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Hieroglyphics: It's Not Greek to Me! (It's Egyptian!)

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Subjects Arts & Humanities Art History, Foreign Language, Language Arts, Visual Arts Educational Technology Social Studies Anthropology, History, World History, Regions/Cultures

Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Advanced

Brief Description

Objectives

• use a phonetic reference resource to spell their names using hieroglyphic characters.
• use plaster of paris to create their own Rosetta stones with secret messages.
• use an online translator to see common words in hieroglyphic characters.

Keywords

Materials Needed

• computers with Internet access, or printed pages from Internet resources
• lids from plastic containers (optional)
• plaster of paris (optional)
• pencil

Lesson Plan

Provide students with a printed reference about the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt. (Students with online access can view the sources online.) Each reference should offer a key to the common hieroglyphic symbols and their sounds/pronunciations. Following are a handful of online resources that might be used:

• Neferchichi's Tomb: Writing With Hieroglyphics
• Hieroglyphic Alphabet Chart
• A Short Introduction to Hieroglyphs
• Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Have students cut or trace symbols from these resources to spell/write/draw their names.

Extension activities:

• Have students use the hieroglyphics alphabet to write a sentence. Then ask them to translate one another's sentences.
• Introduce students to such online tools as the Egyptian Name Translator or the Online Hieroglyphics Translator, in which students can get the hieroglyphics translation of a word or name.
• For each student, fill the lid of a plastic container with plaster of paris. Before it dries, allow the student to use the tip of a pencil to carve into the plaster his or her name or a message. When the plaster is dry, students will have their own Rosetta stones.

Assessment

Students use their hieroglyphic pronunciation keys to translate a grade-appropriate word, phrase, or sentence from English into hieroglyphs and from hieroglyphs into English. Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts

• GRADES K - 4
  NA-VA.K-4.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
  NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

• GRADES 5 - 8
  NA-VA.5-8.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
  NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

• GRADES 9 - 12
  NA-VA.9-12.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
  NA-VA.9-12.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

• GRADES K - 12
  NL-ENG.K-12.3 Evaluation Strategies
  NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
  NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills
  NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
  NL-ENG.K-12.10 Applying Non-English Perspectives
  NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

LANGUAGE ARTS: Foreign Language

• GRADES K - 12
  NL-FL.K-12.1Communication
  NL-FL.K-12.2 Cultures
  NL-FL.K-12.4 Comparisons

SOCIAL SCIENCES: World History

• GRADES 5 - 12
  NSS-WH.5-12.2 Early Civilizations and the Rise of Pastoral Peoples
  NSS-WH.5-12.3 Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires

TECHNOLOGY

• GRADES K - 12
  NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
  NT.K-12.4 Technology Communications tools
  NT.K-12.5 Technology Research tools

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