Lesson Plan : Egyptian Tombs in Grade 5



Lesson Plan : Egyptian Tombs in Grade 5

Sylvia Chiang

Note:

This lesson was actually done in a grade five Extended French class entirely in French. For ease of comprehension, I have not focussed on the French component, except for the expectations covered.

Materials:

Shoe box (1 per student)

Modeling Clay

Construction Paper

Pencils and Erasers

Pencil Crayons and Markers

Glue

** Each student needs a shoe box. It is essential to let students know several days ahead of time (or more if possible) so they can locate a box and bring it to school.

Instructional Focus:

Social Studies: Understanding Life and Death in Ancient Egypt

Time Spent: 3 weeks

Learning Goals:

This Project addresses expectations in three subject areas:

Visual Arts

D1.4 use a variety of materials, tools, and techniques to determine solutions to design challenges

D3.2 demonstrate an awareness of ways in which visual arts reflect the beliefs and traditions of a variety of peoples and of people in different times and places

D2.3 demonstrate an understanding of how to read and interpret signs, symbols, and style in art works

Social Studies

– formulate questions to develop a research focus

– use primary and secondary sources to locate information about early civilizations

– use media works, oral presentations, written notes and descriptions, drawings, tables,

charts, maps, and graphs to communicate information about early communities

– use appropriate vocabulary to describe their inquiries and observations

Extended French Language Arts

Oral Communication (for those choosing an oral explanation)

– present ideas and information in a logical sequence

– prepare and give brief oral presentations on familiar topics

Reading

– begin to use research skills (e.g., formulate questions, locate information, clarify their

understanding through discussion)

Writing (for those choosing a written explanation)

– write short, simple texts in a variety of forms (e.g., descriptive paragraphs, poems,

letters, dialogues), following a model

– organize information into short paragraphs that contain a main idea and some

related details

– write brief descriptions of people, places, and situations

– use appropriate language structures in their writing

– use appropriate organizers (e.g., table of contents, headings, charts, captions) in their written work

Hook to Introduce Lesson

Teacher presents the story of the Discovery of King Tut’s tomb including the mysteries, the legendary curse, and as many visuals of the Treasures as possible.

Teacher-Directed Lesson

The students have been learning about Ancient Egypt for several weeks in Social Studies class. After the sharing the story of King Tut’s Tomb, students are told that they will be making a tomb with the goal of sharing all they know about ancient Egypt. They are to refer to their notes on past lessons about the social structure, religion, gods, art and symbols of ancient Egypt. Their first job is decide on an imaginary Pharaoh or Queen for whom they will construct the tomb.

Over the next 3 classes, the teacher does a series of Art Mini Lessons to aid in constructing the Tomb.

Lesson 1 (Basic Construction): Cut the box so that one side can fold down, leaving 3 walls for the diarama. Next measure each wall and cut construction paper to fit the three remaining walls. Do not glue the paper yet. Once the papers for the walls are cut, begin to plan the symbols and images you will place on the wall. Every symbol chosen must be there for a reason and the student must be able to explain why it is there. For example, the god Anubis is associated with mummification and protection of the dead, hence a good choice for a tomb.

Lesson 2 (Wall Art): Appropriate Art for a tomb is brainstormed. Students draw on the past lessons and posters and books in the classroom for ideas. Students are taught to make a grid pattern for placing hieroglyphic writing on the wall of the tomb and to order their art as the Egyptians did. Students continue to plan their walls in pencil, adding colour as a last step, based on colours used in Ancient Egyptian Art. Walls can be glued in place when completed.

Lesson Three (Objects to place in the tomb): Appropriate items to place in a tomb are brainstormed. Students draw on the past lessons and posters and books in the classroom for ideas. Students are taught to mold modeling clay. Techniques for creating texture are discussed. Some modeling clay is handed out for student use. Other possible materials students could bring from home are discussed.

Lesson Four (Explanation of Tomb): Students are given a graphic organizer to help plan their tomb explanation. Each day a section of the explanation is modeled for the students and they are given time to write paragraphs / point form notes (depending if they are doing an oral / written explanation)

Student Task

• Construct Ancient Egyptian Tomb

• Take on the role of an archeologist who discovered the tomb. Explain in Writing or Orally the following: * where did they find the tomb

* who was the tomb for

* what does the art on the walls of the tomb mean

* why were the items in the tomb placed there

Sharing of work, ideas, knowledge:

During the construction and decoration of the tombs students are given a chance daily to share their work and techniques that are working well for them.

Final Presentation:

At the end of the project, students take on the role of an archeologist who discovered this tomb and explain their findings. By taking on the role of a professional, students are motivated to use the appropriate vocabulary in their presentation and to make the presentation more entertaining for their peers.

Accomodations and Modifications

• clear goals for what should be completed daily

• additional time at recess or lunch

• students may take home tomb wall paper to complete

• teacher checks in often with students

• visual aids on the walls and in ressource books

This project was actually done completely in French for an Extended French Social Studies class. It affords the students who are still not ready to express their ideas in the target language an opportunity to show their understanding of the subject matter. This task would be well-suited for ESL students for the same reason.

Assessment

Assessment is ongoing through observations, questions, conferencing during the building and decorating of the tomb. The finished tomb will be evaluated for Visual Arts and the student’s explanation of the tomb (oral or written) will be evaluated for Social Studies and Language Arts (see rubric).

Resources:

The following websites are helpful if no books on the subject are available at your school:

The basic story can be found at the following websites:





and in French at:





A gallery of treasures from the tomb:



French video showing Treasures of the tomb:



A video retracing the steps of Howard Carter’s first entrance into Tut’s tomb:



Two BBC versions of the full story of Howard Carter’s search for the tomb (dramatized) are available (each in 9 short clips) on YouTube under the headings:

The Search for Tutankhamun

or

The Curse of Tutankhamun (Malédiction du Pharaon Toutânkhamon)

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