Download Temples, Tombs And Treasures

Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Ancient civilisations: Egypt and Sumer
greatlearning.com/ipc
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Contents
Contents
2
Basic Information
4
Learning Goals
5
Assessment for Learning
7
The Entry Point
10
Knowledge Harvest
11
The Big Idea
12
Explaining The Theme
12
The Big Picture
13
History Learning Goals
21
History Task 1
22
History Task 2
25
History Task 3
27
History Task 4
30
History Task 5
33
History Task 6
36
History Task 7
39
History Task 8
42
History Task 9
45
History Task 10
47
History Task 11
50
History Task 12
53
History Extension Task
56
Music Learning Goals
58
Music Task 1
59
2
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Music Task 2
62
Music Extension Task
64
Art Learning Goals
65
Art Task 1
66
Art Task 2
69
Art Extension Task
71
International Learning Goals
73
International Task
74
International Extension Task
77
The Exit Point
78
Resources
79
3
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Basic Information
This section details the time allocation for this unit of work, links to other subjects and Assessment for
Learning opportunities.
Timings
This unit of work is intended to last about 6 ¾ weeks.
The following suggested timings are approximate guides and are dependent on each school's individual
context.
Entry Point, Knowledge Harvest, Explain the Theme
History
Music
Art
International
Exit Point
No of Hours
4
34
4
6
4
2
No of Weeks
½
4¼
½
¾
½
¼
Links to other IPC subjects
ICT & Computing learning goals are included in the above subject learning. Links to Art, Geography and
Technology are provided at the end of tasks where appropriate.
Language Arts and Mathematics links
Suggestions of how to include links to Language Arts and Mathematics are provided where appropriate at
the end of tasks.
4
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Learning Goals
Art Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know how a number of artists - including some from their home country and the host country use forms, materials and processes to suit their purpose
2.03 Be able to use art as a means of self expression
2.04 Be able to choose materials and techniques which are appropriate for their task
2.05 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
2.06 Be able to talk about works of art, giving reasons for their opinions
History Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.03 Know about the main similarities and differences between the past societies they have studied
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
International Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know about some of the similarities and differences between the different home countries and
between them and the host country
5
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
2.02 Know about ways in which these similarities and differences affect the lives of people
2.03 Be able to identify activities and cultures which are different from but equal to their own
Music Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - organise sounds and use them expressively
2.02 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.03 Be able to recognise and explore the ways that sounds can be organised and used expressively
2.04 Be able to sing in tune and with expression
2.05 Be able to perform simple pieces rhythmically using a limited range of notes
2.06 Be able to improvise repeated patterns
2.07 Be able to compose simple pieces to create intended effects
2.08 Be able to choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.09 Be able to improve their own work, having regard to the intended effect
2.10 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
2.13 Understand how musical elements are combined and varied to create different effects
ICT & Computing Opportunities
The table below shows you where you can cover the following ICT & Computing Learning Goals.
Task
History Extension Task
History Task 12
History Task 7
Music Extension Task
Goals
2.4, 2.5, 2.7
2.4, 2.5, 2.7
2.4, 2.5, 2.7
2.4, 2.5
6
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Assessment for Learning
Are your children busy, or are they busy learning? This is the question that we need to be able to answer
throughout each IPC unit – what improvements are being made to children’s learning as a result of
studying this theme?
There are three areas of learning to reflect on, and three types of learning to assess.
The Three Areas of Learning: Academic, Personal and International
The three areas include academic, personal and international learning. To reflect on these, you will need
access to the IPC Learning Goals for each subject (including International) and the IPC Personal Goals – a
list of these can be found in Appendix A of the IPC Implementation File. You can also find a full list of IPC
Learning Goals in the Assess section of the Members’ Lounge.
The Three Types of Learning: Knowledge, Skills and Understanding
The three types of learning include knowledge, skills and understanding. We believe that differentiating
between knowledge, skills and understanding is crucial to the development of children’s learning. We
also believe that knowledge, skills and understanding have their own distinct characteristics that impact
on how each is planned for, learned, taught, assessed and reported on. The implications of these
differences are therefore far-reaching and deserve proper consideration.
Knowledge refers to factual information. Knowledge is relatively straightforward to teach and assess
(through quizzes, tests, multiple choice, etc.), even if it is not always that easy to recall. You can ask your
children to research the knowledge they have to learn but you could also tell them the knowledge they
need to know. Knowledge is continually changing and expanding – this is a challenge for schools that
have to choose what knowledge children should know and learn in a restricted period of time.
The IPC does not provide examples of knowledge assessment (tests or exams) as the knowledge content of the
curriculum can be adapted to any national curricula requirements.
Skills refer to things children are able to do. Skills have to be learned practically and need time to be
practiced. The good news about skills is the more your practice, the better you get at them! Skills are also
transferable and tend to be more stable than knowledge – this is true for almost all school subjects.
The IPC supports skills tracking and assessment through the IPC Assessment for Learning Programme. This
programme includes Teachers’ Rubrics, Children’s Rubrics and Learning Advice.
Understanding refers to the development or ‘grasping’ of conceptual ideas, the ‘lightbulb’ moment that
we all strive for. Understanding is always developing.
The IPC units can’t assess understanding for you, but they do allow you to provide a whole range of different
experiences through which children’s understandings can deepen.
(Please note: as well as the IPC Assessment for Learning Programme, we also offer an online Assessment
Tracking Tool, developed in partnership with Classroom Monitor. Please email [email protected]
for more information on how to sign up to this tool.)
7
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Planning for Assessment
Once you have planned for the different IPC Learning Goals for each subject it is important to plan for
assessment opportunities within each unit of work. Assessment needs to be balanced but rigorous to
ensure that the children have learned what we planned for them to learn. The diagram below illustrates
the processes you may want to use to ensure this happens.
Helping Children Reflect on Their Own Learning
In addition to teacher assessment, it is also vital to include children in reflecting on their learning and
setting next steps for improvement. Ask the children to carry out self-assessments throughout each unit
(using the Children’s Rubrics to assess skills, and other methods chosen by the school for knowledge and
understanding).
They could use the following headings to list/make notes on their newly acquired knowledge, skills and
8
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
understanding – ‘new things I now know’, ‘new things that I can do’ and ‘new things I am beginning to
understand’.
Ask the children to evaluate different aspects of their learning – what did they do well, what could
improve next time and how, what did they find the most/least interesting? How did they prefer to learn –
as an individual/in pairs/small groups/large groups/as a whole class? What was their preferred method of
researching and recording - writing/talking/making, etc.? This evaluation aspect will also support the
development of the IPC Personal Goals.
Further Information
For more information on assessment, and knowledge, skills and understanding, please refer to:
The IPC Implementation File
The Assessment for Learning Implementation File
The IPC Self-Review Process
Or contact the Membership Support team at [email protected]
9
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The Entry Point
For your entry point, the children will be taking on the role of archaeologists who have discovered an
ancient tomb. Set up a number of classroom activities, allowing children to explore the tomb and discover
its many hidden secrets. The fabulous treasures discovered in the Egyptian tomb of Tutankhamun are
ideal for this task. (An internet search will provide plenty of examples.)
On the day, children can be divided into groups - and rotated through each of the available activities.
The amount of set up will be dependent on the time you have available. The following are suggestions
for activities, which can be adapted to suit your setting:
Dark tomb – Put two or more tables together and cover with a dark/black blanket to make your own ‘dark
room’. The larger the area you can create, the more interesting it will be for the children to explore. Tape
some images of Egyptian treasures around the area for the children to find. Armed with pen torches,
children can enter the ‘dark tomb’ in pairs and explore. After 30 seconds, they must leave and swap with
another pair from their group. Their aim is to sketch out what they remember seeing. They could also be
asked to draw a ‘map’ to show where each treasure was found.
Take a peek (requires Interactive Whiteboard) – choose one or more Ancient Egyptian treasures to place
on a slide/flipchart. Children can then use the spotlight/revealer tool to highlight small parts of the image
by moving it around. The children should talk about and sketch what they reveal by moving the spotlight
tool. (Set the size of the peep hole so that it is quite small to make the task more challenging. A large and
decorative item, such as Tutankhamun’s golden throne, works well with this activity as children have
opportunity to identify function as well as detail.)
Sands of time – set up your own archaeological dig. Fill a series of deep trays with layers of sand. Bury
some Egyptian artefacts at different levels for the children to discover using their excavating equipment
(brushes, rakes, small trowels etc.). Remind them that these treasures are ancient and very precious, so
they should be very careful when uncovering and removing them. (Most school suppliers will have replica
artefacts that are available in sets. If children have completed this unit in a previous year, then their ‘tomb
treasures’ could be used instead – see exit point.)
Broken fragments – take one or two images of Ancient Egyptian wall paintings and cut them up into
pieces. Groups must try and re-assemble the images, then study the details to find out what they can
learn from the images.
At the end of the session, ask the children to share their findings – using their sketches and other notes
for reference. Discuss the following:
Who do we think these treasures belonged to?
Do we think they lived a long time ago? If so, how do we know?
Do we think they were an important person?
What might their life have been like? Would it have been similar to ours?
10
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Knowledge Harvest
Recap the activities from the entry point and what the children learned from some of the treasures that
they explored.
In groups, ask the children to mind map what they already know (or think they know) about Ancient Egypt.
If you wish, children could use an online application such as Padlet (padlet.com) to record their ideas.
Children may wish to refer back to their sketches and notes from the Entry Point. These could be scanned
into computer and attached to their comments/ideas using the Padlet application.
Ask each group to present their mind map or display their Padlet wall on the Interactive Whiteboard .
Work together to create a whole-class version by collating the groups ideas. Explore any differences of
opinion. At this point, try and avoid challenging any of the children’s assumptions. The whole-class mind
map can be displayed throughout the unit and amended/updated as the children’s learning develops.
Explain to the children that they are going to be studying two ancient civilisations – the first of which is
Ancient Egypt. Ask the children if they have heard the term civilisation before and what they think it
means. Explore their ideas. A civilisation is de fined as a large group of people who share the same
language, beliefs, social structure and traditions.
Display a timeline with some dates and periods marked on that the children may already be familiar with.
If necessary, recap how to use a timeline and read BCE and CE dates (‘before common era’ and ‘common
era’). If you wish, include some important dates (relevant to your host country and the children’s home
countries) and ask if the class can help you add these to the timeline.
Use your timeline to mark the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom periods of Ancient Egypt
(see the big picture). You could use a different colour for each. Ancient Egypt is an example of one of the
first civilisations. Others include the Indus Valley civilisation and the Fertile Crescent civilisation – all of
which developed along the banks of large river valleys.
As the children complete tasks throughout this unit, they will be able to add events and dates to the
whole-class timeline to help with their chronological understanding.
11
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The Big Idea
The people who helped create the first great civilisations were not unlike you and me. Today we can
learn a lot about these people and their way of life through the things they left behind – from everyday
objects to magnificent and rare treasures.
Explaining The Theme
In History, we’ll be finding out:
Why rivers were important to ancient civilisations
What daily life was like in Ancient Egypt
How to write using Egyptian hieroglyphics
About the different rulers of Egypt
About Ancient Egyptian religion and burials
How the Ancient Egyptians might have built the pyramids
About the treasures discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb
How to use different sources to find out about Ancient Sumer
How to compare life in Ancient Sumer with life in Ancient Egypt
In Music, we’ll be finding out:
About the instruments used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumer
How to create our own music to retell a story from an ancient civilisation
In Art, we’ll be finding out:
How to plan and create our own tomb wall painting
How to make an Ancient Egyptian headdress
In International, we’ll be finding out:
How to plan an Ancient Egyptian celebration to share with friends and family
12
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The Big Picture
Birth of civilisation
The earliest civilisations were founded by farmers, who chose to settle near rivers where they had easy
access to water for their crops. The first farming communities are believed to have emerged in an area of
the Middle East known as the Fertile Crescent .This area of land stretches in an arc through parts of
modern Israel, Syria and Turkey. Farming eventually spread to other areas, including Europe, Africa, India
and China.
