Interdisciplinary Unit Plan for Ancient Egypt

Interdisciplinary Unit Plan for

Ancient Egypt

Austin Davis

Lesson Plan #1

Lesson: ___Ancient Egypt Introduction______

Length: ____60 mins______

Age or Grade Level Intended: ___7

Grade___

Content Area: ___History___

Academic Standard(s):

7.1.2 Describe the achievements of ancient Egypt in art, architecture, religion and

government and the development of the concept of theocracy*. (Individuals,

Society and Culture)

Performance Objective(s):

The students will simulate being in a bureaucracy by completing the 3 assigned tasks with 90%

accuracy.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on the completion and accuracy of the Bureaucracy Activity

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

Creation of Ancient Egypt introduction PowerPoint

Create Ancient Egypt note handout

Create bureaucracy activity

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation:

Start class off by informing them that the theme of the unit is going to be teamwork and how it

helps build successful civilizations. Begin by asking the students what they know about ancient

Egypt and what they want to know. Make a chart on the Chalk board so that the students can see

what their peers know and what they want to learn. When they bring up the pyramids, be sure to

talk about how important teamwork was to their creation and how teamwork will affect nearly

every aspect of Egyptian life.

Step-by-Step Plan:

1. Start off by passing out the note handouts so that the students can follow along with the

PowerPoint.

2. Go through the PowerPoint and answer any questions that come up during the

lecture.(Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial)

3. Divide the class into groups of three. ( if there is an odd number, either make a group of

four or a group of two depending on if there is one extra student or two)

4. Read the instructions for the Bureaucracy Activity to the class (Gardner’s: Verbal-

Linguistic) and go through how you want each activity done, answering any questions the

students have.

5. Allow the students time in class to complete the Bureaucracy Activity (Gardner’s:

Interpersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Visual-Spatial) (Blooms: Knowledge, Application,

Analysis, Synthesis & Evaluation)

Closure:

1. If there is time when every group finishes the activity, go over the follow up questions as a class

and compare the results of each group to their peers. If the class does not finish, give them time

the next day at the beginning of class and then discuss the follow up questions. Focus on question

#3. “How does the theme of Teamwork play into this activity?” Be sure to go into as much detail

as possible about how teamwork in the bureaucracy kept the Government functioning. Have the

students turn in their packets as a group at the end of the discussion to be graded.

Adaptations/Enrichment:

Student with Learning disability in reading comprehension:

Modify the students activity packet so that the questions presented to them would be

multiple choice in activity 2 or 3. Also reduce the number of additional questions the

student has to answer at the end of their activity.

Student with ADHD:

Have the students write in what they know and want to know on the board themselves so

that they can get out of their seat and move as well as encourage the groups to locate

themselves somewhere away from their original seats. These will provide multiple

opportunities to move around in between periods of sitting.

Self-Reflection:

Do the students appear to grasp the concept of a Bureaucracy?

Are there any ways to incorporate more intelligences into this lesson?

Did the students have enough time to complete the activity without feeling rushed?

Intro to Ancient Egypt Name: ____________________________________

Government

 Egypt was a Theocracy( A government by priests or a monarch presumed to be divine)

 The leader was called the Pharaoh

 Pharaoh was believed to be a God on earth

 Egypt was merged into one kingdom with the merger of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3000 B.C.

 Large kingdom was ran by a complex Bureaucracy ( A large group of people who do government work)

 Pharaoh Menes who united Egypt created a Dynasty (succession of rulers by family)

Social Structure

 Royal Family

 Nobles

 Middle Class

 Lower Class

 Slaves

Writing System

 Egyptians wrote using a system of pictures called Hieroglyphics

 Consisted of about 600 symbols

 Was able to be translated using a stone known as the Rosetta Stone

Architecture

 The capital of Egypt, Memphis, had two palaces for the royal family

 Egypt mad many stone quarries and so they were able to use large amounts of stone to create great

monuments/tombs called Pyramids

Science

 Egyptians believed that a person’s Ka (spirit) could return to the body so they mummified a person to allow

it to return

 Mummifying a person was a complex process that involved treating the body with a special combination of

herbs and oils

 To this day, scientists do not know what this mixture was

 Egyptians had a calendar that was 12 months, 365 days just like ours

Bureaucracy Activity

Names: ________________________________,

_______________________________________,

_______________________________________

Directions: The following pages will have scenarios that would be solved by members of the

Egyptian Bureaucracy. Each of you are members of at least the middle class ranging from scribes

to high ranking noblemen. Your jobs here today are very important as to how the government

will function and how the people will be treated.

