Create an Indus Valley Seal
Directions Read the selection below and study the photographs of seals in Section 1
of your textbook page 203. Then answer the questions that follow and complete the activity.
1. What are some ways that scientists believe Indus Valley seals were used?
2. What do the types of animals that appear on the seals tell us about the physical geography and
climate of the ancient Indus Valley?
3. Activity Design on paper or carve into a bar of soap a seal that would tell people 2,000 years
from now something about your culture.
Re-phrase two hymns from the Vedas
Directions The Rig Veda includes 1,028 poetic hymns. Priests recited the
hymns aloud to praise the gods. Parts of two hymns are included below. Read
the excerpts, then answer the questions that follow and complete the activity.
1. Who is the enemy in Hymn XCVII? Who slays those enemies?
2. What are four weapons of war identified in Hymn LXXV?
3. Rewrite the two hymns using your own words. Then explain
what the hymns tell you about India’s Vedic age.
Create a symbol based on a topic related to Hinduism
Directions Select a topic that relates to Hinduism. Use the space
below to describe or provide information about your topic. Then, in
the box at the bottom of the page, use your topic/term as the basis of
a symbol or design that illustrates your topic in a visual way.
Topic
Description of your topic
Description of your symbol
Draw your own Dharma Chakra
Directions After winning the battle of Kalinga, Ashoka was terribly
sorry about the slaughter of so many people. He turned away from
violence and toward Buddhism. To demonstrate his sorrow, he had
stone pillars raised and carved with his apologies and edicts of how he
intended to rule and how people should live. Read the edicts below,
and then answer the following questions.
Rock Edict XI
There is no gift like the giving of the dharma [a moral life]. . . . Herein
does it consist—in proper treatment of slaves and servants, listening
attentively to father and mother, gifts to friends, relatives, priests, and
ascetics, and abstaining from slaughter of animals.
Pillar Edict II
The dharma is excellent. But wherein consists the dharma? In these
things: little impiety [wrongdoing], many good deeds, compassion,
liberality, truthfulness, and purity.
Rock Edict V
My ministers of the dharma are engaged in the prevention of
wrongful imprisonment or chastisement, in the work of removing
hindrances to the release from prison, and helping cases where a man
has a large family, has been smitten by calamity, or is advanced in
years.
1. In Rock Edict XI, how does Ashoka describe the way to show dharma?
2. In Rock Edict V, how do Ashoka’s ministers show dharma?
3. Activity Ashoka’s emblem, the Dharmachakra or Wheel of Righteous Duty, is on the national flag of India.
Draw your own Dharmachakra. First sketch a wheel with wide spokes. On each spoke, write a way to show
dharma. Use Pillar Edict II as a guide. You may use the back of this page or your own sheet of paper.
Ayurvedic Medicine
Directions Read the selection below, and then answer the questions
that follow.
1. What did Ayurvedic medicine try to balance?
2. What were the three key concepts of Ayurvedic medicine?
3. Activity List ten illnesses or emotions, followed by the doshas that Ayurvedic doctors believed
were responsible for correcting or maintaining them.
Research Hindu Holidays and Festivals
Directions Read the selection below. Answer the questions that follow and complete the activity.
1. What do Hindu festivals and holidays celebrate?
2. What types of rituals occur at Hindu festivals?
3. Activity Select one of the festivals listed in the chart. Research three rituals held during the festival
and describe them in your own words in a paragraph or create a Prezi, Go Animate, or paper poster.
Create a role-play for one of the steps in the Eightfold Path
Directions Study the “Eightfold Path” chart in page 224 of your
textbook. In your own words, summarize the eight steps in the chart
below. Then use your summaries to plan and perform a
skit that demonstrates one of the steps.
The Eightfold Path
1. Right Belief
2. Right
Purpose
3. Right
Speech
4. Right
Conduct
5. Right
Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right
Mindfulness
8. Right
Meditation
My chosen step
Members of my group, their roles, and props:
Create a detailed Venn Diagram on Hinduism and Buddhism
You may use the one below or create one on your own sheet of paper.
Create an interview scripts on Emperor Chandragupta and Emperor Ashoka
Directions Write two scripts. One will be interviewing Emperor Chandragupta and the other will interview
Emperor Ashoka.
1. Review information in the book about Emperor Chandragupta. Write key facts about him as emperor
below. Use these facts to help with interview questions and answers.
2. Review information in the book about Emperor Ashoka. Write key facts about him as emperor
below. Use these facts to help with interview questions and answers.
Write the two scripts below. Use the back of this page or add more paper if needed. Remember,
the answers will need to be open-ended, which means will require more than a “yes” or “no”
response.
Create a children’s book of Gupta’s achievements
Directions After researching the achievements of India under the Guptas, use the space below to plan out
your pages of the children’s book. You book should include a cover page and at least 3 achievements of
India.
Topic
Interesting introduction that grabs the reader’s attention
Information about the achievement
Information about the achievement
Information about the achievement
6-sided Travel Brochure
A Trip through India!
Directions Fill out this summary chart before creating your brochure. Gather information from
the Activity Cards (see Mrs. Nedrow) and your textbook.
Details about the Indus River Valley
Details about the Ganges Basin
Location:
Location:
Description:
Description:
Importance:
Importance:
Details about Harappa
Location:
Description:
Importance:
Details about Hinduism, Brihadishvara Temple
Location:
Details about Buddhism and the Sanchi Stupa
Location:
Description:
Description:
Importance:
Importance:
Outline a Documentary
Directions Use the outline of the storyboard boxes below to outline a documentary about a historical
figure from Ancient India. Create a storyboard on your own sheet of paper.
Historical figure
Opening Scene
Important Event
Important Event
Achievements
Role of Religion/
Significance to Today
Closing Scene
Select an important event from your outline above. Write a 5-minute script that
a narrator would read as part of a documentary about your historical figure. Include a short
introduction and conclusion. Write the script on the lines below. Use additional sheets of paper
if necessary.
Timeline Challenge
Use the textbook (including the History Alive textbook) to create a timeline of the
following dates. Be sure to include a description of what happened and an
image. The timeline needs to be titled “Ancient India”
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About 6500 - 5000 BCE: Settlement in India
About 2700-1900 BCE: Harappan Civilization
About 1500-1200 BCE: Vedas
About 563 BCE: Prince Siddhartha Gautama Born
About 528 BCE: Buddhism founded
About 322 BCE: First unification of India
About 300 BCE: Ramayana Composed
269-232 BCE: Reign of Ashoka
About 187 BCE: Fall of the Mauryan Empire
About 320-550 CE: India’s Golden Age
About 320 CE: Rise of the Gupta Empire
About 499 CE: Aryabhatiya Published