The first crops were:
Cereals (emmer wheat, einkorn wheat and barley)
Pulses (bitter vetch, peas, lentils and chick peas)
Flax
These are known as the eight founder crops. As farming techniques improved, people were able to
produce bigger yields, meaning that they could store food. The domestication of animals, such as goats,
pigs and cattle, provided an equally secure supply of meat.
Because people didn’t need to hunt anymore, they had more time to practise and develop new skills, such
as arts and crafts. The oldest crafts were born out of necessity, such as making clothes, tools and pottery
– but later, people started to craft more decorative items, such as jewellery and ornaments. (See the
accompanying MP2 unit Scavengers and Settlers for activities based on these early farming settlements.)
By 4000 BCE some settlements had grown into cities. The first appeared in the Fertile Crescent in an area
known as Sumer. The Sumerian cities, such as Ur, featured impressive public buildings and well-organised
social and political systems. It was also in Sumer that the wheel was invented, as well as the earliest
forms of writing and numeracy.
In North-east Africa, along the river Nile, another great nation was forming – that of the Egyptians. Their
civilisation lasted for almost 3000 years and some of their greatest architectural achievements, such as
the pyramids and the Sphinx, are still standing at Giza today.
While Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumer shared many common origins, they both developed in very
different ways. Each had its own social hierarchy, religion, writing and numerical systems, laws,
architecture and so on. And yet, their differences also highlight their similarities. Both represent very
powerful and sophisticated civilisations, that sought to achieve greatness through their beliefs,
advancements and culture.
In this unit, the children will begin with a study of Ancient Egypt, which is likely to be the most familiar to
them. Most children of this age will have some prior knowledge that they can bring to the topic, even if
it’s only tombs, pyramids and mummies! From the familiar, the children can then delve deeper into the
culture of the Ancient Egyptians, finding out more about their daily life and common beliefs. This learning
can then be applied to a study of Ancient Sumer, helping the children to compare and contrast the two
civilisations.
What follows is some helpful background information on the main themes explored in this unit. Both
13
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumer (Mesopotamia) are well-supported topics, with many online resources
and books available. Useful websites are highlighted in each task, throughout the unit.
Three Kingdoms
Archaeologists divide the history of Ancient Egypt into three periods, called kingdoms. The Old Kingdom
began around 3000 BCE when the first pharaoh – the Egyptian equivalent of a king – united Lower Egypt
and Upper Egypt. He founded the first capital of Egypt (Memphis) where the two lands met. During this
time the hieroglyphic system was perfected, one of the first forms of picture writing. The pyramids were
also built - the largest being the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which was constructed from over 2 million stone
blocks and is believed to have taken nearly 20 years to complete.
During the Middle Kingdom (2133-1786 BCE), the pharaohs expanded their empire and strengthened
their armies. This was a time when the arts flourished and many magnificent life-size stone statues were
carved. During this period, the pharaohs were buried inside hidden tombs rather than pyramids, to better
protect the treasures and belongings that would be buried with them.
The New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE) was Egypt’s golden age – a time of great wealth and prosperity. The
capital was moved to Thebes, which became a showcase for the arts, wealth and skills of the Egyptians.
Many building projects were undertaken during this period, under the mentorship of mighty pharaohs
such as Amenhotep III and Ramses II. The Luxor Temple and the Temple of Amun are both characteristic
of the New Kingdom era – as well as the smaller mortuary temples that were erected along the banks of
the Nile. The pharaohs of this era, such as the famous Tutankhamun, were buried in lavish tombs along
with their many priceless and spectacular treasures.
The Nile
Egypt was founded along the banks of the Nile, the longest river in the world. From ancient times, the
Egyptians have been dependent on the Nile – as a source of food through farming and hunting, a means
of transporting people and goods, and also as a provider of valuable resources, such as mud bricks for
housing and papyrus weeds to make parchment.
The importance of the Nile is made evident by the Egyptian calendar. From ancient times, the year has
divided into three seasons based on the annual flooding of the river. These seasons were very important
for the farmers, as their communities were dependent on the successful growing and harvesting of crops.
The three seasons were:
Akhet (June to September) The Flooding Season – heavy summer rains in Ethiopia (one of the three
sources of the Nile) cause the Nile to burst its banks and flood. Water covers the land to either side of
the river.
Peret (October to February) The Growing Season – the water levels drop, leaving a layer of fertile rich
mud which is ploughed and then planted with seeds.
Shemu (March to May) The Harvesting Season – this is a period of drought for Egypt, when the
farmers harvest their crops. This would be a busy time for the Egyptians as the harvesting had to be
completed before the Nile flooded again.
Building a pyramid
The tombs of the earliest pharaohs were made from mud bricks and were set on a single level. These
14
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
were known as mastaba (which means ‘bench’). As the pharaohs and their families grew in power, the
mastabas became more impressive. The Egyptians would build up different levels of mastaba to create a
step pyramid.
Later, they began to fill the steps with an outer covering of stone, which would be smoothed to create a
perfect pyramid. More than thirty pyramids still stand in Egypt, the largest being the Great Pyramid of
Khufu, which is 455 feet (138 m) high.
No one knows for sure how the pyramids were built – many historians have debated the question and put
forward various theories. One popular theory is that they used a series of mud ramps to haul up the blocks
using wooden sleds. The mud ramps would then be pulled down afterwards. The following steps outline
the process in more detail:
1. The pyramid blocks would be cut from quarries and then transported up the Nile to the
building site or on wooden sleds if the quarry was nearer (the wheel had not been invented –
so these sledges had to be pulled by animals or teams of workers).
2. The site of the pyramid was aligned perfectly to the four cardinal compass points. It is believed
that the Egyptians used a combination of sun and star measurements to accurately align the
site (the compass had not been invented yet!). A perfect square was then measured out to
provide the base of the pyramid.
3. The workers (mostly farmers who worked during the flood season) built mud ramps around the
sides of the pyramids.
4. The workers had no crane or pulley-systems, so they pushed each block into position using
wooden rollers.
5. When the pyramid’s sides met at the summit, the workers added a capstone. This was a
pyramid-shaped stone and covered in gold.
6. The workers covered the stepped walls with a covering of stone to create the smoothed slopes.
They worked from the top down, removing the mud ramps as they descended.
The inside of the pyramid had many passages and rooms, to store the Pharaoh’s body and all of his many
grave goods. The Egyptians believed that they needed to buried with their worldly possessions in order to
better enjoy the afterlife. For the pharaoh, these would consist of many fabulous treasures, such as
jewellery, fine clothing, and furniture. Tombs would also house many statues to represent servants, priests
and animals – which they believed would help serve the pharaoh and keep them company in the next
life.
Gods and temples
The Ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses. Each one had their own role to
play in keeping harmony in Egypt. Images of the gods depict them with human bodies and animal heads.
The animal would serve as a symbol for that god and represent their own particular power. For example,
Sobek was the god of the Nile and therefore had the head of a crocodile. Anubis was the god of the dead,
and was shown with the head of a jackal – a scavenger often found around mortuary temples.
Ra was considered the most important of all the gods, as he represented the sun. He was often shown as
a falcon-headed figure, riding his boat across the sky. At the end of each day Ra was believed to die, and
15
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
continue his voyage through the Netherworld, until he was reborn every morning when the sun rose once
again.
Each town would have its own temple, dedicated to one of Egypt’s many gods. They believed that the
temple was the ‘home’ of their god and therefore considered a sacred place. Only priests were allowed to
enter the inner chambers of the temple, where a large statue of the God would be kept – often coated in
gold and silver.
Each temple also had its own scribe school, where boys (rarely girls) would learn to read and write using
hieroglyphics, a complex system featuring over seven hundred different symbols. The temples would be
built from stone and then brightly painted, showing scenes from the lives of their gods and pharaohs.
The Book of the Dead
Most of what we know about the Egyptian’s belief system and funerary rites comes from the Book of the
Dead. This was a roll of papyrus that contained a collection of spells and illustrations to help guide a
person’s spirit successfully to the afterlife. The book was buried with the dead so that they could use it
when they needed – as the journey to the afterlife was full of many dangers and trials.
The Book of the Dead provided a map through the Netherworld (the first stage of their journey). Its spells
allowed the dead person to pass through its many gates and avoid the deadly monsters. Once a spirit
successfully navigated the Netherworld they arrived at the Weighing of the Heart ritual. Here the dead
person’s heart would be weighed on a set of scales against the Feather of Truth. If they had lived a good
and honest life, then they would be admitted to afterlife. If they had done wicked things, they would be
judged unfit and their heart would be eaten by the ‘Devourer’ – a monster that was half crocodile and
half hippopotamus.
Making a mummy
The Egyptians believed that, to live forever in the afterlife, they needed to preserve the body. This
process was known as mummification. There were many stages to mummification, each of which were
carefully carried out by trained embalmers. In the Old Kingdom, only important kings and queens were
embalmed, but by the time of the New Kingdom, it was much more common amongst wealthy Egyptians
– creating a thriving funerary industry!
The process of mummification:
1. The body would be washed and cleaned with palm wine.
2. A priest would remove the liver, lungs, stomach and intestines. These were stored in Canopic
jars. A hooked instrument was used to pull out of the brain out of the head through the nose.
3. The body was covered in salt and left for forty days to dry out.
4. After forty days, the body would be wrapped in tight linen bandages. Amulets would be tucked
amongst the bandages to provide luck and protection.
5. The mummy would be placed inside a wooden coffin. Wealthy Egyptians often had multiple
coffins, all fitting inside one another.
6. The coffin would be painted and decorated with hieroglyphics.
16
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
On the day of the funeral, the body would be carried to the tomb on a wooden sledge (often shaped as a
boat). A priest would lead the procession of mourners, followed by bearers carrying offerings and objects
for the tomb. Even the poorest Egyptians were afforded a small ceremony, as it was believed that if they
did not get a proper burial, they would return as restless spirits to haunt the living.
Tutankhamun’s tomb
In November 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter was working in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
After finding some ancient steps leading to a sealed tomb, he dismantled the door to reveal a
passageway. At the end of this passageway was a second door. A hole in the stone allowed Howard Carter
to peer through into the chamber beyond. And what he found was beyond the wildest dreams of any
explorer. When asked what he could see, he famously exclaimed: “Strange animals, statues and gold –
gold everywhere.”
This was one of the greatest finds in history. The sheer number of treasures, the most famous being the
golden death mask of Tutankhamen, enabled historians to learn a huge amount about burial customs and
Egyptian daily life, as well as the tomb’s occupant – Tutankhamen.
Even today, there is still debate about causes of the boy’s premature death. It has been a search that has
involved many different aspects of archaeology, from x-rays (that suggested he had taken a blow to the
head) to CT scans that revealed he had a broken leg – leading to the theory that he fell from his chariot).
Most recently, DNA testing has discovered that he might have had a malaria infection, brought on by a
bad fall. It is also likely he had a serious bone condition.
The Royal Tombs of Ur
In the same year that Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, another exciting discovery
was being made – this time in Southern Iraq. An archaeologist was excavating the ruins of an ancient
Sumerian city, known as Ur, when he stumbled on a set of tombs. As he continued to excavate the site
over the next few years, he managed to uncover over 2000 graves including 16 royal tombs. The most
famous tomb is believed to have belonged to a Sumerian queen known as Queen Puabi. Her tomb
contained many fabulous treasures, including an elaborate headdress made from gold, lapis lazuli and
carnelian (a red gemstone). Like Tutankhamen’s tomb, the royal tomb of Queen Puabi provided a
fascinating insight into the belief system of another ancient culture – that of the Sumerians.
