Larger Unit Plan. Personal exploration of and reflection on the topic

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1 1 Larger Unit Plan Grade Level: 1 st Grade Topic: Early Civilizations: Mesopotamia Pages in Core Knowledge: CK Teacher Handbook, pgs # days/lessons available for whole unit: 7 days Personal exploration of and reflection on the topic 1. Map out the topic (here or on a separate sheet): a. What is the thing I am teaching? (classify the noun a time period? A person? An idea? A process?) This unit begins by briefly introducing students to a process in which early peoples of the world transitioned from hunters and gatherers to farmers, and thus began the world s first civilizations. It will teach students the definition of the term civilization by describing the characteristics of a civilization. Lastly, this unit describes the time period and the location of the world s first civilizations in Mesopotamia (specifically during the Sumerian period from 3500 BCE to about 1800 BCE; as well as the codification of Hammurabi s laws around 1790 BCE at the start of the Babylonian Empire). b. What is the essence of it that I need to know for myself? (create a set of personal notes) Background on the Patterns Development of Civilizations The following is a general description of how civilizations developed. Any specific region may have had variations. The earliest cultures were based on hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants. At different times on different continents, humans learned to domesticate edible plants and animals; that is they learned to plant, cultivate, and harvest wild plants and to breed wild animals for food and as beasts of burden. Some these societies continued a seminomadic existence, but others settled in one place. In time, these permanent communities and networks of towns with people of common culture gave rise and to what are known as civilizations. The term civilization is the designation of a culture that displays certain characteristics. In anthropological terms, the components and accomplishments of a civilization are the rise of permanent settlements, often with unique and monumental architecture; division of labor; the establishments of political organization and of social structure; and most often; but now always, the development of some form of writing. To some scholars, the presence of cities is the crucial element in the development of a civilization. A city needs political structure by which it can be governed. The first cities were the seats of power and organization for outlying areas and later kingdoms and empires. Because people in cities did not farm, they had to make their living in other ways. Crafts and commerce developed after agricultural stability was established. With them came the concept of division of labor. Some people made their living by becoming potters, bricklayers, and weavers, while others became merchants. At the top of the social pyramid was the ruler, who was often considered divine. Then came the high priests who served the deities of the society s religion. Next came the nobles, who were often military leaders because these early cities waged war to gain territory and wealth. Then came merchants, artisans, and scribes. At the bottom of the social structure were slaves, often captives taken in battle. The development of writing was an important element in organizing a civilization and establishing permanence of many cultural aspects. Writing first developed as a means of recording the exchange of goods and the taxes that were paid. With a large number of people living in close proximity to one

2 another, there could be a rapid dissemination of ideas. This exchange fostered creative and intellectual development. Writing enabled people to document these ideas and create a record of their thoughts and ideas. Writing and mathematics enabled governments to organize more efficiently and to spread their authority more effectively and over larger areas. Laws could be written down and sent to distant parts of an empire with the expectation that they would be obeyed. Records such as tax payments, treaties, and business contracts could be written down for reference and enforcement. Until about 300 years ago, only a small group of people within any civilization could read and write, which meant this small group had a great impact on society. Mesopotamian Civilization There were many different groups of people who lived and ruled in the region of Mesopotamia. This unit mainly focuses on the Sumerian period from 3500 BCE to 1800 BCE. It will also introduce the Code of Hammurabi, which was established around 1790 BCE when the Babylonians conquered many of Mesopotamia s city-states, including those of Sumer. Sumer is believed to be the world s first civilization. It began in 3500 BCE in southern Mesopotamia. The Akkadians from Mesopotamia ruled the southern region beginning in 2300 BCE. The Babylonians conquered much of the southern region beginning in 1790 BCE. The Assyrians were another great Mesopotamian empire, which emerged in the northern region around 1100 BCE. They became one of the most powerful empires in Mesopotamia during their time. After a brief period of a New Babylonian Empire from 625 BCE to 539 BCE, the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great invaded and conquered Mesopotamia. The Persians ruled until 331 BCE when the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, conquered Mesopotamia. The Greeks ruled Mesopotamia for more than a hundred years, after which the Arabs and the Turks followed. Further Details on Mesopotamian Arts and Accomplishments Poetry on Gilgamesh- The story of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest stories in the world. It is a myth that ancient people told to explain how the gods made the world and treated human beings, and what great deeds heroes did. Myths about Gilgamesh are at least 4,000 years old. According to the myths, Gilgamesh was a great hero and king. He was very strong and smart. In fact, he was half-god. At first, he fought against Enkidu, who was half-animal and half-human. Later they became friends. They shared many adventures such as fighting against monsters and gods. Finally, Enkidu died and Gilgamesh started looking for the secret of how to live forever. At last, the gods told him that only they but never humans or even half-gods like Gilgamesh could live forever. So the great hero Gilgamesh died too. Before he died, Gilgamesh wrote the exciting story of his life on stone tablets. One thing he wrote was: We must treasure the dream whatever the terror. Writing- Rivers brought mud to Mesopotamia. Some of this mud was used to make clay tablets. Mesopotamians first wrote by using a small piece of wood to draw pictures on clay. The pictures showed how much traders had bought or sold: two bunches of wheat or seven cows or three bracelets. The tablets were saved by letting them dry and harden. Later, still using small, triangular pieces of wood and clay tablets, the Mesopotamians invented the first real writing. By 2000 BCE, Mesopotamians used many combinations of marks to stand for words and parts of words. People used this complicated system to write down what they bought, sold, and owned. They wrote about how to make medicines from plants. They wrote poems and stories. They wrote down their laws and prayers to gods. Luckily for us, many dried clay tablets have lasted for thousands of years, giving us clues about life in Mesopotamian cities. Mesopotamian Schools- Most children in Mesopotamia worked with their families and never went to school. But sons of some richer families went to writing schools. Boys studied until they became grown-ups. Their school day lasted from early in the morning until late in the afternoon. They had to 2

