Sessions

 

Session 1: The Land Between Two Rivers

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define tributary, plateau, alluvial plain, silt, Mesopotamia, semiarid, drought and surplus.

Students will identify the Early River Valley Civilizations.

Students will explain how the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers support agriculture.

Students will examine the ancient irrigation system used by Mesopotamia.

Students will describe how Mesopotamians coped with a lack of resources.

Students will describe how Mesopotamians dealt with droughts and floods.

Students will explain why trade was important to Mesopotamians. 

Students will summarize how life changed for the people of the Ubaid culture and how modern day Marsh Arabs lifestyle relates to the Ubaid culture.

Students will identify what was necessary for the development of first cities.

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

Students will chose ONE of the projects listed below to complete for homework.

They should be ready to share their project with the class in the next session.

1) Create a job description for a worker in Mesopotamia. Some possible jobs include irrigation system planner, canal digger, wall builder, trader, and project scheduler.

OR

2) Create a diagram showing a river flowing from mountains through a floodplain to a gulf. Draw an arrow to show which way the rover is flowing. Label the following areas: mountains, river, floodplain and gulf. Color the fertile region green. Add captions to explain how rivers pick up soil and how they deposit it on the floodplain.

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Session 2: The First Civilization 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define civilization, Sumer, city-state, ziggurat, polytheism, king, monarchy, authority, caravan and architecture.

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will explain how civilization developed in the region of Sumer.

Students will summarize why Sumer is a good example of a civilization.

Students will describe the main features of a Sumerian city-state.

Students will describe how the leadership of Sumer changed and why it was important to history.

Students will identify what the tombs at Ur revealed about the city's culture. 

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

Students will chose ONE of the projects listed below to complete for homework.

They should be ready to share their project with the class in the next session.

1) Create a poster listing the five traits of civilization and giving examples from a modern society, such as the United States.

OR

2)  Using the information about Ur that you learned in today's lesson, write an essay that explains the importance of religion in Sumerian city-states. Tell how archaeological discoveries at Ur support your explanation. 

 

Session 3: Daily Life in Sumer

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define bronze, pictograph, stylus, cuneiform, scribe, innovation, almanac, deity, and ziggurat

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will describe the agricultural techniques that helped Mesopotamians produce economic surplus.

Students will identify the advances in measurements that the Sumarians developed. 

Students will analyze the ziggurat and explain how ziggurats showed that religion was important to the Sumarians.

Students will identify the social classes that made up Sumerian society and how someone could change their social class. 

Students will explain why kinds and priests were in the highest class.

Students will explain why Sumerians gave gifts to their deities.

Students will explain why many Sumerians were able to do work other than farming. 

Students will describe the tools Sumarians invented (such as the wheel and the plow) and how they made the lives better. 

Students will describe how Sumerians meet their daily wants. 

Students will explain how government officials payed for wares.

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

Students will chose ONE of the projects listed below to complete for homework.

They should be ready to share their project with the class in the next session.

1) Make a chart to show the Sumerian social classes. Then use your chart to explain to the class in the next session the relationship between Sumerian religion and it's society and government. 

OR

2) Choose a Sumerian invention and use the Internet to research it. Then give a presentation on it in the next class session about its importance. Include visuals and captions in your presentation.

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Session 4: Development of Writing

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define  pictograph, stylus, cuneiform and scribe

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will examine the literary features of The Epic of Gilgamesh

Students will explain how writing helped make the development of civilization possible. 

Students will analyze the stages of development of ancient writing from pictograph to late cuneiform. 

Students will practice writing their names in cuneiform. (Students will need a pencil and play-dough for this activity)

Students will analyze Sumerian Proverbs

Students will explain why scribes were highly respected in Sumer.

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

Students will chose ONE of the projects listed below to complete for homework.

They should be ready to share their project with the class in the next session.

1) Using clay, create your own tablet. Write a five word message about Mesopotamia in cuneiform. Bring your tablet to class with you in the next session. Present your tablet to the class and see if anyone can read the words you have written. 

