Professional Documents
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Contentfinal
Contentfinal
Violet R. Brooks
7/16/2018
Katy Spangler
Running Head: CONTENT 2
Abstract
A student created until on Egypt and the Nile presented for a lesson design class in the
University of Alaska Southeast Unit Design section 2. Also included is the self-assessment and
critique from two years later, including suggestions to improve the lesson by increasing the use
of technology and presentation skills. The unit has individual, group, and whole class
assignments provide differentiation for different learning styles and take into account students
with physical and intellectual disabilities. This unit is intended to be a base layer for comparing
and contrasting ancient Egypt and Modern America through by comparing the two civilizations
dependence on the land and the waterways for commerce, transportation, and food.
Attached is my unit that I completed for ED621-B in the fall of 2016. The project was to
create a unit complete with GRASPS (Carlin 2013)assessments and four lesson plans. I had
selected Egyptology, more specifically early Egyptian relationship with the Nile so that I could
later compare it with the growth of America along the Mississippi River.
Looking back on the lesson plan now, I want to add more. Egypt has a rich culture and
heritage and is one of the cornerstones of modern civilization (Tyldesley, 2011 ). With such a
great mythos to explore, it would be easy to draw parallels between Egyptian mythology and
American tall tales. By making these comparisons and showing our similarities, it would be
easier to introduce the students to the concept of being global citizens in comparison to just
Having spent more time in the classroom itself and talking with parents, I think I might modify
the living museum. As much as I would love a three-dimensional model and think it would help
children with gross motor skills, and as engaging as it would be to have students from other
classrooms view and learn with us, I feel it may put undue stress on both the student and their
families(García & Martínez 2017). I understand that a certain percentage of students will leave
their work until the last minute. These last minute projects rarely meet the student or teacher’s
expectations and can create an adverse relationship between parents, students, and teachers. I
don’t want my classroom to be viewed as a chore or frustration. In an title one school, one of the
daily struggles is just getting students invested in showing up. I want to create as positive an
environment as possible that still allows for student accountability(Harvey & Goudvis 2007).
I think I may modify the assignment to allow students to build their museum models in
the virtual world. Minecraft EDU would be an ideal setting, or allowing students to use
technology to cut and paste images over existing photographs could be interesting. This would
Running Head: CONTENT 4
eliminate the need for students to find materials to build their dioramas and hopefully keep the
project drama-free. It would also work to address the technical standards set forth by the Alaska
Department of Education. However, for students without a computer or the internet at home, it
may give an unfair advantage to students who have a higher sociological status.
I feel I may need to modify the pacing as well and look for opportunities to challenge
students who are early finishers. If I do modify the assignment to allow for technology use, it
will take no longer take 6 weeks to finish, allowing for in-depth analysis of Egypt's relationship
to Rome. If students are only using the current 45-minute daily block allowed for Science and
Social Studies, I could supplement other materials as well such as videos or independent research
tasks. To maintain the hands-on integrity of the unit, another small group activity could be
created involving a building task. Paper boat building with different goals (hold the most
weight, moves the fastest, stay afloat the longest) could translate well to a later unit on the
Mississippi.
The scaffolding of this unit is well designed. I think I will have topics prepared for the
Research and Destroy assignment. I have noticed that giving too much choice can paralyze some
students, so by having a small assortment of topics and ideas, students can choose what appeals
to them and get right to work. I would also like students to make digital presentations of their
Violet R. Brooks
Toshiba
Running Head: CONTENT 6
Table of Contents
Full Unit
Lessons
Egypt, The Sun and the Nile Pg. 7
The People’s Nile Pg.9
The Book of the Dead Pg.12
Research and Destroy Pg.15
Performance Tasks
Travel Time! Pg. 19
GRASPS Pg. 19
Student Prompts Pg. 21
Rubric Pg. 22
Living Museum Pg. 23
GRASPS Pg. 23
Student Prompt Pg. 25
Rubric Pg. 27
Seasons in Egypt
Egyptians and the Nile
The Book of the Dead
Research and Destroy
Running Head: CONTENT 8
STAGE 1 STAGE 2 –
OBJECTIVES/ Learning Targets ASSESSMENTS -
1.) KT: Legacy, Nile, Silt, Rosetta Stone, 1.) Students will complete a vocabulary
Pharaoh, Iconography definition worksheet and use these terms to
create simple sentences.
2.) Location of Major cities along the Nile
and their importance. 2.) Students will be able to identify major cities
along the Nile and explain (verbally)key reasons
3.) The major gods of Egyptian Mythology
for their construction.
and why they were important.
