Lesson Plan: Social Studies 6-8 Pharaoh Egypt Interview

ProQuest Standards-Based Learning Activity

Interviews with Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs & Leaders

A Social Studies Lesson -- Teacher Procedures

APPROPRIATE FOR: Social Studies, Grades 6-8

TIMELINE: Three class periods

Social Studies Standards Addressed Through This Lesson

NCSS: http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/soc_sci/index.shtml

II. Time, Continuity and Change

Middle Grades

c. identify and describe selected historical periods and patterns of change within and across cultures, such as the rise of civilizations, the development of transportation systems, the growth and breakdown of colonial systems and others; Related Themes: I, V, VIII, X.

III. People, Places and Environments

Middle Grades

i. describe ways that historical events have been influenced by and have influenced, physical and human geographic factors in local, regional, national and global settings; Related Themes: I, II, V, VI, VII, IX.

Learning Expectations/Objectives

· Students will learn about Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and leaders.

· Students will use eLibrary or SIRS Discoverer or SIRS Knowledge Source to gather information about Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and leaders.

· Students will learn how to organize the information and create a fictional “interview” with the Pharaoh/leader that they researched.

· Students will draft a written interview and perform the interview with a partner.

MATERIALS

· Computer with printer and access to ProQuest databases listed above

· Printer paper

· Paper and pens for note-taking and writing

ACTIVITY Process: Directions to the Teacher

Description of Activity

Students will research an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh or leader on ProQuest and use the information they gather to write a fictional interview with that pharaoh/leader. Interviews will be performed for the rest of the class.

Background Information/Scenario

Pharaoh was a title given to later kings of ancient Egypt. The word pharaoh comes from two Egyptian words that mean great house. At first, these words described the royal palace, not the king.

Egyptians considered the pharaoh both a god and the son of a god. They thought he was the sky god Horus in human form and the son of Re, the sun god. Most pharaohs were men, but there were some women rulers. In theory, the pharaoh owned all of the land and ruled the people. In reality, strong groups, including priests and nobles, sometimes limited his power. His actions were governed by rules of conduct that the Egyptians believed the gods had set down.

Just like world leaders today, some Egyptian pharaohs were responsible for big changes and made history. They might have made history for expanding the size of their empire, or for building one of the ancient wonders of the world. Some brought war to their people and some brought peace. Some were loved by their people and others found that their title was challenged. Sometimes Egyptian leaders who made history weren’t officially given the title of pharaoh. Some of the more memorable pharaohs and leaders of ancient Egypt include Khufu (also known as Cheops), Ramses II, Thutmose I, Thutmose III, Amenemhet, Amenhotep III, Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhenaton), Tutankhamen, Hatshepsut, Queen Nefertiti, Ptolemy I and Cleopatra.

Outline of Procedures -- Day One

1. Familiarize students with the format of an interview.

ProQuest offers several types of interviews that you can use as samples for students to review. Do a topic search for “interviews” on the Browse Topics page. A good overview of conducting an interview and some guidelines can be found at the ProQuest editor’s choice website: http://www.mapnp.org/library/evaluatn/intrview.htm#anchor1404957

2. Familiarize students with assignment parameters: Pair students up and assign to each pair a pharaoh from the above list. Students should use the following questions or others they brainstorm to guide their research.

· When were you born?

· When did you die?

· Who were you married to?

· Did you have any children? Who were they?

· Who was the pharaoh before? Who was the pharaoh after?

· Where (which city or part of Egypt) did you rule from?

· What were you like as a leader? Were you cruel? Kind? How did you treat your people?

· What did Egypt accomplish under your rule?

· Were any significant structures (statues, temples, pyramids, or other buildings or monuments) built in your reign or built for you?

· What did you take to the afterlife with you? What was buried in your tomb?

· Did you go to war with another group of people?

· Did you have any interesting religious beliefs?

· Tell me three other things about you.

Use the page below as a print-out for your students to help them research questions and answers for their interviews.

3. Students will gather information about a pharaoh by doing a search on ProQuest. Sort your results by reading level. That way, students can start with the sources that are closest to their approximate level.

