Download Exodus: History Writ Large

Exodus: History Writ Large
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 6–8
Curriculum Focus: World History
Lesson Duration: Two class periods
Program Description
Storied Liberation (21 min.)—Examines the ancient quest for freedom that took place in the burning
sands of Egypt and its long-ranging influence. Ramses’ Biblical Role (28 min.)—Looks at evidence that
suggests this great Egyptian king was the unnamed pharaoh in the Book of Exodus.
Onscreen Questions
•
Can science explain events that some people consider miracles?
•
How can science and religion work to shed light on historical events?
•
Why wasn’t Ramses frightened of the 10 plagues?
•
Why wouldn’t Ramses include a military loss in his records?
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
•
Demonstrate understanding of basic facts about Moses and his role in the story of Exodus.
•
Use Internet resources to locate artwork based on the life of Moses.
•
Create a book highlighting five famous pieces of art that depict scenes from the life of Moses.
Materials
•
Exodus: History Writ Large video and VCR, or DVD and DVD player
•
Computers with Internet access and word processing program
•
Access to a printer, preferably color
•
Stapler, plastic binder, or some way for students to bind their pages into a book
Procedures
1. After watching Exodus: History Writ Large, review important facts about Moses and his role in
the story of Exodus. What is the significance of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses?
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
2
2. As a class, create a list of significant events in the life of Moses. For those students who are
familiar with Moses, encourage them to add events that may not have been covered in the
video:
•
The infant Moses is found along the river by the pharaoh’s daughter
•
Moses attacks the Egyptian overseer who struck a Semite; flees to the desert
•
God calls out to Moses from the fire of a burning bush; tells him to set the Israelites
free
•
Moses confronts Pharaoh; he asks Pharaoh to let his people go
•
Ten plagues (confrontation between Pharaoh and the god of the Israelites)
•
Moses leads Israelites out of Egypt and crosses the Red Sea (or “sea of reeds”); the
parting of the sea
•
Moses leads Israelites through the barren desert
•
Moses strikes a rock in the desert, making water flow from it
•
Moses climbs Mount Sinai and receives the Ten Commandments from God; Moses
presents them to the Israelites
•
Moses leads the Israelites to “the promised land” but dies before entering it.
3. Explain that Moses and the story of Exodus have influenced oppressed peoples for thousands of
years. In fact, many famous painters have depicted scenes from Moses’ life. Tell students that
their assignment is to use the Web to find at least five paintings or other works of art depicting
important scenes from the life of Moses and create an “Illustrated History of Moses.” For each
image, they should explain:
•
The name of the artwork and the year is was created
•
The name and nationality of the artist
•
Which event in the story of Moses is being depicted
•
A brief, personal statement about why the student selected that image
4. Share the following Web sites with students for their research:
•
Web Gallery of Art (click “Search” button on top menu, type “Moses” in the Title
box, then click “Search”)
http://www.wga.hu/index1.html
•
Scenes from the Life of Moses
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/b/botticel/4sistina/moses/index.html
•
Links to Images of Moses (see “See Also” at bottom of page for links to significant
events)
http://www.textweek.com/art/moses.htm
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
•
Links to images of Baby Moses
http://www.textweek.com/art/baby_moses.htm
•
Links to images of Moses and the Burning Bush
http://www.textweek.com/art/burning_bush.htm
•
Links to images of the Egyptian Plagues
http://www.textweek.com/art/plagues.htm
•
Links to images of the Exodus
http://www.textweek.com/art/exodus.htm
3
5. If students come across unfamiliar events, the following Web sites provide information about
the life of Moses:
•
The Life of Moses (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/judaism_
moses.shtml
•
Moses: the Bible Story of Moses, the Hebrew Law Giver (About.com)
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/israeljudaea/a/aa091499.htm
6. Have students create one page per image, copying and pasting each image into a word
processing program and typing the requested information. In addition, have them create a
cover page with at least one image—either their own or one they found in their research. If
possible, allow them to print their pages on a color printer. Have each student bind his or her
pages into a book, making sure that the images are placed in order to reflect the timeline of
events in Moses’ life.
7. After students have completed their books, allow class time for students to pass around books
and read about the images other students selected.
