small group of scribes to keep records. Later, they were carved (and then painted) on the walls of tombs and temples, on obelisks, and on sculpture. (Hieroglyph means "sacred carved writing.") They were also written with pen and colored ink on sheets of papyrus. In addition to the glyphs representing sounds (called phonograms), there were a small number that represent entire words or concepts (ideograms).

Lesson #3: Biography of King Tutankhamun Prepared by Shannon Parker Audience: Second grade students Standards: Virginia SOLs: 2.3— The student will identify and compare changes in community life over time in terms of buildings, jobs, transportation, and population.

National Standards for History Grades K-4 (Standards in Historical Thinking) Thinking Standard 1. Chronological Thinking A. Distinguish between past, present, and future time. B. Identify in historical narratives the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story C. Establish temporal order in constructing their [students'] own historical narratives. F. Create time lines. Standard 3. Historical Analysis and Interpretation D. Analyze historical fiction. E. Distinguish between fact and fiction. F. Compare different stories about a historical figure, era, or event. H. Consider multiple perspectives.

Materials/Time/Space: document camera, pencils, writer’s notebook/paper, butcher paper, Howard Carter’s story1, King Tut curse story2, “The Story of King Tut,”3 2 teacher assistants/parent volunteers; 1 hour; ~20 students, typical classroom spaced, desks grouped 3 small groups, small group for reading/discussing stories and time line construction, whole group for class discussions 1 "Entering King Tut's Tomb, 1922," (2000). EyeWitness to History. Retrieved from www.eyewitnesstohistory.com 2 Krystek, L. (1999). Howard Carter and the “curse of the mummy”. The Museum of unnatural mystery. Retrieved from http://www.unmuseum.org/mummy.htm 3 Silverman, D. P. & Hawass, Z. (2007). The story of King Tut. Tutankhamun and the golden age of the

pharaohs. Retrieved from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/tut/story.asp

Objectives: Given selections on King Tutankhamun, students will: 1. Separate historic facts from legend. 2. Identify key events in King Tutankhamun’s life and place them on a timeline. 3. Write about a key event in King Tutankhamun’s life that demonstrates citizenship

Lesson Content: Introduction: Tell students that today, they are going to have to use their imagination. Tell them that you all are going to play a “Let’s Pretend” game. Have them close their eyes and imagine that they are the son or daughter of a king. The king gets too old, and now they have to rule the entire kingdom when they are only nine years old (or seven or eight depending on the age of students)! Tell them to think about how they would feel, what they might do, who might be able to help them, etc. Write these guiding questions on the document camera. Then have students write their thoughts down in their writing journals. Content focus: Separate students into three groups. Assign the news article to one group, the King Tut curse story to one group, and “The Story of King Tut” to one group. Station

a teacher assistant at each group and have them read the assigned story to the group. After the reading is finished, instruct the students to work together as a group to come up with a summary of what they learned. Have the students critically discuss the piece, and make decisions on what might be fact, or what can be historically proven, and what cannot be historically proven. Then have the students present it to the whole class, using butcher paper to write out main points. After each group has presented, discuss the credibility of each selection. Ask students “Based on what you read, what do you think might be historical fact and what do you think might not be able to be proven?” Discuss that King Tut becoming pharaoh and dying are historical fact, or can be proven. The legend of the curse cannot be proven, so we cannot claim that it is historical fact. Review terms such as fact and fiction, and discuss the source of each selection (a news article, a first person narrative from Howard Carter, and an internet website). Share with students that recent medical examinations of King Tut showed that he probably had to use a cane to walk, and that he was often very sick. They used x-rays to find this, so this information can be proven. As a class, have students list important events that occurred in King Tut’s life. Ask them to think about what events, in particular, had an impact on the community, and what events demonstrated King Tut’s role as a leader. Write the events on the board or on the document camera. Review with them what a timeline is, and have them work in their groups to place the events on a timeline, using butcher paper. After the timeline is complete, instruct the students to pick an event on the timeline that demonstrates King Tutankhamun’s role as a leader or shows how he overcame adversities, and write about it in their notebooks. Encourage them be as historically accurate as possible. Closing: Have the students look back in their journal to when they wrote about what they would do if they were in King Tut’s position. Lead them in a discussion comparing and contrasting their imagined scenario with what really happened. Emphasize King Tut’s role as a leading citizen. Close by telling the students “King Tut was just one well-known person in Ancient Egypt, but that soon you will get a chance to learn what life was like for normal people like you and me.” (Lead to lesson #4).