3.) Students will read short stories about Key
4.) Why Egyptians made Pyramids and how
Egyptian icons in groups (4-5 readers)and
class and status made a difference in their
summarize for the class in short presentations.
burial rituals.
From these presentations, we will try to
5.) How to use key terms to find information understand what an ancient Egyptian might
on a general idea in order to narrow have been afraid of and what was important to
research to produce reports. them.
Running Head: CONTENT 10
1.) Identify the growing cycle and explain 1.) Students will create flashcards that show the
why agriculture is important to maintain a position of the earth to the sun and how the
country. fields of Egypt would look during that time and
what season it would be.
2.) Explain the reasons a major city might
have been built in a specific location. 2.) Students will create a picture of the Nile
complete with depictions of the river being used
3.) Synthesize a deity of their own and give
for 3 Specific purposes.
it a name/function. (Matheus, The god of
Geometry and Homework) 3.) Students will create a deity, give it a name,
an occupation and tell us why a person might
4.) Identify iconography in familiar and
find that deity important in an illustration or
unfamiliar settings.
paper. Students should also include 3-5 items
5.) Use a computer to research Egypt and that deity might want as payment for their help.
present on their findings.
4.) Students will create an essay with all the
things they would want to take with them to
help them when they woke up in their ‘new life’.
Students will create a list, then use magazines to
make a collage of their pyramid. What would it
be shaped like, what would be inside? Students
should have at least 10 items. They may include
words as well as pictures and they may draw the
structure of their pyramid by hand before filling
it with things and words.
Lesson Objectives for this lesson: Assessments for this lesson – Students will
Students will be given an introduction to Egypt complete a vocabulary definition worksheet
and earth’s rotation and how this is important to and use these terms to create simple
the growing cycle of a country through a sentences. (formative) Students will also be
graphic organizer. KT: Nile, Silt, Tilt, able to determine the season in different
Hemisphere, Equator. locations on the globe by studying the tilt of
the planet and it’s relative location to the
equator. (summative)
Introduction/Hook for this lesson: Introduce Egypt as a country and present a few pictures to
get the student's brain’s going (Pharaohs, Sphinx, Pyramids, Eye of Anubis, Rosetta Stone, I’d
start with a picture from Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’). Create a Know/Want/Learn chart about the
country. Give students about 5-10 minutes in groups to decide on ideas and then add them to the
poster board inset columns.
Running Head: CONTENT 13
Processes and Products: Opportunities to Learn for this lesson - What is the Teacher
doing? What are the Students doing? Strategies and Instructional Activities.
Introduce seasons and earth tilt by having students watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzr0Ju0kqko “Why the earth has seasons”.
Use the globe and tilt it towards or away from your hand, have the student’s talk among their
table groups and decide as a group if it is “winter” or “summer”. When they have a firm
understanding of the Summer/Winter for the northern hemisphere, move on to the Southern
Hemisphere. Point out that when it’s Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s Winter in the
Southern and Vice Versa. Ask them how they think that might affect countries closer to the
equator, like Egypt.
Explain that due to the Nile’s flooding in the spring, Egyptians were able to create huge harvest
in the rich silty soil in the summer, but come the fall the soil would dry up and during the winter,
the fields would be more or less sand. The heavy rains in Africa would start again in the Spring
and the cycle could continue.
Have students make flash cards of the seasons with the name of the season on one side and an
illustration on the other. They can show either the Sun and Earth, OR they can show what an
Egyptian field might look like during that season.
DIFFERENTIATION:
For students who have trouble holding pencils, hand out the generic sheets that already have the
words printed on them and the pictures of the sun in the rotation. Hand out 4 index cards with
these as well. Have the students color the pictures, cut them out and then glue them to the index
cards.
If students are still uncomfortable, pull a small group aside from any students that require a little
more help. If there is a language barrier, have one of the students translate if they can. If that is
not available, work with the small group to complete the project and drill as you go along. Use
the “Season” cards provided and have them point to the correct season for each picture of the
Sun and Earth you show. Sometimes just the extra time can help by leaps and bounds, especially
if you’re a fast talker like me.
Closure: Have students quiz each other, or even adopt a few of the flashcards and quiz the class.
Have students save these in a specific class location until their next EGYPT lesson.