3 memorize more than 2,000 combinations of marks, and they spent hours practicing. Mesopotamian teachers, known as big brothers, were very strict. Students were punished if they broke the rules or didn t do their lessons. But since most people in Mesopotamia could not read or write, boys from these schools got good jobs when they were finished. The Code of Hammurabi- Hammurabi, a great Mesopotamian king, lived almost 4,000 years ago. For more than 30 years, he fought wars with cities all over Mesopotamia. He added many cities to his kingdom. Then he stopped fighting and became a wise ruler. His code, or group of laws, tells us much about daily life in Mesopotamia. He made the world s first written laws. Hammurabi s code of laws was written on 12 stone slabs, which were each 6 feet high and weighed 4 tons. These stones were placed in the cities he ruled to tell people to follow the laws. Parts of the code were about stealing, farming, buying and selling things, family, marriage, children, and slaves. Some examples of Hammurabi s laws are: If a man breaks the bone of a free man, that man s bone will be broken. When a man dies, any presents he has given his wife, such as a house or a field, are hers, not the children s. When a wife dies, these presents can be given to a child as she wishes; the property cannot be given to her brother. The saying "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" also originated from the Code of Hammurabi. At the end of the code, it was written that "Hammurabi, a wise king, made these laws so that people would be good." Hammurabi's laws did not treat people equally. A boy had more rights than a girl. Poor people, women, and slaves did not have equal rights. Still, Hammurabi's laws say important things about civilization in Mesopotamia. The king's job was to settle arguments between people and to protect them from enemies. Some of these laws may seem harsh, but people knew how they would be treated if they followed the rules and what would happen if they didn't. Resources and Works Cited: a. Apte, Sunita. A True Book: Mesopotamia. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.-Children s Press, Print. b. Hirsch, E.D. and Suzanne A. Wright. Core Knowledge Grade 1 Teacher Handbook. Charlottesville, VA: Core Knowledge Foundation, Print. c. Hirsch, E.D. Pearson Learning Core Knowledge: History and Geography Level 1. Parsippany, NJ: Pearson Learning Group, Print. NB. This text is no longer published. 2. G.R.A.P.E.S. a. Geography i. While the Middle East is the common term for this area of the world, geographers call it Southwest Asia. It includes the modern-day countries of the Arabian Peninsula, the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, and Iran and Iraq. ii. The name Mesopotamia means "between rivers" and refers to the land between the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which today is part of the nation of Iraq. The watersheds of these rivers created a fertile valley, prompting some of the earliest establishments of agriculture and settlement. iii. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers begin in the mountains of Turkey and flow southeastward across the plains of Iraq. There they join to create the Shatt-al-Arab River. This river empties into the Persian Gulf. Baghdad, the capital of modern Iraq, stands on the banks of the Tigris. Many early civilizations arose in river valleys because these areas had fertile soil. This was the case for the civilization of Mesopotamia. At times, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers would flood and the water would stretch for many miles on either side of the riverbanks. As the water receded, the soil that was left behind was rich in many nutrients that plants need in order to grow. The Stone Age 3