Most of the graves at Ur contained a single body, wrapped in reeds or placed in a wooden coffin. The
body would often be accompanied by a few personal objects, such as weapons, jewellery and jars that
may have contained food and drink.
However, the royal tombs highlighted one important difference. The deceased royal had been buried
with a large number of their servants and guards. From the way these individuals were found, usually
lying to next to each other as if in sleep, there was no sign of struggle or distress. Cups and other vessels
around the bodies has supported the popular idea that these individuals drank poison. (An alternative
theory is that they were hit over the head with a blunt instrument, such as a mace or club, then dragged
into position.)
The items found in the tombs, which include everyday objects from furniture to musical instruments,
suggest that the Sumerians had a similar belief system to the Egyptians – that the objects in life could be
‘carried’ over into the next one, to help the spirit enjoy their eternal rest. The Egyptian’s buried statues
with their dead, to represent servants, priests and other companions – the Sumerians clearly took this a
17
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
step further by sacrificing their loyal attendants and burying them in the same tomb!
Queen Puabi’s tomb provides further evidence of this practice. The queen herself was found lying on her
back on top of a raised platform in a sealed chamber. The bodies of female attendants were found
crouched at her head and feet. Another female body, possibly a young princess, was also found in the
chamber. Outside this chamber was an area that contained more than a dozen female retainers as well as
various everyday objects, including a chariot and a set of musical instruments. The bodies of five men,
armed with copper daggers, were found in a linking passageway – as if guarding the approach to the
tomb. Other attendants and servants (one group believed to be musicians) were also buried in the tomb
complex.
Many of the treasures and artefacts that have taught historians about life in Ancient Sumer were found in
Queen Puabi’s tomb.
Ancient Sumer – City life
The Sumerians built the first cities. Each city was its own small state ruled by a king and his nobles. The
king would also control all the land and farms in each state. As the cities grew, a hierarchical system of
social classes were developed to govern the needs of the people. The king and the priests were at the
top of ladder and held the most power. The middle class was made up of government officials, craftsmen,
doctors and merchants, followed by the farmers and slaves who would make up the lower classes.
Sumerian cities were often at war with each other. Because of this, the people built high mud-brick walls
around their settlements to protect themselves. Uruk, the first and one of the largest cities, had a wall
that was six miles long. Mud-bricks were a common building material, used for most homes and public
buildings. Stone and wood were scarce, so – like the Egyptians – the people had to improvise and use
what was readily available.
At the centre of each city was the ziggurat, a huge terraced structure made from mud bricks. Their
appearance was similar to the Egyptian’s stepped pyramids. However, whereas in Egypt, these buildings
served as royal tombs, in Ancient Sumer the ziggurats were sacred temples. At the top of each ziggurat
was a shrine, which could only be reached by ascending its long sloping stairways. These imposing
structures would tower over all the other buildings in the city, almost like an artificial mountain. It is
believed that the Sumerians chose to build these large structures to show off how important their gods
were – and also to act as a symbolic link between the earth and the heavens.
Sumerian religion
Like the Egyptians, the Sumerians worshipped many different gods and goddesses. Each city had its own
patron god, who would be worshipped at the ziggurat temple. Also, like the Egyptians, the Sumerians
believed that their gods were a natural part of the world around them. They were seen as having very
human traits and were not considered immortal (they could live and die). There were hundreds of
different gods, who were organised into a hierarchical system similar to that of the Sumerian cities. At
the top were the four creator deities who were responsible for all creation. Below these were the seven
‘fates’, gods who decided mankind’s destiny, and these were followed by the Annunaki, a group of gods
who stood in judgement over people’s souls.
The Sumerians were very fearful of their gods and worked hard, through ritual, sacrifice and by holding
festivals in their honour, to ensure that their gods favoured them and brought them luck. The huge
ziggurats that dominated each city are testament to their dedication and devotion.
18
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Writing, mathematics and other great inventions
The Sumerians were the first to develop an early form of writing using symbols. Unlike the Egyptian
hieroglyphs, which were very pictorial, the Sumerian system was created by making impressions in clay
with a wedge-shaped stylus. It is this writing tool which gives this style of writing its name – Cuneiform
(meaning ‘wedge-shaped’). The written language developed out of necessity: people needed to write so
that they could keep records of transactions. The earliest symbols were used to represent trade goods,
such as cattle, grain and fish. Archaeologists have found many clay tablets covered in cuneiform writing.
Most of these would have been used by tax collectors. This system of writing continued to be developed
until, by around 3300 BCE, the Sumerians were using over 700 different symbols. The first known book
comes from this period, which tells the story of a legendary hero from the city of Uruk. (See The Epic of
Gilgamesh.)
Land was important to the Sumerians as 90 per cent of the population were farmers. Because of this, an
accurate system of measurement needed to be developed to ensure land distribution was fair. The
Sumerians invented a means of measuring, using units of 60. Our 60 seconds in a minute, and 60 minutes
in an hour comes from this system.
The Sumerians also mastered many different crafts. One of the earliest crafts was clay pot making.
Originally these were crafted to store food and grain, but eventually they became more decorative and
sophisticated. The development of the potter’s wheel also meant that the Sumerians could produce pots
quicker and more efficiently than by hand.
The Sumerians were also expert metal-workers and were the first to use bronze for weapons, tools and
armour. Bronze was more durable than copper and stayed sharper, making bronze items more desirable
and efficient.
Wheeled vehicles appeared around the same time as the potter’s wheel, again born out of necessity.
Farmers needed to transport their grain and crops to market, often over large distances. The earliest
vehicles were wagons and carts, but as wheel designs improved, faster and lighter vehicles were
developed, such as war chariots. This, in turn, led to the development of roads around 2000 BCE.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of literature. The poem recounts the
adventures of a Sumerian king (Gilgamesh) who is believed to be an actual historical king. However, his
deeds and adventures are fantastical and heroic, having more in common with the Greek god/hero
Heracles than a living man.
In the story, Gilgamesh is a strong and arrogant leader, who has grown bored from a lack of challenge. He
believes himself immortal and that no-one else could possibly defeat him. The Gods decide to teach him
a lesson, and so send a champion called Enkidu to challenge Gilgamesh. They fight each other over many
days, but neither emerge as the victor. Recognising that they are equals and have met their match, they
become the best of friends instead.
The rest of the epic narrates the many adventures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. One adventure involves them
killing a terrible monster, the Bull of Heaven. This angers the gods who decide that Enkidu must die.
Gilgamesh is heart-broken by the death of his friend and, for the first time, starts to consider his own
mortality. This leads him on a quest to find the elixir of eternal life – however, instead he learns an
important life lesson. That no-one can escape death.
19
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Timelines and chronological understanding
Throughout this unit the children will bene fit from having a whole-class timeline that they can refer to
and use as a collaborative tool. Once you start to populate it with events and time periods, the children
will be better able to make comparisons between events, and understand their cause and effect.
In this unit, children will be studying both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumer. Both civilisations developed
in parallel with each other. The children may decide to split them into two timelines or use a colourcoded system to highlight each civilisation’s key events and achievements. Think of the timeline as a
constant work-in-progress that the children can take ownership of. This will help them to think about how
history can be organised and ‘read’.
20
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.03 Know about the main similarities and differences between the past societies they have studied
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
21
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 1
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
22
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
Using Googlemaps (maps.google.com) or Google Earth (google.com/earth), work together
to locate Africa and then Egypt. Discuss Egypt’s location in relation to your host country and
the children’s home countries. Prompt them to think about what it might be like to live
there.
Use the zoom tools to view the country’s natural features in more detail. How do they think
it compares to their host country/home countries? (Perhaps a class member has visited
Egypt or another country in Africa. If so, invite them to share their experiences. They could
even bring in photographs to display and talk about.)
Display a map of Ancient Egypt (an internet search will provide plenty of good examples).
Ideally, have copies for the children to look at in pairs. Discuss the key features on the map.
Compare with the modern-day maps of Egypt. What is the same/different? Draw special
attention to the presence of the Nile. Ask the children why they think the Nile might have
been important to people who wanted to settle in this region?
Explain that the Nile is the reason why people were able to settle and live in Egypt. Most of
Egypt is a hot dry desert – unsuitable for growing crops or supporting animals. However, the
waters of the Nile created a fertile green valley running the length of Egypt, which was
ideal for farming and grazing livestock.
In groups, ask the children to use books, websites and other resources to find out more
about the Nile and its importance to the Ancient Egyptians. If you wish, children could
organise their research under the following headings:
Food
Water
Transport
Useful materials (e.g. mud bricks, papyrus)
Calendar
Some useful online resources include:
resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt/nile.htm – the Woodlands
Junior School website is an award-winning resource, providing excellent information on
a number of historical periods, including Ancient Egypt.
ducksters.com/history/ancient_egypt.php – Ducksters is a web resource for children,
offering facts and images to support a study of Ancient Egypt.
bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z3rwmp3 – a BBC Learning Zone documentary focusing on
the importance of the Nile to the Ancient Egyptians.
23
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children can record their findings using words and pictures. Ask each group to share their
work with the rest of the class. If possible, look at illustrations that show examples of
Ancient Egyptian farming and other scenes related to the Nile. Relate the children’s findings
to what is shown in the images (examples of fishermen, river transport, farming and
irrigation, papyrus reeds and so on).
The children may also have learned about the Egyptian calendar – which was divided into
three seasons based around the flooding of the Nile. Compare your current date with the
Egyptian calendar to find out what farmers in Egypt might have been doing on this very day
in the past!
Ask the children to imagine they were one of the early settlers in Egypt, who has discovered
the advantages of the fertile valley of the Nile. Look together at some examples of tourist
adverts and leaflets. Talk about how they use persuasive language and imagery to make
their locations appealing. Based on their research children challenge the children to create
their own tourism advert using persuasive language to convince someone to move
to Ancient Egypt.
Allow time at the end of the session for children to present their adverts. Evaluate these
based on agreed success criteria (factual knowledge, persuasive language, appealing visuals,
etc.).
Art link: Children can work in groups to create a classroom frieze showing examples of ‘life’
along the Nile. Each group can work on a different section, which can then be positioned
together to make one long continuous backdrop. The background ‘desert’ can be left
blank, which can be filled in later during this unit, with further examples of Egyptian life –
such as temples, pyramids, the Sphinx and so on.
Geography link: Explore the importance of the Nile for people living in Egypt today.
Consider how it is used for agriculture, hydro-electricity, tourism and transport. Are people’s
needs today similar to those of the Ancient Egyptians? The following video provides a good
introduction: discovery.com/tvshows/other-shows/videos/discovery-atlas-egypt-the-nilethen-and-now.htm (Note: the video is preceded by a short advert)
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
24
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 2
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
Research activity
Tell the children that they are going to be creating their own Ancient Egyptian family. They
will be choosing their names, what they do, what they wear and the house they live in.
Children can work individually or in pairs.
Provide books, posters, websites and other tailored resources to help the children with their
research. If you wish, you could work together to develop some prompt questions to refer
to. For example:
How big is your family?
What do they wear?
What is their home like?
What do they do?
What are their names?
Do they have pets?
Does anyone else live in your home? (e.g. servants?)
Some useful websites include:
historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcivile.shtml – the Canadian Museum
of History features an informative section on daily life in Ancient Egypt, which includes
clothing, shelter, food and crafts.
ancientegypt.co.uk/life/home.html – the British Museum website features a section of
daily life, which includes contrasting stories about two Ancient Egyptian families.
(Also see the websites recommended in History Task 1)
Offer assistance as necessary, visiting children and listening to their ideas. Choose
volunteers to share some of their findings with the rest of the class and share good
resources that have proved helpful.
