Download Social Studies

Social Studies
Mesopotamia Unit
Name
Date
Period
TIME TRAVELER’S INFORMATIONAL LETTER
PROMPT: You are a time traveler going back to Mesopotamia
sometime between the years 3800 B.C.E. and 550 B.C.E. Write a
letter to your “star base” giving them information about the people
and their culture.
LETTER GUIDELINES: This correspondence should be written
in proper letter format. You must cover at least two of the topics
listed below. Each topic should be covered in a separate
paragraph. You need a short introductory paragraph and ending
paragraph as well.
 Government and laws
 Warfare
 Architecture and art
 Religious beliefs
 Occupations
 Technology
 Daily activities
 Social classes
 Economics (trade)
 Your choice (check with me)
SCORING: Social studies grade will be based on
1- factual information about civilization
2- social studies vocabulary, usage, and spelling
3- proper use of basic grammar
This scoring rubric will be provided for you.
EXTRA CREDIT: Extra points will be given for any pictures or
artwork included with your letter. For example, if you are
discussing Mesopotamian religion you may wish to include a
picture of the ziggurat. This could be hand drawn or may be a
picture found on the Internet. Have fun! Perhaps you could even
superimpose a picture of yourself in front of the temple.
Time Traveler’s LetterInfo
Name
Sumer:
 Leaders
 Art/Archiceture
 Contributions
(inventions/discoveries)
 Anything special
Akkad:
 Leaders
 Art/Architecture
 Contributions
(inventions/discoveries)
 Anything special
Babylonia:
 Leaders
 Art/Architecture
 Contributions
(inventions/discoveries)
 Anything special
Assyria:
 Leaders
 Art/Architecture
 Contributions
(inventions/discoveries)
 Anything special
All civilizations of Mesopotamia had many things that were the same:
 Government and laws
 Religious beliefs
 Occupations
 Social classes
 Economics
 Daily activities
Time Travel Letter
Pre Write
Name
Period
Introductory Paragraph
How did you get there?
How was your landing?
Are you hurt/safe?
What are you doing?
What are your plans?
(4-5+ sentences)
1st Factual Paragraph
(topic) ________________
List facts about this topic.
(5-6+ sentences)
]
Time Travel Letter
Pre Write
Name
Period
2nd Factual Paragraph
(topic) ________________
List facts about this topic.
(5-6+ sentences)
Ending Paragraph
What are you doing now?
Why are you signing off?
When will they see you?
What will you do next?
(3-4+ sentences)
artisan
barter
battering ram
bronze
bulla
canals
caravan
chariot
city-state
code
craftsmen
crenellation
crescent
culture
cuneiform
customs
domesticated
empire
epic
famine
fertile
flood
goods and services
irrigation
lapis lazuli
loot/looted
lyre
military state
monarch/monarchy
nomad
polytheism
priest
public works
rebel v.(rise up, revolt)
river valley
scribe
siege
siege engine
signature seal
silt
specialize
standard
stylus
tribute
turret
usurp
wares
ziggurat
Name
Check off list for “Time Travel” letter
___ inside address
___ greeting, end with comma
___ 1st paragraph, intro, how you got there
___ 2nd paragraph, first topic, factual
report
___ 3rd paragraph, second topic, factual
report
___ 4th paragraph, saying good-bye
___ closing, end with comma
___ signature, first and last name