8. As a class, talk about the reasons that Moses has been depicted so frequently in art. What
influence do you think these works of art had on society?
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students demonstrated a strong understanding of the Moses, the story of Exodus, and
the role of the pharaoh Ramses; collected at least five appropriate images from the life of Moses,
providing all the requested information for each one; created a clear, creative book, placing the
images in the appropriate order.
•
2 points: Students demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of the Moses, the story of Exodus,
and the role of the pharaoh Ramses; collected four or five appropriate images from the life of
Moses, providing most the requested information for each one; created a complete, adequate
book, placing the images in the appropriate order.
•
1 point: Students demonstrated a weak understanding of the Moses, the story of Exodus, and
the role of the pharaoh Ramses; collected less than four appropriate images from the life of
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
4
Moses, providing some of the requested information for each one; created a disorganized book,
placing several of the images in the incorrect order.
Vocabulary
dynasty
Definition: A powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time.
Context: Ramses’ grandfather was the first pharaoh of his dynasty.
Exodus
Definition: The second book of the Old Testament, which tells the story of how Moses led the
Israelites out of slavery in Egypt; a mass departure
Context: Exodus is a story of liberation, and it has been a source of inspiration to oppressed
peoples around the world.
hieroglyphs
Definition: Pictorial characters in a system of writing
Context: Hieroglyphs suggest that Ramses buried as many as 50 of his 52 sons in a massive tomb
in the Valley of the Kings.
liberation
Definition: The act of setting free; specifically to free from domination by a foreign power
Context: The story of Moses and the liberation of the Israelites has many meanings and
interpretations.
plague
Definition: A disastrous evil or affliction; an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality
Context: In the Exodus story, the god of the Israelites casts ten plagues upon Egypt.
stele
Definition: A carved stone pillar usually inscribed and used as a memorial or monument
Context: The stele suggests that Ramses the Great was the unnamed pharaoh of the Exodus.
Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp.
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
•
World History: Era 2—Understands the major characteristics of civilization and the
development of civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley.
•
Historical Understanding: Understands the historical perspective.
•
Art: Visual Arts—Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
5
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) has developed national standards to provide
guidelines for teaching social studies. To view the standards online, go to
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/.
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
•
Culture
•
Time, Continuity, and Change
•
People, Places, and Environments
•
Power, Authority, and Governance
Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
•
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html
DVD Content
This program is available in an interactive DVD format. The following information and activities are
specific to the DVD version.
How To Use the DVD
The DVD starting screen has the following options:
Play Video—This plays the video from start to finish. There are no programmed stops, except by
using a remote control. With a computer, depending on the particular software player, a pause
button is included with the other video controls.
Video Index—Here the video is divided into four parts (see below), indicated by video thumbnail
icons. Watching all parts in sequence is similar to watching the video from start to finish. Brief
descriptions and total running times are noted for each part. To play a particular segment, press
Enter on the remote for TV playback; on a computer, click once to highlight a thumbnail and read
the accompanying text description and click again to start the video.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
6
Curriculum Units—These are specially edited video segments pulled from different sections of the
video (see below). These nonlinear segments align with key ideas in the unit of instruction. They
include onscreen pre- and Post-viewing questions, reproduced below in this Teacher’s Guide. Total
running times for these segments are noted. To play a particular segment, press Enter on the TV
remote or click once on the Curriculum Unit title on a computer.
Standards Link—Selecting this option displays a single screen that lists the national academic
standards the video addresses.
Teacher Resources—This screen gives the technical support number and Web site address.
Video Index
I. Moses Comes of Age (Storied Liberation Part 1) (10 min.)
The Biblical story of Moses leading his people out of Egypt has been an inspiration to oppressed
people throughout the ages. Examine the story told in the Book of Exodus.
II. The Story of Exodus (Storied Liberation Part 2) (11 min.)
Take a closer look at the Book of Exodus and explore the many interpretations that have been
applied to this story.
III. Ramses as Military Leader (Ramses' Biblical Role Part 1) (16 min.)
Learn about the rule of Ramses the Great, one of ancient Egypt’s famous pharaohs, and examine the
events leading up to and surrounding his famous Battle of Kadesh.