25
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children can create a picture of their family and their home. These can be as simple or as
detailed as the children choose. Labels and/or speech bubbles could also be added, to
highlight facts and explain more about each of the family members.
Each child or pair can then present their family to the rest of the class. Compare and
contrast the different ideas. Evaluate the children’s use of different sources to create a
believable family. (This could be linked to the Assessment for Learning History goal 2.5.)
Offer suggestions to those who might have used a little too much imagination, and explore
ways of improving their pictures. The children can also help with this process.
The finished images could be displayed along your classroom wall to create an Ancient
Egyptian street scene.
Language arts link: The children can use their imaginary families (and other characters they
may meet over the course of the unit) as the stimulus for role-play and drama activities.
These could be self-motivated or held as a guided session by yourself, feeding ideas to
the children to help them explore different scenarios. For example, children could role-play
a family’s fishing trip down the river Nile. Through drama and mime, they can explore how
people would have travelled down the Nile, what they would have hunted, the dangers they
would have had to look out for (such as hippos and crocodiles) and so on. Children can also
use their learning from the History Task 1 to come up with their own ideas for things they
might see and do as they travel along the Nile.
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Communication
Enquiry
26
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 3
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
27
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
Look together at examples of Egyptian tomb paintings, which feature hieroglyphic symbols.
Study the paintings and ask the children to talk about what they can see. Focus their
attention on the symbols. What do they think they are? Arrive at an understanding that they
are a form of writing. Instead of using letters to spell words, the Ancient Egyptians used
pictures instead. This was one of the earliest forms of writing in the world.
Not everyone in Ancient Egypt could read and write. Those who could were known as
scribes. Mostly it was boys who became scribes, but occasionally girls also learned to read
and write (there is evidence that there were female doctors who would have needed such
skills).
Children would go to a special school where they were taught the hieroglyphic alphabet.
Only a few were lucky enough to be chosen – often those whose fathers were also scribes.
Remind the children of their Ancient Egyptian families that they created. Tell them that you
have some very special news. One of their children has been chosen to become a scribe.
How do they think their family will react to the news? How might the chosen child feel?
(Excited, nervous?)
Ask the class to imagine that they are older children at the scribe school. They have been
asked to welcome the new child and show them around the school.
In pairs or small groups, ask the children to find out more about Ancient Egyptian scribe
schools and hieroglyphic writing. Provide some appropriate resources and question prompts
to help guide their research:
Where did they go to learn? What else might we see there?
What tools did a scribe use?
What were lessons like?
How long would they be at school?
What types of jobs might a scribe have?
Some useful websites include:
ancientegypt.co.uk/temples/home.html – the British Museum website offers children
the chance to explore an Ancient Egyptian temple and learn about its different locations
– the site also has an excellent section on writing and hieroglyphics.
childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/history/egypt – the Children’s
University of Manchester website provides a number of interactive resources exploring
life in Ancient Egypt. The interactive on hieroglyphics provides an explanation of the
different symbols that were used.
kidzone.ws/cultures/egypt/hieroglyph.htm – Kid Zone provides a comprehensive list of
the commonly used hieroglyphs and their associated letters and sounds.
28
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Set up your own guided role-play. Acting as ‘scribe teacher’, ask the children to imagine that
it is their first day at the temple. Take the children on an imaginary tour of the temple and
school, using questioning to find out what the children have learned about the different
areas. Once you arrive in the school area, children can be prompted to talk about what they
know about the life of a scribe and what they think they will be learning.
End the session by asking the children to imagine they are having their very first writing
lesson. Provide a simplified hieroglyphic alphabet for the children to use. Challenge them to
spell their name (or the name of the child from their Ancient Egyptian family) using the
hieroglyphs.
If you wish, you could set up a daily challenge every day, displaying a word or short
sentence (appropriate to the theme) for the children to decode.
Art link: Children can create their own Ancient Egyptian ‘cartouche’ (an oval tablet
displaying a royal or divine name, such as that of a Pharaoh) out of air-drying clay - and carve
their name into it using the hieroglyphic symbols. Once dry, these can be painted and
displayed.
Technology link: Make your own papyrus paper for the children to paint their hieroglyphics
onto. Cut paper towel or brown paper into strips. Soak in a mixture of glue and water, then
lay each strip in vertical columns. Weave additional strips horizontally:
Press down the strips afterwards to make smooth. (Or do what the Egyptians did and bash
with a mallet!) Once the paper has dried, it is ready to write on!
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Communication
Enquiry
29
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 4
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
30
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
Look together at some images of Egyptian gods and goddesses. Some good examples can
be found on the following website:
culturefocus.com/egypt_valley-of-kings.htm – Culture Focus features an article on the
treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb, including excellent images of the paintings that
adorned the tomb walls.
Explain that the Ancient Egyptians believed in hundreds of different gods and goddesses.
Each of these would represent something different to the Egyptians – often linked to their
environment (the sun, the moon, etc.), different crafts and activities, or their beliefs. Many of
the gods and goddesses had animal heads. There would usually be a connection
between the animal and what each god or goddess represented.
Focus on some specific examples, such as Sobek (god of the Nile), Sekhmet (goddess of war)
and Ra (god of the sun). Use the following prompts to encourage the children to explore
these in more detail:
What do these figures all have in common?
Have they been painted in a certain way?
What do you think they are gods and goddesses of?
Why do you think the Egyptians chose a crocodile head for Sobek, a lioness for Sekhmet
and a falcon for Ra?
What do we think the red disc on Ra’s head might represent?
What are the gods and goddesses holding? Do we think these symbols are important?
What do they tell us about the religion and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians?
Each god or goddess would have their own temple. Explain that the temple where their
scribe is studying (see previous History task) has decided to choose a new god or goddess to
worship there – and the children will be helping with this important decision! But first they
will need to know a bit more about the different gods and goddesses, and what they tell us
about the beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.
Work with the children to compile a list of questions that they want to find the answers to.
Then in pairs or small groups, children can choose their own sources to help them find the
answers.
31
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children could record their findings using a simple table format. For example:
Alternatively, they can devise their own method of recording. Allow time for the children to
feedback their findings. Compare the Ancient Egyptian religion with the modern-day
religions in the children’s home/host countries. Are there any similarities? Consider idol
worship – such as pop stars, movie stars and celebrities. Do they compare with the
Egyptian’s view of their gods and kings?
End the session by asking each group to choose a god or goddess that they think their
temple should worship. Each group should share their choices with the rest of the class and
the reasons for their choice. If you wish, the choices could be listed and the whole-class
asked to vote on their favourite based on the presentations that have been given.
Language arts link: The Egyptians told many stories about their gods and goddesses. Share a
version of the story of Osiris and Isis with the class. A good example can be found here:
education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/4202 – the children can then retell the story
through drama or by making their own storybook.
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
32
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 5
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
Research activity
As the children to think about who makes all the decisions in their host country and home
countries. Who is in charge? Focus on some examples, such as presidents and monarchs.
In Ancient Egypt, the people were ruled by a king called a pharaoh. He was so important to
the Egyptians that they believed he was the son of the Sun God, Ra. The pharaoh would live
in a palace, with hundreds of servants to attend to his every need.
Egypt had many pharaohs throughout its history. Explain to the children that they are going
to be finding out about the different pharaohs of Egypt to add to your timeline (see
Knowledge Harvest).
Divide the class into groups and assign one pharaoh to each group to research. These might
include:
Menes
Khufu
Khafra
Akhenaten
Tutenkhamen
Hatshepsut
Thutmose III
Amenhotep III
Ramses II
33
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Cleopatra
Begin by asking the children to create a list of questions about their pharaoh that they
would like to find the answers to. Once they have created their list, prompt them to think
about the sources that they could use to find out that information. Most children will list
books and websites; encourage them to think about primary sources that they might use,
such as artefacts, architecture, tomb paintings and so on. Once the children have
identified some different sources, challenge them to research the answers to
their questions using as many quality sources as they can.
Some useful websites include:
ducksters.com/biography – Ducksters provides biographies on Cleopatra, Tutankhamun,
Ramses II and Hatshepsut. (Note: this site features advertising.)
kingtutone.com/articles – King Tut One provides detailed background information on
each of the different pharaohs. (Note: this site features advertising – but may be helpful
for the preparation of your own resources to support this task.)
timetrips.co.uk/pharaohs.htm – the Time Trips website features a section on each
pharaoh with facts and images.
britishmuseum.org – the British Museum offers a fully searchable database of its
artefacts, including many from Ancient Egypt.
globalegyptianmuseum.org – Global Egyptian Museum provides a powerful search
engine, where children can select from a variety of criteria to view artefacts
from Ancient Egypt.
Recording activity
Add the dates and an image of each pharaoh to your whole-class timeline. Ask each group to
present their findings. Prompt them to talk about the key events/moments in their pharaoh’s
life – and to consider the reasons/outcomes for these moments. Do they get an insight,
from the sources that they have studied, about what the pharaoh might have been like as
a person? Do we think they were a good ruler – and if so why? Let groups choose two or
more key events from their pharaoh’s lives to add to the whole-class timeline.
After each group has presented, compare and contrast the different pharaohs lives and
achievements. Are there any similarities? Was one pharaoh’s reign influenced by those that
came before? From their findings, consider if there is a list of criteria for judging a good
pharaoh. Do any of the rulers that the class explored come close to being the ‘ultimate
pharaoh’?
34
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Personal Goals
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
35
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 6
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
Research activity
Tell the children that their lucky scribes have been invited by their teacher to help oversee
the construction of a very special building – a pyramid!
Look together at images of the pyramids that were built on the Giza plateau. If you have a
good internet connection you can take an exciting virtual tour of the pyramids by visiting:
giza3d.3ds.com/#discover – Giza 3D offers exciting virtual tours of the Giza plateau.
Click on ‘discover’ to download the browser plug-in. (Note: some sections can take two
or three minutes to load).
Ask the children if they have any ideas as to why the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs chose to
build pyramids. (Most scholars believe they were built as tombs to house the remains and
belongings of the royal families.) Noone knows for sure how the Egyptians were able to
build these magnificent structures. The largest is known as the Great Pyramid and took 20
years to build!
Discuss some of the current theories about how the pyramids were built and the reasons
why the west bank of the Nile was chosen (see the big picture). Encourage the children to
share their own ideas and opinions. What do they think would be the biggest challenges in
building a pyramid? Prompt them to consider:
Who would have built the pyramids?
How would they have moved such large pieces of stone?
How would they have positioned all the pieces?
In groups, provide the children with a selection of cards. On each card, provide one stage of
36
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
the pyramid building process (if possible, also provide an image/illustration for each stage).
Talk through these as a whole class.
Ask the children to study and sequence the cards into the order they think each stage
should be done. Card ideas could include:
Choose a suitable location
Use the sun and stars to find north, south, east and west
Measure out a perfect square
Recruit builders and craftsmen
Quarry the stone
Shape the stone into blocks
Transport the stone
Build the ramps
Position the blocks
Add the capstone
Smooth the sides
Recording activity
Once groups are happy with their choices, they can glue or tape them into place on a large
sheet of card. Ask the groups to share their final choices with the rest of the class. Compare
and contrast the decisions that were made. Were there any differences? Ask groups to
explain and justify their choices.
Children can use their group work as the stimulus for creating their own book, model or
poster showing the different stages of building a pyramid. Look together at these as a
whole-class. Discuss the lasting impact of the pyramids – that they are still standing today
and considered one of the ancient wonders of the world. Ask the children to use their
books/models/posters to help explain why the pyramids were (and still are considered) such
a huge achievement.
Mathematical link: The Ancient Egyptians measured lengths using a cubit rod. One cubit was
equal to seven palms and each palm was equal to four fingers. Using these measurements,
the children can create their own cubit ruler using a length of card:
Children can then measure a number of different classroom objects and record their length
in cubits, palms and fingers!
