www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.

Queen Nefertiti & Ancient Egyptian Art

TN State Curriculum Standards

Social Studies5.1.03 Recognize the contributions of individuals and people of various ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic groups to the development of civilizations.

ArtG4.2 Examine and demonstrate how culture, history, and art infl uence one another.

5.3 Investigate viewers’ responses to art.

Language ArtsGLE 0601.2.8 Participate in work teams and group discussions.

Objective

Students will examine a limestone bust of Nefertiti that is on display in this exhibit to explore the relationship between culture and art.

Instruction

1. Show your students a photograph of the limestone bust of Nefertiti (either to prepare them for their visit to the museum, or to refresh their memory after their visit).

2. Share the following information with your students:

Queen Nefertiti was the wife of the pharaoh Akhenaton. Akhenaton asserted his signifi cant infl uence in Egyptian religious life when he claimed only to worship one god—the sun god known as Aton. Before, most Egyptians honored a number of different gods who served different purposes, and some continued to do so despite Akhenaton’s infl uence.

As co-rulers of Egypt, Nefertiti and Akhenaton moved the capital city of Egypt from Thebes to Tell el-Amarna, where it remained until Nefertiti’s death. In those times, it was common for pharaohs and other royal family members to be portrayed as gods. Nefertiti and Akhenaton were often compared to the sun god’s children, Shu and Tefnut. When Akhenaton died, Nefertiti became one of only a few women to rule Egypt alone. Her daughter Ankhese-namun later became the wife of the pharaoh Tutankamun.

Social Studies

Students will examine a limestone bust of Nefertiti that is on display in this exhibit

1. Show your students a photograph of the limestone bust of Nefertiti (either to prepare them

TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM-N A S H V I L L E

P.1 / Queen Nefertiti & Ancient Egyptian Art

www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.

TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM-N A S H V I L L E

P.2 / Queen Nefertiti & Ancient Egyptian Art

Instruction, cont.

Ancient Egyptian artists often emphasized important fi gures like Nefertiti. This bust was discovered in the excavated workshop of a famous Eqyptian artist named Djhutmose. He left one eye unfi nished so that he could use it as a model to teach students like you how to create beautiful sculptures.

Assessment & Additional Sources

1. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 and ask them to discuss the following questions:

What do you like or dislike about Nefertiti’s bust?

What have you learned about ancient Egyptian culture or history by studying this piece of art?

Why do you think Nefertiti is an important person for us to learn about?

2. You might ask each group to turn in a sheet of paper with a summary of their discussion for you to review, or ask each group to share one or two points orally with the rest of the class.

For further reading:Fletcher, Joann. The Search for Nefertiti. (New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 2004).

www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.

Queen Nefertiti

 

www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.www.tnmuseum.org / Lesson plans provided by the Tennessee State Museum.

Queen Nefertiti