4 4 hunters and gatherers learned to domesticate plants because they observed that large healthy plants grew in this dark, rich soil. This was the beginning of the first permanent settlements in Mesopotamia. iv. The floodwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers regularly enriched the soil, but they also disrupted farming if they were too high or too low. Over time, the Mesopotamian farmers learned to build irrigation ditches to direct the river s water to the fields, and dikes to hold back floodwaters and channel them into reservoirs for later use. v. Due to the development of farming and permanent settlements, Mesopotamia became the site of the world s first cities. This is why Mesopotamia is often referred to as the cradle of civilization. Around 3500 BCE, the city-states of Sumer in the southern region of Mesopotamia became the first cities to emerge in the developing civilization. b. Religion i. The Mesopotamians worshiped over 3,000 gods. They believed the gods controlled the sky, the air, the earth, and the water. Everything the rain, the moon, the plow had its own god. Every village and family had a god. Each person had a personal god. These gods ate, drank, loved, got married, and fought. People believed the gods could do whatever they wanted and they worried about how the gods would treat them. To get favors, people gave the gods money or goods called sacrifices giving up something they otherwise would want. ii. Each city-state had one main god that was its protector. Nanna, the moon god, watched over the city of Ur. The main god of Babylon was Marduk, the supreme ruler over the entire universe. The Assyrians worshiped many of the same gods as the Sumerians and Babylonians, as they shared many environmental and therefore cultural experiences that these anthropomorphic or elemental gods helped to explain with their stories. iii. The Mesopotamian priests said the temple gods wanted people to lead honest lives. The gods might protect the people, but only if they followed the priests rules. iv. Many city-states built tall platforms with lots of steps called ziggurats. About 25 still exist today. Ziggurats often had temples at the top. It is thought that through the ziggurats, the Mesopotamians could be closer to their gods who lived in the sky. The only people allowed inside the temples at the top of the ziggurats may have been priests whose job it was to care for the gods. The ziggurats were also centers for work, business, and government. c. Arts/Accomplishments i. The Sumerians developed a type of writing called cuneiform, perhaps the earliest form of written language. Cuneiform comes from the Latin word cuneus meaning wedge-shaped, because the Sumerians scribes used pens cut from reeds to make wedge-shaped forms on clay tablets. These forms were pictographs, pictures of objects. Initially, cuneiform was used to record commercial exchanges and offerings to the gods, such as bags of grain. Over time, scribes developed ways to record ideas as well as objects, and they began to set down treaties, contracts, prayers, and stories. These creations now had both permanence and transferability, allowing Sumerian and later imitation languages to spread cultural influence throughout the surrounding area. Only certain people known as scribes were trained to read and write. In most cultures, as in Mesopotamian cultures, only men could be scribes.

5 ii. Many archaeologists believe that the ancient Mesopotamians were the first to use the wheel. While no one is certain about when the wheel was invented, the earliest known one was found at the site of Kish, a Sumerian city-state that existed more than 5,000 years ago. The wheel is one of the world s most important inventions. It changed daily life for ancient people and made it easier to travel, farm, and shape clay into pottery. The wheel was used in vehicles to bear heavy loads long distances and in craft-tools such as the potter s wheel. d. Politics i. In the development of most early civilizations, first cities were the seats of power and organization for outlying areas, and later kingdoms and empires. Each Sumerian city-state had a political structure with a ruler who ruled as the chief representative of the city s gods and who oversaw the government. The city-states also ruled outlying farmlands. ii. In addition to managing a town's defenses, management was necessary for expansion. Building dikes, reservoirs, and irrigation ditches required that people work together, not just within villages, but from village to village. This was the beginning of centralized authority. e. Economy i. The successful establishment of agriculture allowed people to start grouping and making a living off of supplying crafts, trades, and other secondary economic services in towns. With surplus, a commerce developed and the concept of division of labor. While some people made their living by becoming potters, bricklayers, and weavers, others became merchants. ii. Because the Sumerian city-states ruled outlying farmlands, the largest segment of the population in each city-state were peasant farmers. The economies of the Sumerian city-states were based in agriculture, and they maintained vast irrigation systems. f. Social Structure i. Daily life in Mesopotamia was slightly different than that of Ancient Egypt or Ancient Greece, as many different groups of people lived in the Mesopotamian region. It was only during the Akkadian period in 2300 BCE that Mesopotamia was briefly united under one ruler. However, in general, the Mesopotamian social structure was similar in most regions of Mesopotamia and can be described as follows: At the top of the social pyramid was the ruler, who was often considered divine. Then came the high priests who served the deities of Mesopotamian s religion. Next came the nobles, who were often military leaders because Mesopotamian cities often waged war with one another to gain territory and wealth. Then came merchants, artisans, teachers, and scribes. At the bottom of the social structure were slaves, often captives taken in battle. 3. (Where) does this fit into a larger framework? This unit will lay the foundation for understanding the process of how civilizations form. Students will continue to study ancient civilizations in first grade with Ancient Egypt, Maya, Aztec, and Inca; in second grade with Ancient India, China, and Greece; and in third grade with Ancient Rome and the Vikings Is it a whole, a part of a whole, or both? What are its parts? What distinguishes this whole from other wholes (especially things that are like it)? What distinguishes this part from other parts in the whole? This unit is both a whole and a part of a whole. It is a whole in that this unit looks at the unique culture within a specific timeframe, and this content is not revisited in the K-5 Scope and Sequence. The study of Mesopotamia will be used as a comparison for the ways of life in other early civilizations. This unit is a part of a whole in that it

