Eager to Get to Ancient Egypt

Subject Area: Social Studies

Grade Level(s): 7

Duration of Activity: 2 to 4 days

Description of Activity:

The students will explore the geography of Ancient Egypt through the use of an interactive Web site about Ancient Egypt. The students will use various maps and a story found on the interactive Web site to answer teacher-created questions. The student will also complete the interactive challenge activity on this Web site.

Objectives:

• Students will become familiar with the geography of Ancient Egypt using an interactive Web site, Ancient Egypt / http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html and reply to daily questions and vocabulary terms as they complete Handout 1: Exploring Geography.
• Students will utilize links on this site that lead to maps and a story and use both to respond to daily questions and vocabulary terms as outlined on Handout 2: Story of the Nile Response Questions and Vocabulary.
• Students will use mapping skills to locate specific coordinates on a map using Handout 3: The Challenge—"The Jeweller of Memphis" Mapping Activity.

Materials/Equipment:

• Computers
• Internet access
• Handout 1: Exploring Geography
• Handout 2: The Story of the Nile Response Questions and Vocabulary
• Handout 3: The Challenge - "The Jeweller of Memphis" Mapping Activity
• Handout 4: Vocabulary Test
• Handout 5: Finding Coordinates Test
• Handout 6: Exploring Geography Answer Key for Teachers

Prerequisites (skills or background needed):

• Ability to locate information on a Web site
• Skill in locating Web sites using URLs
• Mapping skills

Procedure

Teacher Component: The teacher will

1. bookmark Web sites on the Internet before beginning the activities.
2. activate the students’ prior knowledge about Egypt by having the students locate the Nile River on the world map and asking them what they know about this river.
3. introduce the geography of Ancient Egypt and the activities.
4. direct students to explore the geography of Egypt by locating various types of maps on the Web site such as terrain, modern political, geographical features, natural resources, and archaeological sites.
5. instruct students to follow the directions on Handout 1: Exploring Geography to complete the assignment.
6. direct students to the Web site Ancient Egypt to pull up the story site. Instruct the students to read the story and complete Handout 2: The Story of the Nile Response Questions and Vocabulary, which goes along with the reading.
7. direct students to the Web site Ancient Egypt to pull up the challenge site, and ask the students to coordinate the given points on the Handout 3: The Challenge—"The Jeweller of Memphis Mapping Activity."
8. distribute Handout 4: Vocabulary Test. This test assesses the students’ knowledge of the vocabulary.
9. distribute Handout 5: Finding Coordinates Test to the students to assess whether or not students are capable of reading and finding coordinates on a map.

Student Activities: The student will

1. open the Web site, Ancient Egypt / http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html to complete the activities.
2. click on the Geography link, and then click on the Explore link where he/she may click on the down arrow for the option to use several maps of ancient and modern Egypt. Use Handout 1: Exploring Geography to complete the matching exercise of vocabulary terms and definitions and to answer specific questions relating to the maps.
3. click on the Story link and read the story using Handout 2: The Story of the Nile to answer the given geographic questions that relate to the story and to define vocabulary terms.
4. click on the Challenge link and read the directions to complete the interactive challenge. Use Handout 3: The Challenge—"The Jeweller of Memphis" Mapping Activity, and list the given coordinate points on the map.
5. complete Handout 4: Vocabulary Test to demonstrate mastery of the terms and definitions.
6. complete Handout 5: Finding Coordinates Test to demonstrate ability to read, comprehend, and find coordinates on a map.

Accommodations:

• Pair students in groups so that students may complete the activity by the established deadline.

Extension Activities:

• Students may use a paint program on the computer to draw a model of a boat used on the Nile River thousands of years ago.
• Students may choose one way ancient Egyptians adapted the environment for their use and describe it in a paragraph using Microsoft Word or other word-processing software.

Integration:

• Social studies
• Technology

Assessments:

1. Handout 4: Vocabulary Test
2. Handout 5: Finding Coordinates Test

URLs:

• Ancient Egypt
  http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html

These URLs can be used to locate more information about Egypt:

• Geography of Egypt
  http://www.website1.com/odyssey/week1/egygeo.html
• Egypt
  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/
• ABC Country Book of Egypt
  http://www.theodora.com/wfb/egypt_geography.html

Curriculum Frameworks

Mississippi:

Seventh Grade

2. Apply spatial and ecological perspectives to people, places, and environment using social studies tools (e.g., timelines, maps, globes, primary and secondary resources, political cartoons, charts, graphs, a compass, technology, etc.). (H, G, E)
11. Analyze information using social studies tools (e.g. graphs, maps, charts, tables, political cartoons, etc.).

National Educational Technology Standards (NETS):

8. Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems. (5, 6)

TerraNova:

26 Geographic Perspectives: (11-21/22)
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and process skills related to the study of the world’s people, places, and environments, and their interactions over time.

Construct answers, use geographic tools, and create solutions or products using inquiry skills and knowledge related to geographic perspectives.

Link and Feedback to Author(s):

Tomeka S. Brown, Coleman Middle School, Greenville, MS
Shawon78@hotmail.com