Be sure to follow the instructions on each page carefully and complete the questions connected

to each activity. Be sure to answer the group follow up questions at the end after you have all

finished with your individual task.

Activity #1

You have been given the task of dividing up the land so that the peasants will be satisfied. You

need to divide the land into sections that allow each peasant to have access to the river and room

to grow their crops. You will have to include room for a home on each section of property. You

will need to make plots for a total of 8 peasants.

The black squares on the map are wells and the black circles are larger rocks that cannot be

moved. Each property must contain at least one well and cannot have more than two of these

large rocks. You must also mark where the house will be located by drawing a small house on

each property.

Questions: (use the back of this page to answer the questions)

Did you divide the land up equally or are some properties larger than others?

Was it difficult to equally divide the properties while making sure each had at least one well?

Explain your answer.

Activity #2

You have been assigned the task of collecting taxes from the peasants. Each peasant is to offer

up 20% of their wheat harvest as a tribute to the Pharaoh. Some will say that they will not be

able to pay the tax this year but they are most likely not being good citizens so you must take

exactly 20% anyway. Use a calculator to figure out the exact amounts needed to meet the tax and

round to the nearest whole pound.

Peasant #1: 400 lbs. _____________________

Peasant #2: 35 lbs. ______________________

Peasant #3: 74 lbs. _______________________

Peasant #4: 112 lbs. ______________________

Peasant #5: 354 lbs. _______________________

Peasant #6: 287 lbs. _______________________

Peasant # 7: 23 lbs. ________________________

Peasant #8: 17 lbs. _________________________

Peasant #9: 59 lbs. _________________________

Peasant #10: 135 lbs. ________________________

What is the total number of pounds of wheat collected from the taxes?

_______________________

After doing these numbers, do you think it is better that each person gives an amount based on a

percent or should every have to give a certain number (say 60 lbs. every year)? Explain your

choice.

Activity #3

You are in charge of deciding how this year’s tax money will be spent. You need to ensure that

the pharaoh will have enough money to continue construction on his pyramid so that will make

up at least 50% of the total taxes. With the rest of the money, decide how much you feel would

be appropriate for the following items and complete the pie chart at the bottom followed by the

questions. Label your pie chart and feel free to use colors for each slice.

Pyramid: ___50%____

Building of other religious temples: _____________

Welfare for the poor: __________________

Supplies for the Military: ___________________

Wages for the Bureaucracy: __________________

After the pyramid costs, what item received the most funding?

Why did you decide that this item needed to be the next highest priority?

Which item received the least funding? Explain why you decided this.

Follow up Questions:

1. Which activity do you as a group feel was the most challenging?

2. Why do you think it is important that a bureaucracy handles this kind of task instead of the

Pharaoh?

3. How does the theme of Teamwork play into this activity?

Lesson Plan #2

Lesson: ____Egyptian Hieroglyphs____

Length: ___60 mins____

Age or Grade Level Intended: ___7

___

Content Area: ___History___

Academic Standard(s):

7.1.3 Trace steps in the development of written language, including the evolution of

Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese calligraphy. (Individuals,

Society and Culture)

Performance Objective(s):

The students will write their names in hieroglyphics using the given “Rosetta Stone” with 100%

accuracy.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed by the completion and correctness of a translation of their names into

hieroglyphics.

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

Print off a worksheet with letter translations for hieroglyphs to English

Print off the story, “The Old Master Scribe”

Create worksheet to follow along with the story

Create a PowerPoint about the real Rosetta Stone

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation: Discuss as a class, the follow up questions from the

bureaucracy activity from the day before if there was no time the previous day.

