Ancient Egypt An Instructional Unit Resource Guide for the Fifth Grade Curriculum Based on Principles of Universal Design and Differentiated Instruction Jody Field Ellen O'Rourke Wheaton-Warrenville CUSD 200 1
Authors Note Our district's fifth grade social studies curriculum is based on world history, beginning with the Ice Age and moving through the early Valley Civilizations to Ancient Rome. One of the units of study is Ancient Egypt. This unit should take approximately six to eight weeks. It is designed to meet state and local standards. We have found Egypt is a unit of high interest for children. The wealth of hands-on activities, multimedia, books and available online sites about Egypt makes this an easy unit for teachers to design a unit to meet the diverse need s of all learners. Students should come away with an appreciation and knowledge of the ancient Egyptian culture, and an awareness of the contributions of this society. Jody has been a school psychologist for twelve years. She is interested in collaborating with teachers in adapting the regular education curriculum so that all students can achieve success. Jody works with students of all ability ranges, including ECK, DLP, LD, and BD. Ellen has been a fifth grade teacher for thirteen years. She feels strongly that all students can achieve success if provided with appropriate instruction. Providing this necessary differentiated instruction can be an overwhelming task, so Ellen has come to depend on technology to make her task easier. Feel free to contact us with anyone questions, concerns, or just to talk about universal design. eorourke@cusd200.org jfield@cusd200.org 2
Relevant Learning Standards From Community Unit School District 200 Social Studies Curriculum Fifth Grade Political Science Essential Learning 4 - Economics History Geography Social Sciences Describe and explain basic principles of ancient Egyptian government. Describe and explain the structure and functions of the political system of ancient Egypt. Describe and explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of the members of Egyptian society. Examine relations among political entities within and between cultures Explain economic systems and how they function. Describe how the availability of resources affects the economy. Explain how trade generates interdependence. Describe and explain contributions of individuals and groups from the ancient Egyptian civilization. Recognize time patterns and relationships among events. Recognize that people, cultures and societies change over time. Locate, describe, and explain places, regions, and features within ancient Egypt. Identify the characteristics and interactions of the physical systems within ancient Egypt. Explain relationships between geographic factors and society. Identify and compare characteristics of culture as reflected in the language, literature, the arts, sciences and traditions of ancient Egypt. Explain the role of individuals, groups and institutions in society. Explain how social systems formed and developed over time. 3
Some Students will know: The factors that contributed to the first nation-state. The contributions of the various Pharaohs. How to compare and contrast ancient Egyptian government with our current political structure. How to compare and contrast today's economic system with that of ancient Egypt. The importance of artifacts in understanding the lives of the people of ancient Egypt. Most Students will know: The importance of the Nile River to Egyptian civilization. The impact of physical features and natural resources to the growth of villages and cities in ancient Egypt. Identify the geographical characteristics of Egypt and how these characteristics impacted human lifestyles. Recognize the rise and fall of cultures over time and the factors involved. The significant events and people involved in the three main periods of ancient Egyptian civilization. The structure of the ancient Egyptian government. The economic system used by the ancient Egyptians. The importance of trade to the Egyptian civilization. The communication system used by ancient Egyptians. The architectural contributions to society. The religious beliefs of ancient Egypt. The social system of ancient Egypt. All Students will know: The importance of the Nile River. Each of the three periods an be able to recognize at least one significant event from each of the three periods. The impact of Pharaoh rule. How the trade system worked. At least two of the architectural contributions of ancient Egypt. How to relate the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt to the alphabet system of today. 4
Teacher Library http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/ancientegyptlessonplans.htm Wow! On this outstanding website, you will find lesson plans, web quests, games, crafts, online activities and literature guides. http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/cite/ Includes work by fifth grade students http://www.geocities.com/amenhotep.geo/glossary/senet.html Look here for an explanation of the ancient Egyptian game, Senet. www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/exhibits/egypt Another very complete website. It includes pictures of actual artifacts housed at the museum, and shows them as they relate to Egyptian culture. http://www.neferchichi.com/ Everything you need on Egypt, including free clip art and Egyptian mad libs! http://www.virtual-egypt.com/newhtml/articles/index.htm Kids will love this virtual website. http://www.iwebquest.com/egypt/ancientegypt.htm Lots of information on Egypt, plus games, graphics, and great activities for kids. http://www.guardians.net/egypt/ Make sure you visit the kids section on this website. http://www.memphis.edu/egypt/egypthtml pictures and artifacts with a color tour of Egypt 5
Learner Activities www.humanities-interactive.org/ancient/tut/senet Play Senet against King Tut! http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.ht ml This website also includes general information about ancient Egypt, as well as activities, games, mythology, and much, much more. http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/ancientegyptl essonplans.htm Wow! On this outstanding website, you will find lesson plans, web quests, games, crafts, online activities and literature guides. 6
Assessments Student assessment in this unit needs to encompass many forms. The study of Ancient Egypt lends itself to work in many forms. Students can produce research reports, timelines, posters, games, plays, multimedia presentations, films, and much more. An assessment approach that allows many different options allows special needs students to participate fully in the curriculum. Resources for creating assessment materials: Create a Customized Scoring Guide for Student Projects http://www.ncrtec.org/tl/sgsp/index.html Making Quizzes, Making Rubrics, Portfolio Assessment, Alternative Assessment http://www.4teachers.org http://www.teach-nology.com/ http://www.funbrain.com http://school.discovery.com/quizcenter/quizcenter.html Creating Graphic Assessments http://www.inspiration.com 7
Modifications Planning for Academic Diversity For students who have difficulty finding information for research reports, this website toolbar is what they need. Attached to the Google website, this toolbar allows users to "fine tune" their web searches. In Microsoft Word, click on Tools. Click on the Autosummarize button For students who can't read at grade level, this tool allows them to minimize the amount of content, without losing the main idea. This can be adjusted to various levels.. 8