37
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
38
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 7
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
Research activity
Look back at some of the treasures you explored during the Entry Point. If necessary, add
further images for the children to look at. Explain that these objects were all found inside
Ancient Egyptian tombs. Ask the children to think about why someone would want to be
buried with so many items? Do any other cultures they know about bury objects with their
dead? (If children have completed the Survivors MP2 unit they will have looked at some of
the treasures discovered at the Varna Necropolis.) Do they think everybody in Ancient Egypt
was buried with such treasures?
The Ancient Egyptians had a strong belief in the afterlife. Those that were wealthy were
buried in tombs. These would be filled with the objects that they wanted to take with them
into the afterlife – often a mixture of treasures and personal items, but also practical
everyday objects that they might need in their new life, such as cups, combs, plates and so
on. They would also have had their bodies preserved using a process called mummification.
Explain to the children that the great pharaoh of Egypt has died and his body must now be
mummified before it can be taken to its final resting place, inside the pharaoh’s tomb. The
children are now embalmers – the people who were in charge of preparing the royal body.
Remind them that this is a very important job. They better not get anything wrong, after all
– this is not just anybody, it is the pharaoh!
In groups, provide the children with a selection of resources to conduct their research. They
will need to prepare a list of all the things that they will need to do to mummify and
prepare the body. Children can use words and/or pictures to record each stage of the
process. If you wish, you could provide some topic-related words to help the children with
their research. For example:
Natron salt
Wabet
39
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Canopic jars
Amulets
Linen wrappings
Coffin
Portrait mask
Some useful websites include:
salariya.com/web_books/mummy/intro/pages/intro.html – the Salariya website
features excerts from their excellent range of children’s history books – which includes
all the gory details of making an Egyptian mummy!
resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt/mummies.htm – the
Woodlands Junior School website explains the process of mummification using a simple
Q&A format.
britishmuseum.org/explore/young_explorers/discover/museum_explorer.aspx – the
British Museum has a young explorer section where children can select ‘Ancient Egypt’
and ‘Death’ to explore some of the museum’s artefacts.
ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/story/page1.html – Ancient Egypt provides a clear and
concise step-by-step overview of mummification, with illustrations explaining the
process of embalming and wrapping the body.
40
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Each group should have a list of instructions to tell someone how to prepare a body. They
can decide how they wish to share this information to the rest of the class. Some ideas
might include:
An instructional video – children can pretend they are making a modern style
instructional video, talking and demonstrating to the camera. These can be mimed, with
the children narrating. One child may have to act as the dead body for some of the
stages!
A role-play – children imagine they are teaching a new embalmer what to do.
A ‘how to guide’ – children can draw and label a picture or poster to show each stage of
the process.
An interactive slideshow – the children can draw and import their own pictures into
presentation software such as PowerPoint or Prezi, and add voice over to describe each
stage. They could even create their own gruesome sound effects for some of the
messier sections!
Invite groups to share their presentations, noting the order of the steps. Discuss any
differences and consider if there are right and wrong answers in the order that some steps
need to be completed.
Afterwards, prompt the children to think about why this process was so thorough and
detailed. What does it tell us about the Ancient Egyptian’s belief system? Why was
preservation of the body so important? Consider how this might compare with modern day
views of death and burial in the children’s host and home countries. Does this process link
to and help explain why the great pharaohs built pyramids? (To protect the preserved body,
to celebrate their life and so on.)
As a home learning-task, children can find out about how ordinary citizens in Ancient Egypt
were buried. Discuss the children’s findings and compare with the burial process for those
who were wealthy and important. What kind of burial do they think their Egyptian families
will have?
Personal Goals
Communication
Cooperation
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
41
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 8
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
42
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
Recap what you have learned in the previous session about the process of mummification
and the Egyptian’s belief that when they died they would continue living in an afterlife.
Explain that the Ancient Egyptians had very clear ideas about what would happen to them
when they died – their spirit would leave the body and go on a journey. The Egyptians
talked about this journey in a special book they called ‘The Book of the Dead’.
Talk briefly about the stages of this journey (see the big picture for more information). Look
at some scenes from an Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’ to help illustrate some of the key
moments.
Explain to the children that they are going to be creating their own ‘Book of the Dead’ to
put inside the Pharaoh’s pyramid. The book will help his spirit to find happiness in the
afterlife.
Divide the class into groups. Provide resources and bookmarked websites for the children to
conduct their research. Display the stages that you outlined during your introduction, along
with key vocabulary and names, to help focus the task.
Some useful websites include:
crystalinks.com/bookofthedead.html – Crystal links hosts a resource which provides an
excellent collection of images from the Book of the Dead, including spells and the
‘Weighing of the Heart’ ceremony.
britishmuseum.org/pdf/3665_BOTD_schools_Teachers.pdf – the British Museum offers
this useful PDF handbook which gives good background information on the Book of the
Dead and the journey to the afterlife.
There is also an accompanying video introduction which can be found here:
britishmuseum.org/channel/exhibitions/2011/book_of_the_dead.aspx – the British
Museum provides an introduction to the Book of the Dead and its themes. There is
another linking video for schools listed in the ‘videos’ section at the bottom of the page.
43
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children can use the recording session to plan and create their books. If you wish, these
could take the form of a large scrapbook or set of collage pieces, with images showing the
spirit travelling through the underworld, the weighing of the heart and Ra’s boat crossing
the lake of fire. Pages could also be decorated with various spells of good luck (I helped
my friends. I was kind to others. I did good work. I was honest, etc.), feathers to symbolise
truth, Egyptian hieroglyphs and so on.
Allow time for each child or group to display their book and talk through their choice of
content based on their research. What do the books and what they contain tell us about the
Ancient Egyptians? How does this link to the process of mummification and what they have
already learned about Egyptian religion? Are there books that are special to other religions
in the children’s host and home countries? What role do these books play – and are they
similar to the Egyptian’s Book of the Dead?
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Communication
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
44
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 9
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
Research activity
Remind the children of the treasures that they explored during the entry point. Explain the
role of an archaeologist – someone who studies the past from what has been left behind.
The objects that people buried with their dead are a good source of information about how
they lived and what they believed in. However, many of the tombs in Ancient Egypt had
their treasures stolen by thieves. But one tomb had remained hidden for many, many years
– until it was discovered by an archaeologist called Howard Carter.
Provide groups with photographs showing Howard Carter and his team discovering the tomb
in 1922 and examining its treasures (an internet search will bring up plenty of examples). Do
they think the photographs are recent or from the past? What clues are there to help us?
Ask the children to study these sources and what they can learn from them. Ask groups to
feed back to the rest of the class. Also record any questions that the images have raised –
that the children can find answers to later.
Explain that Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb is one of the greatest finds in
history. The tomb had not been looted by thieves, so Carter was able to recover a vast array
of treasures, including Tutankhamen’s sarcophagus. Look together at images of the death
mask and other valuables that were found in the tomb. Tell the children the story of
how Howard got his first look at the treasures by peering through a small hole he had
chiselled in the rock. When asked what he could see, he said ‘wonderful things.’ Refer back
to the entry point game and ask children to describe what it was like to explore the
treasures using a small peep hole. If you wish, you could recreate the game for the children
to play.
Ask the children to consider why Tutankhamen’s tomb was such an exciting discovery. How
do they think Howard Carter and his team felt when they first saw those fabulous treasures?
45
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
(You may want to explain that many of the locals feared there was a curse if anyone
disturbed the tomb and took the treasures from it.)
Ask the children to imagine they are a member of Howard Carter’s team. They are going to
be creating a journal to catalogue the treasures that were found and what they tell us about
Tutankhamun and the Ancient Egyptians.
In pairs or small groups, provide tailored resources to help the children find out more about
Howard Carter’s expedition and the treasures that were found.
Some useful websites include:
bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/tutankhamun_gallery.shtml – BBC History provides
an annotated gallery of images, showing treasures from the pharaoh’s tomb.
ducksters.com/history/ancient_egypt/king_tuts_tomb.php – Ducksters features an
excellent overview of Howard Carter’s discovery, including maps and images. (Note: this
site features advertising.)
resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/tut.html#5 – the Woodlands Junior
School website provides a simple but informative section on Tutankhamun and Howard
Carter.
youtube.com/watch?v=4Hyqwnmnbew – YouTube hosts this clip from a Heritage Key
documentary, looking at a selection of the treasures found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.
(To watch a YouTube video in safe mode, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the ‘safety’ tab which brings up the
‘Safety mode’ information. Under this section, select the ‘on’ option, then click ‘save’)
Recording activity
Children can use their research to create an exhibition or museum catalogue, displaying
images of the treasures, a description of each item, and what it tells us about life in Ancient
Egypt. If possible, have some examples that the children can look at (most museum websites
will have online catalogues of exhibitions that can be viewed).
The children’s catalogues can then be displayed for the class to explore and evaluate based
on agreed criteria (range of artefacts, detail of information, historical accuracy, use of
sources, etc.)
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
46
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 10
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.03 Know about the main similarities and differences between the past societies they have studied
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
Research activity
Assemble the children in the hall or another large space. Explain that they are going to be
exploring what was found inside another tomb – one which also contained many valuable
objects and other interesting finds.
Using the information in the big picture, tell the children the story of the discovery in 1922
of the Royal Tombs of Ur by Charles Leonard Woolley. (The same year that Howard Carter
discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun.) Display an outline plan of the tomb:
47
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Work with the children to create a simplified interpretation of what Woolley and his team
found in the tomb once it was excavated. Mark out an area of your hall for the tomb, using
skipping ropes or mats to denote each area. Then position children in the following
positions:
1. On a raised platform in the tomb, the body of a middle-aged woman was found,
adorned in precious stones and beads. She was wearing a magnificent headdress.
If you have a prop available, let one child lie down with arms crossed against their
chest, wearing a crown to denote their status.
2. Five men who were found with armour and swords, lying next to each other.
3. Twelve females lying next to each other in two rows, as if asleep.
4. A young girl dressed similarly to the queen.
5. Use boxes or props to show the positions of the chariot and an elaborate chest
containing treasures.
Explain that cups were found scattered around the bodies of the guards and the attendants,
as well as the young girl. Allow time for the rest of the class to walk around and observe the
tomb. Encourage the children to imagine the other treasures that would have been
scattered around the space – there was a lyre (a musical instrument similar to a harp),
plates and tableware, golden jewellery such as rings, necklaces and bracelets, and even a
wardrobe that would have once contained clothes. Compare this tomb with the one Howard
Carter discovered. What is the same/different? (For example, the treasures and presence of
a royal person are similar, as are the treasures and everyday items. However, this tomb
contains other people – twelve attendants, five males and someone who may have been
a young princess.)
Allow the ‘actors’ to re-join the rest of the class. Explore the children’s thoughts about this
discovery. Prompt them to consider the following:
Do you think this was an Ancient Egyptian burial? If not, why not?
Do we think the woman with the headdress was important?
Who might the young girl have been who was lying in the Queen’s chamber?
Who do we think the other people were? Why do you think they were in the tomb?
How do you think these people died? (If necessary, remind the children of the cups that
were found next to the bodies. It is believed they drank poison.)
Do we think these people’s beliefs were similar to the Ancient Egyptians’? What
evidence is there from what we have explored?
48
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Divide the class into groups. Explain that they are going to role-play the day of the Queen’s
funeral. They have entered the tomb for the first time, in the knowledge that they will be
drinking poison – and joining her in the afterlife. Groups can imagine themselves as the
guards (likely to have been present to ‘guard and protect’ the queen) or the attendants (who
would have served the Queen). In their groups, ask the children to explore how they would
have been feeling.