Start the lesson by asking your students to think about the English language. Ask them

how many letters are in the alphabet and what languages our language was developed from

(Blooms: Knowledge). Ask them how writing effect teamwork? Writing helps others to

understand how things were done in the past and written instructions can help get something

done when the person giving directions cannot physically be there. Use this thinking to transition

into how it is a privilege to be able to read and write and that in ancient Egypt, only a select

group of people ever learned.

1. Divide the class into groups of two. If you trust the class to pick their own partners that is

fine, otherwise come up with another way to create groups.

2. Pass out a copy of “The Old Scribe” to each person and have them read it silently to

themselves. (Gardner’s: Verbal-Linguistic)

3. As groups begin to finish reading the story, pass out the follow-up questions for the story.

( Gardner’s: Interpersonal) (Blooms: Knowledge, Application)

4. After completing the worksheet, have them return to their seats

5. Show a PowerPoint on the real Rosetta Stone (Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial)

6. After the PowerPoint, pass out a blank piece of computer paper as well as a copy of the

Rosetta Stone handout. Tell the students that they will each get to write their name in

hieroglyphics. (Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial) ( Blooms: Application)

Closure: As each student is finishing, have everyone hold their name above their head

one at a time so that the rest of the class can see how their name is written. Ask them if they have

any questions and dismiss class. Have them turn in their names as they leave.

Adaptations/Enrichment:

Student with Learning disability in reading comprehension:

Create a set of premade notes to go along with the PowerPoint so that they can focus on

listening instead of trying to read the slides.

Student with ADHD:

Have the students act out the story of the “Old Master Scribe”

Student with Gifts and Talents in Creativity:

Encourage the students to become creative with their hieroglyphic name, have them color

them in and create designs to add to the hieroglyphs.

Self-Reflection:

 Do the students seem to grasp the concept of what Hieroglyphics are?

 Is there any way to include more of Gardner’s intelligences?

 Was there enough material in this lesson to fill the period?

 Did the students enjoy the material?

 How can I improve this lesson?

Rosetta Stone

The Old Master Scribe

Click on the pictures

The old master scribe settled onto his reed mat and looked at the boy

sitting in front of him. 'Why have you come here?' he asked. 'I have come

to learn how to be a scribe like my father was,' the boy said.

The old man smiled, 'If you want to be a scribe, you must first learn about the scripts

used to record the language of the Egyptian people. Then, you will learn to read and

write these scripts.' He paused, then closed his eyes. A minute passed. Then he began

to speak in a low voice. 'I will start at the beginning.'

'A long, long time ago, Thoth, the great god of writing and

knowledge brought the gift of Medu Netjer ('God's words')

to the land. For hundreds of years this sacred script has

been used to record the words and deeds of the pharaohs

and the gods and goddesses.'

'If the script was sacred, what did scribes use for writing

letters?' the boy asked.

The old master scribe continued .'Some years later, another script

was developed so that everyday information could be written down quickly and

easily. It was used by scribes working in the temples and palaces who need to keep

records and write letters.' He paused.

'The signs for the new script were based on those of the sacred script. However,

they were drawn with fewer lines and decoration. That made it easier and faster to

write the signs.'

The old master scribe picked up a reed pen and carefully drew the hieroglyphic sign

on a piece of limestone. Next to it, with a quick sweep of his hand, he drew the

same sign in hieratic .

He showed it to the boy. 'Do you see the difference?' he asked.

The boy studied the signs and nodded his head.

'Today, in the reign of Wehemibra (Nekau II), we do not use the

hieratic script that much anymore. Our common script is sekh shat,

('writing for documents'). The signs are based on hieratic signs, but

they are even simpler. This makes them faster and easier to write.'

The old master scribe paused and wiped his brow. 'As a scribe you

are given the power and knowledge of writing. First, you must learn

the common script of the land so you can perform everyday tasks.