· Once you have chosen an article for review, click the link to read it.

After reviewing several articles, students will write down facts that pertain to the pharaoh they were assigned. Research tips:

· Instruct students to search among several articles and to write down any fact or piece of information that helps them to gain information about their pharaoh.

· Instruct students who are having difficulty weeding through a great deal of information about their pharaoh to focus in on the questions that must be answered through the interview assignment.

· Remind students that if their search yields information that doesn’t help them achieve their goal of answering questions about the pharaohs, then they will need to weed through that information to get to the good stuff.

You can also help students to access information by clicking on some of these URLs from ProQuest editor selected websites::

For a general timeline of pharaohs and the dates of their reigns:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/pharaohs/timeline1.html

Search for the following pharaohs:

Khufu

Ramses II

Thutmose I

Thutmose III

Amenemhet

Amenhotep III

Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhenaton)

Tutankhamen

Hatshepsut

Queen Nefertiti

Ptolemy I

Cleopatra

Outline of Procedures -- Day Two

4. Students will organize the information they gathered into topics to help them write their interviews. Students can use a graphic organizer to help them sort out their facts. Go to this Editor’s Choice Website from ProQuest Elementary http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/sorganiz.htm for information on graphic organizers.

5. The students will work with their partners to write up their information into an interview with the pharaoh to whom they have been assigned. They will use the interview format as reviewed above.

6. Students will continue to work together to revise and edit their written draft. They will go to the ProQuest Reference desk. They will use the dictionary and thesaurus as editing tools.

7. Students will then practice and rehearse their interviews, each taking the role of either interviewer or interviewee.

Outline of Procedures -- Day Three

8. Students will perform their interviews of the pharaoh that they were assigned. Partners will sit in front of their classmates and perform their interview as though they were on stage/TV.

Conclusion/Finished Work

Interviews are viewed by classmates and teachers, with the possibility of other guests being invited to participate. Written interviews are collected to be assessed by the teacher. Interviews are videotaped for possible student self-assessment.

Assessment

Research

Students will be evaluated based on these criteria:

· Did the student use ProQuest to collect information about an ancient Egyptian pharaoh?

· Did the student organize information into logical topics for an interview?

Writing

· Did students use prewriting strategies to plan the written interview. (e.g. graphic organizers, plan worksheet)?

· Did students write a first draft using the prewriting information and did the draft follow the format of a written interview?

· Did students edit work together?

· Did students use the conventions of spelling and punctuation appropriately?

Performance

Students will be evaluated based on these criteria:

· Did students speak loudly and clearly?

· Were students engaging their audience?

· Did students take on the roles of interviewer and pharaoh?

Optional Extended Enrichment Activities

1. Have students use ProQuest to connect the pharaoh they studied to a particular dynasty of Egyptian rulers. Students can research more about that dynasty and even find maps of the way Egypt looked under that dynasty. They can also find pictures of artifacts from the dynasty. All of the materials can be combined to create an exhibit or poster about their pharaoh’s dynasty.

2. Have students extend their interviews into plays or movie “scripts” about a pharaoh or leader’s life.

3. Extend research into other fields of Egyptology: geography, archaeology and art history. Have students compile a “newspaper of the times” with features for each field of study.

4. Have students extend their study of interviews to create a more formal, written piece. Students can use this fictional interview as a basis for further developing a fine-tuned written interview.

Sample Questions Work Sheet to Guide Interview Research

Directions: When you are doing your research in ProQuest, these questions may help you find information and take notes about your pharaoh. Try to answer as many of these questions as you can about your pharaoh. Remember, these questions can help guide your interview as well.

Questions your pharaoh should try to answer:

· When were you born?

· When did you die?

· Who were you married to?

· Did you have any children? Who were they?

· Were you a part of a dynasty of rulers? If so, which dynasty?

· Who was the pharaoh before you? Who was the pharaoh after you ?

· Where (which city or part of Egypt) did you rule from?

· What were you like as a leader? Were you cruel? Kind? How did you treat your people?

· What did Egypt accomplish under your rule?

· Were any significant structures (statues, temples, pyramids, or other buildings or monuments) built in your reign or built for you?