Assessment: Formative: Check for understanding through questioning and by walking around the classroom to ensure that students are on task and understanding what they should be doing. Summative: Which of the following is not a historical fact about King Tutankhamun? A) He became pharaoh when he was ten years old. B) He died when he was twenty years old. C) There was a curse on his tomb.

Background Information/Content: King Tutankhamun, born with the name Tutenkhaten, was the son of the Pharaoh Akhenaten. His father died when he was young, and Tutenkhaten became pharaoh at the young age of ten. During his reign, he served as the head of the military and, like all other

pharaohs, was considered a god on earth. He had many advisors because of his young age. Evidence also shows that he dealt with disabilities other than his young age, including having to use a cane to get around. One of the things King Tut is most well known for is the restoration of traditional Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs. His father had forced the people into monotheism, worshipping only the sun god, Aten, and forbidding all other worship. King Tut realized that the Egyptian people were not happy with this, and he restored polytheism, even changing his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. King Tut died after reigning for only ten years, and was buried in a lavish tomb. His tomb was one of the few that grave robbers did not discover. It was not found until Howard Carter’s search for it in 1922. There is a myth stating that King Tut’s tomb was cursed, and that members of the team that discovered the tomb suffered because of it, but this myth has proven unfounded.

Howard Carter’s Story

The golden mask that adorned Tut's inner coffin

Howard Carter, an English Egyptologist, had a hunch that Tutankhamen lay

beneath the Valley of the Kings even though conventional archeological

wisdom declared that all the area's tombs had been found. In 1914,

supported by his British benefactor Lord Carnarvon, Carter began his search

in earnest. For seven years his efforts bore no fruit. In November 1922,

during the last season of exploration that Lord Carnarvon said he could

support, Carter's luck changed. His Egyptian laborers uncovered a series of

steps leading down to a sealed door.

Into The Tomb

Breaking through the sealed door, Carter found a passageway filled

with stone and rubble. Clearing this passageway revealed another sealed

door marked with the royal impressions of Tutankhamun. Carter was sure he

had found the king's tomb, but he was afraid it may have been pillaged - its

contents removed. On November 26th Carter, with Lord Carnarvon at his

side, started to break through this second sealed door. It was, as Carter

described, "the day of days, the most wonderful that I have ever lived

through."

"Slowly, desperately slowly it seemed to us as we watched, the

remains of passage debris that encumbered the lower part of the doorway

were removed, until at last we had the whole door clear before us. The

decisive moment had arrived. With trembling hands I made a tiny breach in

the upper left hand corner. Darkness and blank space, as far as an iron

testing-rod could reach, showed that whatever lay beyond was empty, and

not filled like the passage we had just cleared. Candle tests were applied as

a precaution against possible foul gases, and then, widening the hole a little,

I inserted the candle and peered in, Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn [Lord

Carnarvon's daughter] and Callender [an assistant] standing anxiously beside

me to hear the verdict. At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping

from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my

eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged

slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the

glint of gold. For the moment - an eternity it must have seemed to the

others standing by - I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord

Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, 'Can

you see anything?' it was all I could do to get out the words, 'Yes, wonderful

things.' Then widening the hole a little further, so that we both could see,

we inserted an electric torch."

Entry into the burial chamber

The Tomb

Finally, Carter was ready to break through a fourth sealed door into what he

believed would be King Tut's tomb - the holy of holies where the pharaoh

would be found in his golden casket. On February 16, 1923 Carter began to

pick away at the sealed door:

"My first care was to locate the wooden lintel above the door: then very

carefully I chipped away the plaster and picked out the small stones which

formed the uppermost layer of the filling. The temptation to stop and peer

inside at every moment was irresistible, and when, after about ten minutes'

work, I had made a hole large enough to enable me to do so, I inserted an

electric torch. An astonishing sight its light revealed, for there, within a

yard of the doorway, stretching as far as one could see and blocking the

entrance to the chamber, stood what to all appearances was a solid wall of

gold. For the moment there was no clue as to its meaning, so as quickly as I

dared I set to work to widen the hole...

With the removal of a very few stones the mystery of the golden wall was

solved. We were at the entrance of the actual burial-chamber of the king,

and that which barred our way was the side of an immense gilt shrine built to

cover and protect the sarcophagus. It was visible now from the

Antechamber by the light of the standard lamps, and as stone after stone

was removed, and its gilded surface came gradually into view, we could, as

though by electric current, feel the tingle of excitement which thrilled the

spectators behind the barrier...