After that, if you are lucky and talented, you will also learn the sacred

script. Those who learn the sacred script will learn the secrets of the gods and the

mysteries of the land.'

The old master scribe reached behind him and brought out a small wooden palette. He

held it out to the boy. 'This is for you. Once you have learned to read and write, you will

have many opportunities in the world. Practice your signs well and you will go far.' Then,

he stood up.

The boy said goodbye to the old master scribe and left his home. For many years he

studied to be a scribe, practicing his signs for hours every day. It was difficult work, and

sometimes he hated school. But he worked hard.

Finally, he was ready to leave scribe school. He had done well and was

offered a position as a priest in a temple.

Long after the old master scribe had died, the young man still thought

about their meeting. He never forgot what the old man had taught him

about the importance of learning the scripts, and the honor of being a

scribe.

The End

Works Cited

The British Museum. (2007, Februrary 7). Ancient Egypt. Retrieved November 7, 2011, from

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/indxmain.html

The Old Master Scribe Name:

_________________________________

1. Who brought “God’s Words” to the Egyptians according to the old scribe?

____________________

2. What was this original script used for? _________________________________________

3. Why was a second script created for everyday information?

____________________________________________________________________

4. According to the Old Scribe, what was the modern script?

________________________________________________________________________

5. What was the boy’s first task in becoming a Scribe?

_______________________________________________________________________

6. Once the boy graduated from Scribe school, what job did he take up?

_______________________________________________________________________

7. Based on your reading of this story, define in your own words what a Scribe is and what they do.

Lesson Plan # 3

Lesson: ___Egyptian Pyramids____

Length: ___60 mins___

Age or Grade Level Intended: __7

grade___

Subject: ____World History____

Academic Standard(s): 7.1.2 Describe the achievements of ancient Egypt in art,

architecture, religion and government and the development of the concept of

theocracy*. (Individuals, Society and Culture)

Performance Objective(s): The students will complete the worksheet complimenting the

ancientegypt.co.uk pyramid webpage with 90% accuracy

Assessment: Students will complete the given pyramid webpage worksheet with 100% accuracy

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

 Secure computer lab or a mobile laptop station cart

 Create worksheet to compliment ancientegypt.co.uk webpage

 In the event that I cannot secure a lab or mobile laptop station, I will need to create a

packet with all of the same information as the webpage

 Create a pyramid cut out

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation: tell the students that today they will be learning about the

pyramids. The pyramids are some of the largest structures on the planet and were all made by

hand. They are the ultimate product of teamwork. Engineers, laborers and craftsmen would work

together for 20 years to build a massive pyramid to remember their Pharaoh. Hand out to all of

the students the Pyramid cut out paper. Tell the students that they will all get to create their own

pyramids for the world to remember them by but first they have to learn why pyramids were

created and how.

Step-by-Step Plan:

1. Either go to reserved computer lab or distribute laptops within class. If neither is possible,

use a pre-made packet with all of the same information within it for the students to use.

2. Allow the students to pair up to work on this assignment

3. Tell them that they will be learning about the pyramids through an interactive online

webpage. Guide them to www.ancientegypt.co.uk

4. Instruct them to click on the pyramids section on the left side of the page as you pass out

the questions to go along with the webpage.

5. The students will be guided through multiple sections of this website that will include the

history and dimensions of pyramids, specifically the “Great Pyramid” of Giza.

6. As the students are working on the guided questions (Bloom’s: knowledge, Application)

(Gardner’s: Interpersonal, Visual-Spatial, Logical-Mathematical)

7. Instruct the students to turn in the assignment as they finish and to get a pair of scissors,

tape and some colored pencils.

8. Instruct the students to cut out the pyramid outline they were given and then draw their

names in Hieroglyphics as well draw symbols that they feel represent them as a person

and what they should be remembered for. Color the pyramid any color you like and then

fold it into a three dimensional shape, holding it together with either glue or tape.

(Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial, Intrapersonal)

Closure: Close by allowing students to share their pyramids with the class and explain

what each symbol represents to them. Have the students turn in the worksheet for a grade before

they leave.

