The Curse of Tutankhamun – Lesson 1 – Drama focus



Using the Egyptian Power point presentation

The presentation can be used for History/Extended Writing.

Music to be played with the presentation is : Sorrow from the film Gladiator.

The presentation can be used for discussion and drama with the overall aim to write Howard Carter’s diary as he ventures to the Valley of the Kings and discovers the un-robbed tomb of Tutankhamun.

Below are the 4 lessons which you may use/adapt to write the diary.

There is also a teacher modelled diary which you may use but you don’t have to.

EXTENSION IDEAS

• Once the children have written their diary, in ICT they could record some extracts from their diary on to each slide.

Other Writing Possibilities:

• Newspaper reports with eye witness accounts from Howard Carter/Lord Carnarvon

• Poetry – sounds, feelings, images

• Non-fiction report about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The Curse of Tutankhamun – Lesson 1 – Drama focus

OBJECTIVES

To recognise drama effects (eg. Sound and silence, movement and stillness, tempo)

Describe and Discuss style and impact of performances seen

To convey meaning without words.

INTRODUCTION

Re-cap what we have learned about Tutankhamun in history

Who was he? Why was his death a mystery?

What did Pharaoh’s bury with them? Why?

Why had most tombs been robbed?

Read p.66-70 “Horrible History” Awesome Egyptians.

Discuss Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. What are there parts in the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Discuss the idea of the curse from the tomb.

Watch PowerPoint presentation – Discovering the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

Discuss landscape, Valley of Kings.

EG: What would the temperature be like? What noises would there be?

Look again at slides which take the children inside the valley.

How would Carter and his team have felt whilst making the hole in the tomb wall?

Discuss the hot air which came out of the tomb – how would the team have felt? What would they have thought?

DRAMA TASK

Drama task 1:

Discuss some of the objects which were in the tomb from PowerPoint presentation.

Work as a whole class to create a still image of the pictures and statues.

Try different lighting effects to create the best atmosphere ( no light, oht light, torch, faded light)

Drama task 2:

Choose 1 child to lie on bench with arms folded – Tutankhamun

Choose 2 children to stand at back of Tut. - stand as a guard

Choose 2 children to kneel at front of Tut – as guards

Rest of Class, stand in 2 lines to create a corridor leading up to Tutankhamun. Each child is an object within the tomb

Teacher to represent Carter – slowly walk through the corridor towards Tutankhamun.

Children to whisper to Carter as he passes and shines a torch on the child.

What would the statues say to him?

EG: Beware- curse upon you, Death is near – leave, Turn back or die

Experiment with whispers towards a crescendo as Carter walks nearer to Sarcophagus.

Discuss what was good about the performance.

How could it be improved?

Repeat performance with improvements from discussion

PLENARY

In pairs, create 4 questions to ask Howard Carter about his discovery of Tutankhamun to use next lesson

The Curse of Tutankhamun – Lesson 2 – Drama focus

OBJECTIVES

To answer questions in role of Howard Carter

To explore feelings of characters through conscience alley

INTRODUCTION

Re-watch PowerPoint presentation – Discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Re-cap idea of curse linked to tomb.

Re-create scene from previous lesson – whispers as Carter walks towards sarcophagus.

HOT SEATING

Initially teacher is in hot seat.

Children use questions from plenary of previous lesson to ask Carter about his feelings as he made his discovery of the tomb.

Children repeat this task in pairs.

CONSCIENCE ALLEY

Discuss fact that Carter has been looking for an undiscovered tomb for years – night before journey to Valley of kings – How would Carter have felt?

Children stand in 2 lines – 1 line to give Carter’s inner thoughts - positive affirmations eg: you will find the tomb, don’t worry tomorrow will be your day.

Other line to give negative thoughts of Carter – Every time we’ve searched we’ve never found anything, failure again I’m sure.

WRITING TASK

Read teacher model of diary – 25th November 1922

How is Carter feeling the night before the journey to tomb.

Discuss use of questions to show Carters uncertainty.

Discuss other similes to explain that his mind is full of hopes and fears.

Discuss things Carter can’t do because he is so worried.

Use these ideas to create success criteria

Children to write opening paragraph – night before discovering the tomb.

2 Children to write on OHT sheet

PLENARY

Share 2 oht children’s work. Check against success criteria. Make any improvements.

The Curse of Tutankhamun – Lesson 3

OBJECTIVES

To write a recount in the past tense

To use questions to show doubt and fear

To use complex sentence structure

INTRODUCTION

Share diary extracts from previous day.

