Name ______

Date ______

Block ______

Life on the Nile – Historical Fiction Writing

Egypt

Imagine you are an Egyptian trader and write a diary entry about a sailing experience on the Nile. Start in Upper Egypt and end at the Mediterranean Sea. You could write about the goods you are planning to trade, the animals you see, the interactions with other people you have, the problems you might face, the landmarks you visited etc. When you write, you need to use a minimum of 10 specific details in your journal entries. Five of these entries need to be from the books I’ve obtained from the library or your textbook. These are in B26. The other five entries can come from internet search. All your sources need to be cited (see below).

A few more guidelines:

  • Write from first person. Give yourself an Egyptian name
  • Use Endnotes in Word (insert – reference – footnote – choose endnote button) as you write so that you can prove where your specific details came from.
  • Word Choice: Focus on powerful verbs. “Pepper” your entry with unique ways of saying things.
  • Organization: Organize your entry into natural paragraphs. (Three paragraphs are the minimum.)
  • Voice; Voice on this piece is how realistic it sounds and how believable it sounds. You may use dialogue if necessary, but not required.
  • Conventions: Edited to near-perfection.
  • Your entry should be dated. Use the timeline in the SS book to decide on a realistic date.
  • In your journey, you should stop off at least three villages/towns.
  • Not to exceed 1.5 pages in size 12 font. Must fit on the back of your map.
  • Use a font style that is EASY to read. Your title can be a bit snazzier.
  • Head your paper.

On 12x18 paper, illustrate your journey. Draw a map of The Nile. Include details that would paint a picture of your journey. Use any resources you wish to draw the map. You will be graded on details, but not necessarily your artistic abilities. Use colors to enhance the map.Your map must include:

  • The names of the locations you stopped (label with the words, “1st Stop” etc.)
  • Symbol representing the things you saw (You will need to make a MAP KEY)
  • Important landmarks
  • Bordering countries and bodies of water

See attached rubric for grading expectations.