UKS2 Topic: Earliest Civilisations: Ancient Sumer Block C: Ancient Sumerian Religion

Learn the significance of temples to the Ancient Sumerians as the homes of gods and goddesses. Discover the structure of a ziggurat and the significance of its shape. Learn about some of the main Ancient Sumerian gods and goddesses and priests. Discover beliefs about death and the afterlife and discuss the evidence we use to support our knowledge.

Block C: Ancient Sumer
Religion [4 sessions] / Main outcome: History
Other outcomes: Maths, English
By the end of this block you will have achieved the following outcomes: / ·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
·  Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
·  Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history, and between short- and long-timescales.
·  Identify 3D shapes from 2D representations.
·  Draw 2D shapes using given dimensions and angles.
·  Recognise, describe and build simple 3D shapes, including making nets.
·  Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary.
·  Use further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader.
·  Participate in role play.
·  Retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction.
·  Use devices to build cohesion.
Session 1: History and Maths
Temples and Ziggurats
Learn that temples were considered by the Ancient Sumerians to be the homes of gods and goddesses. Discover the structure of a ziggurat and the significance of its shape. Use nets to build ziggurats with temples. / Children will
·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; characteristic features of past non-European societies.
·  Understand historical concepts such as similarity, difference and significance.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between cultural, religious and social history.
·  Identify 3D shapes from 2D representations.
·  Draw 2D shapes using given dimensions and angles.
·  Recognise, describe and build simple 3D shapes, including making nets.
Session 2: History and English
Gods and Goddesses
Learn about some of the main Ancient Sumerian gods and goddesses. Create a fact file about one god or goddess. / Children will
·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; characteristic features of past non-European societies.
·  Understand historical concepts such as similarity, difference and significance.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between religious and social history.
·  Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary.
·  Use further organisational and presentational devices to structure text.
Session 3: History and English
Priests
Find out more about the role of priests in Ancient Sumer. Examine evidence that helps historians to understand the role of Ancient Sumerian priests. Use role play to explore the role of priests in Ancient Sumer. / Children will
·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; characteristic features of past non-European societies.
·  Understand the methods of historical enquiry.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between cultural, religious and social history.
·  Participate in role play.
·  Use spoken language to develop understanding through imagining and exploring ideas.
Session 4: History and English
The Royal Tombs of Ur
Discover the Ancient Sumerian beliefs about death and the afterlife. Discuss the significance of the finds in the Royal Tombs of Ur. Write a telegram in role as an archaeologist. / Children will
·  Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; characteristic features of past non-European societies.
·  Understand the methods of historical enquiry.
·  Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between cultural and religious history.
·  Retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction.
·  Use further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader.
·  Use devices to build cohesion.

Resources

Session 1

Provided: Images of Ziggurats; Ziggurat Background Information; Architect’s Plan of a Temple; Reconstruction of a Temple at Uqair; Example Ziggurat Model; Net for a Ziggurat Platform.

You will need: Card; Scissors; Rulers; Glue and/or sticky tape; Paints; Paint brushes.

Session 2

Provided: The Sumerian Creation Story; Sumerian Gods and Goddesses; Divine Family Tree; Gods and Goddesses Research Links.

You will need: Laptops / tablets / computers.

Session 3

Provided: The Warka Vase; Temple Images; Sumerian Priests Fact Sheet; Hymn to Inanna.

Session 4

Provided: Date Cookies; The Royal Tombs of Ur; Tomb Telegram; Telegram Template.

You will need: A globe; Optional: 1½ cups pitted dates, ¾ cup white sugar, salt (approx. 1 teaspoon), 1¼ cups water, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 4 teaspoons lemon juice, ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts, ¾ cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 3½ cups flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, food processor, saucepan, sifter, waxed paper, sharp knife, greased baking sheets, kitchen facilities.

© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.

The links to the websites and the contents of the web pages associated with such links specified on this list (hereafter collectively referred to as the ‘Links’) have been checked by Hamilton Trust(being the operating name of the registered charity, William Rowan Hamilton Trust)and to the best of Hamilton Trust’s knowledge, are correct and accurate at the time of publication. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other terms and conditions on the Hamilton Trust website, you acknowledge that Hamilton Trust has no control over such Links and indeed, the owners of such Links may haveremoved such Links, changed such Links and/or contents associated with such Links. Therefore, it is your sole responsibility to verify any of the Links which you wish you use. Hamilton Trust excludes all responsibility and liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of any Links.