Download The Mysteries of ANcient Egypt

The
Mysteries
Classroom
of
Connections
Teacher
ANcient
Resources
Egypt
In the Classroom
Teachers & Students
Grades K - 5
by
Cliff Todd
The Mysteries of Ancient Egypt,
and the Classroom Connections
Study Guide are produced in support of the teaching of VA SOLs in
English and History: K.1, K.3, K.4,
K.6 – K.8, 1.1, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.10,
2.1, 2.3 – 2.5, 2.7 – 2.9, 3.5, 3.7,
3.8, 3.10
At the Library
Tales of Ancient Egypt,
by Roger Lancelyn
Green, 1996.
The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt,
by Elizabeth Payne, 1981.
Science in Ancient Egypt (Science of the Past) by Geraldine
Woods,1998.
Mummies in the Morning (Magic
Tree House #3) by Mary Pope
Osborne, 1993.
On the Web
National Geographic Magazine Interactive Edition: At the Tomb of Tutankhamen
www.nationalgeographic.com/egypt/
ViMFA: Ancient Worlds Art
www.vmfa.museum/PrevisitAncientWorlds
Inside an old trunk in Grandma’s attic, Jesse and Bobby find an
ancient Egyptian amulet. A famed Egyptologist, Grandma had
dozens of journals about Egypt tucked away, too. But what is the
meaning of the hieroglyphs inscribed on the amulet, or the scribbled notes found in those journals? Before they know it, the children are magically transported back to ancient Egypt in 620 BC
where they meet Sema-tawy-tefnakht, a scribe to King Psamtik
I. With his guidance, our two heroes unravel their mystery. Along
the way they meet King Psamtik I and his daughter the Princess
Nitocris. Jesse and Bobby travel with the Princess and the scribe
on their fateful journey up the Nile to Thebes. Eventually, Sematawy-tefnakht and his Egyptian friends help Jesse and Bobby find
their way home.
Building the
Pyramids
How were the pyramids built? No one knows for sure. Egyptologists and historians have long debated how they were built, and who built them. During a time in history when there was no complex
machinery, how could these mammoth structures have been built? Estimates of the human resources that would have been needed range from 20,000 workers to 100,000 workers. Who were these
workers, and what tools did they use to build the pyramids at Giza? Review the simple machines
below and predict how the workers might have moved, shaped, or lifted the giant stones that make
up the pyramids.
Key Vocabulary
human resources:
people at work
In an economy, producers
use natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal),
human resources (people
at work), and capital resources (machines, tools,
and buildings) to produce
goods and services for
consumers.
Simple Machines: Draw a line from each simple machine to its name.
wedge
wheel & axle
inclined plane
lever
screw
pulley
Prediction:_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Set the Stage for Learning™
Theatre IV, Richmond, VA
Using Maps
The Nile is one of the world’s great rivers. It was and is the lifeline of the Egyptians:
“The Nile gives us our water for cooking, and drinking, and for farming.
Without it we would… well, lets not even think about that.” - Sema
Use Social Studies’ resources and your knowledge of Egypt and communities to answer the following:
Why do you think many cities lie alongside rivers?
What ancient cities and landmarks lie alongside the Nile River?
Put the following in order from north to south: Thebes, Giza, Alexandria, and Valley of the Kings.
Define delta, then circle the Nile River delta in the map below.
Geography
Terms
map: a drawing or picture
showing selected features of an
area, usually drawn to scale
globe: a round model of the
earth
compass rose: a figure dis-
playing the cardinal directions,
north, south, east and west on a
map
key: also called a ‘legend,’ a map
key identifies the symbols used on
a map
cartography: the making of
maps
latitude / longitude: dis-
tance measured in degrees north
or south of the Equator; distance
measured in degrees east or
west of the Prime Meridian
Bonus: Define irrigate. Then,
research how ancient
Egyptian farmers used the
Nile River to irrigate their
fields.
