Lesson plan based on Amenemhet
Explore and compare hieroglyphic writing to the modern English alphabet through the creation of personal hieroglyphs.
Skills and Focus: Hands-on, Cultural Comparisons
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Thematic Connection: Signs and Symbols
Grade Level: Elementary School
Time Needed: 50 minutes
Objectives
• Define and recognize hieroglyphic writing and cartouches.
• Make simple comparisons between ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and the modern English alphabet.
• Create original hieroglyphs to represent the spelling of students’ own names, based on their interests and hobbies.
Instructional Materials Needed
Story: What Does This Show?
An assortment of crayons, colored pencils, or fine-tipped markers
Print Resources:
• Ganeri, Anita. Focus on Ancient Egyptians. New York: Gloucester Press, 1993. pp. 12-13.
• Grant, Neil. Spotlights: The Egyptians. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. pp. 30-31.
• Harris, Geraldine. Cultural Atlas for Young People: Ancient Egypt. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1990. pp. 22-23.
Activity
Step 1: While watching What Does This Show? direct students' attention to the hieroglyphs that surround Amenemhet and his wife. Along with the many objects depicted on the fragment, there is quite a bit of explanatory writing, including the names of Amenemhet and his wife, the names of their parents and son, an explanation of the funerary meal, and a prayer. Direct students to look carefully at the hieroglyphic writing.
Step 2: Define hieroglyph ("a pictorial symbol in ancient Egyptian writing used to represent meaning or sounds or both") and cartouche ("an oval or oblong figure in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that encloses symbols expressing the names of rulers or gods") for the class, pointing out examples of both.
Step 3: (Optional, depending on student level) Introduce students to the theory behind hieroglyphs. The Grant text gives a very clear outline of the three types: Group Signs, which stand for sounds that would be made up of several different alphabet letters in English; Letter Signs, which stand for single sounds, like the letters of the alphabet (without vowels); and Sense Signs, which give a clue to the meaning of the word.
Step 4: Pass out the drawing paper and crayons. Instruct students to turn the paper to the side that does not have the cartouche drawn on it. In large letters, students should write their name at the top of the paper, leaving space on either side of and beneath each letter.
Step 5: Each student should think of a hieroglyphic letter symbol for each letter of his or her name (higher-level students may include group or sense symbols). The hieroglyphs should reflect the student's interests--for example, a favorite animal, a favorite sport or game, a favorite memory, and so on. Have each student draw the hieroglyph under its corresponding letter. (Emphasize that students can try out different symbols--this is just a rough draft.)
Step 6: When students have worked out a rough drawing of their new hieroglyphic name, have them turn over the paper and carefully draw the hieroglyphs in the cartouche. Students can choose to write their name right to left, left to right, top to bottom, or bottom to top, because Egyptians read in the direction of the tied end of the cartouche. When students have finished their hieroglyphs, encourage them to explain the symbols that make up their names. Then, display the hieroglyphs in the classroom.
Goals
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 2: Understand explicit and implicit meaning in literature representing individual, community, national, world, and historical perspectives.
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 6: Use the language arts for inquiry and research to acquire, organize, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information.
© 2000, by The Art Institute of Chicago. All rights reserved. Use of this program is subject to the terms below. No part of this program may be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form or by any means, except for personal or classroom use. All Copyright in and to the program, in whole or in part, belongs to the publisher and its licensors and is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office