“It was, beyond any question, the sepulchral chamber in which we stood, for

there, towering above us, was one of the great gilt shrines beneath which

kings were laid. So enormous was this structure (17 feet by 11 feet, and 9

feet high, we found afterwards) that it filled within a little the entire area

of the chamber, a space of some two feet only separating it from the walls

on all four sides, while its roof, with cornice top and torus moulding, reached

almost to the ceiling. From top to bottom it was overlaid with gold, and upon

its sides there were inlaid panels of brilliant blue faience, in which were

represented, repeated over and over, the magic symbols which would ensure

its strength and safety. Around the shrine, resting upon the ground, there

were a number of funerary emblems, and, at the north end, the seven magic

oars the king would need to ferry himself across the waters of the

underworld. The walls of the chamber, unlike those of the Antechamber,

were decorated with brightly painted scenes and inscriptions, brilliant in

their colours, but evidently somewhat hastily executed. "

Lesson #4: Inquiry of Ancient Egyptian Daily Life Prepared by Shannon Parker Audience: Second grade students Standards: Virginia SOLs: 2.3— The student will identify and compare changes in community life over time in terms of

buildings, jobs, transportation, and population. 2.7— The student will describe natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings). National Standards for History Grades K-4 (Standards in Historical Thinking) Standard 1. Chronological Thinking A. Distinguish between past, present, and future time. B. Identify in historical narratives the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story C. Establish temporal order in constructing their [students'] own historical narratives. G. Explain change and continuity over time. Standard 2. Historical Comprehension A. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage. B. Identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses. C. Read historical narratives imaginatively. D. Evidence historical perspectives. Standard 3. Historical Analysis and Interpretation A. Formulate questions to focus their inquiry or analysis. Standard 4. Historical Research Capabilities A. Formulate historical questions. B. Obtain historical data. C. Interrogate historical data. D. Marshal needed knowledge of the time and place, and construct a story, explanation, or historical narrative.

Materials/Time/Space: document camera, pencils, laptop lab (enough for each student), daily life image (Ingram, G. (2009). Ancient Egypt education. Ancient Egypt legacies to

last. Retrieved from http://ancientegyptmoberly.pbworks.com/w/page/12830366/FrontPage), “What I Found Out” worksheet, “Ancient Egypt Daily Life” book, Trackstar website1 (found at http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/ts/viewTrackMembersFrames.do?org.apache.struts.taglib.html.TOKEN=e90c671524563e2867dac9567a17ddc3&number=417730&password=); 1 hour; ~20 students, typical classroom spaced, desks grouped 3 small groups, small group for research and group work, whole group for class discussions 1 Sources found on site

Objectives: Given class discussion of ancient Egyptian daily life, students will: 1. Generate questions and formulate hypotheses. 2. Gather information based on their research question. 3. Publish results in a class information book.

Lesson Content: Catalyst: Ask students if they think Ancient Egyptian children played Wii, or if they had board games, if they went to school, if they wore jeans, etc. Introduction: Tell them that today they will get a chance to find out what life was like for Egyptian children and other Egyptian people. Show the students the daily life image. Ask them “What do you think the picture is showing?” Encourage the students give a variety of suggestions. Discuss that the picture shows that ancient Egyptian children went to school just like they do. Ask the students to think about any questions that they might have about what daily life was like for the ancient Egyptians. Mention how you already learned about one of the leaders, or pharaohs, but what about other people? List the questions on the board. [Sample responses: Where did they live? What jobs did they have? What did the kids do? What did they eat?] Have the class vote on the three questions that they most want to learn about, and assign one question to each of the three group. Content focus: In their groups, have students generate possible hypotheses for each question. Encourage them to be creative. Then introduce them to the Trackstar site and show them how it works. Tell them that you want them to use the sites to find more information on their specific question. Introduce them to the “What I Found Out” worksheet and emphasize that this is meant to be used as an outline for what they learn. Give them time to talk amongst themselves to figure out who is going to look for what information and where. After 30 minutes of conducting research via the Trackstar website, have them come back together in their groups and discuss what they learned. Tell them that you want them to show what they learned in the “Ancient Egypt Daily Life” book. Closing: Have the students present what they learned on their specific question during their inquiry to the rest of the class. All three questions that the class chose during the introduction should be addressed. Combine each group’s section of the “Daily Life” book into one book to put on display in the class. Lesson Extension: Ask students “What parts of life in ancient Egypt were different than our lives today? [Sample responses: clothes, pharaohs, slaves] What parts of life were the same? [food, toys, music, some jobs]” Discuss how many aspects of life in ancient Egypt were similar to ours. Talk with students about the social/political levels in Egypt (ex, slaves, workers, administrators, pharaoh), and how we have social and political levals, too. We have a president and he has advisors, and there are people with a lot of money and people who don’t have that much money. Discuss inequality with students, and ask them for suggestions about what to do about this. These suggestions could be used for a lesson in civics.

