The Nile Valley Through the Eyes of Paankhenamum

The Nile Valley Through the Eyes of Paankhenamum

The Story: The natural resources of the Nile River define Ancient Egypt. Early farming settlements arose around 5000 B.C. and the Egyptians organized life around the river s annual flooding. The Egyptians believed in many deities that were tied to nature. By about 31 BC Upper and Lower Egypt formed the first nation state in the world. New farming and writing methods marked Ancient Egypt s early period. Ancient Egyptian rulers built pyramids during the old kingdom. They acquired more territory during the middle kingdom, and during the New kingdom became the world s biggest power. Nubian culture began as early as 7000 B.C. along the upper Nile. The Egyptians conquered Northern Nubia in 2000 B.C. and other Nubians established the Kush kingdom in the south. In the 1600s BC the Kush kingdom flourished, but in the 1500s B.C. Egyptians ruled parts of Kush. Kushites ruled Egypt in the 700s and brought cultural changes. Context And Timeline: Teachers will teach this unit from the Walt Disney Magnet School. The Walt Disney Magnet School is located in Chicago s north side at 4140 N. Marine Drive in Chicago, Illinois. Our school focuses on integrating art and technology into everyday learning experiences. Rod Earles, sixth grade teacher will be leading this unit with the art direction of Kim Varner, Art Teacher and Katie Fitzpatrick, Media Resource. This unit will be introduced with a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago on October 27, 2010 and will run through approximate 3 weeks of lessons to be completed by November 19, 2010. Rod Earles - 6 th grade teacher Kim Varner Art Teacher Katie Fitzpatrick Media Resource Teacher

Objectives & Inquiry Questions Unit Objectives Students will be able to: Interpret information from visual art and artifacts focusing on the skills of Observing, Describing, Questioning, and Investigating. Analyze information by Questioning, Investigating and drawing conclusions Create graphic organizers Evaluate the impact of the Nile River on life in ancient Egypt Analyze the relationship between nature and the religion of the ancient Egyptians Examine how the people of Upper and Lower Egypt were in conflict and then unified Examine the technological innovations of early ancient Egypt Explore the innovations of the Old Kingdom, territorial expansion of the Middle Kingdom and dominant power of the New Kingdom Understand the steps in the problem-solving process Identify a problem and implement a plan for solving it Examine artifacts for clues about Egypt s wealth during the height of its civilization Students Inquiry Questions: Why was the Nile important to Egypt? (Bathing? Drinking water?) I wonder what problems the Nile River caused, what did they do as a result? How did Egypt become a farming society? What were their jobs on the farm? I wonder why Egyptians worshipped so many gods? What are all the symbols on the calendar? What are all the symbols on the mummy coffin? Why are there so many? How come there are so many artifacts and information available on ancient Egypt? What would Egyptians use for writing tools? What are some of the meanings of the hieroglyphics What was inside the Egyptian pyramids? How are step pyramids different from ziggurats? Who built the pyramids

TEACHER: Why was the Nile River important to ancient Egyptians? What were the Red Lands and the Black Lands? Why did Ancient Egyptians develop a calendar? Describe some of the cooperative efforts among farmers. How did nature affect ancient religious beliefs? What do you think the symbols could have meant on the calendar? Who worshipped at the temples? What did they believe the temples were? (After student introduction to afterlife, mummifications, etc.) What new ideas do you have Egyptian culture now? How and when did Egypt become the world s first nation state? (In reference to unified crowns) How does this show unity? In what ways does it remind you that our own flag symbolizes? How did Egyptians explain events in nature? What role did King Narmer play in unifying Egypt? Why was there more than one burial chamber? What is an Egyptian scribe? How did rulers build the pyramids? Who built them? Why is the old kingdom called the age of pyramids? Why was a strong central government needed during the middle kingdom? Who was Akhenaton? Why was the hippo so important to Egyptian culture? How did Hatshepsut show courage? Who brought the idea of horse drawn chariots to Egypt? Why do you think the crook and the flail buried with King Tut? What do the treasure about King Tut tell you about the time of his rule? Why do you think it would be important to hide the location of King Tut s tomb? Why might Egyptians put picture on the soles of their enemies on their sandals?

Content Standards Illinois State Social Studies Standards 6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush. 6.2.1 Locate and describe the major river systems and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement and early civilizations. 6.2.2 Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power. 6.2.3 Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia and Egypt. 6.2.5 Discuss the main features of Egyptian art and architecture. 6.2.6 Describe the role of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile valley. 6.2.7 Understand the significance of Queen Hatsheput and Ramses the Great. 6.2.8 Identify the location of the Kush civilization and describe its political, commercial, and cultural relations with Egypt. 6.2.9 Trace the evolution of language and its written forms.

Illinois State Art Standards 25.A.2d Identify and describe the elements of 2 and 3 dimensional space, figure ground, value and form; the principles of rhythm, size, proportion and composition; and the expressive qualities of symbol and story. 25.B.2 Understand how elements and principles combine within an art form to express ideas 26.B.2d Demonstrate knowledge and skills to create works of visual art using problem solving, observing, designing, sketching and constructing. 27.B.2 Identify and describe how the arts communicate the similarities and differences among various people, places, and times.