Adaptations/Enrichment:

Student with Learning disability in reading comprehension: For this students, create

the worksheet with multiple choice answers in order to help guide the student towards the

specific answer he/she should be looking for.

Student with ADHD: For this student, create different stations at different points in the

room that require the student to more to these stations in order to gather the information needed

to finish the worksheet. This would also be a good idea if a computer lab was unavailable.

Student with Gifts and Talents in Creativity: Invite these students to bring in legos or

clay in order to create more creative pyramids that are more like the ones they read about. Have

them build the “skeleton” of the pyramid with the legos and cover it with clay for the final

smooth look.

Self-Reflection:

 Did the students seem to enjoy this lesson?

 Did the interact website encourage deeper learning of the material?

 How can I incorporate other learning styles into this lesson?

 What went well and what could be changed?

Pyramids, Houses of Eternity Worksheet Name:

_________________________________

1. Why were Pyramids built in ancient Egypt?

___________________________________________________________________________

2. About how many pyramids are there in Egypt? _____________________________________

3. Where are the three largest pyramids located? _____________________________________

4. What is the name of the Pharaoh that the “Great Pyramid” was built for? ________________

Story

5. Why were cemeteries located on the west side of the Nile in ancient Egypt?

______________________________________________________________________________

6. During what season of the year did the farmers help with the construction of the “Great

Pyramid”? _____________________________________________________________________

7. Who did the workers drag the stones to the next level of the pyramid after the lower level was

finished? ______________________________________________________________________

8. About how many years did it take to complete the pyramid? _____________________________

9. What was special about the final piece placed on top of the pyramid? _____________________

______________________________________________________________________________

10. Draw a basic outline of Khufu’s complex, be sure to label all the buildings described.

Challenge

11. What year was the “Great Pyramid” built? ___________________________________

Height

Write your guess here: ___________________

Actual answer: __________________________

How many meters high is that? ________________________________

If a meter is 3.28 ft. how many feet is the above answer? __________________________

How much money would it cost to build that stack of buses? _______________________€

If a Euro is equal to 1.35 U.S. dollars, how much money in dollars would that same stack cost?

$__________________________

Area

Write your guess here: _____________________

Actual answer: ___________________________

About how many square meters is this? _________________________________

How many people would that be? ______________________________________

Weight

Write your Guess here: ____________________________

Actual answer: ___________________________________

How many million tons is this? _________________________________

How many tons of rocks were left over? ________________________________

Lesson Plan # 4

Lesson: ____Mummification_____

Length: ____60 mins___

Age or Grade Level Intended: ___7th____

Academic Standard(s): 7.1.2 Describe the achievements of ancient Egypt in art,

architecture, religion and government and the development of the concept of

theocracy*. (Individuals, Society and Culture)

Performance Objective(s): Students will understand the process of mummifying a person by

completing the “How to make a mummy” packet in groups with 100% accuracy.

Assessment: The students will complete the “How to make a mummy” packet with 100%

accuracy.

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

 Create a brief PowerPoint visual to introduce the concepts of mummies.

 Create the How to make a mummy packet

 Have the link to the mummy explore game ready to go and tested.

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation: Start off by asking the students how we as Americans bury

our dead. Explain the processes involved with burials and cremation. Ask if they know anyone

that’s ever been cremated but be sure that no one in the class has had a recent death in the family

as this may be too close to home for the student. As you discuss modern burials, use it to

introduce ancient burials and how the Egyptians buried their dead like us, just in different ways

and how much specialization and teamwork was required to make the mummification process go

smoothly.

Step-by-Step Plan:

1. Begin the lesson after the hook by briefly introducing the history of Egyptian burials.

Inform the students of how the process evolved over time.

2. Next, give the students the “How to make a mummy” packet and allow them to work in

pairs as they go through the handout. ( Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial, Mathematic-Logical,

Interpersonal) (Bloom’s: Knowledge, Application, Evaluation)

3. Give students assistance as they need it throughout the packets completion. After the

students have finished the packet, show the students the exploration into the afterlife

found on http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/activity/main.html.