Assessment: Formative: Check for understanding through questioning and by walking around the classroom to ensure that students are on task and understanding what they should be doing.

Summative: Draw a picture of what life was like for the ancient Egyptians, specifically referring to your inquiry question. Then write three sentences explaining your drawing. Be sure to include all three questions that we discussed in class.

Background Information/Content: The ancient Egyptians were an agrarian society, using the flooding of the Nile and irrigation to grow crops. Many people worked in the fields. Others worked as craftsmen or builders. Women generally stayed at home, but they could have jobs as well. Most families had children, and the boys went to school while the girls stayed home (but many learned to read and write at home). Children had toy balls and rattles and played with board games as well as outside. They lived in mud brick houses, with the size based on how rich a person was. The main foods were bread, lentils, and a few other food. They drank beer, water, and sometimes milk, but at banquets they would have a lot of the same meat and fruit that we have as well as wine. The men wore kilts and loincloths, while the women wore long dresses, mostly white. [Relevant information will be based on what inquiry questions the students vote to focus on.]

Name: __________________________________

What I Found Out

What facts did I learn about the Ancient Egyptians lifestyle?

What inferences can I make based on the facts I found?

What else did I find out that might be interesting?

What new questions do I have?

Name: __[SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSE]____

What I Found Out

What facts did I learn about the Ancient Egyptians lifestyle?

Boys went to school to learn how to read and write. Girls did not go to

school. They usually stayed home with their mother to learn how to do things

at home. They also learned how to read and write. Kids played with toys and

played outside. They also swam in the Nile.

What inferences can I make based on the facts I found?

Kids lives were kind of the same in Ancient Egypt as ours are today. They

had to work hard at their chores, because they don’t have the same tools

that we do. But they also had fun and played with their friends.

What else did I find out that might be interesting?

Kids drank beer for lunch! They ate it with bread and water.

What new questions do I have?

What kind of games did they play? What chores did they have to do?

[Research Question]

Life in Ancient Egypt was different than it is today because:

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ [Draw a picture]

But it is also similar because:

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________ [Draw a picture]

Ancient Egypt Pre/Post Assessment

Prepared by Shannon Parker [Teacher Copy]

Directions: Pass out the student copy of the assessment to students. Read each question aloud to students, and instruct them to circle the correct answer. 1. Why do we use legends in maps? A) To tell old stories about the map B) To show what the map symbols mean C) To show the directions on a map 2. Why did the Ancient Egyptians use hieroglyphics? A) As an early system of writing B) To decorate their clothing C) As a method of transportation 3. Which of the following is not a historical fact about King Tutankhamun? A) He became pharaoh when he was ten years old. B) He died when he was twenty years old. C) There was a curse on his tomb. 4. Draw a picture of what life was like for the ancient Egyptians. Then write three sentences explaining your drawing. Be sure to include all three subjects we discussed in class.

Ancient Egypt test 1. Why do we use legends in maps? A) To tell old stories about the map B) To show what the map symbols mean C) To show the directions on a map 2. Why did the Ancient Egyptians use hieroglyphics? A) As an early system of writing B) To decorate their clothing C) As a method of transportation 3. Which of the following is not a historical fact about King Tutankhamun? A) He became pharaoh when he was ten years old. B) He died when he was twenty years old. C) There was a curse on his tomb. 4. Draw a picture of what life was like for the ancient Egyptians. Then write three sentences explaining your drawing. Be sure to include all three subjects we discussed in class.

Bibliography

Africa-Maps. (2010). Yahoo! Kids. Retrieved from

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/images/africam.jpg

Allen, D., and Allen, D. (2003). Ancient Egypt. Website of Snaith Primary School. Retrieved

from http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/egindex.htm

Ancient Egypt Online. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/

Ancient Egypt. (1999). Retrieved from http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html#

Beale, D. (2001). The Egyptians--Transport. Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service.

Retrieved from http://www.egyptweb.norfolk.gov.uk/egtrans.htm

Carr, K. (2009, Jan 19). Ancient Egypt. In Kidipede: History and science for middle school kids.