Unit Lesson Plans Day 1 - Accessing Prior Knowledge About Egypt Using Artifacts Objectives: Use artifacts and primary sources to acquire information about early centers of civilizations Interpret information from visuals Procedures: "Pyramids of Giza" PowerPoint Slides of Google Images o Access prior knowledge by asking students what they know about early centers of civilizations beginning with northern Africa (Egypt). Record information on Pyramid shape graffiti board "Funeral Mask" - PowerPoint Slides of Funerary Mask from the Art Institute of Chicago o Ask students to examine the funeral mask and tell what they see. Point out that the mask if as example of the great wealth of early Egypt. "I go into my library, and all history unrolls before me... I see pyramids building; I hear the shouting of the armies..." (Alexander Smith, 1863) o Why do you think the author referred to the building of pyramids? (Because they are some of he most dramatic structures every built) Assessment: Class Discussion on accessing prior knowledge

Day 3 - Seeker of Knowledge The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphics Objectives: Read a biography to find out about the person who deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics in the 1800's. Discover unique features of the Egyptian writing system. Procedures: "Seeker of Knowledge - The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphics", written and illustrated by James Rumford. Explain Historical scholars have combined hard work and intuition to unlock secrets of the Egyptian past. Share what students know about hieroglyphics Students will then read the story. o Which Hieroglyphic most resembles it's meaning? Summarize the Reading - Jean-Francios Champollion tried for years to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone by using his knowledge of other Egyptian language on the stone and of ancient Greek. When Champollion received a copy of pharaohs ' names in hieroglyphics he was able to connect the hieroglyphs to sounds and decipher the Rosetta Stone. Use Graphic Organizer to reach all learners - Main Character, Setting, Problem, Main Event, and Solution Assessment: Analyze Literature Questions What discovery did Jean-Francios Champollion make that helped him unlock the mystery of ancient Egyptian writing? (Discovered that the pictures represented sounds) How did scholars hope to decipher ancient Egyptian writing? (Since they could read ancient Greek, they hoped to use that language to decipher the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone) Do you think it was important that scholars deciphered ancient Egyptian Writing? Why or Why not? (Possible answer; yes, because

it allowed people to learn about ancient Egyptians culture and history.)

Day Four Farming Along the Nile River Objective: Use thinking skills of observing and describing a painted scene of daily life along the Nile River in Ancient Egypt. Use thinking skills of questioning and investigating the conclude the importance of the Nile River on life in ancient Egypt. Procedures: Students will take approximately 5 minutes to close observe the scene of an Egyptian farmer plowing fields with the help of an ox. o Farming with the help of domesticated animals Students will Think-Pair-Share what the observed and describe it to his/her partner Think of questions that this piece brought about and share with partner. o Irrigation issues like dikes, reservoirs, canals carried over from the Fertile Crest Chapter and rain not being abundant and dependable in ancient Egypt o Focusing on the importance of the Nile River for this civilization Areas that could be investigated about this piece and share once again with partner o In what ways could the Nile River be used? - Source of water, transportation, and the deposit of fertile soil for farming Report out partner discussions with the class Assessment: Students evaluate the impact of the Nile River on the life of ancient Egypt The Nile served as a natural resource and defined ancient Egypt. Early farm settlements arose along the Nile River about 5000BC. Egyptians organized life around the river s annual flooding.

Day Five A Source of New Ideas and Religion Ancient Calendar Objective: Use the thinking skills of observing and describing the calendar of ancient Egypt to understand reason why a calendar was developed Use the thinking skills of questioning and investigating the problems with the Nile River and the importance of religion of ancient Egypt, and how they were tied to natural events like flooding. Procedures: Students will spend 5 minutes closely observing the piece without teacher revealing that the idea is a calendar and describe using only body movements of what the figures are doing in the Teacher will ask the guided questions: Who do you think the 4 female figures in red are? (Isis) Who do you think the 8 kneeling figures are? (Horus) What do you think this piece was used for in Ancient Egypt? (Answers will vary but may result in the worship of gods) Ask students what problems the Nile River caused and what the ancient Egyptians did as a result (excess flooding drowned people and livestock and ruined crops; occasionally the Nile did not flood, resulting in starvation. As a result Egyptians tried to predict when the Nile would flood) Why do you think the Egyptians developed a calendar? (Predict the flooding season) Assessment: The Egyptians believed in many deities, many tied to nature and this lead to the development of a calendar for the prediction of flooding seasons.

