Create Your Own Sumerian City-State



Create Your Own Sumerian City-State!

Explanation: Well, hello! This is your Mesopotamia City Designing Supervisor. I have invited you all here to do one thing and that is to DESIGN A SUMERIAN CITY-STATE. As you know, it is 3500 B.C. and I think it is about time we all find a location to settle down and build ourselves a little community. I am tired of hunting and gathering and living a nomadic life style. There has to be a more efficient and prosperous way to live our lives. One thing though, I need your help!

The incentive you ask??? Oh yes, the most important part... The team of designers that brings me the best city plan will get their plan approved and a city will be built and named after them! The winning plan must include a very detailed description with visuals of the following: geography, occupations, farming, and government.

Each group will be given time to show and convince me and my panel members (the class) that your city-state is the best and fits the criteria of a successful city!

Are you ready?? You and your group members are about to embark on a great adventure... a place where no woman or man has ever gone before! May the most creative, well thought out, most collaborative, and hardest working group win! OK city designers, let's get started.

Task: Your group consists of four designers. Each of you will have a different role (see below). I will be expecting to see all of the following questions answered in GREAT DETAIL in your city plans when I make my final decision. In addition, I will be expecting some type of visual to go along with your design description so I can fully comprehend your vision for the future!! (You may use a poster board, PowerPoint, diorama, etc.)

Group Roles and Guided Questions:

• GEOGRAPHICAL EXPERT- What is the environment like? What part of Mesopotamia will your city-state be located? (Find a map of ancient Mesopotamia to pick your ideal location.) What will the weather/climate be like? Can plants and animals survive there? Why have you chosen this area over another?

• JOB SPECIALIST- What occupations will your city-state offer? Will there be a wide variety occupations? Now that we will not be nomads, what other career choices might we have? Will women and men have the same choices? Does location of your city-state affect what jobs would be available? Why?

• FARMER- What is the agriculture like? Is there plenty of food? Do you have an extra amount (surplus) of anything? How could that be beneficial to you as a city? Where do you get your food? Do you hunt, gather, produce? Do you have plenty of water? Where do you get your water? What are all of the things you need water for? Does the geography and location affect you as a farmer in any way? How and why?

• GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL- What is the social class system like? Who will rule the city-states? How will you protect your city-state from invaders? What are some of your laws and rules and punishments?

Getting Started:

1. Make sure you understand the task and the guided questions I included for you. Each group member should decide which role they would like to take.

2. Review the rubric so that you are aware of the way you will be evaluated.

3. Decide on a group name, this will also be the name of your city-state, so choose wisely!

4. While you are researching on the NET you will need to keep track of your findings and where you found them, use index cards to keep your sources organized. Below are the titles of some websites that will help you begin your research (type the names into Google in order to find them), you can also go to Google and search for information on your own. You are required to cite your text as well as at least 8 other sources.

Mesopotamia(W.S.U.)

Part of a university course on World Civilizations, here you'll find lecture notes, maps, timelines, and a photo gallery that provide excellent background material

The British Museum: Mesopotamia

The British Museum offers a very slick visual presentation of Mesopotamian art and culture.

World Cultures to 1500: Mesopotamia

A terrific overview of Ancient and Medieval History can be found at this online course, based at Washington State University. It offers clear and informative lecture notes, maps, a photo gallery, timelines, links to relevant sites, and more. Click Resources.

Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Mesopotamia

The Sourcebook is full of useful primary source documents on Mesopotamia

ABZU: Mesopotamia

Helpful index of resources for the study of ancient Mesopotamia.

History Links 101: Ancient Mesopotamia

At History Links 101 you’ll find many links to Mesopotamian art, daily life,maps, research, art, and biographies

Collection: Collapse of Ancient Civilizations

Part of the Annenberg/CPB exhibits, this site focuses on the fall of ancient civilizations in four areas: Maya, Mesopotamia, Chaco Canyon (southwest U.S.), and Mali and Songhai. Nice images and interesting presentation.

Mr Dowling's Electronic Passport: Mesopotamia

Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport helps kids browse the world in his virtual classroom. He introduces you to many civilizations with clear explanations, engaging graphics for kids, and "cool links".

