Let’s Visit Ancient

Ancient Egypt – A WebQuest
for sixth grade students
by Heather Deitch, Library Media Specialist

Introduction

The first villages of ancient Egypt were established almost 7,000 years ago in the Nile River Valley. The culture lasted for over 2,000 years and has become one other longest lasting civilizations. The ancient Egyptians made outstanding contributions to the development of civilization. They created the world's first national government, basic forms of arithmetic, and a 365-day calendar. They invented a form of picture writing called hieroglyphics. They also invented papyrus, a paper-like writing material made from the stems of papyrus plants. The Egyptians developed one of the first religions to emphasize life after death. They built great cities in which many skilled architects, doctors, engineers, painters, and sculptors worked.

The best-known achievements of the ancient Egyptians, however, are the pyramids they built as tombs for their rulers. The most famous pyramids stand at Giza. These gigantic stone structures--marvels of architectural and engineering skills--have been preserved by the dry climate for about 4,500 years. They serve as spectacular reminders of the glory of ancient Egypt.

(World Book, 2002)

Essential Questions: What were the Egyptians beliefs?

What was daily life like for the Egyptians?

How did the Egyptians write?

Task:

Imagine you and your classmates were sent back in time to ancient Egypt. In ancient Egypt you must become an expert on one topic. You must decide among your four team members who will study each topic. Then you must gather information to help your team create a mini museum of your trip. You may now begin your expedition back into time to ancient Egypt!!

Directions: Students once you decide on your job, go through each activity from left to right in the order that they are listed.

Topics

Pyramids Mummification Hieroglyphics Daily Life

Choose your topic. Enjoy the trip!

1. Pyramids Expert: After completing the activities below, you will create an informational pamphlet about Egyptian pyramids.

1. Pyramid Fact Sheet 2. Map of Egypt 3. Creating a Pamphlet Pyramid Resources

2. Mummification Expert: After finding information on mummification, you will create a mummified apple and create a mummy.

1.Mummy Fact Sheet 2. How to Make a Mummy 3. Apple Mummification Resources

3. Hieroglyphics Expert: After completing the activities below, you will be creating a cartouche.

1. Hieroglyphics Fact Sheet 2. Send a Postcard 3. Egyptian Cartouche 4. Hieroglyphics Translator

Hieroglyphic Resources

4. Egyptian Daily Life: After completing the activities, you will complete a diorama of a scene of a day in the life of an Egyptian.

1. Egyptian Clothing 2. Egyptian Homes 3. Homes 4. Egyptian Food

Egyptian Pyramids

Part 1: Pyramid Fact Sheet

1. Why did they build the pyramids? ______________________________________________________________
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2. How did they build the pyramids? ______________________________________________________________
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3. Who built the pyramids? _____________________________________________________________________
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4. How long did it take them to build a pyramid? _____________________________________________________
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5. What were the pyramids used for? _____________________________________________________________
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Name the famous pyramids and who they were built for? Show a map in your pamphlet with the famous pyramids labeled. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Directions for Pamphlet

1. Create a tri-fold informational pamphlet on the pyramids.

2. Include a map of Egypt with the famous pyramids labeled and who they were created for. You may include other sites on your pamphlet. Such as the Sphinx, etc.

3. Include information off of the information sheet.

4. Make it colorful and attractive!

Pyramids Resources

Explore the Pyramids

Mummies and Pyramids

Monuments and Sites of Egypt

The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt

Tour the Pyramids of Egypt

Egyptian Mummies

Mummy Fact Sheet

1. What is the mummification process? Describe it step-by-step. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Why did they preserve the body? _______________________________________________________________
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3. Who was mummified? _________________________________________________________________________
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4. What did they believe they needed for the after life? Why?___________________________________________
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Mummification Resources

Egyptian Mummies You Wouldn’t Want to be an Egyptian Mummy

National Geographic The Clickable Mummy

Faces of the Pharaohs More on Mummies

Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs Resources
Hieroglyphics

A Little Egyptian Reading Book

The Hieroglyphic Alphabet

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphics

Egyptian Daily Life Resources

Ancient Egyptian Social Life

Egyptian Home

Daily Life

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Clothing

Ancient Egyptian Fashion

Teacher Resource Section

Teachers this is an Egyptian Unit designed for sixth grade students. All resources are included for students to use and navigate through. Break your class into groups of four. Students are then to choose their topic that they are going to complete. Students are to complete activities in the order that they are listed. This unit should take four to six weeks to complete. After students complete activities use the rubrics provided to grade the student’s work. Students are then to share and display their work as a museum.