4. Read the prompts to the class as you move through the webpage. Let the students vote on

the interactive portions of the game and let them see what will happen. (Gardner’s:

Visual spatial, Logical-Mathematical, Verbal-Linguistic)

Closure: Finish the lesson by drawing a picture of a scale balancing the heart of a person

and a feather, just as the Egyptian gods would do upon a person’s death. Explain this story to the

class before they go.

Adaptations/Enrichment:

Student with Learning disability in reading comprehension: Make the answers to the

packet multiple choice and reduce the amount of actual reading required in the packet to

find each answer.

Student with ADHD: Modify the activity so that the student with ADHD is the one that

stands at the computer or smart board and clicks in the classes choices. This will allow the

student to get out of their seat and move around.

Student with Gifts and Talents in Creativity: Allow the students to draw and color

their own sarcophaguses at the end of the packet in order to deepen their connection to the

material.

Self-Reflection:

 Did the students grasp the material?

 Were my instructions clear and easy to follow?

 Did my hook work?

 Did the students enjoy the activities?

How to Make a Mummy

Name:__________________________________

Embalming the body

First, his body is taken to the tent known as 'ibu' or the 'place of purification'. There the

embalmers wash his body with good-smelling palm wine and rinse it with water from the Nile.

One of the embalmer's men makes a cut in the left side of the body and removes many of the

internal organs. It is important to remove these because they are the first part of the body to

decompose.

The liver, lungs, stomach and intestines are washed and packed in natron(a type of salt) which

will dry them out. The heart is not taken out of the body because it is the centre of intelligence

and feeling and the man will need it in the afterlife.

A long hook is used to smash the brain and pull it out through the nose.

The body is now covered and stuffed with natron which will dry it out. All of the fluids, and rags

from the embalming process will be saved and buried along with the body.

After forty days the body is washed again with water from the Nile. Then it is covered with oils

to help the skin stay elastic.

The dehydrated internal organs are wrapped in linen and returned to the body. The body is

stuffed with dry materials such as sawdust, leaves and linen so that it looks lifelike.

Finally the body is covered again with good-smelling oils. It is now ready to be wrapped in linen.

In the past, when the internal organs were removed from a body they were placed in hollow

canopic jars. These jars are images of the Gods that protect the dead persons organs.

Over many years the embalming practices changed and embalmers began returning internal

organs to bodies after the organs had been dried in natron. However, solid wood or stone canopic

jars were still buried with the mummy to symbolically protect the internal organs.

Imsety the human-headed god looks after the liver.

Hapy the baboon-headed god looks after the lungs

Duamutef the jackal-headed god looks after the stomach

Qebehsenuef the falcon-headed god looks after the intestines.

Wrapping the mummy

First the head and neck are wrapped with strips of fine linen. Then the fingers and the toes are

individually wrapped.

The arms and legs are wrapped separately. Between the layers of wrapping, the embalmers place

amulets to protect the body in its journey through the underworld.

A priest reads spells out loud while the mummy is being wrapped. These spells will help ward

off evil spirits and help the deceased make the journey to the afterlife.

The arms and legs are tied together. A papyrus scroll with spells from the Book of the Dead is

placed between the wrapped hands.

More linen strips are wrapped around the body. At every layer, the bandages are painted with

liquid resin that helps to glue the bandages together.

A cloth is wrapped around the body and a picture of the god Osiris is painted on its surface.

Finally, a large cloth is wrapped around the entire mummy. It is attached with strips of linen that

run from the top to the bottom of the mummy, and around its middle.

A board of painted wood is placed on top of the mummy before the mummy is lowered into its

coffin. The first coffin is then put inside a second coffin.

A ritual called the 'Opening of the Mouth' is performed, allowing the deceased to eat and drink

again.

Finally, the body and its coffins are placed inside a large stone sarcophagus in the tomb.

Furniture, clothing, valuable objects, food and drink are arranged in the tomb for the deceased.