Have students tell you how they know the seasons are changing in their home, what does it
look like to them? Talk briefly about the spring Cherry Blossom Festivals in Japan or the Fall
“Leafers” that travel outside of New York City to see the changing leaves. Some students
might point out Halloween for fall, Christmas for Winter, Easter for Spring. I would talk about
how in our family we celebrate the summer and winter Solstices by eating hotdogs on the
grill, even in the middle of Winter.
Running Head: CONTENT 14
Materials and technology needed for this lesson: Smartboard, Youtube, Egypt Map, lined
paper, blank paper, coloring tools.
Links to Visual Aides:
http://images.slideplayer.com/23/6645882/slides/slide_5.jpg
http://assets0.learni.st/learning_preview/1120509/image/w583h583_437716-assignment-
discovery-uses-of-the-nile-river-howstuffworks.jpg
http://egyptiansyear4.weebly.com/uploads/9/6/2/4/9624810/5975770.jpg?353
http://www.ushistory.org/civ/images/00003045.jpg
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4024/4423150592_2db46df693_o.jpg
http://www.oddizzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/img-egypt-nilecattle.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xh0UmtTrRsE/hqdefault.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/07/23/08/2AC39FDF00000578-3171745-image-a-
5_1437634978041.jpg
http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/images/geog11b.jpg
http://c8.alamy.com/comp/A79YR3/egypt-nile-a-few-kilometers-upriver-from-cairo-farmer-
uses-the-ancient-A79YR3.jpg
Lesson Objectives for this lesson: You will Assessments for this lesson –
be able to read a map and understand why Students will be able to explain why living
major cities might be there, or why capitols near a river has both advantages and
might have moved over time. disadvantages and why people may choose
to live there despite the dangers. Have
students draw a picture of Ancient
Egyptians using the Nile in 3 different ways.
Introduction/Hook for this lesson: Why should you live near a river you know is going to
flood? There has to be a better place. Have students work independently to make out a list
of reasons they might choose to live by a river. Remind them that ancient Egypt didn’t
have many of the tools we have today. After 5 minutes of independent writing, have them
work with a shoulder partner for another 5 to share ideas. Call on a few students with
different ideas and compare them, have their fellow students comment or defend ideas.
Running Head: CONTENT 15
Processes and Products: Opportunities to Learn for this lesson - What is the Teacher
doing? What are the Students doing? Strategies and Instructional Activities.
Introduce the video for the day:
http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-niles-impact-on-the-development-of-egyptian-
civilization.html
Have students take notes on SPECIFIC ways the Egyptians used the Nile.
After the video has them come together again and get ideas, writing them on the class
chalkboard /smart board/ promotion board. Ask them if they can think of any OTHER rivers
that are used for these reasons. (In Alaska, point out barges are often used to move goods
along rivers because they’re cheaper than airplanes, can go further distances, carry more
cargo. The Mississippi is another example.)
Introduce the assignment: The People’s Nile!
Have students pick three of the ways the people use the Nile and have them draw an
illustration for each use. (Farmers, soldiers moving on the Nile, people moving shipments of
grain, people harvesting papyrus, fishermen, etc).
They may draw all three together or separately, but they must give a caption for each image.
DIFFERENTIATION:
(For the movie, if you know the language of your class, please turn on the subtitles in their
native language.)
For student notes, I’m not picky. As long as they understand what their notes are telling
them, do not judge too harshly. I’m a huge fan of pictorial notes or ‘cartooning’ notes. The
students have already seen the video on this.
Again, if you need to pull aside a small group, do so, but for this lesson, in particular, I would
recommend letting students problem solve during the assessment. If students are still having
trouble, ask them what people use rivers for today, or in their own homes.
Remind students how grain was an important food to the Egyptians, and how the Nile helped
them carry it up and down the river. It also produced fish and other animals for the people to
eat. These were ‘staple’ foods. Ask the students what’s a common or important food in their
own homes. Give examples if you can; Turkey on Thanksgiving, we have black-eyed peas on
new years day from the Christmas ham bone, etc. Other countries have traditional foods as
well, Borsch from Russia, Poke from Hawaii, Rice from Japan, curry from Apache Fry bread,
Eskimo ice cream, etc. If they don’t know, encourage them to go home and ask their families.
Running Head: CONTENT 16
Running Head: CONTENT 17
Materials: Youtube, lined paper, handwriting correction sheet, pencil, paper, images from
tombs, sarcophagi, pictures of a book of the dead.