Set the Stage for Learning™
Theatre IV, Richmond, VA
Deciphering
Hieroglyphics
The ancient Egyptians used a form of writing called hieroglyphics. Based on picture-like symbols,
this form of writing developed over a period of 3,000 years. Not every sign or character conveyed a
complete thought. While some stood for ideas, others are signs, and others simply syllables.Hieroglyphs were used for formal inscriptions on tomb and temple walls. Look at the hieroglyphic writing
chart and write your name in hieroglyphs.
Symbol: A picture or thing that stands for something else
Extend It:
Ancient Egyptian Symbol:
Eye of Horus (udjat, wadjet)
Write a short message
As an amulet, it was often fashioned out of blue or to a classmate.
green faience or from semi-precious stones.
Exchange messages,
Meaning: Also known as the Eye of Horus or the udjat, this eye is
and decipher.
a symbol of the god Horus as both the son of Osiris and Isis and
as the sun-god.
Set the Stage for Learning™
Theatre IV, Richmond, VA
Now & Then
This play was set in ancient Egypt. Everyday life has changed dramatically since then. Classify the
objects below in the “T” chart according to whether they’d be found at the time the play was set, or
in today’s world.
Now
Challenge
Read about life during ancient
Egypt. In what ways was it
different than today’s world?
Write a paragraph describing
all the ways your life would be
different if you had lived back
then.
Set the Stage for Learning™
Then
Extend It!
If you could travel back to
ancient Egypt, what one item
from today’s world would
you take to give to the scribe
Sema-tawy-tefnakht? Justify
your choice.
Theatre IV, Richmond, VA
114 West Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23220
1.800.235.8687
www.TheatreIV.org
Theatre IV Presents...
The
Mysteries of
Ancient Egypt
by Cliff Todd
The
Theatre
Team
It takes a team to put on a play! Let’s find out
who’s who on the theatre team. The actors are
the people you see whenever you go to a play,
but there are a lot of people on the Theatre
Team you never get to see. This whole team
You Have an
works hard to get a show ready for you:
Actors are the people who perform the play
on stage. You see them every time you attend
a play.
Directors tell the actors where to move on
Theatre IV...
Bruce C. Miller,
Artistic Director
the stage and oversees the work of everyone
involved in the play.
The Stage Manager is responsible for
calling lighting and sound cues and for supervising the technical crew.
Phil Whiteway,
Managing Director
The Playwright writes the play. What they
Classroom Connections
Study Guide written by
Heather Widener, MAT
Widener Consulting LLC
The Prop Master is in charge of the ob-
This Classroom Connections Study Guide and the
text contained herein are
the property of Theatre IV.
Photocopying of the study
guide is permitted. Any
other use of the contents
must be accompanied by
the phrase, “Text used with
permission from Theatre IV
- Richmond, VA.”
© Theatre IV, 2008.
write tells the actors what to say on stage.
jects used by the actors on stage.
The Costume Designer plans the
clothing the actors wear, called costumes.
Costumes give clues about when and where
a story takes place, and about the characters
who wear them.
The Set Designers plan the scenery for
the play.
Our actors like to hear from their audience!
Write us a letter or draw us a picture and
send it to the address at the top of this
page.
Set the Stage for Learning™
Important
Part to Play
It wouldn’t be a play without you! Your
part is to pretend the play is real. Part
of this includes accepting certain theatre ways, or conventions:
1. Actors tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking), and songs.
2. Actors may sing songs that tell about
the story or their feelings.
3. Actors may speak to the audience.
4. An actor may play several different
characters (“doubling”) by changing
their voice, costume or posture.
5. Places are suggested by panels on
the set, and by props.
How to Play Your Part
A play is different from television or a
movie. The actors are right in front of
you and can see your reactions, feel
your attention, and hear your laughter
and applause. Watch and listen carefully to understand the story. The story
is told by the actors and comes to life
through your imagination.
Remember
Wa t c h w i t h y o u r e y e s
Listen with your ears
Keep your mouth quiet
So everyone can hear
Clap with your hands
And laugh out loud
Yo u ’ r e a m e m b e r o f t h e
audience
A jolly good crowd!
Theatre IV, Richmond, VA