Now his body is ready for its journey through the underworld. There his heart will be judged by

his good deeds on earth. If his heart is found to be pure he will be sent to live for all eternity in

the beautiful 'Field of Reeds'.

On the body provided

here, draw where an

embalmer would cut into

the body. Also, on the

lines below list the

organs that would be

removed during this

process.

____________________

What organ is removed

separately with a hook?

____________________

What organ is left in the

body at all times?

____________________

Why is this organ left in

the body?

____________________

For each of the organs removed, list the name of the God that protects the organ as well as what

each God resembles.

1. ___________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________

____________________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________

____________________________________________________________________________

How many days does the body sit in natron? _________________________

During later years of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, were the organs left out or returned to the

body? ____________________________

List the steps to wrapping the Mummy:

What is the name of the coffin that the mummy is placed in to be buried?

_________________________

If you had the choice to be buried in this fashion now, would you want to? Why or Why not?

Lesson Plan # 5

Lesson: ___Ancient Egypt Assessment____

Length: ___60 mins x2 days_____

Age or Grade Level Intended: _7

Academic Standard(s): 7.1.2 Describe the achievements of ancient Egypt in art, architecture,

religion and government and the development of the concept of theocracy

Performance Objective(s): Students will create a full funeral procession for an Egyptian

Pharaoh using all of the knowledge they have gained in previous lessons with a minimum of

85% based on a rubric

Assessment: The students will, using a bureaucratic style, list and reenact all of the steps

required in the process of creating a pyramid and mummifying the pharaoh while using

hieroglyphics were needed.

Advance Preparation by Teacher:

 Collect some kind of dolls (Barbie’s) for the students to mummify

 Provide materials for students to use on their projects such as paper, markers, glue, tape,

toilet paper and any other items that may be needed.

 Create a handout to guide the students through all of the required steps for project

completion

 Make a rubric to use to grade the assessment

Procedure:

Introduction/Motivation: Tell the students that over the past week, they have become

experts in the field of ancient Egyptian study and now it is time for them to show what they

know. Tell the students that they are elites in Ancient Egypt and the Pharaoh has just died. It is

up to them to work as a team to ensure that the pharaoh is buried in a timely manner and properly

with Egyptian customs. They will manage the completion of the Pharaohs final resting place, its

marking and the process of mummifying the Pharaoh.

1. Assign the students into predetermined groups of three based on ability to try to ensure

all groups are evenly distributed.

2. Pass out to each group the handout explaining all of the steps that they are required to

follow for the final project

3. Inform the students that they may use any notes or handouts that we have used

throughout the lesson. Accuracy is essential for this assignment.

4. Give each group their “Pharaoh” and have them assign one student from their group to

gather all the materials they will need.

5. Give the students the rest of the class to create their funeral arrangements. Teamwork will

be essential for the students to complete this task on time.

6. Help students as they ask but avoid giving them direct answers, try to guide the students

to the correct answer but let them figure it out themselves.

7. Funeral Procession Assessment (Gardner’s: Visual-Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic,

Interpersonal, Linguistic, Logical-mathematical) (Blooms: Knowledge, Comprehension,

Application, Analysis)

8. Have the students check in with the teacher at each steps completion to collect a grade for

the students.

Closure: Once the students have finished their projects, have them bring them up to the

front of the class and briefly describe their pyramids as well as what they felt was the most

difficult part of the assignments.

Adaptations/Enrichment:

Student with Learning disability in reading comprehension

This disability can be overcome by using groups to aid the students through the steps that

they may not be able to read. This student can also be helped by reading the steps through

as the teacher before the assignment begins so that the student can use their auditory

skills to comprehend the assignment instead of their visual.

Student with ADHD

For a student with ADHD, this student can be assigned as the groups materials gather so

that he/she can get up and move around the classroom to collect supplies. This extra

physical movement will help them with their focus. This student can also be put in charge

of the actual creation of the physical aspects of the project such as mummifying the

Pharaoh or creating the pyramid since this is hands on.