Visual Aides:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mQnXFDohH8E/hqdefault.jpg
http://www.crystalinks.com/papyrusofani.jpg
http://www.historyofinformation.com/images/3627a%20Large.jpg
Lesson Objectives for this lesson: Understand Assessments for this lesson Students will be
the importance of religion to the ancient able to explain why the Egyptians built
Egyptians. Compare the ancient Egyptian pyramids and what was kept within.
beliefs to modern human behavior. Students will be able to explain why the
Pharaohs wished to be buried with their
possessions and the importance of the book
of the dead.
Introduction/Hook for this lesson: An Unexpected Journey: Tell the students that they
are going to be going on a long, long journey and they may never come back. Ask them to
brainstorm in groups what they might want to bring. They don’t know for sure where
they’re going, or what will be waiting for them, but they should be prepared for anything;
shopping, eating, monsters, family, climbing, sailing…. ANYTHING!
Give students 5/10 minutes to brainstorm with their tables, making 1 list of everything they
find important per group.
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Introduce the Book of the Dead: Start off with a short warning for the students that today
we will be talking about what the ancient Egyptians believed. That we might agree with
what they believed, but to many of them, it was absolutely true. We don’t have to agree
with what they believed to learn something from what they did with their money and what
they felt was important.
NAME: _____________________________________
6.) T F The book told people how they could travel through
the afterlife.
10.) T F The book of the dead had more than 180 chapters.
Running Head: CONTENT 20
Materials: Computer, lined paper, library, previous Egypt assignments, google. Google
scholar, textbooks, computer lab, a parent volunteer.
Lesson Objectives for this lesson: Know how Assessments for this lesson: Students will
to use a computer, textbook, or library to use online and standard research tools to
research and gain knowledge on assigned access information in the school library and
topics produce a 1-page report on any subject
related to Egypt. This paper should be
properly formatted and contain at least 5
facts about Egypt, one of which should be
about the Nile river. Students should also be
able to write 1 paragraph about how their
life is similar to that of ancient Egyptians.
Introduction/Hook for this lesson: Bring it all together. Have students work in groups to
come up with things that still want to know about Egypt. Bring out the Question Board
from the first lesson to help them form ideas. Give them 5minutes to brainstorm, then ask
them to pick three of their choices for today’s final project.
Processes and Products: Opportunities to Learn for this lesson - What is the Teacher
doing? What are the Students doing? Strategies and Instructional Activities.
Give students the evaluation rubric for the assignment. Go over with them as a group and
point out the specific things they will be graded on (number of facts, spelling, and
punctuation, fact about the Nile).
Ask for any questions, take about 3/5.
Break students into two groups. Group A will use the computer lab first, while group B
will research in the library. Each group will get 15 minutes to research. In the computer
lab they will need to work independently, but due to slim resources, they will be allowed to
research in groups in the library.
Tell students it is okay to change their topic, but they still must present 5 facts on Egypt.
Have students spend 15 minutes per group, then switch.
When they return to class, give them 20-30 minutes to write their rough drafts of their
essay on paper and pencil. Have students exchange, then copy-proof each other’s works.
Closure: Ask students what issues they had when researching. Ask if anyone ran into
conflicting information and what they decided to use. Remind students that the internet
can be a strange resource since not everything on it is true. Have students save their
papers for a final draft at a later period.
Students should be able to look at their previous notes and reflect on the similarities between
Ancient Egyptians and themselves today. Do their families have anything in common? Do they
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have some of the same needs? Some of the same fears? Did the students have a favorite part,
or was there something VERY different to the ways they do things at home?
Running Head: CONTENT 22
Running Head: CONTENT 23
Performance Tasks
Travel Time
Living Museum
Running Head: CONTENT 24
You are to design, copy, print, research and present this pamphlet to the class in a
short presentation.
You will present this not only to the class but in the end, students and teachers
will vote on the best pamphlet and it will be sent to that countries department of tourism.
A local travel agency is wanting to create a new tourism brochure for kids. The
point of the brochure is to empower children to want to visit other countries and explore
the world. They want their designers to research and report on things they find
Running Head: CONTENT 25
interesting in the different countries. They need the pamphlets to be fun, but also
informative, talking about the important foods of that country, landmarks, religions,
natural landforms, tours, airlines, and 3 major cities. When finished, they would like you
to present your information to the class and then displayed in the hallway and voted on
by teachers and classmates.
Students will be creating this product to further build on their research skills
developed throughout this unit. This project will help students to synthesize an
authentic understanding of the similarities between other countries and our own.
Students will be sharing this product with their class (fellow students and children
who the product is intended for). Students will decide which pamphlet is most
effective by voting for which location they would most like to go to.
