Dover-Sherborn Middle School

Curriculum Road Maps

 

 

Course Title:           Ancient Civilizations              Grade: 6_______________      

 

Unit:                      Egypt                    


Month Presented:    December- January                Unit Length (in weeks):          5       

 

Connections to Massachusetts Frameworks:

Egypt: An Ancient River Civilization, c. 3000-1200 BC/BCE

7.12 On a historical map of the Mediterranean region, locate the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Nile River and Delta, and the areas of ancient Nubia and Egypt. Identify the locations of ancient Upper and Lower Egypt and explain what the terms mean. On a modern map, identify the modern countries of Egypt and Sudan. (G)

 

7.13 Describe the kinds of evidence that have been used by archaeologists and historians to draw conclusions about the social and economic characteristics of Ancient Nubia (the Kingdom of Kush) and their relationship to the social and economic characteristics of Ancient Egypt. (H, G)

 

7.14 Describe the role of the pharaoh as god/king, the concept of dynasties, the importance of at least one Egyptian ruler, the relationship of pharaohs to peasants, and the role of slaves in ancient Egypt. (H, C)

 

7.15 Describe the polytheistic religion of ancient Egypt with respect to beliefs about death, the afterlife, mummification, and the roles of different deities. (H)

 

7.16 Summarize important achievements of Egyptian civilization. (H)

a.      the agricultural system

b.     the invention of a calendar

c.      monumental architecture and art such as the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza

d.     hieroglyphic writing

e.      the invention of papyrus

 

Essential Question (s) Focus:

·        Why should we study the past? 

Learning Objectives:

·        Focus content on the accomplishments of Egypt:

    ● Hieroglyphics

    ● Building of monuments

    ● Technologies for improvement of daily life

·        Focus content on the role of the Pharaoh and religion in Egyptian daily life.

·        Students will be able to identify the key features of the geography of Egypt. 

·        Students will learn “what makes a good question” for research.

·        Students will identify and construct “good” paragraphs.

·        Students will evaluate the process of questioning and investigating the past.

 

Skill Focus for this unit:

    1. To introduce Subjective Notes
    2. To be able to create and answer a research question connected to Ancient Egypt
    3. Decision-making based on historical circumstances
    4. To continue working with various sources, written and artifacts, to determine meaning
    5. Working effectively with members of the classroom community. 

 

Indicator Skills that we assess in 6th Grade Social Studies:

  1. Demonstrate values of respect, responsibility, honesty and effort.
  2. Maintain an organized approach to learning: taking notes, completing homework and classwork, and being prepared.
  3. Identify and utilize a variety of strategies to determine the meaning and usefulness of a source.
  4. Effectively identify and express the important contributions of the societies we study, both verbally and in writing.
  5. Apply facts learned to answer unit questions.
  6. Reflect on learning and community progress.

Skills focus for this unit:

INDICATORS 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

 

Instructional Strategies & Activities:

  • Bellworks
  • Utilize reading strategies, OBJECTIVE vs. SUBJECTIVE note-taking emphasis
  • Maps of the region
  • Pharaoh role simulation
  • Creation story visualizations and illustrations
  • Creation of Egyptian god or goddess
  • Determining
  • Source evaluation   
  • Paragraph writing strategies
  • Revision Process
  • Egyptian Museum Exhibit

  

Materials Utilized:

 “How the World and the Sun were Created” creation story

Ancient Civilizations

Eyewitness Books

Assessment Strategies:

Nightly homeworks

Bellworks

Maps

Quizzes

Research Paragraph and artifact

Sweatnotes

Unit test

Unit Reflection