Begin with a freeze-frame tableau, the children using their bodies to express their
emotions. Choose good examples for the class to focus on. Then ask the children to roleplay their final conversations with each other. What would they say? How might they have
consoled each other? Would they have been happy to have been chosen – or sad? What
about their families and friends? Prompt the children to explore these dilemmas through
their conversations.
Invite one or two confident groups to repeat their performance to the rest of the class.
Discuss how the characters were portrayed and invite opinion on whether the children
agree or disagree with the feelings that were communicated.
End the session by explaining that the tomb belonged to people from another ancient
civilisation – Ancient Sumer. In the next few tasks the children will be finding out more
about this civilisation and comparing it with what they know about Ancient Egypt.
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Cooperation
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
49
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 11
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.03 Know about the main similarities and differences between the past societies they have studied
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
Research activity
Use maps to locate the area of Ancient Sumer, which occupied the lower region of
Mesopotamia, between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers (Mesopotamia means ‘between two
rivers’). Ask the children to consider why people settled along these rivers and why these
settlements would have thrived. (Remind them of the work they completed on the Nile
in History Task 1.)
Small villages were built in Sumer around 7000 BCE, which quickly grew into large cities
with thousands of people. Mark this date on your timeline and compare with the Old
Kingdom dates of Ancient Egypt Around 3000 BCE). The Sumerian civilisation was older
than the Egyptian civilisation and developed faster. Its golden age (when it was at the
height of its power) was roughly around 2100 BCE.
Divide the class into groups. Provide each group with a selection of images showing
different artefacts from the Sumerian civilisation. Explain to the children that they are going
to be detectives. They should study their ‘artefacts’ to see what they can learn about this
civilisation.
Some suggestions for images/artefacts:
Clay tablets displaying cuneiform writing (such as the tablet found at Girsu)
Clay tablets showing scribes writing on papyrus
Clay tablets showing Sumerian gods (such as the image of the Sun God from Shamash’s
temple)
50
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The battle standard of Ur (showing both the ‘peace’ side and the ‘war’ side)
Stone relief showing scales being used for weighing (such as the one found at Nimrud)
Vase/terracotta fragments showing scenes of everyday life (such as musicians, sporting
contests, etc.)
Toys and games (such as the board and pieces for the Royal Game of Ur)
Statue of a lamassu (a mythological creature similar to a sphinx)
When looking at their artefacts remind the children that these are from a different
civilisation to the Ancient Egyptians, but there might be many similarities – as well as
differences. If necessary, refer back to some of the children’s earlier work to help them
make links.
Also prompt the children to consider the different sources that have been made available.
Which are likely to be the most reliable/useful? What can we learn from each different type
of source? Are there other sources we would like to have to help us find out more? (You can
return to this point in the Recording Activity when the children think up their own
questions.)
Some useful websites for images include:
sumerianshakespeare.com – Sumerian Shakespeare features an excellent library of
images, including the treasures from the Royal Tombs, the battle standard of Ur and
examples of cuneiform writing.
mesopotamia.lib.uchicago.edu/mesopotamialife/index.php – the Oriental Institute of
Chicago has a section on Mesopotamia. Each of the available topics has its own
image/artefact which can be enlarged for study.
metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/329230 – the Metropolitan
Museum of Art has images of a number of Mesopotamian treasures and artefacts,
including a statue of a lamassu. Type ‘Mesopotamia’ into the search engine to access
many more artefacts, including statues, sculptures and drinking cups.
51
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children can record their ideas on sticky notes and attach them to the images, or use a table
to record their ideas. For example:
Look at each artefact image in turn (ideally enlarged on the whiteboard). Ask groups to
share their opinions and findings with the rest of the class, highlighting areas on the
whiteboard. Encourage the children to make comparisons with what they already know
about Ancient Egypt.
Create a list of facts – what the children assume or think they know about the Ancient
Sumerians based on their research.
Also make a separate list of questions that the children might have raised about the
Sumerians. The answers to these can be addressed and explored during the next couple of
tasks.
Personal Goals
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
52
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Task 12
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.02 Know about the lives of people in those periods
2.03 Know about the main similarities and differences between the past societies they have studied
2.04 Be able to give some reasons for particular events and changes
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.07 Understand that the past can be considered in terms of different time periods
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
53
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
In groups, challenge the children to find out more about an aspect of Sumerian life. Explain
that they will be presenting their findings as a display at the end of the session. If you wish,
you could let groups pick the category/area that interests them (based on their research
from the previous task) or you can assign categories. Try and ensure that at least one group
is working on each area, to provide a greater breadth of knowledge to be shared.
Areas the children could focus on might include:
Rulers
Farming
Clothing
Gods and religion
Death and burial
Writing
Homes
Ziggurats
Games and pastimes
Crafts
Transport and travel
Ask the children to think about the sources they might use to help them. How might they
use what they have learned from previous tasks to help them with their search?
Some useful websites include:
mesopotamia.co.uk/menu.html – the British Museum Mesopotamia website features
useful sections on gods and religion, writing, the royal tombs and ziggurats.
history-world.org/sumerian_culture.htm – History World offers a useful background
overview of Ancient Sumer, useful for your own research and planning.
ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/ancient_sumer.php – Ducksters is a child-friendly
website with lots of information about life in Ancient Sumer. Use the links at the bottom
of the page to navigate to different sections. (Note: this site does feature advertising.)
54
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Children can choose their own method of presenting their information. Be sure to make
them aware of the time that they have available. Some ideas for display might include:
An interactive slideshow presentation, combining images with facts
A museum display, with captioned images and models that the children have made
An oral presentation, supported with props such as pictures and models
A role-play scene between Sumerians, which incorporates the children’s learning
Allow time for each group to share their findings with the rest of the class. Any important
dates can be added to your whole-class timeline. After each presentation, draw comparisons
with daily life in Ancient Egypt:
What is the same and/or different?
Are we able to give reasons for these similarities/differences?
Would someone from Ancient Egypt feel at home if they visited Ancient Sumer?
Language Arts link: Children can create their own ‘visitor’s guide to Ancient Sumer’ to give
to an Ancient Egyptian. They will need to think about the important information that a
visitor would need to know – and also note the things that would be familiar/unfamiliar to
an Egyptian visitor. If you wish, a member from each group could work together on a book,
so that every child will be able to contribute their area of expertise from the
Research/Recording activity.
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
55
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
History Extension Task
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about the main events, dates and characteristics of the past societies they have studied
2.05 Be able to gather information from simple sources
2.06 Be able to use their knowledge and understanding to answer simple questions about the past
and about changes
2.08 Understand that the past has been recorded in a variety of different ways
56
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Extension activity
Provide the children with a selection of holiday brochures of Egypt (containing
historic sight-seeing tours). Children could also bring in their own examples. In pairs or
groups, ask the children to look through the brochures and find any examples of historical
sites or monuments – some of which the children may already be familiar with through
their study of Ancient Egypt. Create a whole-class list of examples. Consider why people
might travel to somewhere like Egypt to see the historic sites. (If a child has already visited
Egypt they could share some of their experiences.)
Ask the children to look back at their brochures. What makes them different to a
history book on Ancient Egypt? (They are using the country’s history as a means to sell
holidays.) Are they still useful as a historical source?
Ask the children to find examples of how these trips are made appealing to a
reader. Consider the use of images and persuasive text. Compare with the children’s
Ancient Egyptian tourism adverts from History Task 1.
Challenge the children to create their own travel brochure of Egypt, focusing on the ancient
sites and wonders that are still standing today. Children can present these as a slideshow
with images, maps and text, or create a physical brochure/guide. Remind them that their
brochure should provide useful information on the history of each location and why it is
significant. They could also use examples of persuasive text to make their tour sound as
appealing as possible to their target market!
End the session by inviting the children to present their brochures. Evaluate these based on
agreed success criteria. For example:
The choice of locations
Clear presentation
An understanding of the significance of each location – why it is important
Explanation of what the visitor will see at the location
Use of persuasive language
Geography link: Children could create a travel itinerary for their trip, with a day-by-day
breakdown of what a visitor will do on each day of the tour. These can be shown on a map
with a line marking the route that the tour will take and the locations that will be visited.
Children could also consider the types of transport that their visitors could use to travel to
each location.
Personal Goals
Communication
Enquiry
57
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Music Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - organise sounds and use them expressively
2.02 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.03 Be able to recognise and explore the ways that sounds can be organised and used expressively
2.04 Be able to sing in tune and with expression
2.05 Be able to perform simple pieces rhythmically using a limited range of notes
2.06 Be able to improvise repeated patterns
2.07 Be able to compose simple pieces to create intended effects
2.08 Be able to choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.09 Be able to improve their own work, having regard to the intended effect
2.10 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
2.13 Understand how musical elements are combined and varied to create different effects
58
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Music Task 1
Learning Goals
2.01 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - organise sounds and use them expressively
2.02 Know how a number of musicians - including some from their home country and the host
country - choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.03 Be able to recognise and explore the ways that sounds can be organised and used expressively
2.05 Be able to perform simple pieces rhythmically using a limited range of notes
2.06 Be able to improvise repeated patterns
2.07 Be able to compose simple pieces to create intended effects
2.08 Be able to choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
Research activity
Tell the children that you are going to be creating a musical drama to retell a story from
Ancient Sumer/Ancient Egypt. Choose a story to focus on – such as the tale of Osiris and Iris
(Ancient Egypt) or the Epic of Gilgamesh (Ancient Sumer). Child-friendly versions of the
stories are available on the following sites:
education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/4202 – the Scholastic Education website provides
a printable PDF retelling the story of Isis and Osiris.
mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/gilgamesh.html – a useful teacher resource site, which
provides an excellent introduction to Gilgamesh, the legendary Sumerian hero, and his
best friend Enkidu. (Note: this site does feature advertising.)
mesopotamia.co.uk/geography/story/sto_set.html – Mesopotamia provides an
illustrated story which continues the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and their encounter
with the legendary monster, Humbaba.
Ideally, explore the story as part of a Language Arts session and work with the children to
storyboard the main events/scenes. Revisit these scenes (preferably divided into numbered
story cards so the children understand the sequence of the story and what occurs before,
after and during each scene).
Listen to a couple of examples of music based on a story, location or experience. For
example:
59
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
‘Claire de Lune’ by Claude Debussy
‘Fingal’s Cave overture’ by Felix Mendelssohn
‘Hall of the Mountain King’ by Edvard Grieg
'Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ by Paul Dukas
‘Night on Bald Mountain’ by Modest Mussorgsky
‘The Four Seasons’ by Antonio Vivaldi
‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Sergei Prokofiev
For each composition, ask the children to discuss how the music captures each element of
the story/character. Reinforce important musical terms such as beat (rhythm), tempo (speed)
and dynamics (volume), and prompt the children to use these to compare and contrast the
different works.
Talk about the instruments that would have been popular in Egypt and Sumer – such as
whistles, drums, shakers (sistrums and rhythm beads), flutes (recorders), castanets, bells and
so on. If you wish, the children could listen to some examples of Egyptian/Middle Eastern
music – focusing on the sounds and rhythms of the instruments.
Some useful websites include:
traditionalarabicmusic.com/music_of_egypt.html – Traditional Arabic Music features
sound clips exploring the musical styles of genres from around the Middle East.
musicofhistory.com – Music of History features musical soundtracks that use
traditional instruments/styles to narrate events from history. Select ‘Ancient Egypt’ from
the Episode menu.
Divide the class into groups. Provide them with a mix of tuned and untuned instruments –
ideally similar to those you have previously identified.
Recording activity
Allow time for the children to explore making different sounds with their instruments –
passing rhythms to each other, then playing together. The emphasis should be on improving
control, accuracy and expression with the instruments, rather than composition (which will
be the focus of the next task).