Retrieved from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/egypt/

Carskadon, A., Yoxall, H. & Stohr-Hunt, P. (1998). Ancient Egypt. Retrieved from

http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/egypt/

Crystal, E. (n.d.). Ancient Egypt. Crystalinks: Metaphysics and science website. Retrieved from

http://www.crystalinks.com/egypt.html

Donn. (n.d.). Ancient Egypt for Kids. Retrieved from http://egypt.mrdonn.org/

Egyptian symbols and figures: Hieroglyphics. Edsitement. Retrieved from

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=348

Entering King Tut's Tomb, 1922. (2000). EyeWitness to History. Retrieved from

www.eyewitnesstohistory.com

Isseroff, A. (n.d.). Egypt: A brief history. MidEastWeb. Retrieved from

http://www.mideastweb.org/egypthistory.htm

Kinnaer, J. (2010, March 22). The Ancient Egypt site. Retrieved from http://www.ancient-

egypt.org/

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Krystek, L. (1999). Howard Carter and the “curse of the mummy”. The Museum of unnatural

mystery. Retrieved from http://www.unmuseum.org/mummy.htm

Millmore, M. (n.d.). Discovering Ancient Egypt. Retrieved from

http://www.discoveringegypt.com/

Mysteries of the Nile. (Nov. 2000). PBS.org. Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/explore/

National dtandards for history grades k-4. History standards: U.S. & world. Retrieved from

http://w3.iac.net/~pfilio/hstst.htm

National standards for visual art. The national standards for arts education. (2007). Retrieved

from

http://www.nacdnet.org/education/contests/poster/2009/National_Standards_for_Visual_

Art_Link_To_State_Dept_of_Ed.pdf

Silverman, D. P. & Hawass, Z. (2007). The story of King Tut. Tutankhamun and the golden age

of the pharaohs. Retrieved from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/tut/story.asp

Strachan, 2010 R. A. (2010, Feb 18). The Ancient Egyptian Culture Exhibit. EMuseam at

Minnesota State University. Retrieved from

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/index.shtml

Strachan, R. A. (2010, Feb 18). Main map of Ancient Egypt. EMuseam at Minnesota State

University. Retrieved from

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/maps/mainmap.html

Virginia Department of Education. “Grade two: Introduction to history and social science.”

(2008). History and social science standards of learning for Virginia public schools.

Retrieved from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/next_versio

n/stds_history2.pdf

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Appendix A

Standards Virginia SOLs:

2.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.

2.3 The student will identify and compare changes in community life over time in terms of buildings, jobs, transportation, and population.

2.4 The student will develop map skills by a) locating the United States, China, and Egypt on world maps;

b) understanding the relationship between the environment and the culture of ancient China and Egypt

2.5 The student will develop map skills by a) locating the equator, the seven continents, and the five oceans on maps and globes; b) locating selected rivers (James River, Mississippi River, Rio Grande, Huang He,

and Nile River), mountain ranges (Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains), and lakes (Great Lakes) in the United States and other countries.

2.6 The student will demonstrate map skills by constructing simple maps, using title, map legend, and compass rose.

2.7 The student will describe natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings).

2.9 The student will explain that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services.

National History Standards

History for Grades K-4

1. Chronological Thinking

A. Distinguish between past, present, and future time. B. Identify in historical narratives the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story C. Establish temporal order in constructing their [students'] own historical narratives. F. Create time lines.

G. Explain change and continuity over time

2. Historical Comprehension

A. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.

B. Identify the central questions the historical narrative addresses.

C. Read historical narratives imaginatively.

D. Evidence historical perspectives.

E. Draw upon the data in historical maps.

3. Historical Analysis and Interpretation

A. Formulate questions to focus their inquiry or analysis. D. Analyze historical fiction. E. Distinguish between fact and fiction.

49

F. Compare different stories about a historical figure, era, or event. H. Consider multiple perspectives.

4. Historical Research Capabilities

A. Formulate historical questions. B. Obtain historical data. C. Interrogate historical data. D. Marshal needed knowledge of the time and place, and construct a story, explanation,

or historical narrative.

5. Historical Issues—Analysis and Decision Making

A. Identify issues and problems in the past.

B. Compare the interests and values of the various people involved.

National Geography Standards

Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective"

Standard 9: "The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human population on Earth's surface"

Standard 10: "The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics" Standard 17: "How to apply geography to interpret the past"

National Standards for Visual Art

Content Standard #2: Using knowledge of structures and functions

• Students know the differences among visual characteristics and purposes of art in order to convey ideas

• Students use visual structures and functions of art to communicate ideas Content Standard #3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas

• Students explore and understand prospective content for works of art

• Students select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning Content Standard #4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

• Students know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures

• Students identify specific works of art as belonging to particular cultures, times, and places

• Students demonstrate how history, culture, and the visual arts can influence each other in making and studying works of art

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Possible Expenses Colored pencils and markers: ~$10 Brown paper bags: collect ahead of time Writers notebook (composition notebooks or binders): ~$20 Butcher paper: ~$5 Tape: $2 Index cards: $3