Steps for Drawing a Poster Version of a Diorama
Work with your group to create a poster version of a mechanical diorama about your Mesopotamian
Empire. In the poster version of the mechanical diorama, you will draw two pairs of students that share
two achievements and the importance of the two achievements.
_____ Step 1: Review the roles. Your teacher will assign an empire to your group, and a role to you.
With your groups, read the information below. Make sure that everyone understands his or her
responsibilities.
Historian: You will lead the group during step 2 to make sure everyone understands and uses key
historical information about your empire.
Set Designer: You will lead the group during step 3 to create a rough sketch of your mechanical diorama.
Artist: You will lead the group during Step 4 to create visuals on the poster of your diorama.
Writer: You will lead the group during Step 4 to write speech bubbles on the poster of your diorama.
_____Step 2: Learn about your empire and complete your Reading Notes.
Open your book to this lesson and take turns reading aloud the two sections about your empire.
Complete the corresponding Reading Notes in your Interactive Student Notebook. Be certain everyone
in the group can describe two important achievements of this empire.
_____Step 3: Brainstorm your poster version of a diorama and create a rough sketch.
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Your diorama will bring to life your empire’s two achievements that you illustrated and
explained in your Reading Notes.
Everyone in your group must take part in the planning and drawing of the poster version of your
diorama.
After you have finished brainstorming, have the Set Designer use a separate sheet of paper to
make a rough sketch of what your diorama will look like. Draw and label the pairs in the scene,
where they will be positioned, and what achievement each pair will illustrate.
_____ Step 4: Create a poster version of the mechanical diorama.
Using your sketch as a rough draft, draw the mechanical diorama on poster paper. It should show two
pairs of students, each positioned in a way that demonstrates their empire’s achievements.
Next to each pair, write speech bubbles explaining what the characters would say if a museum visitor
pushed their “Start” button. One person should have 2-4 sentences explaining the achievement, and
the other person should have 2-4 sentences explaining the importance of the achievement.
_____Step 5: Place your mechanical diorama poster on the wall. Then, when instructed, examine the
posters to learn about the achievements of the other Mesopotamian empires. Complete the
corresponding Reading Notes for each empire.
Completeness
Neatness
Cooperation
Achievements
Importance of
Achievements
5
4
3
2
All directions were
followed. 2-4
sentences are included
about each
achievement and 2-4
sentences are included
explaining the
importance of each
achievement. Great
attention to detail.
Planning is evident.
All work is extremely
neat. Pictures are
colored in and text is
easy to read.
Most directions were
followed. Sentences
are included about
each achievement and
sentences are included
explaining the
importance of each
achievement. Some
attention to detail.
There is evidence of
planning.
Most work is neat.
Pictures are colored in
and text is easy to
read.
Directions were not
followed or planning
was not done
beforehand. Attention
to detail is not evident
from finished product.
All group members
worked well together
and problem solved
appropriately.
Teacher did not have
to prompt group to
stay on task.
Both achievements of
assigned empire are
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster in
detail.
The importance of the
achievements of the
assigned empire are
included and are
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster in
detail.
Group members
worked well together
and problem solved
appropriately.
Minimal prompting
was needed to stay on
task.
Both achievements of
assigned empire are
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster.
Some of the directions
were followed.
Information was
included about each
achievement and
information was
included explaining the
importance of each
achievement. There is
some evidence of
planning.
Some work is neat.
Pictures may or may
not be colored in and
text may or may not
be easy to read.
Not all group members
worked well together
and teacher had to
aide in problem
solving. Teacher
prompting was needed
to stay on task.
One achievement of
assigned empire is
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster,
The importance of one
of the achievements of
the assigned empire is
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster.
Importance of
achievements is vague
or not included.
The importance of the
achievements of the
assigned empire are
included and are
correct and accurately
portrayed on poster.
Work is not neat.
Extensive teacher
prompted was needed
in order for group to
complete the task.
Achievements are
vague and are not
portrayed in much
detail.
Group score: _________/25 = _________%
Comments:____________________________________________________________________________
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