Groups can then choose and perform their favourite rhythm performance to the rest of the
class to listen to. Encourage the class to talk about and evaluate each piece, using the
musical terminology that you introduced in the Research session (rhythm, tempo and
dynamics).
60
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Personal Goals
Cooperation
Resilience
61
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Music Task 2
Learning Goals
2.03 Be able to recognise and explore the ways that sounds can be organised and used expressively
2.04 Be able to sing in tune and with expression
2.05 Be able to perform simple pieces rhythmically using a limited range of notes
2.07 Be able to compose simple pieces to create intended effects
2.08 Be able to choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.10 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
2.13 Understand how musical elements are combined and varied to create different effects
Research activity
Look at the scenes that you have identified from your story (see previous task). Assign one
scene to each group. Explain that they will be creating their own piece of music to provide a
‘soundtrack’ for the scene.
Groups should begin by creating a list of words to describe the mood of their scene and
what the character/s are feeling.
This can then become the starting point for creating their own musical composition. Remind
them of the way that they explored sounds in the previous task by altering the rhythm,
tempo and dynamics of their music.
Children can work together in their groups to practise creating different moods using their
instruments. At this age, children will often choose to play their instruments altogether,
copying each other’s beat. Try and encourage them to think creatively (ideally with
reference to the Arabic/Middle Eastern music they listened to previously).
For example, they could start with just one instrument and have the others come in one by
one – or some instruments could just be used for effects or for a chorus. Words could also
be chanted (perhaps a character’s name or a phrase related to the story), which could fade in
and out at different times.
62
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Once the children have explored and perfected a sequence, challenge them to devise their
own graphic notation to help them record and remember their music. Some children may
already play an instrument (such as a recorder) and be able to notate their composition
using staff notation. If they have sheet music available, then the group can explore this for
ideas on creating their own notation.
With multiple instruments, children may wish to use colour coding and other methods to
make their notation easier to follow. Offer assistance as necessary to help the children with
their planning.
End the session by asking the children to perform their pieces to the rest of the class. These
can be presented in sequence to gradually retell the story through music. Invite groups to
talk about the choices they made when creating their piece (perhaps displaying their
original list of words to describe its characters and setting) and the reasons behind those
choices. The class can then evaluate the music based on the group’s aims.
Personal Goals
Communication
Cooperation
63
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Music Extension Task
Learning Goals
2.03 Be able to recognise and explore the ways that sounds can be organised and used expressively
2.07 Be able to compose simple pieces to create intended effects
2.08 Be able to choose sounds and instruments which are appropriate for their task
2.09 Be able to improve their own work, having regard to the intended effect
2.13 Understand how musical elements are combined and varied to create different effects
Extension activity
Children should have the opportunity to refine their compositions. The children’s music can
be recorded and saved onto computer using a microphone and sound recorder. Audacity
(audacity.sourceforge.net) is a good example – and is also free. Many programs also allow
you to edit and add additional effects to the music. Children can save their original
composition, then use the available tools to explore different ways of altering and
improving their music.
Let the children choose their favourite version to save as their final performance. These can
then be played back in sequence for the class to listen to, while you narrate or display the
relevant scenes of the story.
Physical Education link: Once the children are happy with their musical retelling, you could
stage your own musical performance – by playing the music, while each group performs
movements to describe their scene. These could be videoed to watch back and comment on
as a whole class.
Personal Goals
Communication
64
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Art Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know how a number of artists - including some from their home country and the host country use forms, materials and processes to suit their purpose
2.03 Be able to use art as a means of self expression
2.04 Be able to choose materials and techniques which are appropriate for their task
2.05 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
2.06 Be able to talk about works of art, giving reasons for their opinions
65
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Art Task 1
Learning Goals
2.01 Know how a number of artists - including some from their home country and the host country use forms, materials and processes to suit their purpose
2.04 Be able to choose materials and techniques which are appropriate for their task
2.06 Be able to talk about works of art, giving reasons for their opinions
Research activity
Display some examples of Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. Spend time exploring the
details and making links with the children’s learning (most tomb paintings were associated
with religion, showing gods and pharaohs, and telling stories of their journey to the
afterlife). Ask the children to talk about what they like/don’t like about this style of art.
Unlike later periods of history, we know very little about the artists who lived and worked in
Ancient Egypt. They remain anonymous, probably because their position was not considered
important enough to have been recorded. In many ways, their work was a duty to perform –
for the Pharaoh or the Egyptians who hired them.
Note the way the figures are drawn. What do the children notice about them? (All figures
are viewed from the side, but the upper body and shoulders are forward-facing – as is the
eye.) Also consider the use of colour, using several examples to draw comparisons. The
Ancient Egyptians favoured six colours – white, black, red, green, blue and yellow/gold.
The tombs of wealthy people, such as pharaohs, were decorated with these wall paintings.
Apprentices would sketch out the images on the walls, copying the image from a pattern
book and enlarging it using a grid system. Once the image was sketched out (usually using
charcoal), a master painter would then paint over the sketch using reed brushes.
66
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Explain to the children that they are going to become tomb painters – using their own grid
pattern to enlarge an image and then paint it.
Children could choose an image from a book to make into a pattern (ideally these should be
approximately A4 size) or you could provide a selection of images with grid lines already in
place for children to use.
If you wish, sketchbooks could be used for the children to record their own drawings and
ideas. These could be displayed and discussed for the group to decide on a final image to
use for their tomb painting.
Display the area that the children will be painting (ideally have large sheets of paper taped
vertically against your ‘tomb wall’, so the children can actually experience painting as the
Egyptian’s would have done). Consider the challenges of painting in this way. (If the paint is
too watery it will drip.) The Egyptian’s painted with thick paints created from ground-up
rocks and charcoal.
If time allows, children could experiment with a range of different paints to see which are
the best for the task. They could also try adding various powders to the paint to thicken it –
such as corn-starch or flour (although this can affect the end colour depending on the type
of paint you are using).
Once the children have chosen an image and are happy with the paints/techniques that they
will use – it is time to get painting!
Recording activity
Children should work together in their groups, adding gridlines to their chosen picture and
then enlarging the same grid to their area of wall. (A good opportunity to practise
measurements and multiplication!) An adult may need to offer assistance for this part. Once
the grids are roughly marked onto the wall, the children can transfer the detail from the
smaller grid to the larger grid using chalk or charcoal. Each child can choose two or more
squares to focus on, ensuring they have space for each other to work.
Once the pattern has been enlarged, the children can use their paints (restricted to the
colours used by the Egyptians) to colour in their larger tomb painting. Children can
experiment with colour mixing (on paper or in their sketchbooks) to create different tones.
For example, a good skin tone can be created by mixing white, red and yellow.
When the paintings are complete, you can all step back and admire your Ancient Egyptian
tomb! (These paintings can be used as part of your exit point exhibition.)
67
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Communication
Cooperation
68
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Art Task 2
Learning Goals
2.01 Know how a number of artists - including some from their home country and the host country use forms, materials and processes to suit their purpose
2.03 Be able to use art as a means of self expression
2.04 Be able to choose materials and techniques which are appropriate for their task
2.05 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
Research activity
Ask the children to use available resources (books, posters, websites, their previous work,
etc.) to research the different headdresses worn/shown in Ancient Egyptian art.
Children can use their sketchbooks to record these – adding notes on colour and other
details. Prompt the children to think about the types of headwear that the gods and
goddesses were shown wearing and how these symbols might relate to their role. (For
example, Ra the sun god is often shown with a red or yellow disc on his head.) The pharaoh
is usually painted wearing the Crown of Egypt (its two parts relating to the Lower
Kingdom and Upper Kingdom). Tutankhamen’s death mask is another good example. If you
wish, children may also look at Queen Puabi’s magnificent funeral headdress, which was
found in the Sumerian royal tombs.
Tell the children that they are going to be creating their own Ancient Egyptian (or
Sumerian) headdress, using the ideas they have sketched as the inspiration for their very
own creation. Remind them that the headdress always carried meaning – so what do they
want theirs to say?
The headdress could be something that is worn or could be sculptured out of clay, papiermâché or salt dough. Sculptures could be three-dimensional (such as a bust of a god or a
pharaoh) or created two-dimensionally (carved into a flat clay tablet or ‘cartouche’) in the art
style of the Egyptians (see Art Task 1).
Provide an assortment of art materials for the children to choose from – including thin and
thick card, coloured paper, paints, fabrics, sequins and beads, modelling media and so on. If
children are making headdresses to be worn, then designs should start with a headband (a
length of cardwrapped around the head and then stapled – an adult can assist with
this). The rest of the headdress design can be attached to the headband.
69
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
As children work individually on their headdress ideas, look for examples of good practice
and problem-solving. Invite children to share their ongoing work with others – helping and
giving advice where applicable. Encourage them to be creative and imaginative in the way
they approach their work, using the details from their sketches for inspiration. The
Egyptians believed the headdress to be symbolic of the person wearing it – to show off
their power and influence. Consider ways of making the headdresses as impressive and/or as
colourful as possible.
Once headdresses are complete, these can be displayed (or worn!) for the children to view
and comment on. Invite each artist to talk about the inspiration for their piece and what it
was designed to communicate about the wearer.
Personal Goals
Communication
Resilience
Thoughtfulness
70
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Art Extension Task
Learning Goals
2.01 Know how a number of artists - including some from their home country and the host country use forms, materials and processes to suit their purpose
2.03 Be able to use art as a means of self expression
2.04 Be able to choose materials and techniques which are appropriate for their task
2.05 Be able to explain their own work in terms of what they have done and why
Extension activity
This task can be used to support your exit point exhibition. Recap the types of objects
and treasures that have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs. These might include:
Canopic jars
Amulets
Necklaces, rings and earrings
Ankhs
Statues (animals, gods, scenes of everyday life)
Headrests
Pots, chests and urns
Models (chariots, fishing boats)
Individually or in pairs, children should choose an example of ‘tomb treasure’ art that they
wish to create. They can then research and use their sketchbooks to record different
examples and understand the symbolic significance of the treasure (such as the
scarabs, vultures and snakes that are often depicted on necklaces and earrings). Children
should also note the colours and materials, and how they might use these to inspire their
own piece.
Provide a varied selection of art and junk materials for the children to choose from. If these
are going to be used for the exit point then consider ways they can be made exciting and
interesting for the other children to discover. For example, children may wish to add a
hieroglyphs message to their work or use bright metallic paints/papers to make
their treasures dazzle and impress.
Your completed treasures can be displayed together to create a stunning tomb display.
71
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Communication
Enquiry
72
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
International Learning Goals
Children will:
2.01 Know about some of the similarities and differences between the different home countries and
between them and the host country
2.02 Know about ways in which these similarities and differences affect the lives of people
2.03 Be able to identify activities and cultures which are different from but equal to their own
73
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
International Task
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about some of the similarities and differences between the different home countries and
between them and the host country
2.02 Know about ways in which these similarities and differences affect the lives of people
2.03 Be able to identify activities and cultures which are different from but equal to their own
74
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Research activity
Plan your own Egyptian-style party/festival to share with children’s friends and family. This
presents an ideal opportunity to study the food, traditions and games that were popular in
Ancient Egypt and draw comparisons with those that are still popular today. Consider how
they compare with those that are popular in the host country and children’s home countries.
As a whole class, talk about how you can theme your party. In groups, children can find out
more about Ancient Egyptian dinner parties and festivals – and the types of food and
activities that were enjoyed. Family members will also have chance to get involved, helping
to prepare food for the event.
