ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

By Wendy Wardell

OBJECTIVE

Posing as a time traveling museum curator assistant, you will be travel to the 4 Ancient River Civilization (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus River Valley, China) also known as "The Cradle of Life". Searching for evidence that will convince the pasting Museum Board trying to convince them to advance more money to the restoration of the  failing exhibit.  

YOUR JOURNEY AWAITS!

IntroductionTaskProcess• Outlines what steps should be

taken and how to complete this assignment

• Part I: Understanding• Part 2: Geography• Part 3: Journal / Scrapb

ook• Section 1: Cultural

Expressions• Section 2 : Govern

ment• Section 3: Advance

s• Section 4: Daily Life

• Part 4: Timeline• Part 5: Presentation

EvaluationConclusionAdditional Resources

INTRODUCTION Your team has been hired by the

curator of the Ancient Museum to restore a failing exhibit. In order to restore the failing exhibit it will be necessary for you to show its importance. The Cradle of Life exhibit is believed to be where the first societies of the world began and flourished.

Your first job is to travel back in time and find examples and information to help enhance the Cradle of Life Exhibit and convince the Museum Board of Directors of the importance of restoration and prove how today society has benefited from these ancient civilization’s advancements.

TASK For this task, a group of four

students will become Time Traveling Assistant Curators on a mission to discover how the ancient societies in the 4 Rivers Valley, the Cradle of Life, evolved through the time period of 3600 BCE – 100CE. You will create an electronic scrapbook documenting important findings. When you return with all your completed materials, you and your team will gather with other assistant curators and the Museum board to present your findings.

Scrapbook: You will create an electronic scrapbook that will have Maps, Timelines, Record sheets, and artifacts from each Civilization that you visit. You will have a title page for each civilization, a timeline with all the important events, rules, battles and technologies created and artifacts.

Presentation: You will need to create a presentation about the four ancient civilizations and some of their important attributes and achievements. Remember your job is to persuade the Museum Board of Directors that your discoveries have had an impact on both the ancient society and our modern day society. Be sure to read the rubric so you know what is expected of you. 

PROCESS

Part 1: Understanding the Four Ancient Civilization

Become familiar with the four civilizations you will be studying. Keep your journal handy at all times for jotting down notes!

View the following Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China PowerPoints and write down any questions you think are important. Then follow the link Ancient Civilization and explore a bit about the 4 river Valleys you will be studying. Make sure to write down things you think are interesting and worth following up on in your travels.

PROCESS

Part 2: Geography For this section you will print off maps,

color and label and complete questions. The following links will help you with each map.

Mesopotamia: Ancient Mesopotamia refers to the place where humans first formed civilizations. It was here that people first gathered in large cities, learned to write, and created governments. For this reason Mesopotamia is often called the "Cradle of Civilization". 

Egypt: Ancient Egypt was one of the greatest and most powerful civilizations in the history of the world. It lasted for over 3000 years from 3150 BC to 30 BC. 

India: India was one of the first places where human beings came to after they left Africa, travelling along the coast around the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. 

China: Ancient China was one of the oldest and longest lasting civilizations in the history of the world. The history of Ancient China can be traced back over 4,000 years. Located on the eastern part of the continent of Asia, today China is the largest country in the world. 

PROCESS

Part 3: Creating Your Electronic Scrap Book For this section you will focus your research on essential question that will

be provided in each section. Within each of these civilizations you will have 4 sections of different topics to research (Cultural Expression, Government, Technology, and Social Class) the essential questions will guide your research. It is important that these questions are always answered, this is not just a cut and paste assignment! U With each section you will need to use an electronic recording sheet that will be provided for you to help you organize your information.

You will need to decide how you want your scrap book to look. I suggest using Microsoft word templates, but you can use any electronic program that you choose. Make sure to include pictures, captions written in your own words, and other valuable information. ALSO A BIBLIOGRAPHY HAS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE END!!! So keep track of all your links so you don’t plagiarize. Your record sheet will also need to be included with your research. The maps that you printed off and labeled will need to be scanned and an electronic version put into your scrapbook. The most important thing about this is that you have fun and be creative!!!

PART 3: SECTION 1: CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS

Essential Questions:1. Why do you think cultural expressions (Customs; Religions, Gods, and Sacred places; Artisans and Art; Writing, Drama, Epic Tales, Myths and Folklore) are important in societies? 2. Explain what role cultural expressions play in the lives of the ancient societies and what role they play in today’s society.  Keep track of your research on the Record Sheet. This is done electronically, so remember to SAVE AS!!!!!! Include pictures and links so you can find your information again for your scrapbook. Follow the links for Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China , to gather information. Remember a bibliography will be required so write down where you get your information.