Day 6 The Seated Scribe Louvre Museum, Paris France Objective: Use the thinking skills of observing and describing of The Seated Scribe gives us insight on the importance of major achievements of Egypt s Early Period. Use the thinking skills of questioning and investigating of The Seated Scribe gives us insight on the importance of major achievements of Egypt s Early Period. Procedures: Teacher will continue with artifacts of the Seated Scribe movie constructed of pictures from the Louvre museum Teacher guided questions o What is a scribe? (Recorders of the words and brave deeds of their king) o What was his station in society? (Of importance but not notoriety) o If he weren t a pharaoh why would ancient Egyptians decide to create a statue of a scribe? (As a result of the importance of a scribe s station in life however wasn t the same as that of a king) o What were the materials a scribe would need? (Knowledge of hieroglyphics, papyrus reed soot mixed with water served as ink) o How are these materials different today? (We use paper today however graphite has replaced the need for soot and water, and hieroglyphics has been replaced with letters and words) Assessment: Social needs in ancient Egypt led to inventions like papyrus and the need for the specialized job of scribe to the king. The fact that The Seated Scribe was created serves as a symbol of the king s thought of importance of this person in ancient Egypt.

Day 7 The Rosetta Stone Objectives: Procedures: Students will view the film to help understand the steps it took in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics Assessment:

Art-Focused TEAM Lesson Day 2 - Mummy Case of Paankhenamum Inquiry Questions: What can we convey by examining artifacts such as the Mummy Case of Paankhenamum and the images painted on it? Is there any significance to what is painted? Objective: Students will be able to make observations of Paankhenamum Mummy Case and describes screens depict. Students will question the meaning of the symbols and investigate their meaning as archaeologists have determined. Procedures: Students will be reminded of the religious significance of previous civilizations studied and review how things in nature were often explained by many Gods. Brainstorm what they already know about the process of mummification and Ancient Egyptian burial practices. Students will be asked to view the Mummy Case of Paankhenamum at the Art Institute of Chicago Students will be asked to complete a 4-corners activity where teacher will direct what will be asked for each corner. o First corner (top left) is to make an observation of the mummy case. This would result in drawing and should focus on the head and torso of the case. For students finding this difficult ask them to write at least four things they observe about the mummy case. o Second corner (top right) is write a description of the of the mummy case. This should result in at least 4 statements describing the mummy case. o Third corner (bottom left) is to write at least four questions you have about the mummy case

o Fourth corner (bottom right) is to create four topics the student would like to investigate about the mummy case. These topics should result in topics including: Afterlife Ritual Mummification Process Egyptian Gods and other deities Tomb/Pyramids Building Etc anything unit appropriate would be acceptable Alternative Opening divide students into groups of 3 to have the cover the entire Mummy Case. This would have to be done before the Museum visit and museum groups would then have to be scheduled to view Mummy Case together. Materials: Student Clipboard Pencil Teacher White Construction paper (9x12) Assessment: Student will assess on the detail in which observing, describing, questioning, and investigating take place. Four-Corners Graphic Organizer will be on a 16 point scale, 4 pts. per corner for completion with details. Research Rubric will be used as formal assessment for a final investigation of topic of the students choosing.

Art Lesson Plan 11/13/10 12:44 PM Title: Creating an Egyptian Cartouche Inquiry Questions: -How did a culture develop a writing system to communicate? -What is the difference between an alphabetic and a glyph system of writing? Objective: Students will create a name cartouche using Egyptian Hieroglyphics Procedure: -Discuss background information: The word hieroglyph comes from Greek and means sacred writing in stone. In 1822, Jean Francois Champollion, a French linguist, discovered the key to reading the Rosetta Stone, a tablet with writing in hieroglyphics, demotic, and Greek. The hieroglyphic system uses a total of about 700 signs, 23 of them alphabetic (compared to English language with 26 letters). Most of the rest represent a combination of sounds, while some stand for whole words. Most signs are based on things commonly found in ancient Egypt such as people, animals, plants, and objects. Hieroglyphic signs could be read in several directions: left to right, right to left, or top to bottom. With so many symbols, most people did not learn how to read and write. Scribes generally wrote letters, records, and literature. The names of Kings were written on an oval stone called a Cartouche. -Look at Hieroglyphic alphabet handout. -Using phonetics, students will sound out their names. -Students will search for the symbols that represent the sound the letters in their name make. Do not use silent letters. -Students draw the symbol that represents the phonetic pronunciation of their name. Draw on the oval shape from top to bottom. -Female students add and egg and a t at the end of their name to indicate a female name. -Transfer the Hieroglyphic name cartouche to a piece of tin (4x12 inch). Place paper over tin, place soft writing surface under tin and trace over the Hieroglyphs with the pencil. The tin will now have an impression of the Hieroglyphic symbols. -Trace over symbols on tin with permanent markers. -Add a decorative frame around the Hieroglyphic symbols using geometric shapes.

Materials: Hieroglyphic alphabet handout, pencils, magazines for tracing, permanent markers, and 20 gauge tin. Assessment: Performance/observation: Did each student gain an understanding of the Egyptian language by correctly identifying the symbols that phonetically represent their names and draw them vertically on the materials provided?

Reflections and Findings

Resources Harcourt Social Studies World History, 2007 Film: Ancient Egyptian and Greek Art - National Gallery of Art - Art and Artist Series, 2006 (DVD)