Lesson plan based on Amenemhet
Write about some aspects of daily life in ancient Egypt.
Skills and Focus: Writing, Discussion, Cultural Comparisons
Subject Area: Social Science
Thematic Connection: Connecting Past and Present
Grade Level: Elementary School
Time Needed: 40-60 minutes
Objectives
Understand how drawings can inform about a culture and its traditions.
Instructional Materials Needed
Stories: What Does This Show? and How Was This Used?
Activity
Tell students they’re going to pretend to be archaeologists. Explain that they have just opened a tomb that contains all of the wall fragments shown in the stories.
Step 1: Have students study the wall fragments. Encourage them to look for clues that suggest what daily life was like for people in ancient Egypt. Then ask them to write an entry in their archaeologists’ journals that tells about some aspects of ancient Egyptian life. Before students begin writing, have them consider questions like the following:
• What kind of clothing, jewelry, and makeup did ancient Egyptian men and women wear?
• What did ancient Egyptians eat?
• What kind of utensils and objects did ancient Egyptians use to prepare meals?
• Where did ancient Egyptians eat their meals?
• Why did ancient Egyptians paint on the walls of tombs?
Step 2: After students have completed their journal entries, encourage them to share what they’ve written.
Critical Thinking Ask students to
• compare and contrast relevant aspects of ancient Egyptian and contemporary American life.
Goals
This activity meets Illinois State Goal 18: Understand, analyze, and compare social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
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