Watch PowerPoint presentation.

Discuss heat, noise, feelings as the team got closer to the valley of the King’s.

In pairs- pretend to be Carter and talk through each slide up to entering to tomb – teacher to show one slide at a time.

Children share back their spoken responses to each slide.

As a class shared write next paragraph of diary.

EG: Earlier today, my greatest mission ever had begun. Golden Egyptian sunshine beat against our skin like the flames of a roaring fire as we journeyed from camp to the magnificent Valley of the Kings. An eerie silence followed our trail. Again hopes and fears fluttered through my mind.

Discuss –past tense

- Starting sentences with images/feelings.

Define success criteria for paragraph 2.

WRITING TASK

Children to write about

Sunshine

Noises

Journey towards Valley of Kings

PLENARY

Paired editing against success criteria

Watch PowerPoint again – this time 2 children to read paragraph 1 and 2 of diary as the presentation plays.

The Curse of Tutankhamun – Lesson 4

OBJECTIVES

To use powerful adjectives.

To use ellipses and short sentences to develop tension

To use similes and questions to create suspense

INTRODUCTION

Re-cap diary so far.

Watch PowerPoint-slides. Going through tomb, corridor slides and Hammer tapping against the tomb wall.

DRAMA – Thought tapping in pairs – explaining as Carter how he felt.

Again, in pairs – children orally discuss what is happening as Carter.

Share back oral responses.

Read teacher model linked to these slides. As a class add in more short sentences to develop tension and ellipses to build up suspense. What other questions might have flooded through Carter’s mind?

Discuss possible similes to describe what Carter views through tomb.

As a class decide on success criteria for writing.

WRITTEN TASK

Children to continue writing diary of Howard Carter.

Journey through tomb

Making hole in wall

Hot air

Glint of gold

PLENARY

Check work against success criteria.

Edit and improve.

Again children to read diary entries as the PowerPoint presentation is playing.

TEACHER MODEL

25TH November 1922

Tomorrow we are venturing to search “The Valley of the Kings.” For years I have been searching for an undiscovered tomb of a great Pharaoh. Sadly, I have always failed. Will I find great treasures tomorrow? Or will all the tombs have been robbed? My mind is like a snow storm, full of worries and hopes. I cannot sleep. …I cannot eat……

26th November 1922

Earlier today, my greatest mission ever had begun. Golden Egyptian sunshine beat against our skin like the flames of a roaring fire as we journeyed from camp to the magnificent Valley of the Kings. An eerie silence followed our trail. Again hopes and fears fluttered through my mind. Would the Egyptian gods reward us? Would I Howard Carter discover regal treasures to astound the world?

Like protective guards the Valley of the Kings towered above us watching our every step through the dusty route the caves. Out of nowhere a small opening appeared in the cliff face. Bravely I led the team towards the dark and mysterious cavern. Would we ever return to the bright Egyptian sun or would we be lost forever in the dangerous maze within the valley?

Stepping inside the opening darkness greeted our every step…..nobody spoke….nobody uttered a word….everyone followed me. Footsteps echoed through the bleak cave like soldiers marching nearer to death. Everyone followed me and my flaming torch. I led the party deeper….deeper and deeper in to the depths of the valley. With each step the atmosphere grew colder, colder and colder. Death and mystery seemed to envelop us.

Suddenly my torch led us to a dead end. I had a feeling that something was drawing me to this rock face. Trembling, sweat dripped off my forehead like hail drops. Lord Carnarvon and my team were silent. All that could be heard was breathing. My heart was thumping like a drum. Dark silhouettes stood out against the orange glow of the candle light. Again my mind was full of fears. I did not want to fail again.

With trembling hands I mad a tiny hole in the upper left hand corner of the entrance. Hot air brushed past my skin. The candle flickered. I thought Was this the spirit of a magnificent Pharaoh?

As I peered through the gap, darkness and empty space was all that could be seen. I looked further… and yet further still. A mist veiled the tomb like fog on an autumn morning. Suddenly out of the ghostly gloom emerged strange animals and statues…..EVERYWHERE THE GLINT OF GOLD. A hurricane of whispers seemed to murmur, “Curse upon you” , “Turn back or die”, “Beware, leave now.”, “curse upon you”

Speechless, amazed yet terrified, I stared. Golden chariots, bronze thrones, glistening coffins stood before me, like a sunset within a cave. A golden memory which I will never forget.

Lord Carnarvon asked anxiously, “Can you see anything?” It was all I could do to get out the words.

“Yes wonderful things.”

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