PART 3: SECTION 2: GOVERNMENTS

Essential Questions:First it is important to find out what government means, or the way people are ruled. Follow the governments and learn about governments before proceeding to the Ancient civilizations. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the different types. In Ancient civilizations they will call their government by different names, but they are all similar to the types you have studied.1. Why are the different forms of government that you found? 2. How are they different from each other?3. How are they similar to each other?4. Did any of these forms contribute to our current society’s government? Keep track of your research on the Record Sheet. This is done electronically, so remember to SAVE AS!!!!!! Include pictures and links so you can find your information again for your scrapbook. Follow the links for Mesopotamia , Egypt, India, China , to gather information. Remember a bibliography will be required so write down where you get your information.

PART 3: SECTION 3: ADVANCEMENTS

Essential Questions: 1. Why did early civilizations create technologies or systems? 2. Are there specific needs the technology or system addresses? If so what are they? Links: Ancient Civilizations, History, Plumbing, Other Innovations, Catalogue , Resources & Power Points Keep track of your research on the Record Sheet. This is done electronically, so remember to SAVE AS!!!!!! Include pictures and links so you can find your information again for your scrapbook. Remember a bibliography will be required so write down where you get your information. 

PART 3: SECTION 4: DAILY LIFE

Essential Questions: 1. How was the social class set up for each civilization? 2. How were they the same and how were they different?3. Where the gender roles different? How?4. What are the jobs or vocations were available to people? Links: Ancient Civilizations, History, Indian Caste System . Keep track of your research on the Record Sheet. This is done electronically, so remember to SAVE AS!!!!!! Include pictures and links so you can find your information again for your scrapbook. Remember a bibliography will be required so write down where you get your information.

PROCESS

Part 4: Timeline For the final piece of your project you will create a timeline. Gather up all your

information, evidence, and links from your bibliography page. Use the rough draft link to organize your information in a chronological order. Pay particular attention to Kingdoms, Dynasties, Pharos reign etc. These events are spread out of a section of time period not just a one-time occurrence. Each entry will need to have a short description and an image. This timeline link is interactive and is a special program that you have to work in each time you revise your timeline. So PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to where you save this file, again your file will only open when you are in the website program.

Your timeline should include the major ruling time periods (kingdoms, Dynasties, rules, etc.) and the technological advancements that happened with your civilization that you are bringing back as evidence of their importance on their civilization as well as ours. Here are some example timelines that show what I’m looking for, Events with simple descriptions ( Egypt , China , India ). Your timeline will begin about 4000 Before Common Era (4000 BCE) and will end around 100 Common Era (100 CE) depending on the society and the technologies and time periods you are showing.

When you are completely finished and everything from your civilizations (Image, description, and time period) are put in your timeline then hit finished. This will create a PDF file that you CANNOT revise!!!

PROCESS

Part 5: Presentation Now that you have collected your information, made your scrapbook, took

extensive notes in your journal, and have your bibliography completed, it is time to gather your team and decide which achievements, from each of the four ancient civilizations, have made the biggest impact on our modern society.

You will need to show four per civilization. Remember that your task is to convince the Museum Board of Directors of

the importance to restore the Cradle of Life Exhibit. Make sure that your choices are the most significant on ancient civilization and OUR CIVILIZATION TODAY.

  Your group presentation needs to be about 10 minutes long, each member of your group needs to present their civilization. Your presentation will need to have pictures accompanying each achievement and the impact on Ancient Society and our society.

  I suggest that you use a presentation program (PowerPoint or Prezi) so that each member can create their own slide and the work is distributed evenly. However, this is your project and you can decide, for yourselves, how you would like this accomplished.

EVALUATION

There will be two evaluations, mine (which will count for 80% of your grade) and each member of your group (counting as 20% ). Pay close attention to the rubric so that you will be able to be successful in your journey!

CONCLUSION

After all your research, scrapbook (maps, record sheet, title pages, and timeline) are complete now is your opportunity to show your evidence to the Museums Board of Directors and convince them of the value of the exhibit you want restored.

RESOURCES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

WHAT IS A WEB-QUEST?

Search for the word "Web-Quest" in any search engine, and you soon discover thousands of online lessons created by teachers around the world. What is a Web-Quest? A Web-Quest is an inquiry-oriented online tool for learning, says workshop expert Bernie Dodge 1. This means it is a classroom-based lesson in which most or all of the information that students explore and evaluate comes from the World Wide Web. Beyond that, Web-Quests:

can be as short as a single class period or as long as a month-long unit;

usually (though not always) involve group work, with division of labor among students who take on specific roles or perspectives;

are built around resources that are preselected by the teacher. Students spend their time USING information, not LOOKING for it.

RESOURCES I USED:

Maps provided by Nicholas Wardell Clip art provided by- Phillip Martin  , Classroom Clipart

 , and Google Images Websites used: http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.timeforkids.com http://www.historyforkids.org http://www.ducksters.com http://www.mrdowling.com http://www.eduplace.com