6 introduces concepts that will reoccur throughout history, i.e. the process of how civilizations form; the importance of agriculture and writing within civilizations; the importance of the division of labor within civilizations; and polytheism, which will be compared to monotheism during the first grade unit which will study the establishment of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity What patterns does it exhibit? Is it part of a larger pattern? What are its properties, qualities, quantities, boundaries? How does it react/interact with other things? It follows the basic pattern of how civilizations form when a group of people, with common needs and/or common goals, come together to live and work. This unit will explain the crucial role that farming had in the development of civilizations, and how the development of farming led to the development of cities, the division of labor within cities, the establishment of political and social structures, and great accomplishments such as the development of writing. These are all sequential developments predicated on the step before. 6. What makes it possible? What are its causes? Why is it here? Why does it happen? This civilization is possible because of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The rivers created rich soil for farming. Mesopotamians worked together to create dikes and channels to use the rivers water for farming. Once farming allowed for the development of cities, the invention of writing helped to support Mesopotamians in building successful economic and political systems, especially with the codification of laws. Common religious beliefs also contributed to societal organization and order. 7. Why is it important/interesting? Why does it matter? Where is the mystery/profundity? (What are the elements of wonder about this thing?) Why is this a crucial part of understanding the story of mankind? It is important to know about the Mesopotamian civilization because it was the world's first civilization, which makes the study of it essential to the study of all other civilizations. Understanding the process of how civilizations form, and learning about some of the details of the Mesopotamian civilization, will cultivate a deeper understanding of the patterns of adaptation and development, which are themes that are carried throughout history. Specifically, these themes are carried throughout the establishment of other ancient civilizations, as well as throughout the establishment of a new nation, which started as a group of European colonies and then fought to become an independent country with new ideas concerning liberty and justice, which had a longlasting impact on the world. The profundity of this unit will encourage those who study it to ponder how people used to live long ago and how it is similar or different to how we live now; what virtues and characteristics were needed to help people become successful while developing civilizations for the first time, and how those virtues or characteristics can continue to help people build a sense of community in order to further develop civilization today; and the impact that early accomplishments such as writing and the codifications of laws had on the continuation of history and continues to have on the world we live in today. 8. What is the extent of the content appropriate for this grade? How much detail will we go into? From this unit, students will need to know that, over time, early peoples all over the world transitioned from hunters and gathers to farmers, and that the very first people to do this lived in the area of Ancient Mesopotamia. Students will need to understand the importance the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers had in the development of farming, and how this led to the development of people living and working together in cities. Students will also need to understand two very important accomplishments from Mesopotamia and how those accomplishments impacted

7 our world today: the development of writing and the codification of laws. Lastly, students will be introduced, briefly, to other aspects from the Mesopotamian civilization such social and political structure, religion, art, and architecture What of the content is most essential? What elements will highlight meaningful threads to think through? What areas of content will lead to a Socratic inquiry (what can they figure out through good questions)? (list here or label on the topic map) Essential: the basic process of how civilizations form; why Mesopotamia is called the cradle of civilization; the role the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers played in the development of farming in Mesopotamia; the development of cuneiform writing, why it was important to Mesopotamian civilization, and how it has impacted other civilizations; the role religion played in the daily lives of Mesopotamian culture; and Hammurabi s codification of laws and why laws are important to all civilizations. Elements to highlight/common threads: a civilization is a group of people living and working together in a well-organized way; studying traditions of various civilizations around the world from various time periods will help us understand why people think and act the way they do. Suggestions for possible Socratic questions: How can working as a group be beneficial? What is history? What is a civilization? How did Mesopotamia become the world s first civilization? What is writing and how is it important? How does Mesopotamian writing give us clues about their civilization? What did the Mesopotamians believe in and how did it affect their daily life? What are laws and why are they important? 10. How do I best introduce this THING as a whole (not as an abstract definition made up of abstract parts)? Ask students to imagine that we are going to build our own houses. Tell them we will need to make all of our own tools before we build our houses, then we need to build the houses with those tools. Also tell them we will need to hunt, gather, or grow any food to eat while we are building our houses. We cannot go to the store to buy anything. Then, ask the students if they think it will be easier to accomplish all of this if we each work by ourselves, or if we work as a group? Explain that thousands of years ago, people learned how to live and work together as communities, which allowed them to accomplish greater things than they could accomplish on their own. 11. How best do I sequence the exploration of those parts a. Conceptually: How does this affect other ideas/processes/events? How does this lay foundations for later content? What is a theme here that stretches across the subject area, year, etc.? Conceptually, this unit will lay a foundation for understanding how people learned to live and work together in an organized way to form civilizations. Students will need an understanding of how civilizations form in order to study other ancient civilizations, the development of world religions, and how civilizations have continued to grow and change into the countries we have today. It will also help students understand how the development of writing and laws not only had a significant impact on ancient civilizations, but on current civilizations. b. Factually: What facts must come before it? What is necessary to know?

