#2561. Contributions of Ancient Egypt and China

Social Studies, level: Elementary
Posted Thu Apr 25 09:30:27 PDT 2002 by Marlene (mfratchford@rmwc.edu).
Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Virginia
Materials Required: Power Point presentation slides and handouts of terms on matrix
Activity Time: one, one hour session
Concepts Taught: ancient civilizations

INTEGRATIVE MODEL

Date: March 27, 2002
Grade level: Second Grade
Subject: History
Unit topic: Ancient Egypt and China
Lesson topic: Contributions of Ancient Egypt and China

Goals:

Students will be able to recognize patterns within and inductively arrive at generalizations about the contributions Ancient Egypt and China have made in regards to a) written language, b) laws, c) calendars, and d) architectural monuments.

SOL 2.3:
The student will study the contributions of Ancient Egypt and China, which have had an impact on world history, with emphasis on written language, laws, calendars, and architectural monuments such as the Pyramids and the Great Wall of China. Key concepts include: a) ancient, b) architecture, c) contributions, and d) climate.

Objectives:

Presented in information on a matrix, students will be able to:

1. Describe, compare, and search for patterns among the data (knowledge, comprehension, analysis)
2. Explain the similarities and differences among the data (analysis)
3. Hypothesize outcomes for different conditions, based on evidence from the data (synthesis)
4. Generalize to form broad relationships and summarize the content (synthesis, evaluation)

Materials: Power Point presentation slides and handouts of terms on matrix

Concept: ancient civilizations

Concept Definition:

A group of people that lived long, long ago.

Concept Attributes:

location, climate, land, written language, inventions, architecture

Concept Analysis:
Contribution (superordinate)
Ancient civilization (concept)
Ancient China (coordinate)
Ancient Egypt (coordinate)
Location (subordinate)
Climate (subordinate)
Land (subordinate)
Written Language (subordinate)
Inventions (subordinate)
Architecture (subordinate)
Government/Laws (subordinate)

Introduction:

1. The teacher will check the prior knowledge of the students by asking divergent
and convergent questions about Ancient Egypt and China.

What do you remember about the key terms from last week? What do you know about Ancient China? What do you know about Ancient Egypt?

Possible Responses
a) the wall, the Ming Dynasty, Samurai warriors protected the Emperor of China
b) the Sphinx were built after the pyramids, pyramids are tombs, pyramids hold
jewelry and treasures, pyramids hold the Egyptian royalty

2. The teacher will write student responses on the chalkboard.
3. The teacher will show Power Point slide of terms.

Procedure:

I. Describe, Compare, and Search for Patterns

1. The teacher will present a Power Point slide of a matrix
2. The teacher will direct student attention to rows and columns, and ask for
observations and descriptions about specific cells.

What do you notice about the rows? What do you notice about the columns?

II. Explain Similarities and Differences

1. The teacher will ask students to compare and contrast similarities between Ancient
Egypt and China in regards to location, climate, land, plant life, written language,
and inventions.

What similarities do you see between Ancient Egypt and China?

Possible Responses
a) both have deserts
b) both have rulers
c) both have big buildings

2. The teacher will write student responses on the chalkboard.
3. The teacher will ask students to compare and contrast differences between Ancient
Egypt and China in regards to location, climate, land, plant life, written language,
and inventions.

What differences do you see between Ancient Egypt and China?

Possible Responses
a) they are in different continents,
b) they have different plants
c) they write differently

4. The teacher will write student responses on the chalkboard.
5. The teacher will ask the students to suggest hypotheses to explain their observations.

III. Hypothesize Outcomes for Different Conditions

1. The teacher will ask the students to hypothesize outcomes for different conditions.

Why do you think China is known for silk cloth? Why is the Great Wall in China, but not in Egypt? Why does Egypt have Pyramids but China does not? Why did the Chinese need to invent the compass? Why does Egypt have a 365-day a year calendar? What if Egypt had four seasons like China? Why does China have a lot of trees, but Egypt does not?

Possible Responses
a) the climate in China supports the growth of silk worms
b) Egypt didn't need to keep people out
c) China doesn't bury in pyramids because they have a lot more land, they bury
on hills
d) to expand trade
e) so they could get around in the desert at night
f) there wouldn't be a desert, the temperatures would vary
g) the weather allows trees to grow

IV. Generalize to Form Broad Relationships

1. The teacher will ask the students to suggest hypotheses that account for the
seminaries and differences they have observed and relate how those
similarities and differences impacted history.

How does Ancient Egypt and China impact our world today?

Possible Responses
a) The Great Wall keeps family and friends away from each other, and that might have
started wars and fighting
b) People stole from the pyramids, and that might have started wars and fighting
c) Flooding in Egypt made people have to move
d) Written language in both countries helped everyone keep records
e) Art came from the written language

V. Assessment

1. The teacher will assess each students' response to the final question, looking for
synthesis, inference, and interpretation of the material.
2. The students will write a one-paragraph summary, giving support for their answers.
(e.g. why and how they came up with their final answer)
3. Students will hand in the written assignment to the teacher.