Some useful websites include:
egyptianfood.tripod.com – Egyptian Food offers a basic overview of the Ancient
Egyptians’ staple diet. (Note: this site does feature advertising.)
food.com/recipe-finder/all/ancient-egyptian – the Food.com recipe finder provides
instructions on how to make a number of Ancient Egyptian dishes, based on the
ingredients that would have been popular at the time.
ancientegyptonline.co.uk/recipes.html – Ancient Egypt Online has a recipes section,
with instructions on how to make ta’amia, tigernut sweets and ma’moul.
bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A603776 – a BBC hosted article exploring the
popular pastimes in Ancient Egypt.
localhistories.org/games.html – Local Histories features a small section on Ancient
Egyptian games, providing some good ideas that could be adapted for party games.
Talk through the children’s findings and compile a menu of dishes, as well as other activities
that can be enjoyed at the event. These might include:
A musical composition
A dance or mime
A re-enactment of a story (such as the story of Osiris and Isis)
Traditional games such as khuzza lawizza (similar to leap frog) and tug-of-war
75
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Recording activity
Try and involve parents with the event. Send a letter home with the children to find out if
parents will be willing to help with food and refreshments.
On the day, you can pretend that your classroom (or other chosen location) has become a
pharaoh’s palace, with one child seated on a ‘throne’ in a headdress (see Art Task 2) to
denote their importance as the pharaoh!
Children can share their entertainment and activities with the guests – and talk about what
they have learned. Sample the different foods and allow time for the parents (and children)
to talk about how the foods and activities compare with their home country/host country
experiences.
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Cooperation
Enquiry
76
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
International Extension Task
Learning Goals
2.01 Know about some of the similarities and differences between the different home countries and
between them and the host country
2.02 Know about ways in which these similarities and differences affect the lives of people
2.03 Be able to identify activities and cultures which are different from but equal to their own
Extension activity
Ask the children to imagine what it would have been like to grow up in Ancient
Egypt. Recap the children’s work over the course of the unit and help them to draw
comparisons between their own modern-day lives and experiences, and what daily life
might have been like in Ancient Egypt. If you wish, children could also study what life is like
nowadays for children living in Egypt. Some useful websites include:
timeforkids.com/destination/egypt/day-in-life – Time for Kids spends a typical day with
Amr Adel Ezzeldin, who is twelve-years old and lives in Cairo. He describes what life is
like growing up in modern-day Egypt.
touregypt.net/featurestories/children.htm – the Tour Egypt website features an
informative section on the daily life of children in modern-day Egypt. (Note: this site
features advertising.)
Ask children to imagine that they have access to a time machine, to take them back
to Ancient Egypt. Ask them to list the things they would most look forward to, when
visiting Egypt. Then ask them to list the things they would miss most about their own
modern-day lives.
Children can share their lists with a partner, comparing and contrasting their opinions. Pairs
can then join up with another pair to repeat the exercise. End the session by asking the
children whether they would use the time travel machine – or stay in the present
day. Encourage children to explain their choices, making reference to their lists.
Personal Goals
Adaptability
Cooperation
Thoughtfulness
77
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The Exit Point
Remind the children of the entry point, when they discovered and explored a series of mysterious
treasures. Explain that they are going to plan and create their own interactive display for another class to
explore, based on their work and learning over the course of this unit.
Work together to plan your display, prompting the children to think about how they could incorporate
their existing work (such as the tomb treasures, headdresses, tomb paintings, books of the dead,
hieroglyphs etc.) into an exciting experience for the other children.
You may want to consider putting a series of desks together and covering with blankets (see entry point)
to create a tomb for children to ‘travel through’. They could be given pen torches to see with as they
explore the tomb and view the mysterious treasures.
Alternatively, you could create your own wall display – with the tomb paintings providing a backdrop and
draped tables providing a surface to show off the children’s work. Lights can be dimmed or turned off,
and the children asked to explore the display in candlelight or torchlight.
Also consider how the display can draw comparisons between the Egyptians and the Sumerians. Perhaps
the end of the exhibition could have a learning display about Sumer followed by some games and
activities, asking visitors to compare and contrast different artefacts to identify the correct civilisation.
Based on your ideas, you may need to allow extra time for children to create additional treasures or other
interesting items to add interest to your exhibition.
Once your display is set up, invite the other class to come and explore the exhibits. Afterwards, ask them
to feedback what they enjoyed most about the exhibition – and what they learned about Ancient Egypt
and Sumer by studying the children’s work. If you wish, you could end the session by holding a Q&A
session, where the visiting class can ask questions based on what they have seen – and your class can
provide answers based on their learning from this unit.
The IPC community would love to see examples of your learning, in any subject, at any stage in the
learning process. If you have any pictures or stories you would like to share please visit our Facebook
page at facebook.com/InternationalPrimaryCurriculum, tweet @The_IPC or email
[email protected].
78
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Resources
For this unit, you will need some, but not necessarily all, of the following:
Equipment
Computers with internet access
Books, posters, DVDs and other resources related to Ancient Egypt and
Mesopotamia/Ancient Sumer
Art and collage materials
Dark blankets, images of tomb treasures, Egyptian artefacts (see entry point)
Tourism adverts and holiday brochures (see History Task 1)
Building a pyramid sequence cards (see History Task 6)
Museum catalogues (see History Task 9)
A story from Ancient Egypt or Ancient Sumer (see Physical Education Task 1)
Tuned and untuned instruments
Video camera/digital camera (optional)
Slideshow/presentation software such as PowerPoint (optional)
Links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A603776
A BBC hosted article exploring the popular pastimes in Ancient Egypt
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/z3rwmp3
A BBC Learning Zone documentary focusing on the importance of the Nile to the Ancient
Egyptians
http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/gilgamesh.html
A useful teacher resource site, which provides an excellent introduction to Gilgamesh, the
legendary Sumerian hero, and his best friend Enkidu. (Note: this site does feature
advertising.)
http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/recipes.html
Ancient Egypt Online has a recipes section, with instructions on how to make ta’-amia,
tigernut sweets and ma’-moul
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/story/page1.html
79
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Ancient Egypt provides a clear and concise step-by-step overview of mummification, with
illustrations explaining the process of embalming and wrapping the body
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/tutankhamun_gallery.shtml
BBC History provides an annotated gallery of images, showing treasures from the pharaoh’-s
tomb
http://www.cairocomestoschool.co.uk/
Cairo Comes To School offer practical workshops on the music, dance and history of Ancient
Egypt and Ancient Sumer.
http://www.crystalinks.com/bookofthedead.html
Crystal links hosts a resource which provides an excellent collection of images from the
Book of the Dead, including spells and the ‘Weighing of the Heart’- ceremony
http://www.culturefocus.com/egypt_valley-of-kings.htm
Culture Focus features an article on the treasures of Tutankhamun’-s tomb, including
excellent images of the paintings that adorned the tomb walls
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egypt/king_tuts_tomb.php
Ducksters features an excellent overview of Howard Carter’-s discovery, including maps and
images
http://www.ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/ancient_sumer.php
Ducksters is a child-friendly website with lots of information about life in Ancient Sumer.
Use the links at the bottom of the page to navigate to different sections. (Note: this site
does feature advertising.)
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_egypt.php
Ducksters is a web resource for children, offering facts and images to support a study of
Ancient Egypt. (Note: this site features advertising.)
http://egyptianfood.tripod.com/
Egyptian Food offers a basic overview of the Ancient Egyptians’- staple diet (note: this site
contains advertising)
http://history-world.org/sumerian_culture.htm
History World offers a useful background overview of Ancient Sumer, useful for your own
research and planning
http://www.kidzone.ws/cultures/egypt/hieroglyph.htm
Kid Zone provides a comprehensive list of the commonly used hieroglyphs and their
associated letters and sounds. (Note: this site features advertising.)
http://www.kingtutone.com/articles/
King Tut One provides detailed background information on each of the different pharaohs.
Note this site does feature advertising - but may be helpful for the preparation of your own
resources to support this task
http://www.localhistories.org/games.html
Local Histories features a small section on Ancient Egyptian games, providing some good
ideas that could be adapted for party games
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/geography/story/sto_set.html
Mesopotamia provides an illustrated story which continues the story of Gilgamesh and
80
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
Enkidu, and their encounter with the legendary monster, Humbaba
http://www.musicofhistory.com/
Music of History features musical soundtracks that use traditional instruments/styles to
narrate events from history. Select ‘Ancient Egypt’- from the Episode menu
http://sumerianshakespeare.com/
Sumerian Shakespeare features an excellent library of images, including the treasures from
the Royal Tombs, the battle standard of Ur and examples of cuneiform writing
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/menu.html
The British Museum Mesopotamia website features useful sections on gods and religion,
writing, the royal tombs and ziggurats
http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/3665_BOTD_schools_Teachers.pdf
The British Museum offers this useful PDF handbook which gives good background
information on the Book of the Dead and the journey to the afterlife - there is also an
accompanying video introduction.
http://www.britishmuseum.org/channel/exhibitions/2011/book_of_the_dead.aspx
The British Museum provides an introduction to the Book of the Dead and its themes. There
is another linking video for schools.
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/temples/home.html
The British Museum website offers children the chance to explore an Ancient Egyptian
temple and learn about its different locations - the site also has an excellent section on
writing and hieroglyphics
http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcivile.shtml
The Canadian Museum of History features an informative section on daily life in Ancient
Egypt, which includes clothing, shelter, food and crafts
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/history/egypt/
The Children’-s University of Manchester website provides a number of interactive resources
exploring life in Ancient Egypt. The interactive on hieroglyphics provides an explanation of
the different symbols that were used
http://www.food.com/recipe-finder/all/ancient-egyptian
The Food.com recipe finder provides instructions on how to make a number of Ancient
Egyptian dishes, based on the ingredients that would have been popular at the time
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/329230
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has images of a number of Mesopotamian treasures and
artefacts, including a statue of a lamassu. Type ‘Mesopotamia’- into the search engine to
access many more artefacts, including statues, sculptures and drinking cups
http://mesopotamia.lib.uchicago.edu/mesopotamialife/index.php
The Oriental Institute of Chicago has a section on Mesopotamia. Each of the available topics
has its own image/artefact which can be enlarged for study
http://www.salariya.com/web_books/mummy/intro/pages/intro.html
The Salariya website features excepts from their excellent range of children’-s history books
- which includes all the gory details of making an Egyptian mummy!
http://education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/4202
81
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Temples, Tombs And Treasures
The Scholastic Education website provides a printable PDF retelling the story of Isis and
Osiris
http://www.timetrips.co.uk/pharaohs.htm
The Time Trips website features a section on each pharaoh with facts and images
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/children.htm
The Tour Egypt website features an informative section on the daily life of children in
modern-day Egypt. (Note: this site features advertising.)
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt/ mummies.htm
The Woodlands Junior School website explains the process of mummification using a simple
Q&A format
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt/nile.htm
The Woodlands Junior School website is an award-winning resource, providing excellent
information on a number of historical periods, including Ancient Egypt
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/tut.html#5
The Woodlands Junior School website provides a simple but informative section on
Tutankhamun and Howard Carter
http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/egypt/day-in-life
Time for Kids spends a typical day with Amr Adel Ezzeldin, who is twelve- years-old and
lives in Cairo. He describes what life is like growing up in modern-day Egypt
http://www.traditionalarabicmusic.com/music_of_egypt.html
Traditional Arabic Music features sound clips exploring the musical styles of genres from
around the Middle East
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hyqwnmnbew
YouTube hosts this clip from a Heritage Key documentary, looking at a selection of the
treasures found in Tutankhamen’-s tomb
82
Downloaded for use by Coopers Edge School on 21 March 2017.
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family. © WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM
27-28 Clements Lane, London EC4N 7AE
+44 020 7531 9696
[email protected]
greatlearning.com/ipc
TheInternationalPrimaryCurriculum
The_IPC
From Fieldwork Education, a part of the Nord Anglia Education family.
©WCL Group Limited. All rights reserved.