8 Factually, most of the content introduced to students during this until will be new for them. However, there are some facts and personal experiences that students will be able to use as a foundation for understanding the new concepts they will learn. i. Terms and definitions 1. Continent: any of the world s main expanses of land 2. River: a natural, flowing stream of water 3. Religion: a system of beliefs, faith, and worship 4. Writing: the activity or skill of marking words or sentences on paper 5. Laws: standards created by the government that must be followed ii. Historical/scientific facts 1. From kindergarten, students should be familiar with the idea that there are many different groups of people in the world who live and work together. They study Native American peoples, as well as about the importance of having different jobs in one community. This knowledge will be useful when learning how civilizations came to be formed. iii. Characters, figures, processes involved 1. The process or idea of how working together as a group can accomplish more than working separately as individuals. iv. Comparative experiences (things that are LIKE this new concept/idea/knowledge) 1. Students can compare each component they will learn that is needed to develop a civilization to the similar components in their own civilization Objectives / Goals for this Unit Students will be able to: Tell that a civilization is a group of people who have learned to live and work together in a wellorganized way. Explain that Mesopotamia is called the cradle of civilization because it is the place where many first things for civilizations happened (the first cities, the first farmlands, etc.), just like a baby experiences a lot of first things in life from its cradle. Name the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers as important rivers for farming in Mesopotamia and locate them on a simple map. Name cuneiform as the type of writing that Mesopotamians invented. Tell that the invention of writing was important to Mesopotamia because it helped them keep track of important things like their money and their laws. Explain that writing was important to all civilizations because it helped pass down traditions, which helps us understand they way other cultures think and act the way they do. Tell that Mesopotamians believed in many gods. Identify ziggurats as Mesopotamian temples. Name Hammurabi as a Mesopotamian king who was the first to write down a code of laws. Explain that laws are important because they help people be good and know what they are supposed to do or not do.

9 9 a. Builds on the following objectives targeted in previous grades: i. The content of this section will be new to students. 13. Refined Concept Map (Unit Outline/Map) a. Terms and definitions to be learned in the unit Civilization: a group of people living and working together in a well-organized way Tradition: a way of thinking or doing something that gets passed on Laws: standards created by the government that must be followed Code: a group of laws Priest: a religious leader Ziggurat: a temple in the form of a large structure, it had the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels Symbol: an object or design that stands for something else Cuneiform: wedge-shaped forms or characters cut into clay tablets Scribe: a person whose job is to write Dike: a dam built to hold back water, and stop flooding Flooding: overflowing with water Irrigation: the supply of water to fields of crops by channels and pipes 14. Major concepts/parts (organized logically; perhaps include final diagrams students will know or basic timeline): a. How civilizations began i. Explain that a civilization is a group of people living and working together in a well-organized way. ii. Explain the importance of agriculture and cities in making civilization possible by briefly introducing the process of early peoples transitioning from hunters and gatherers to farmers, which led to the development of cities. iii. Explain that Mesopotamia is believed to have been the world s first civilization. b. The cradle of civilization

10 i. Explain that Mesopotamia is called the cradle of civilization because it is the place where many first things for civilizations happened (the first cities, the first farmlands, etc.), just like a baby experiences a lot of first things in life from its cradle. ii. Locate Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. iii. Explain the importance of the rivers in the development of farming (building dikes and canals), which led to the first civilizations in Mesopotamia. iv. Explain that a civilization requires agriculture and cities. v. Explain how the development of farming allowed people to take on different roles in the communities that resulted in the growth of cities (i.e. craftsmen, merchants, priests, military leaders, community rulers or kings). c. Cuneiform and other accomplishments i. Explain that the Mesopotamians developed a form of writing called cuneiform. ii. Explain that writing was important to the Mesopotamians because it allowed them to keep track of their money and write down their laws. iii. Explain that writing is crucial to all civilizations because it helped pass down traditions, which helps us understand they way other cultures think and act the way they do. iv. Describe other contributions of the Mesopotamians (wheeled vehicles, pottery, mosaics, architecture, weaving cloth, jewelry, etc.) d. Religion i. Explain that Mesopotamians had over 3,000 gods, which they believed controlled the sky, the air, the earth, and the water. ii. Explain that Mesopotamians gave their gods money or goods to gain favor from them. iii. Explain that Mesopotamian temples were called ziggurats and describe what they looked like. iv. Explain that ziggurats were also used for work, business, and government. v. Introduce the Myth of Gilgamesh as one of the oldest stories in the world, which tells of how Mesopotamian gods made the world. e. Laws and traditions i. Explain that Hammurabi was a great Mesopotamian king who hand conquered many Mesopotamian cities for his kingdom. ii. Explain that Hammurabi wanted to write down his code of laws to post in every city, which became the first written laws in history. iii. Explain why tradition, laws, and literacy are important for all civilizations. 10

