Teller Elementary: Passion Pursuit

Ancient Egypt

Geography

  1. Make a map of ancient Egypt showing the important cities, temples, and burial sites. Discuss why cities, temples, and burial sites were located where they were.
  1. The Nile River was important to the ancient Egyptians in many ways. How did the river impact people’s lives?
  1. What was Inundation and why was it so important to the Egyptians?Predict what would have happened if the Nile had not flooded every year.
  1. Research shadufs and build a working model of one.

History / Time

  1. Create a timeline of important dates and events in ancient Egypt. If you need guidance, see Ms. Bass.
  1. How is the technology of today being used to learn more about ancient Egypt?
  1. Make a model of a water clock or a working sun dial.Demonstrate how it works.

Pyramids

  1. Read “Pyramid” by David McCauley. Learn how pyramids were built and who build them. Draw a cross-cut diagram showing the internal arrangement of one of the pyramids. Explain the uses of various parts of the pyramid.
  1. Construct a model of one of the pyramids. Include a fact sheet so people learn about this structure.
  1. What is the difference between a step pyramid, a mastaba, and a bent pyramid? Illustrate and describe the differences. What do the pyramids tell you about what the Egyptians valued in life?
  1. Create your own pyramid/tomb, including a serdab and blind passages. Place your own treasured possessions in it. Make a cross-sectional model.
  2. You are Imhotep, the architect. Using what you know about religion, noblemen, and architecture, develop a new form of tomb. Draw your plans.
  1. Compare the sizes of the pyramids with well-known structures today.
  1. Research and design a tomb that would be safe from robbers.
  1. Research to find out what two images are in the Great Sphinx. Invent a sphinx of your own. Combine two images - man and animal or animal and animal. Make your sphinx out of papier-mâché or plaster cast material. Paint and decorate it.
  1. What is the answer to the Riddle of the Sphinx? Create your own riddle.

What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

Daily Life

  1. What did the ancient Egyptians eat? Did the importance in the social rank determine the types of food they ate?
  1. Pretend that you own an Egyptian restaurant! Make a menu showing the foods that you serve.
  1. Create a pyramid showing the structure of Egyptian life, from the pharaoh at the top to the farmers at the bottom.
  1. Pick a traditional Egyptian building, such as a home, a temple, or a palace. Make a model and label the parts / rooms.
  1. Pick a craftsman and tell more about what that person created, the tools of his trade, the resources needed, and his work day.
  1. Who did the Egyptian culture choose to educate? Who didn’t get educated? How did these choices affect the society?
  1. The Egyptians loved to wear plenty of brightly colored jewelry. Make a beaded collar similar to those worn by both men and women.
  1. What kind of clothing did the Egyptians wear? Hairstyles? Jewelry? Makeup? What other ways did they make themselves attractive?
  1. If you were an Egyptian doctor, what type of knowledge did you have about how the human body works? What types of medicines did you have? What did Egyptians believe caused illnesses?
  1. Pick a job that an Egyptian might have had. Research that job and create a pyramid shaped diorama of a person doing that job. See Ms. Bass for help with the pyramid shape.
  1. Compare how the rich lived with how the poor lived in Egypt. What was life like for a slave in ancient Egypt?
  1. What was the role of women in ancient Egypt? Were they equal to men? Did they have the same or different rights? How did the role and rights of women in ancient Egypt compare to those of women in different cultures of the same time.
  1. Senet is an ancient board game that is still played today. Learn how it is played and play with a partner.
  1. Even though famers were on the bottom of the power pyramid, farming was very important. Describe why this was.What crops did Egyptians farm and harvest?

Afterlife

  1. Create your own mummy. You will need a doll that you don’t care too much about. See Ms. Bass for help with this project.
  1. Create a sarcophagus for your mummy. Learn about hieroglyphics and paint your sarcophagus appropriately.
  1. Pharaohs usually wore a death mask when they were buried. Learn more about death masks and make one.
  1. Pretend that you are a mummy maker (or embalmer). Make an instruction book with illustrations about how to mummify a body.
  1. Research canopic jars. Who is on them? Why? What are they used for? Talk to Ms. Taft and see if you can make one in art.
  1. When pharaohs were buried, they also buried shabtis. What is a shabti and why were they buried with the pharaohs? Make a shabti figure. Get help from an adult.
  1. Egyptians thought that charms or amulets could bring them luck and help guide them to the underworld safely. Make an amulet.

Religion

  1. What were the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians? Find out more about the ka and ba of an Egyptian’s spirit.
  1. The Egyptians filled their lives with symbols that had deeper meanings. Even colors had meanings to the Egyptians. Make a chart of the colors that had meaning to the Egyptian and what each color meant.
  1. What gods did they worship and what did each stand for? Describe the gods and goddesses, their physical descriptions, and their roles. Illustrate. Egyptian gods were often shown as animals. Make a poster showing these gods and their names.
  1. Read the Egyptian creation myth and retell it for the class.

Leadership / Government

  1. Pick a famous pharaoh, such as Ramses II or Cleopatra, and research more about him or her.
  1. How were pharaohs or king shown? What crowns did they wear and what did each mean? What did they hold, and what was the meaning of these symbols? Create a new crown for a pharaoh. Tell what the shape and colors represent.
  1. What was the role of the queen in ancient Egypt?
  1. How did the Egyptian government work? Was there a system of justice? Taxes?
  1. Did the Egyptians have money? If not, how did they pay for things? Tell how the barter system works.
  1. Research the early Egyptian military. What weapons did they use? Who were their enemies?
  1. Research trade between Egypt and other lands? What did they have that they traded? What did they need from others?

Language

  1. Research the Rosetta Stone and tell more about what is on it and how it was used to understand hieroglyphics.
  1. Research the written language of the Egyptians and determine why it is so complicated. Send a message to a friend using hieroglyphics.
  1. What is a cartouche? Create your own cartouche. See Ms. Bass for a blank cartouche or design your own!