Rubrics

New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards

Visual and Performing Arts

STANDARD 1.2 (CREATION AND PERFORMANCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL UTILIZE THOSE SKILLS, MEDIA, METHODS, AND TECHNOLOGIES APPROPRIATE TO EACH ART FORM IN THE CREATION, PERFORMANCE, AND PRESENTATION OF DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND VISUAL ART.

D. Visual Art

1. Individually or collaboratively create two and three-dimensional works of art employing the elements and principles of art.

3. Recognize and use various media and materials to create different works of art.

Lnaguage Art Literacy

STANDARD 3.1 (READING) ALL STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF SOUNDS, LETTERS, AND WORDS IN WRITTEN ENGLISH TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AND FLUENT READERS, AND WILL READ A VARIETY OF MATERIALS AND TEXTS WITH FLUENCY AND COMPREHENSION.

A. Concepts About Print/Text

3. Recognize and use common print formats to obtain information (e.g., newspapers, magazines, electronic sources).

H. Inquiry and Research

2. Select and use multiple sources to locate information relevant to research questions.

3. Draw conclusions from information gathered from multiple sources.

4. Interpret and use graphic sources of information such as maps, graphs, timelines, or tables to address research questions.

5. Summarize and organize information by taking notes, outlining ideas, and/or making charts.

6. Produce projects and reports, using visuals, media, and/or technology to show learning and support the learning of an audience.

7. Compare themes, characters, settings, and ideas across texts or works and produce evidence of understanding.

STANDARD 3.2 (WRITING) ALL STUDENTS WILL WRITE IN CLEAR, CONCISE, ORGANIZED LANGUAGE THAT VARIES IN CONTENT AND FORM FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND PURPOSES.

A. Writing as a Process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, postwriting)

4. Use strategies such as graphic organizers and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas for writing.

D. Writing Forms, Audiences, and Purposes (exploring a variety of forms)

1. Write for different purposes (e.g., to express ideas, inform, entertain, respond to literature, persuade, question, reflect, clarify, share) and a variety of audiences (e.g., self, peers, community).

2. Gather, select, and organize information appropriate to a topic, task, and audience.

STANDARD 3.3 (SPEAKING) ALL STUDENTS WILL SPEAK IN CLEAR, CONCISE, ORGANIZED LANGUAGE THAT VARIES IN CONTENT AND FORM FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND PURPOSES.

D. Oral Presentation

4. Use visuals such as charts or graphs when presenting for clarification.

5. Use props effectively while speaking.

6. Use verbal and non verbal elements of delivery (e.g., eye contact, stance) to maintain audience focus.

7. Read aloud with fluency.

STANDARD 6.3 (WORLD HISTORY) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF WORLD HISTORY IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND EVENTS IN THE PAST AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.

B. Early Human Societies to 500CE

5. Discuss the cultural influences of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and India on Mediterranean cultures through assimilation, conquest, migration, and trade.

STANDARD 6.6 (GEOGRAPHY) ALL STUDENTS WILL APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND OTHER GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT.

A. The World in Spatial Terms

2. Translate maps into appropriate spatial graphics to display geographical information.

STANDARD 8.1 (COMPUTER AND INFORMATION LITERACY) ALL STUDENTS WILL USE COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TO GATHER AND ORGANIZE INFORMATION AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

Input and access data and text efficiently and accurately through proficient use of other input devices, such as the mouse.

Information Literacy Standards

Standard One

The information literate person recognizes the need for information and determines the nature and extent of the information needed

1.1 The information literate person defines and articulates the need for information

Standard Two

The information literate person accesses needed information effectively and efficiently

The information literate person constructs and implements effectively designed search strategies

2.1 The information literate person selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information access tools for finding the needed information

1. The information literate person constructs and implements effectively designed search strategies

Standard Three

The information literate person evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into their knowledge base and value system

3.2 The information literate person summarizes the main ideas extracted from the information gathered

Standard Four

The information literate person classifies, stores, manipulates and redrafts information collected or generated

1. The information literate person extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources

Standard Five

The information literate person expands, reframes or creates new knowledge by integrating prior knowledge and new understandings individually or as a member of a group

5.1 The information literate person applies prior and new information to the planning and creation of a particular product

