Topic: Egypt – a state on the Nile

Author of the script: Katarzyna Kuczyńska

Target group

4th grade student of elementary school.

Core curriculum

I. Ancient civilizations. Student:

2) localizes civilizations of the Ancient East (Egypt) in time and space,

3) characterizes the structure of society and the belief system in Egypt (…), explains the difference between polytheism and monotheism;

4) places in time and knows the various systems of governance and organization of society in Egypt,

5) characterizes the most important achievements of material and spiritual culture of the ancient world in various fields: philosophy, science, law, architecture, art, literature.

The general aim of education

Student gets to know the history of the ancient Egypt.

Key competences

• communicating in a foreign language;

• communicating in the mother tongue;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Criteria for success

The student:

• shows on the map where Egypt was located and explains what role the Nile played in the life of the Egyptians;

• talks about who the Pharaohs were;

• talks about the division of Egyptian society and the role of the different social classes;

• characterizes the beliefs of the Egyptians and the associated funeral ceremonies;

• is aware that the fear of death and beliefs about life after death are universal, i.e. they existed in old times and has been accompanying people to this day;

• understands that cemeteries/burying places are an important source of information on how people who were buried there lived and in what they believed.

Methods / techniques

• programmed methods: using e‑textbook;

• problematic and activating methods: discussion;

• practical methods: working with text, text exercises;

• exposing methods: comments and explanations from the teacher.

Forms of work

• collective activity;

• individual activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Before classes

The teacher asks the students to read the extracts of e‑textbook concerning the location of ancient Egypt (“When was it”, “Location of Egypt”) and the beliefs of its inhabitants.

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

1. The teacher determines the purpose of the classes, which is to learn the history of the ancient Egypt. He/she gives the students the criteria for success.

2. The teacher asks the students a preliminary question if they have heard about ancient Egypt. Young people will probably answer “yes”, talking about the pyramids, Sphinx, mummy, etc. While guiding the conversation, the teacher specifies the topic of the lesson. The students discuss their information about ancient Egypt. The teacher asks if they acquired their knowledge only when preparing for the lesson or if they already had heard of the ancient Egyptians and their country.

Realization

1. Students answer the questions from Instruction 1. Students perform Exercise 1. The teacher shows how long the history of ancient Egypt was, illustrating it with the fact that fewer years have passed since today to the reign of Cleopatra than from the construction of pyramids to her reign. Then the students fulfill Instruction 2 concerning Nile’s flooding. The students individually or with the whole class fulfill Instruction 3 and perform Exercise 2. When doing the exercise, the students should be given the opportunity to ask the teacher or designated students (e.g. acting as experts) for help. The need for help can be indicated, for example, with table tents (three‑colour card system).

2. The teacher asks the students “Who, in your opinion, was Pharaoh?” and whether only men could become the Pharaoh? Students perform Exercise 3. Then the teacher presents the image of Hatshepsut to the students and asks them to fulfill Instruction 4.

3. “Beliefs of Egyptians”. The teacher asks the students to compare Egyptian beliefs and burial customs with contemporary funeral rituals. Formulates exemplary questions: “Do the contemporary people believe in a new life after death?”, “How do we care for the close ones who died?” (“How do we preserve and cultivate the memory of the dead?”), “Is the approach of ancient Egyptians and contemporary people to death similar in any aspects?”.

4. The teacher asks the students what the ancient Egypt is known for most of all – the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Pharaoh. The teacher starts a discussion of why the pyramids were built, who did it and how. Students see an illustration containing information about the pyramids. The teacher comments that the pharaohs were buried both in the pyramids and in the tombs. Then, the teacher asks the students to perform Exercise 4 - interior of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

5. The teacher asks questions: “Do the contemporary people also distinguish resting places of important people? Do you know such places?”; “Is the funeral ceremony of the leaders of the state, religious and important social activists being enriched in any particular way? Why do you think this is the case?”, What will future generations learn about us from what funerals and our cemeteries look like today?”.

Summary

1. The teacher gives students evaluation surveys, in which they evaluate their own work during the lesson, the work of the teacher and their colleagues.

2. As part of the homework, the teacher asks the students to answer in writing the question “Do the cemeteries teach us history?”.

Summary of the most important contents of the lesson

1. Discussion of the chronology, location of Egypt and role of the Nile in its development. Point 1 of the lesson plan.

2. Discussion of the figure of the Egyptian ruler - Pharaoh. Point 2 of the lesson plan.

3. Discussion of Egyptians’ beliefs and related funeral ceremonies. Indication that the fear of death and beliefs about life after death are universal, i.e. they existed in old times and have been accompanying people to this day; Points 3–4 of the lesson plan.

4. Indication that cemeteries/burying places are an important source of information on how people who were buried there lived and in what they believed. Points 4‑5-6 of the lesson plan.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Egypt – the Nile country

The Egyptian state emerged on the Nile River in north‑east Africa in the 4th millennium BC. Regular Nile floods contributed to the development of Egypt’s agriculture. The state was ruled by a pharaoh (king) who was believed to be a god on earth. A pharaoh held absolute power over Egypt and its people. Priests and government officials also played a very important role. Egyptians worshipped many deities and perceived them as human figures with animal heads. They also believed in life after death and, therefore, they mummified their deceased. The people of Egypt are famous for being ingenious builders. They constructed massive stone structures called the pyramids (pharaoh's tombs) which have survived until this very day. In Egypt, the hieroglyphic script was used.