IV. Ramses’ Biblical Role (Part 2) (12 min.)
Was Ramses the Great the pharaoh portrayed in the Exodus? Investigate the evidence that might
prove a connection between this warrior king and the Biblical story of the Israelites’ harrowing
journey.
CURRICULUM UNITS
1. Inspirational Stories
Pre-viewing question
Q: What stories in the Bible are inspirational?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What parts of the Book of Exodus show archaeological evidence of being fact?
A: Answers will vary.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
7
2. The Book of Genesis
Pre-viewing question
Q: How would it feel to go from being a powerful person to a slave?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Who were the Hyksos?
A: The Hyksos were a group of Asiatic people who rose to power as pharaohs in Egypt between
about 1650 and 1550 B.C., roughly around the time the Biblical clan of Jacob is believed to have
been in Egypt. Archeological findings suggest the Hyksos were concentrated in the northern region
of the Nile delta, an area called Goshen. After about 1500 B.C. the new pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty
expelled or enslaved the Hyksos people.
3. The Transformation of Moses
Pre-viewing question
Q: What kinds of personal transformations have you undergone?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What would have happened had Moses not gone into exile?
A: Answers will vary.
4. Interpretations of Exodus
Pre-viewing question
Q: Give an example of something that can be interpreted in several ways.
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What have you learned from the liberation story in the Book of Exodus?
A: Answers will vary.
5. The Journey to Mt. Sinai
Pre-viewing question
Q: What do you know about Mt. Sinai?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Do you think it is important to find the exact locations of Mt. Sinai and Moses’ journey?
A: Answers will vary.
6. Seti’s Son
Pre-viewing question
Q: What do you know about Ramses the Great?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
8
Q: Why did Ramses’ father build the temple at Abydos?
A: Ramses’ father, Seti, built the temple at Abydos to show that his family was part of the
establishment. Seti’s political statement was meant to say that the people could expect great things
from his reign. Ramses’ grandfather was the first pharaoh of his dynasty. Theirs was a military
family and new to being royalty.
7. Abu Simbel
Pre-viewing question
Q: What is the most fitting type of monument for a king or other great leader?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why did Ramses build his temple in Nubia?
A: Ramses wanted everyone to fear him, and Nubia as Egypt’s source of gold and the temple was a
visible reminder of Ramses’ power. Anyone entering Egypt from Nubia would have to sail past the
temple with its four colossal sculptures of Ramses staring down.
8. Ramses’ New City
Pre-viewing question
Q: Why do you think many ancient Egyptian cities were located near the Nile?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why did Ramses move the Egyptian capital from Memphis to the Delta area?
A: Ramses moved the capital to the Delta area because it was the ideal place to launch military
strikes, either north to Syria or west to Libya.
9. The Battle of Kadesh
Pre-viewing question
Q: What traits must a good military leader have?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What was Ramses’ greatest mistake during the Battle of Kadesh?
A: Answers will vary.
10. The Pharaoh and the Plagues
Pre-viewing question
Q: What is the most incredible natural phenomenon you have seen?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: If you had been pharaoh, at what point would you have let the Israelites leave Egypt?
A: Answers will vary.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Exodus: History Writ Large: Teacher’s Guide
11. Ramses: The Unnamed Pharaoh?
Pre-viewing question
Q: Do you think Ramses the Great was the pharaoh in the Book of Exodus?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What evidence shows that Ramses might have been the pharaoh portrayed in Exodus?
A: A stone tablet created by Ramses’ successor, Merneptah, suggests that Ramses the Great was
the pharaoh of the Exodus. Merneptah defeated the Israelites, but the hieroglyphic markings used
to signal Israel’s defeat show that the Israelites were still a wandering band, as in the story of the
Exodus. If they were still wandering during the reign of Ramses’ successor, that would place the
Exodus during Ramses’ 67-year reign. Additional evidence is a carving of Ramses’ sons at Luxor
temple. Ramses’ firstborn son died before becoming pharaoh, as shown on a statue outside Queen
Nefertari’s temple. That means that he died sometime before the Abu Simbel temple was
completed, which occurred just after the Exodus.
12. Ramses’ Death and Burial
Pre-viewing question
Q: What do you think the burial chamber of a great Egyptian king would look like?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Do you think Ramses the Great lived up to his name?
A: Answers will vary.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
9