5.4 The information literate person revises the development process for the product

5.5 The information literate person communicates the product effectively to others

Rubric Resources

Pyramid Pamphlet

Making A Brochure : Egyptian Pyramid Pamphlet



Teacher Name: Ms. Deitch


Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Writing - Organization	Each section in the brochure has a clear beginning, middle, and end.	Almost all sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.	Most sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.	Less than half of the sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.
Content - Accuracy	All facts in the brochure are accurate.	99-90% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.	89-80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.	Fewer than 80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.
Attractiveness & Organization	The brochure has exceptionally attractive formatting and well-organized information.	The brochure has attractive formatting and well-organized information.	The brochure has well-organized information.	The brochure's formatting and organization of material are confusing to the reader.
Graphics/Pictures	Graphics go well with the text and there is a good mix of text and graphics.	Graphics go well with the text, but there are so many that they distract from the text.	Graphics go well with the text, but there are too few and the brochure seems "text-heavy".	Graphics do not go with the accompanying text or appear to be randomly chosen.

Egyptian Mummification Rubric

Egyptian Mummification

Teacher Name: Ms. Deitch

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1	Score
Attractiveness/Craftmanship	The mask shows that the creator was took great pride in his/her work. The design and construction look carefully planned. The item is neat (free of unwanted bumps, drips, marks, and tears).	The mask shows that the creator took pride in his/her work. The design and construction look planned. The item has a few flaws (unwanted bumps, drips, marks, tears), but these do not detract from the overall look.	The design and construction were planned. The item has several flaws (unwanted bumps, drips, marks, tears), that detract from the overall look.	The mask looks thrown together at the last minute. It appears that little design or planning was done. Craftmanship is poor.
Creativity	Totally original design, no element is an exact copy of designs seen in source material.	Most of the mask elements are unique, but 1 element may be copied from source material.	Some aspects of the mask are unique, but several elements are copied from source materials or other students.	The mask is a copy of a mask seen in source material or one made by another student (80% or more of elements are copied).
Knowledge about Culture/Story	The student can answer 3 questions correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student can answer 2 questions correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student can answer 1 question correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student does not understand how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.

Cartouche

Hieroglyphics

Teacher Name: Ms. Deitch

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1	Score
Creativity	Totally original design, no element is an exact copy of designs seen in source material.	Most of the mask elements are unique, but 1 element may be copied from source material.	Some aspects of the mask are unique, but several elements are copied from source materials or other students.	The mask is a copy of a mask seen in source material or one made by another student (80% or more of elements are copied).
Knowledge about Culture/Story	The student can answer 3 questions correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student can answer 2 questions correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student can answer 1 question correctly about how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.	The student does not understand how the mask relates to the culture or story being studied.
Time and Effort	Class time was used wisely. Much time and effort went into the planning and design of the mask. It is clear the student worked at home as well as at school.	Class time was used wisely. Student could have put in more time and effort at home.	Class time was not always used wisely, but student did do some additional work at home.	Class time was not used wisely and the student put in no additional effort.
Attractiveness/Craftmanship	The mask shows that the creator was took great pride in his/her work. The design and construction look carefully planned. The item is neat (free of unwanted bumps, drips, marks, and tears).	The mask shows that the creator took pride in his/her work. The design and construction look planned. The item has a few flaws (unwanted bumps, drips, marks, tears), but these do not detract from the overall look.	The design and construction were planned. The item has several flaws (unwanted bumps, drips, marks, tears), that detract from the overall look.	The mask looks thrown together at the last minute. It appears that little design or planning was done. Craftmanship is poor.

Egyptian Diorama

The Day in the Life of an Egyptian

Teacher Name: Ms. Deitch

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Creativity	Several of the graphics or objects used in the collage reflect an exceptional degree of student creativity in their creation and/or display	One or two of the graphics or objects used in the collage reflect student creativity in their creation and/or display.	One or two graphics or objects were made or customized by the student, but the ideas were typical rather than creative (.e.g, apply the emboss filter to a drawing in Photoshop).	The student did not make or customize any of the items on the collage.
Quality of Construction	The collage shows considerable attention to construction. The items are neatly trimmed. All items are carefully and securely attached to the backing. There are no stray marks, smudges or glue stains. Nothing is hanging over the edges.	The collage shows attention to construction. The items are neatly trimmed. All items are carefully and securely attached to the backing. A few barely noticeable stray marks, smudges or glue stains are present. Nothing is hanging over the edges.	The collage shows some attention to construction. Most items are neatly trimmed. All items are securely attached to the backing. A few barely noticeable stray marks, smudges or glue stains are present. Nothing is hanging over the edges.	The collage was put together sloppily. Items appear to be just "slapped on". Pieces may be loose or hanging over the edges. Smudges, stains, rips, uneven edges, and/or stray marks are evident.