Ancient Egypt Project: An Instruction Manual for Journeying to the Afterlife

Project Overview  For the past week, we have studied ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, specifically as they relate to death and the afterlife. It's now time to demonstrate what you've learned. Rather than take a test or write an essay, your assessment will come in the form of a  project. Specifically, you will be creating an instruction manual. 

Imagine that the pharaoh of Egypt has come to you requesting your advice and wisdom on how he or she can gain entry to the afterlife. The pharaoh wants specifics. "What exactly do I need to do?" he or she asks. You decide the most effective way to communicate the specifics on everything from mummy and tomb preparation, to navigating the underworld, to what to expect at the Hall of Two Truths, is to create an instruction manual.  
   
Examples of Instruction Manuals  The purpose of an instruction manual is to educate its user about how to do something. There are instruction manuals for just about everything, from how to build something to how to fix something to how to play a game. 

An effective instruction manual probably includes: Instructions presented as step-by-step procedures, simple concise language, and visuals to make it easier to understand. 

Below are few different examples of various types of instruction manuals. 

Project Guidelines  You, along with a selected partner, will now begin constructing your own instruction manual together with the purpose of educating a pharaoh about how to gain entry into the afterlife. You and your partner will initially use the Google Slides application to create slides for each step of the 'Journey to the Afterlife.' After your Google Slides presentation is complete, you will use WeVideo software to create a screencast video and narrate your presentation. 

Other Instruction Manual Project Guidelines: 

1. You and your partner must agree on a theme and fonts for your Google Slides presentation, making the design of each slide of your 'instructional manual' consistent and visually appealing. 
2. You must include a title (e.g., A Guide to the Afterlife), along with both of your names. 
3. You must include information about the following topics and create a titled slide for each: Preparing the Tomb, Preparing the Body, The Journey Through the Underworld, The Hall of Two Truths, The Final Judgement, and The Afterlife.
4. Information should be presented in a step-by-step format and use either numbers or transition words to make clear each step. 
5. You should write clearly and concisely, use your own words, and use second-person pronouns (e.g, you and your).  
6. You should include at least one visual, image, video or illustration for each step on each slide.
7. After, completing your Google Presentation, you must work together to create a video screencast using WeVideo software that features both of your voices narrating each slide. 
8. You must share responsibilities and make sure both of you are contributing equitably to this collaborative project.    

This project will be due next Wednesday, December 21.

Life and Death in Ancient Egypt: Journey to the Afterlife (Day 3)

 Lesson Focus Question   What was the role of religion in ancient Egypt?

Journey to the Afterlife: Video Selections  Today we will continue to investigate ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, specifically as they relate to beliefs about the afterlife. We will also continue to examine multiple sources; today our sources include a variety of videos. As you watch the videos, continue to to take notes using the document Journey to the Afterlife - Study Guide.

The first video provides an overview of ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife, with a special focus on the role and importance of tombs.

The next video explains the mummification process. 

Now we will watch in excerpt of a video examining role of the Book of the Dead and the journey through the underworld.

Finally, check out this comically gruesome take on what goes down in The Hall of Two Truths, and which includes an appearance by Osiris at The Final Judgement

Homework  Complete your Journey to the Afterlife - Study

Guide. Due: Friday, December 16.

Life and Death in Ancient Egypt: Journey to the Afterlife (Day 2)

 Lesson Focus Question   What was the role of religion in ancient Egypt?

Journey to the Afterlife: Overview  Now that we all clearly understand some of  the important terms and concepts related to ancient Egyptian religion, it's time to begin our investigation into the ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife. Your task is to gather important information about each step an Egyptian would take on his or her journey to the afterlife. You will take notes using the document Journey to the Afterlife - Study Guide which can be found in your Social Studies Google Classroom. 

Ultimately, we will use our collected information to construct an Egyptian Afterlife Instruction Manual, which you will design for an ancient Egyptian pharaoh to help him or her successfully navigate the journey to the afterlife. More to come.

Today, however, we will begin working as a whole-class by examining an excerpt from your Social Studies textbook featured below entitled "Journey tot he Afterlife." Make sure as we read to add important information to your Study Guide. 

Journey to the Afterlife: Group Read and Investigation  Now we will break up into groups and dig even deeper for critical information related to the journey to the afterlife. I will provide each of you with a copy of the book The First Civilizations which also features a section entitled "Journey to the Afterlife" beginning on pg. 40. You and your group will read the section together, identify important information, and add key details to the pertinent sections of your Study Guide.  

Homework  (1.) Complete your Journey to the Afterlife - Cognitive Content Dictionary, which and Hatshepsut and Ramses II - Comparison Contrast Paragraph, both of which are due tomorrow, Friday, December 9. (2.) Continue working on your Journey to the Afterlife - Study Guide. Due: Friday, December 14.