Student with Gifts and Talents in Creativity

These students will be thrilled with this project because they will not have limits on the

amount of creativity that they can put into the creation and detail of the physical aspects

of the project. These students will be the creative centers of their groups and the teacher

can request that they are in charge of the designs to ensure they use their gifts in

creativity.

Self-Reflection:

 Did the students enjoy this assignment?

 Did the project cover the required standard?

 Did the students understand what was expected of them?

 Is there any way to incorporate more Bloom’s and Gardner’s?

 Are there any other adaptations that need to be accounted for in this assignment that I

have not already covered?

 Was this an accurate representation of what they know?

Egyptian Funeral Assessment Project Names: _____________________________

_____________________________

Directions: You are elites in ancient Egypt. You and your group members are top members of

the Egyptian Bureaucracy and your Pharaoh has just died. It has been placed on your group to

ensure that the Pyramid is finished in time and the Pharaoh is properly mummified. You will

need to very precise in your steps through this process and will need to divide the work among

your groups. Teamwork will be essential to the completion of this assignment.

As a group, you will be required to

 Fill out the attached questions with this handout

 Create a Pyramid with accurate Hieroglyphics depicting the name of your Pharaoh and

the name of each of the members of your group. Remember that the pharaoh is the most

important person in your culture so make sure that their name is the largest and most

decorated name on the pyramid.

 You will mummify the pharaoh based on the steps that we have covered in class. You

will need to use a marker to show the incision that you would make to remove the

pharaoh’s vital organs. There will be salt provided so you will need to bath your pharaoh

in a salt bath. Finally, you will wrap your mummy in provided toilet paper. Be sure to

include amulets accurate drawings that we have discussed in class. Each step that you

complete needs to checked off by Mr. Davis before you move on so that I can give you

credit for proper procedure. Be ready to explain what you are doing each step.

 To go with your mummy, you will need to create jars for their organs to rest in. Draw a

picture of the god that will protect each organ as well as its name. These should be on a

separate piece of paper that you will glue or tape your mummy to in order to represent

his/her burial chamber within your pyramid.

 Create a sarcophagus to place your mummy in once their mummification process has

been completed and given the O.K. by me. Make this colorful and creative.

 Finally, you will need to place all of these items together on one solid platform so they

are organized. I will provide you cardboard box bottoms for this step.

If you have any questions with any part of this assignment do not hesitate to ask.

Assignment questions:

1. What is the name of your Pharaoh? ______________________________

Pyramid Questions:

2. If you want the Pharaoh’s pyramid to weigh 5,000,000 tons, and you have collected

6,400,000 tons of stone from nearby quarries, how much extra stone have you gathered?

________________________

3. Why do you think that the ancient Egyptians gathered more stone than was required for

each pyramid? _________________________

4. The top piece of the pyramid is covered in a special metal, what is the most common

metal used for this task? ________________________________

Mummification:

5. List five steps required in the mummification process

1. _____________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________

6. What are the names of the gods that protect the removed vital organs and what do they

protect?

1. Name: _____________________________________________

Organ: _____________________________________________

2. Name: _____________________________________________

Organ: _____________________________________________

3. Name: _____________________________________________

Organ: _____________________________________________

4. Name: _____________________________________________

Organ: _____________________________________________

7. Why is it important to let the body sit in salts before it is wrapped?

________________________

8. How many days is the body left to sit in salt? _______________________

Hieroglyphics:

9. What is the name given to the people in Ancient Egypt whose job was to write?

________________________________

10. According to the Egyptians, who taught the people Hieroglyphics? _____________________

11. Why is it important that a culture can write?

______________________________________________________________________________

12. What is the name of the tablet that was discovered that allowed modern day scientists to read

Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics?

______________________________________________________________________________

Ceremonial Burial:

In most modern societies including America, we bury our dead and make memorials to

remember them (tombstones). What do we share in common with the Ancient Egyptians when it

comes to these practices and what is different?

______________________________________________________________________________

Historical Role Play : Egyptian Funeral

Teacher Name: Mr. Davis

Student Names: _________________________________________________________,

_______________________________________________________________________,

_________________________________________________________________________,

__________________________________________________________________________