OR

2) Make your own Cuneiform Tablet Cookies. Follow this link to create your cookies. Take pictures of your baking adventures from start to finish. Make a presentation (poster or slide show) of your homework and share it with the class in the next session. You may want to bring one of the cookies with you to class. 

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Session 5: The First Empire - The Akkadian Empires

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define conquer, empire, emperor, standing army and tribute

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will identify the Akkadian Empire on a map. 

Students will identify Sargon and why he was important to the Akkadian Empire.

Students will explain how Sargon maintained control over his empire.

Students will summarize the formation and destruction of the Akkadian Empire.

HOMEWORK: 

Research Sargon the Great on the internet and from your local library. Write a biography of the Akkadian ruler. Create a presentation about the biography you wrote and be ready to present it to the class in the next session. 

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Session 6: The Babylonian Empire 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Hammurabi, Fertile Crescent, cylinder seal and Amorites 

Students will present their biographies to the class. 

Students will identify the Babylonian Empire on a map.

Students will examine what daily life was like in Ancient Babylon.

Students will summarize how religion influence Babylonian culture.

Students will describe what a cylinder seal was used for and how to use it.

HOMEWORK: 

Search the internet for how to create a cylinder seal. Follow the instruction to create your own cylinder seal using your own pictographs. Bring your tablet and cylinder seal to class with you in the next session. Present your tablet to the class and see if anyone can read the words you have written. 

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Session 7: Code of Hammurabi

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Hammurabi, Fertile Crescent, code of law, justice, Code of Hammurabi

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will describe how Hammurabi controlled his huge empire

Students will describe how Hammurabi organized his code of law.

Students will explain why Hammurabi created his code of laws.

Students will examine the Code of Hammurabi and determine which they believe are fair and which ones aren't. 

HOMEWORK: 

Choose Your Own Adventure

Students will chose ONE of the projects listed below to complete for homework.

They should be ready to share their project with the class in the next session.

1) Develop a code of law for your classroom. Include penalties for failing to meet the rules.  Make a poster of your rules and present them to the class in the next session.

OR

2) Use the internet to review all of Hammurabi's achievements. Decide which are the most impressive and should be listed on a monument. Brainstorm how you might show the achievements of Hammurabi's visually. Sketch a suitable monument for Hammurabi. Use the sketch to create a monument out of construction paper and cardboard. Be ready to share your monument with the class in the next session.  

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Session 8: The Assyrian Empire

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define exile, tribute and the Great Library of Nineveh.

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will identify the  Assyrian Empire on a map.

Students will explain why the Assyrians were feared by their enemies.

Students will explain how Assyria controlled its empire.

Students will explain why the Assyrians received tribute.

Students will identify who Ashurbanipal was and why he is important to history.

Students will examine what daily life was life in the Assyrian Empire.

HOMEWORK: 

Read AssyrianEmpire.pdf. Answer the Main Idea and Critical Thinking questions on the last page. Be ready to discuss your answers in the next session.

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Session 9: The Chaldeans (New Babylonians)

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Hanging Gardens of Babylon 

Students will discuss the answers to their homework.

Students will identify who replaced the Assyrian Empire.

Students will identify who Nebuchadnezzer was and why he is important to history.

Students will describe what the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were.

Students will examine the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and explain why they were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

Students will identify some of the features of the Chaldean capital of Babylon.

HOMEWORK: 

Create a model of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. You can find other models that have been made on Pinterest. Bring your model to the next session and be prepared to share your model with the class. 

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Session 10: The Persian Empire

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Anatolia, toleration, province, satrap and Royal Road.

Students will present their projects to the class. 

Students will explain how the presence of nomadic tribes affected Persia. 

Students will identify who Cyrus the Great is and why he is important to history.

Students will describe what the rule of Cyrus was like.

Students will compare the treatment of captured people between the Assyrians and Persians.

Students will explain why Cyrus can be considered a wise emperor.

Students will identify who Darius was and why he is important to history. 

Students will explain why Darius divided the Persian empire into provinces.

Students will examine the Court of Darius.

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