Walk Like an Egyptian

Social Studies Online

TEACHER Jacinda Andrews

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

Starter Activities

1. What do we Know?
   1. What do we already know about Egypt?
      Brainstorm in groups of 4 - 5. Students are to come up with as many words as they can. Go around each group getting them to report back one word each time to be added to a large class brainstorm.

   2. Why is Egypt seen as a Significant Place?
      Students are to record on the Significant Place Sheet, why they think Egypt is significant and why people might go there on holidays.
      See student exemplar of Significant Place Sheet.

2. Where Things Are
   On the blank map of Egypt and environs students are to locate and label these features using the Mapping Websites.

3. Nile File
   Students complete the 'Expert Groups on the Nile River' activity in groups of 3 or 4. They are to use large square bits of paper and the Nile River websites. Students can either search the websites themselves for the information, or the teacher can print out the relevant information for them.

4. Fabulous Pharaohs
   
   1. What is a Pharaoh?
      Students are to read the Pharaoh Fact Sheet. Use the information on the sheet to create an Acrostic Puzzle. Students might want to add a picture of a pharaoh from the Pharaoh face sheet.

   2. The Who's Who of Egypt's Pharaohs
      Students are to find out about four of Egypt's Pharaohs, using the websites about four of Egypt's Pharaohs. They are to choose any four Pharaohs (except Tutankhamen as they will look at him in more detail later in the unit). Students can record their information on the Who's Who of Egypt's Pharaohs worksheet. Students could try to download a picture of a pharaoh (if there is one available) to add to their page.
      

   3. Sentence Stubs
      Students play the Sentence Stubs game about Cleopatra, the Last Pharaoh of Egypt.

5. Time Detectives
   Organise the class into small groups or pairs. Each group will investigate TWO of the Significant Places:
   • Giant Triangles in the Desert
   • The Great Sphinx
   • Valley of the Kings
   • Tutankhamen's Tomb in the Valley of the Kings
   • Top Temples and Gods

   Ensure that students have access to the resources that they need to complete the activities for each significant place. It will be necessary to organise access to online resources at some stage for all groups.

   After they have completed their investigations each group will prepare a large wall poster summarising the key points about their significant places.

   Key points to be covered include:

   • An illustration of the place
   • A caption identifying who had the place constructed
   • A brief explanation of why the place is significant for people
   • Interesting facts about the place

   Groups take it in turn to present their posters to the class and the completed posters are put up around the room.

6. All Wrapped up and Ready to Go
   Mummy's the word - the importance of preserving the dead for the journey to the underworld.

7. Egypt Today: The Tourists
   1. Why go to Egypt?
      Create a spider diagram on why Tourists might travel to Egypt.

   2. The Impact of Tourists
      Write a definition for 'Tourists' and 'Tourism'. Complete the T Chart looking at the effects of Tourists and Tourism on Egypt.

   3. Danger in Egypt
      Students complete the ABC Grid by reading the news story on "Terrorists kill 9 in Cairo attack" and the news story on "Attack on tourists in Egypt leaves 71 dead"

   4. A Tourist's Story of Egypt
      Read the Tourist's Story of Egypt and complete the Values Exploration Introduction activity after it.

8. A Finale for Egypt
   1. Great Sand Quiz
      Students find out extra information about Egypt by doing the Great Sand Quiz in the Library.

   2. Egypt Bingo
      Play the Egypt Bingo Game.

RESOURCES

Print

• Cubitt, S., Irvine, R., Dow, A. (1999) Top Tools for Social Science Teachers. Auckland; Addison Wesley Longman.
• Jay, D. (1996) What They Don't Tell You About Ancient Egyptians. London: Hodder Children's Books

• All about Egypt
• At the Tomb of Tutankhamen
• British Museum on Ancient Egypt

• Megan Bain, Megan Burch and Robyn Wardell for their stories about Egypt.
• Megan Bain for her photos on Egypt.
• Students in 10AND at Penrose High School in 2000, for trialing this unit and sharing their work.