11 1 Larger Unit Plan Grade Level: 1 st Grade Topic: Ancient Egypt Pages in Core Knowledge: Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook pgs The Core Knowledge Sequence- pg. 35 # days/lessons available for whole unit: 7 Lessons, 1 review, 1 assessment = 9 total days Personal exploration of and reflection on the topic 1. Map out the topic (here or on a separate sheet): a. What is the thing I am teaching? (classify the noun a time period? A person? An idea? A process?) I am teaching about the life, geography, religious views and development of writing of ancient Egypt. This time period ranges from 2700 BCE to 1352 BCE. Ancient Egypt is broken up into three different time frames: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Each of the divisions marks the change in ruling dynasties. b. What is the essence of it that I need to know for myself? (create a set of personal notes) The Geography of Egypt: Egypt is located on the continent of Africa. The area in which Egypt is located is in the Sahara desert. The weather is very hot during the day with little to no rainfall. All of these rivers flood, leaving behind rich soil, which is ideal for farming. Pharaohs: The rulers of Egypt. They claimed they were descended from gods and were gods themselves. The Pharaohs had absolute power over Egypt. The two most important and famous pharaohs were Hatshepsut (female) and Tutankhamen (male, also known as King Tut). King Tut was known as the boyking, becoming a pharaoh at the age of nine years old. Once pharaohs died and were mummified, their tombs were often robbed for gold and jewels. Egyptians decided to build tombs in the cliffs of the desert, far away from the Nile. The pharaohs were buried in an area called the Valley of the Kings. The discovery of King Tut s tomb in the Valley of the Kings by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon allowed archeologists to unveil many mysteries of the boy-king. Gods and Goddesses: Egyptians believed that everything had a god. They used animals to symbolize these different gods and goddesses, who were much more powerful than humans. These animal symbols represented the different gods. The most powerful gods were Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The Egyptians main god was Re, the god of the sun. Hieroglyphics: These are the symbols that were used for their writing. The word hieroglyph means sacred or holy. These were considered sacred because they were used to write down spells and prayers that would protect them from the spirits of the dead. Egyptians often wrote on papyrus paper, made from stems of the papyrus plants that were found along the Nile, pressed and glued together from the juices of the plant. The Egyptians used people known as scribes to record many different things. The job of a scribe was very hard work and only 9 out of 100 people could even read Hieroglyphics. Most scribes worked for priests and temples, writing out religious ceremonies and prayers.

12 Afterlife: Egyptians believed that after they died, they went to an afterlife. Each person had three spirits that lived inside of him or her and depending on how they lived their life, their spirit could go on living forever. Their spirits had to pass many tests in the underworld, which is the place where the ancient Egyptians believed the spirit of the dead people went. The Egyptians would weigh their heart on a scale and if it was lighter than a feather, their spirit would live forever. Ancient Egyptians thought that eternal life meant that the dead person s spirit flew through the sky with the sun god during the day. At night, the spirit came back to the tomb where the body lay. From the earliest times in Egyptian history, when a pharaoh died, his body was carefully embalmed and buried so that his spirit could live happily ever after. Over time, ancient Egyptians came to believe that the spirits of all good people could live on too. Resources: Hirsch, E.D. Pearson Learning Core Knowledge: History and Geography Level 1. Parsippany, NJ: Pearson Learning Group, Print. NB. This text is no longer published. Hirsch, E.D. and Suzanne A. Wright. Core Knowledge Grade 1 Teacher Handbook. Charlottesville, VA: Core Knowledge Foundation, Print. 2. G.R.A.P.E.S. a. Geography b. Religion i. Egypt is located on the continent of Africa ii. The Nile River (the world s longest river) runs through Egypt. It divides Egypt into Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. The Nile River flows into the Mediterranean Sea. iii. Upper Egypt is the area where the Nile River starts, which is high in the mountains. As the river flows into the Mediterranean, the land starts to flatten out, which is also known as Lower Egypt. i. Polytheistic (the belief in many gods) ii. Their main god was Re (the god of sun) iii. Egyptians believed that animal gods could protect them in their afterlife c. Arts/Accomplishments i. Egyptians created Hieroglyphic writing system ii. Hieroglyphics were used to record taxes, laws, contracts, procedures, prayers, religious ceremonies etc. 2

13 3 iii. Cave paintings iv. The Great Sphinx and pyramids v. Mummy cases: Tutankhamen s tomb vi. Bust of Queen Nefertiti vii. Mathematics- it is thought that the Egyptians introduced the first base ten mathematical system viii. Egyptians used body parts to begin measuring. The distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger was a cubit. A cubit equaled six palms on the back of a hand. d. Politics i. The Egyptian rulers were the Pharaohs ii. Pharaohs were in charge of the army, making laws, and ruling everything iii. Tax collectors and clerks would keep track of the pharaoh s property e. Economy i. Egyptians used the rich soil from the Nile to farm crops. They often grew barely, wheat and flax. The barley and wheat were used for eating. Flax was used to make cloth and the oil squeezed from the flaxseeds had lots of uses (ex: oil to light lamps, cooking oil, or skin lotions) ii. The Egyptians used storehouses to store some of these crops to last longer. Storehouses, or the buildings where these were stored, needed to be built. People had to also build irrigation ditches for the flooding of the Nile. These were opportunities for people to work. iii. Thousands of people worked for the pharaoh, such as tax collectors and clerks. The pharaoh owned everything in Egypt and they would reward their workers by giving them land. Since the pharaoh owned everything in Egypt, he paid people enough to win their hard work back. f. Social Structure i. Social Pyramid 1. Pharaohs (the rulers) 2. Priests (religious leaders)

