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Subject: World History, Regions, Cultures
Grade: 6-8

Brief Description

Students work in cooperative groups of three or four to define Egyptian terms and use those terms on pre-cut triangles to create pyramids on oak tag for display. This lesson was originally developed as a follow-up activity for a unit on ancient Egypt.

Objectives

Students

• work in cooperative groups,
• define Egyptian terms,
• build an information pyramid for display.

Keywords

ancient Egypt, information, pyramid, definition

Materials Needed

For each group of three or four students

• white paper
• scissors
• a list of five vocabulary words, numbered 1-5, for students to define
• books on ancient Egypt from the school library or public library; some suggested books:

  * Egypt: The People, by Arlene Moscovitch
  * What Do We Know About the Egyptians? by Joanna Defrates
  * First Facts About the Ancient Egyptians, by Jacqueline Morley
  * The Great Pyramid, by Hazel Mary Martell
  * Mysteries of the Pyramids, by Anne Millard
  * Mummies Made in Egypt, by Aliki
  * Tutankhamen's Gift, by Robert Sabuda
  * Pyramids, by Harriet Abels

• computers with Internet access
• Web sites about ancient Egypt; some suggested sites:

  Neferchichi's Tomb: All About Mummies(http://www.neferchichi.com/mummies.html)
  Neferchichi's Tomb: Writing with Hieroglyphs (http://www.neferchichi.com/hieroglyphs.html)
  Mr. Donn's Ancient History Page: Ancient Egypt (http://members.aol.com/donnandlee/index.html#EGYPT)

• oak tag
• markers
• glue sticks

Lesson Plan

Prior to the Lesson

• From the white paper, cut nine triangles, each measuring 4 inches by 4 inches on two sides and 5-3/4inches at the base.
• Number five of the triangles 1 through 5. Label one of the triangles Ancient Egypt Information Pyramid. Leave space for students to list the names of members of the group. Leave three triangles blank.

• Discuss general information about ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs using the print and online sources noted above and any additional resources you find about ancient Egypt.
• Invite students to name some Egyptian terms mentioned in the discussion. Write as many terms as possible on the chalkboard.
• Tell students that they are going to work together in groups to create information pyramids about Egyptian words and hieroglyphs.
• Assign students to groups of three or four. Have students gather in their assigned groups.
• Hand out the vocabulary lists, the nine triangles, the oak tag, and a glue stick to each group.
• Tell students to use the books and Web sites to find the definitions of their assigned words. Explain that each word is numbered to match the corresponding triangle that will be placed on the pyramid.
• Have students work in their groups to complete the research and write the definitions on the five numbered triangles.
• Ask each group to make up a group name using hieroglyphs on the three blank triangles.
• Have students list the names of the members of each group on the triangle labeled Ancient Egypt Pyramid.
• Have each group mount triangles on the oak tag following these steps:
  1. Paste the triangle labeled Ancient Egypt Pyramid at the top of the oak tag. There will be only one triangle at this level.
  2. Paste the triangles numbered 1, 2, and 3 in a row going across under the top triangle. There will be three triangles in this level.
  3. Paste the triangles numbered 4 and 5 and the triangles with your group name in hieroglyphs in a row under the second row. There will be five triangles in this level.

Assessment

Teacher's Comments: To assess this lesson, teachers can evaluate how the students worked as a group using a group assessment rubric. I used a rubric that included how the students worked together and how the pyramid project looked completed. In addition, I used an information rubric listing different levels depending on the quality of information gathered by the students.

Assessment Rubric

4 -- Full Accomplishment

• Recognizes vocabulary and how it relates to the topic.
• Recognizes all five terms and can place them along with definitions on the information pyramid.

3 -- Substantial Accomplishment

• Recognizes some vocabulary and can relate some of it to the topic.
• Recognizes three to four terms and can place them along with definitions on the information pyramid.

• Recognizes very small amount of vocabulary and the relationship to the topic.
• Recognizes two to three terms and can place them along with very basic definitions on the information pyramid.

• Unable to recognize vocabulary and the relationship to the topic.
• Unable to define more than one term and place it on the information pyramid.

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Submitted by Joanne E. Hughes, Covert Avenue Elementary School, Elmont, N.Y.

The submitter of our highlighted lesson received a $50 honorarium. See our guidelines to submit your lesson plan!