Life and Death in Ancient Egypt

Lesson Focus Question   What was the role of religion in ancient Egypt?


Writing Warm-Up  Today we begin to learn about ancient Egyptian religious beliefs about death and the afterlife. But before we learn what they believed, let's consider some of our own beliefs. What do you believe happens after we die? Do you believe in life after death? If so, what does that mean to you? Share some of your ideas here. 

Journey to the Afterlife: Vocabulary Study  Today we are going to learn key words and concepts related to ancient Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife. You can find the assignment Journey to the Afterlife - Cognitive Content Dictionary in your Social Studies Google Classroom. After locating your assignment, I want you to make a prediction about what you think each word means by closely studying the images and accompanying questions below. We will then learn the definitions together, select a visual representation for each word, and use each word in self-constructed sentences to demonstrate our developing understanding. 
  

Do you believe in an afterlife?

Who or what do you think resides in the underworld?

What might an archaeologist find in a tomb?

If Osiris makes the final judgement of a dead person's soul, what decision is he making?

What are some of the steps in the preparation of a mummy?

Why do you think Ramses II wanted to become a mummy? 

Homework  Complete the assignment Journey to the Afterlife - Cognitive Content Dictionary. Due: Friday, December 9.

Writing Comparison-Contrast Paragraphs

 Today's Learning Objectives   * Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey information through the use of comparison/contrast. * Understand the significance of Hatshepsut and Ramses the Great.

Warm-Up: Selecting Your Similarities and Differences  As you know, today we will begin writing compare-contrast paragraphs in which we explain the similarities and differences between Hatshepsut and Ramses II. Before we do, however, we must decide which similarities and differences we find most important and want to feature in our paragraphs. 

Your task: Review the Hatshepsut and Ramses II Venn Diagram from yesterday. Using the highlight function, highlight the similarities and differences that you find most important from your venn diagram and that you may want to include in your compare/contrast paragraph.  

What Does a Comparison/Contrast Paragraph Look Like?  When you write to compare or contrast something, the topic sentence tells what you're comparing. The details tell how things are alike or different. 

Check out the example below. 

Also notice how the paragraph uses what we call signal words. Writers use signal words to show when they are comparing or contrasting. Signal words help the reader see that the writer is telling how things are alike or different and showing the connections between ideas. 

Lists of signal words can be found below. Make sure you utilize some of these words in your own paragraphs.

Notice how the example paragraph below employs signal words to show both similarities and differences. 

Lastly, what are the key elements of a good comparison-contrast paragraph? Check out the checklist below. 

Writing Your Hatshepsut and Ramses II Comparison-Contrast Paragraph  Now that you have examined a couple of examples and understand the essential elements of an good comparison-contrast paragraph, it's time to start writing your own. You can find the assignment Hatshepsut and Ramses II - Comparison-Contrast Paragraph in your Social Studies Google Classroom. You will have today and tomorrow to work on your paragraph in class, and it will be due on Friday, December 9.    

Comparing and Contrasting Hatshepsut and Ramses II

 Today's Social Studies Objective   Understand the significance of Queen Hatshepsut and Ramses the Great

 Today's Writing Objective   Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey information through the use of comparison/contrast

Introducing Comparing and Contrasting  To compare means to tell how two things are alike. To contrast means to tell how they are different. To better understanding comparing and contrasting, check out the videos below. 

Applying the Skill: Comparing and Contrasting Hatshepsut and Ramses II  Today we will utilize the skill of comparing and contrasting in order to identify the similarities and differences between the two Egyptian pharaohs Queen Hatshepsut and King Ramses II. What do these two pharaohs have in common with each other? How are they different? 

You will use the document Hatshepsut and Ramses II - Venn Diagram, which you can find in Social Studies Google Classroom, to make note of these similarities and differences. As most of you know, when using a venn diagram, similarities are recorded in the overlapping section of the circles, while the differences between two subjects are made clear in the outer labeled areas of the circles which are not overlapping.

Today, you and your teammates are going to closely examine the two text sets related to Hatshepsut and Ramses II, as well as your Hatshepsut Notes and Ramses II Notes, and try to identify both similarities and differences between these two subjects. You will then record your findings on your Hatshepsut and Ramses II - Venn Diagram. Towards the end of class we will do a whole-class share-out, as each group will have the opportunity to share their similarities and differences with each other. 

Tomorrow, we will begin to construct compare and contrast paragraphs about Hatshepsut and Ramses II based on the similarities and differences we come up with today.  

Homework  (1.) Complete your Hatshepsut and Ramses II - Venn Diagram by tomorrow, Friday December 2, so you can use it as a resource to help your write your upcoming Hatshepsut and Ramses II compare/contrast paragraph. (2.) Complete the Egypt Under the Pharaohs - Cognitive Content Dictionary, Authority Under the Pharaoh, Hatshepsut Notes, and Ramses II Notes assignments, all of which are due Friday, December 2.