14 4 3. Nobles (most often military leaders) 4. Merchants, artists, and scribes 5. Slaves 3. Where does this fit into a larger framework? Is it a whole, a part of a whole, or both? What are its parts? What distinguishes this whole from other wholes (especially things that are like it)? What distinguishes this part from other parts in the whole? The students have already been introduced to Early Civilizations such as Mesopotamia. In second grade, they will explore the civilizations of India, China, and Greece. In third grade, students will examine Ancient Rome and The Vikings. When students are in fourth grade, they will build upon this knowledge when learning about The Early African Kingdoms. Ancient Egypt is a whole as a unit of study. This unit looks at as unique culture within a specific timeframe, and this material is not revisited specifically in the K-5 Scope and Sequence. The importance of the Egyptian ways of life is introduced in first grade and then compared to the ways of life for other early civilizations. Within the K-3 study of Ancient Civilizations, Ancient Egypt is also a part. It was one of the first civilizations to develop with lasting history and cultural impacts within its locale and in surrounding areas and cultures. This civilization lasted for more than 3,000 years, and provides the context for studying such concepts as polytheism and technological and agricultural development as a part of a civilization's growth. These concepts are recurrent in the K-2 Ancient Civ. Units, and so these more universal themes are studied within the specific context of Ancient Egypt., preceding other units and themes covering monotheism and the study of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in first grade. 4. What patterns does it exhibit? Is it part of a larger pattern? What are its properties, qualities, quantities, boundaries? How does it react/interact with other things? It follows the basic pattern of how civilizations form. The civilization is formed by a group of people working together with a common goal to come together to work and live. It shows that religion can play a major role in how people live their life on Earth. Because Egyptians believed in an afterlife, how they would spend their afterlife depended on how they lived their life. It also shows students that Egyptians shared similarities to the way we live our life. Some examples include: wearing perfume, playing board games, building furniture etc. This also intrigues students to form an appreciation for other cultures and perspectives. The Egyptians did show great ingenuity and perseverance in creating this pyramids and tombs. However, slaves, who were forced to do it without pay on pain of death, constructed the pyramids. It's a tough, but worthwhile, conversation to have with the students because Egypt does have these lasting monuments. Explaining what slavery is (simply) and asking students questions such as "was this right?" "Was this good?" "Does it make it ok that slavery (a bad) still made wonderful works?" 5. What is it scientifically? What is it poetically? How does it impact a man s soul?

15 5 Scientifically it's a study on adaptation to live and prosper in a very specific environment (desert) and a cultural study of the beliefs and lasting contributions of ancient civilizations. Poetically it's a study of how people used religion and a belief in the afterlife to shape their understanding of nature and influence their society. 6. What makes it possible? What are its causes? Why is it here? Why does it happen? This civilization is possible because of the Nile, by some measurements the world s longest river. The Nile River allows rich soil for farming and easy modes of transporting goods to and from different parts of Egypt. Egyptians worked together to help build dikes and channels to help with the Nile. They also used resources that were naturally grown to make items such as papyrus paper. One of the main reasons this civilization lasted so long is because it had, by far, the best agriculture in the area, which meant it had a large population that supported a large, well-supplied army. Religious beliefs also helped contribute to societal organization and order. 7. Why is it important/interesting? Why does it matter? Where is the mystery/profundity? (What are the elements of wonder about this thing?) Why is this a crucial part of understanding the story of mankind? It is important to know about how the Ancient Egyptians lived because it helps us to compare and contrast with other ancient civilizations as well as develop a general understanding of the patterns of adaptation and development. Familiarity of their religious views, mummification, and afterlife allows students to think on a different level about how these people lived long ago. The Egyptian civilization brought about much success in farming in a desert, agriculture, as well as mathematics and architecture. Furthermore many of their cultural stories, traditions, even religious inspirations were adopted or adapted into nearby cultures, including on the Hellenic peninsula. The uniqueness is that we know Ancient Egypt had a lasting impact on other civilizations and yet we don't actually know all that much about it relatively speaking. Tombs of pharaohs are filled with hieroglyphic writing such as prayers and spells. Due to the fact that only a few people of this society were scribes who could actually read and write, these few people made a big impact on society today. Archaeologists are still discovering more about these ancient civilizations with tomb discoveries and hieroglyphics, so in many ways there is still very real, literal mystery surrounding Ancient Egypt, couple with an ever-growing understanding and appreciation for how this civilizations influence many others in their contemporary development. 8. What is the extent of the content appropriate for this grade? How much detail will we go into? In first grade, we will introduce the geography of Ancient Egypt and their religious views in a way that goes into details about certain gods, but not every god. We will explain that they believed everything had a god and that in order to live a good afterlife, they had to live a good life on Earth. We will inform students about the importance of agricultural and the subsequent military side of things in less detail; however, it is an important concept for discussion. 9. What of the content is most essential? What elements will highlight meaningful threads to think through? What areas of content will lead to a Socratic inquiry (what can they figure out through good questions)? (list here or label on the topic map) Essential a. Students should be able to answer the follow questions through Socratic discussion