Your work will be judged by your peers and teachers within the school.
Your pamphlet must be clearly typed or written. It should be well designed and
enticing to a student your age or a little older. It should have color photographs
with captions, fun activities, the basic information square, 2 ‘fun facts’ and a map
with 3 major cities marked in it to help people plan their vacation. When you give
your presentation, you should be able to clearly present this information and
answer basic questions about your chosen country.
Running Head: CONTENT 26
TRAVEL TIME!
ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS!
How do I win?
Your goal is to create a Diorama that reflects a real community and its’ needs
including food, safety, identity, pleasure, and culture.
Students will learn how to identify different cultural needs and resources and
understand how communities are shaped by their environments.
You will be presenting these to teachers, fellow classmates and a class from the
school below the grade level.
Create a diorama of your choice population form 500-1000 years ago. Your
diorama needs to be complete with a name, landmark, and people. You need to tell me 3
different crops the people of your diorama have. You need to show me how they travel,
what they eat, do they have any natural resources, a form of writing? Do they have a
religion? Do they have an enemy group nearby? Do they get anything important by
trading with nearby groups? Are there any natural disasters that happen that the people
have to work around (think the Nile)? Do they have any favorite games or hobbies?
What do the kids do for fun? Do they have a limited growing season? Why?
Running Head: CONTENT 29
A diorama complete with the explanation given orally by the student. At the
end of the project, other classes will be invited in and students will explain their
diorama to groups explaining what resources they use, what they do for work/play,
what a child’s role is in this community, how they use the environment to sustain
their culture, etc. Student’s goals in this endeavor are to consider how daily life was
in their time/culture.
Using your travel brochures and previous information, I want you to research your
country again, but this time I want to know how your people lived 1000-500 years
ago. Not just in a picture, but in a 3-dimensional space. I will give you class time
and as many materials as I can, but this will require some homework as well. This
will be a ‘slice of life’ diorama. I will need to see a whole family unit (at least 2
adults and a child), a way they can defend themselves from the weather, animals
and other people, what they do for fun, important tools, important foods and of
course, a name. You need to make 3 objects that are 3 dimensional (clay pots,
serving dishes, animals, the people themselves, their home, a landmark). The
diorama overall should be visually appealing so that students want to look at it.
Include at least 1 landmark and explain it’s importance. Additionally, you need to
be able to explain to the second graders all the pieces of your diorama, who is
doing what and why. You should be able to answer basic questions about what is
presented in your slice-of-life.
Remember your audience is 2nd graders. Make it entertaining for them (students
usually like it when they can see themselves in the project). Include things that a
2nd grader might enjoy seeing.
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Remember:
Test Items
Multiple Choice
True/False
Fill in the Blank
Matching
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You can either set these up with spaces for students to write in or with
NOTE:
numbered answer blanks below the passage to write the answers in.
Passage 1 Passage 2 Passage 3
The Nile was much like our
When the Earth is highways. Huge barges were The Pharaoh’s build the
__________ to the sun in the used to transport _______, pyramids for many reasons,
Northern Hemisphere it is _________, animals and even but one was to secure their
summer. That means it is __________ up and down the _______ so they would never
__________ in the southern river. be forgotten. Scientists now
hemisphere. (Ex. Give 3 things transported believe the tops of the
down the Nile.) pyramids were covered in
_________ while the sides
Possible answers: Closest, Food, soldiers, tribute, royalty, were made of smooth, white
nearer, next to fish, papyrus, all reasonable ______________.
#2: winter, fall, etc. answers accepted.
Answers: Legacy, gold,
limestone
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NAME: _______________________
Ra
Shaduf
Papyrus
Rosetta Stone
Giza
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NAME:________________________
Match the images and the vocab
#2
Nile
Khopeshe
Sarcophagus
Heiroglyphics
Running Head: CONTENT 38
NAME: _______________
References:
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Gardner-McTaggart, A., & Palmer, N. (2018). Global Citizenship Education, Technology, and
García, B. A., & Martínez, M. M. (2017). Technology and Science Education: New
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for understanding
Koechlin, C., & Zwaan, S. (2007). Q tasks: How to empower students to ask questions and care about
Tyldesley, D. J. (2011, February 17). History - Ancient History in depth: Ancient Egypt and the
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/egypt_importance_01.shtml
Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2013). Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2008). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Yakar, H. I. (2018). From Mythological Ages to Contemporary Ages: Child Education. Journal Of