Download Aim #1: How were early hominids like us

Mesopotamia & Sumer (Lovin’)
1. How did Mesopotamia get its name?
2. What is it in between?
3. Why did people move to Mesopotamia?
4. What area of the world is it in? What present-day country is it in?
5. What is the Fertile Crescent? Why does it have that name?
6. Why is Mesopotamia called the “cradle of civilization?”
7. What three things did city-states have?
8. What was the name of the area where the Tigris and Euphrates met?
9. What were two results of the fertile soil and successful farming in Mesopotamia?
10. What was a worry of these city-states and how did they solve the problem?
Should Sumer be Considered a Civilization?
Task: Complete the graphic organizers with 2-3 facts about each characteristic of a civilization.
Process:

You are in small groups of 2-3 people. Each person will choose a role within their group.
o If you are in a two person group, your roles are:
 Reader
 Writer/Presenter
o If you are in a three person group, your roles are:
 Reader
 Writer
 Presenter

The description and responsibilities of the roles are:
o Reader: Read your assigned section aloud to the rest of the group, noting the important facts.
o Writer: After the reading and discussion of facts, write them neatly on the overhead in short bullet
points.
o Presenter: Using the overhead that your group has created, present the information to the rest of
the class. Don’t just read the short notes – explain them, too!

Everyone should be reading along with the reader and looking for facts from their section!

This is how you find your facts!
o Ask yourself this question, “Does Sumer have _______*characteristic of a civilization*_______?”
o Your facts have to support this answer!
o Your facts are EVIDENCE!!

Once your group has found 2-3 facts, everyone must fill in their own graphic organizer. The writer will
also write the facts on the overhead.

When everyone is done researching and discussing, we will start our presentations.

After everyone has presented and we have complete graphic organizers, we will answer the question, “Is
Sumer a civilization?”