16 i. Where is Egypt located? What is the importance of the Nile River? 1. Egypt is located on the continent of Africa. The flooding of the Nile River allowed this civilization to farm, build channels to tap the water for drinking and building dikes to stop flooding. The Nile is important because it is located in the desert, which receives little rainfall. ii. What are pharaohs? Who Is Tutankhamen and Hatshepsut? 1. The rulers of the Egyptians were pharaohs. They were claimed to be descendants of gods and were actually gods themselves. Tutankhamen (also known as boy-king) was the ruler at the age of 9. Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh who ruled for over 20 years. iii. What was the religion of the Egyptians? What importance does the pyramids, mummies and animal gods play? 1. Egyptians believed in many gods, as well as an afterlife. They believed that if you lived a good life on Earth, your afterlife would be the same. A book, known as The Book of the Dead, told Egyptians how to pass the tests to see if their spirit could live on forever. In order to make sure they would live a good afterlife, Egyptians often mummified their dead and buried their precious belongings with them in their tombs. The tombs were placed inside of pyramids. Using this information, teachers could pose questions such as What does a good life look like here, compared to Egyptian times? 6 2. Egyptians believed that their gods could protect them in their afterlife. The animal gods were a cat god, a baboon god, and a crocodile god. The Sphinx was a lion s body and a human head that was supposed to represent a pharaoh. The sphinx statue is located close to the great pyramid of Giza. iv. Why was the Hieroglyphic writing system important to the Egyptian civilization? 1. This form of writing that the Egyptians developed was used to record things such as taxes, contracts, laws, religious ceremonies, and prayers. The hieroglyph writing was picture symbols that could represent ideas or objects. 2. If time allows, have students compare this system of writing with their own language and Spalding. Posing question such as Is it an ideographic language? How might this be more simple or complicated? What might be the respective advantages of each? to challenge the student thinking and engagement. Socratic Through good questioning, first graders could figure out why the civilization developed around the Nile and why the Nile played such a large role in the civilization (trade, agriculture, transportation, life for people/animals). Consider the following questions: Why do we know (relatively) so much about Ancient Egypt? What clues might archeologist used to learn about this ancient culture? Why did the Egyptians choose to settle by the Nile? How did the Nile help them survive? How did the Nile help them beyond survival? 10. How do I best introduce this THING as a whole (not as an abstract definition made up of abstract parts)?

17 a. The best way to introduce ancient Egypt is to review what a civilization is (recalling on previous learned knowledge of the civilization of Mesopotamia.) Once students recall what a civilization is, use a map to locate the continent of Africa. On the continent, locate the Nile River and then Egypt (both Upper and Lower Egypt). Students can begin to develop an understanding of the location of another civilization from close to the same time as Mesopotamia. The teacher should allow students to compare and contrast similarities and differences among these early civilizations. b. The teacher can also introduce this civilization by studying its geography and location. The Nile River plays an essential role in the development and success of this civilization How best do I sequence the exploration of those parts a. Conceptually: How does this affect other ideas/processes/events? How does this lay foundations for later content? What is a theme here that stretches across the subject area, year, etc.? This unit builds on the previously learned unit of Mesopotamia and how civilizations come to be. It is important because it lays the foundation of religious beliefs, the importance of the development of writing, and importance of irrigation and water channels to the development of the civilization. b. Factually: What facts must come before it? What is necessary to know? i. Terms and definitions 1. Civilization 2. Continent 3. River 4. Desert 5. Religion 6. Civilization ii. Historical/scientific facts 1. Students should be familiar with what a civilization is and how people work together to build communities 2. Students should understand the benefits of farming their own food iii. Characters, figures, processes involved 1. King Tutankhamen (also known as the boy king) 2. Hatshepsut iv. Comparative experiences (things that are LIKE this new concept/idea/knowledge) 1. Ancient Mesopotamia 12. Objectives/Goals for this unit a. Builds on the following objectives targeted in previous grades: i. In Kindergarten, students learned what continents and the major oceans. Students should also have some familiarity with different habitats and environments, as well as what characterizes them. For example, a desert has little to no rainfall. This will be relevant to understanding the Ancient Egyptian Civilization because it is the earliest and best-known desert kingdom.