· Did you have a tomb?

· Has your tomb been discovered yet?

· What did you take to the afterlife with you? What was buried in your tomb?

· Tell me three other things about you.

· Did you go to war with another group of people?

· Did you have any interesting religious beliefs?

Interviews with Ancient Egyptian

Pharaohs & Leaders

A Social Studies Lesson – Student Version

During this activity you will…

· Learn about ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and leaders.

· Use ProQuest SIRS Discoverer or SKS or eLibrary to gather information about ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and leaders.

· Learn how to use the information to create a fictional “interview” with the Pharaoh/leader that you researched.

· Draft a written interview and perform the interview with a partner.

Information about Pharaohs:

“Pharaoh” was a title given to later kings of ancient Egypt. The word pharaoh comes from two Egyptian words that mean great house. At first, these words described the royal palace, not the king.

In theory, the pharaoh owned all the land ruled the people. In reality, his power was sometimes limited by strong groups, including priests and nobles. His actions were governed by rules of conduct that the Egyptians believed the gods had set down.

Just like world leaders today, some Egyptian pharaohs were responsible for big changes and made history. They might have made history for expanding the size of their empire, or for building one of the ancient wonders of the world. Some brought war to their people and some brought peace. Some were loved by their people, while others found that their title was challenged. Sometimes Egyptian leaders who made history weren’t officially given the title of pharaoh. Some of the more memorable pharaohs and leaders of ancient Egypt include:

· Khufu (also known as Cheops)

· Ramses II

· Thutmose I

· Thutmose III

· Amenemhet

· Amenhotep III

· Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhenaton)

· Tutankhamen

· Hatshepsut

· Queen Nefertiti

· Ptolemy I

· Cleopatra

DAY ONE

First you will review what you know about interviews and how they are given.

1. Discuss with your partner the kinds of interviews that you have seen, heard or read. What happens during an interview? What kinds of things do people talk about in an interview? Who speaks when? You will go over these questions as a class, too.

2. Find out which pharaoh or Egyptian leader you and your partner have been assigned. Read over the questions that your teacher has passed out to you. You will use these questions to guide which information you collect as notes when you begin your research.

3. Begin your research about your pharaoh and collect notes to help you answer some of the questions listed above. Research tips:

· Search among several articles and write down any fact or piece of information about your pharaoh.

· If you are having difficulty weeding through a great deal of information about your pharaoh, focus in on the questions that must be answered through the interview assignment.

· If your search yields information that doesn’t help you achieve your goal of answering questions about the pharaohs, then you will need to weed through that information to get to the good stuff.

DAY TWO

4. Organize the information you gathered into topics to help you write your interviews. You can use a graphic organizer if you like, or decide which questions you plan to try to answer and sort your notes out into categories for each question.

5. Work with your partner to write up your information into an interview with your pharaoh. Use the interview format as reviewed in class. Remember, you will want to add comments to keep your audience’s interest. Add humor, re-word the questions and allow your audience to know what surprised you.

6. Continue to work together to revise and edit your written draft. Go to the ProQuest to use the dictionary and thesaurus as editing tools.

· Look at the different descriptions for your word.

7. You will then practice and rehearse your interviews. Remember, each of you must take the role of either interviewer or interviewee.

DAY THREE

8. You will perform your interviews of the pharaoh that you were assigned and listen as other partners perform their interviews as well. Sit in front of your classmates and perform your interview as though you were on stage/TV.

ASSESSMENT

Research

You will be evaluated based on these criteria:

· Did you use ProQuest to collect information about an ancient Egyptian pharaoh?

· Did you organize information into logical topics for an interview?

Writing

· Did you use prewriting strategies to plan written interview. (e.g. graphic organizers, planning worksheet)?

· Did you write a first draft using the prewriting information and did the draft follow the format of a written interview?

· Did you edit work together?

· Did you use the conventions of spelling and punctuation appropriately?

Performance

You will be evaluated based on these criteria:

· Did you speak loudly and clearly?

· Did you engage your audience?

· Did you take on the roles of interviewer and pharaoh?