5. Meet together as a group and share what each of you discovered through your research (share notes & brainstorming maps)

6. Go back and review the evaluation rubric so you Sumerians can get that City-State named after you!!

7. Decide how you are going to present your City-State ideas to the panel. You may design a poster board, a PowerPoint Presentation, a diorama, a play, etc.! Use your creativity and remember to be collaborative.

Each member in your group will need to be prepared to share his/her findings to the panel.

I will be expecting some type of visual to go along with your design description (in the form of a paper that accompanies your visual) so I can fully comprehend your vision for the future

| |Exemplary |Accomplished |Developing |Beginning |Score |

| |10 |7 |3 |1 | |

|  |You are an awesome |You have great |Your group skills are |We apparently had many | |

|Collaboration |group of city planners |potential for being an |developing, but need |difficulties sticking | |

|[pic] |and you should stick |awesome group of city |more work. Remember you|together and completing | |

|  |together for more |planners. However, you |took this adventure on |the task as a group. Try| |

|  |creative projects. You |need to push yourselves|as a team and you all |being more supportive of| |

| |all have a bright |a little more into |needed to finish as a |one another in the | |

| |future as team players!|being team players! |team! |future! | |

|  |Your City Plans blew me|Your city plans were |You completed and |You attempted to | |

|Organization |out of the water! They |very well done. They |organized a fairly nice|organize a part of a | |

|& |were so solid and easy |were nicely put |set of city plans, |city plan, but numerous | |

|Sequence |to follow! Fantastic |together and well |however, everything did|aspects were missing | |

| [pic] |organization and |thought out in most |not flow perfectly and |and/or hard to | |

| |sequencing of ideas! |areas. All you needed |some was hard to |understand. | |

| | |were a few finishing |understand. | | |

| | |touches! | | | |

|  |Appealing graphic/text |Appealing graphic/text |There were a few |There were very little | |

|Aesthetics/Technical |elements were included |elements were included.|appealing graphic/text |attempts at adding a few| |

|Quality |appropriately. |Differences in type |elements. Differences |appealing graphic/text | |

|& |Differences in type |size/color were used. |in type size/color were|elements. Differences in| |

|Grammar/Spelling |size/color were used |The majority of |somewhat attempted. |type size/color were | |

| [pic] |very well. Spelling and|spelling and grammar |Grammar and spelling |barely attempted. | |

| |grammar looked superb! |were correct. You are |need some improvement. |Spelling and grammar | |

| |You are a technical |on your way, but need |Come on fellow |needs a lot of | |

| |expert with a creative |to work out just a few |Sumerians, start being |improvement. Let's get a| |

| |eye!! |kinks!! |more careful and more |move on my little | |

| | | |creative!! |Sumerians! | |

|  |Your solution to |Your solution to |Your solution to |You did not really | |

|Solution |creating a Sumerian |creating a Sumerian |creating a Sumerian |effectively attempt to | |

|Effectiveness |City-State is an |City-State is a good |City-State is a fair |create a Sumerian | |

|& |effective one. You have|one; however, you could|one. Your approach to |City-State. You need to | |

|Creativity |approached this |have slightly |this adventure is |put a lot more effort in| |

|[pic] |adventure in a creative|approached this |developing, but still |to being creative and | |

| |manner. Your name is |adventure in more of a |needs work. Don't you |effective! I still have | |

| |sure sounding like a |creative manner. You |want that city named |faith in you. Believe | |

| |great title for a city!|are definitely close to|after you?? |and achieve! | |

| | |getting that City named| | | |

| | |after you! | | | |

Group 1

Marcellos

Shawn

Nickalus

Group 2

Cashay

Russell

Cordy

Shante

Group 3

Jeff

Charles W

Ivory

Brianna

Group 4

Tamara

Dericka

Charles M

Marayam

Group 5

Fendi

Artenice

Bryant

Lachina

Group 6

Monikka

Anthony

Octavia

Dantrell

Group 7

Johnus

Steven

Kalesha

Jasmine T

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download