Lesson #4 – Controversial
Religion and Afterlife
Audience: 2nd grade
Prepared by: Rachel Felix
Standards: Virginia History SOL 2.1 – The student will explain how the contributions of
ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions,
the calendar, and written language.
Objective and Its Purpose: 1) Viewing a PowerPoint, students will take notes on religion and
afterlife of Ancient Egypt. 2) After a class discussion, students will create an afterlife checklist
and tomb drawing.
Materials: Interactive notebook, PowerPoint presentation, computer, projector, afterlife
checklist, brown paper, pencils.
Space: whole class (~21 students)
Time: one hour
Lesson Description
Introduction: Review with the class that they have been learning about Ancient Egypt and their
way of living. Explain that today they will learn about some of their beliefs about religion and
afterlife. Guide a brief discussion about how everyone has different beliefs and viewpoints, and
how this is ok. It is part of what makes everyone special and unique and the expectations of
respecting each other. Display the first slide of the PowerPoint and ask the students if they know
anything about Ancient Egyptian beliefs about religion and death, and ask any questions they
want answered.
Content Focus: Tell the students to write notes in their interactive notebook as you go over the
PowerPoint. Point out exact information to write and pictures to draw as you go through the
presentation. Go through the slides providing details and asking questions for comprehension. If
students make comments such as “that’s not true, there is only one god” or “they were crazy.”
Remind them that this was a long time ago, and what they believed at the time, and that today
there are many different beliefs and we should appreciate and respect that. After the presentation,
ask the students if there are any questions or comments, and allow some time for discussion.
Revisit the slide about what was buried. Ask students if they can think of anything else the
Ancient Egyptians may have buried or wanted in their afterlife. Then ask them what they might
need today in the afterlife? Explain how things we would need or want today are different than
items long ago. Suggest items such as games, computers, parents, friendship, etc. and ask the
class why they would need these things? Pass out the afterlife checklist. Read the directions to
the students, and tell them to complete the assignment. If they finish early, have them color the
pictures or draw pictures that match their items.
Closure: Once the class has finished the afterlife checklist pull up the slide about tomb
drawings. Ask students what items today they might want to take to afterlife that could not
actually fit into a tomb. Give an example of a car, which Ancient Egyptians would not have had,
but is needed today. Explain to students that they will work in pairs to create their own tomb
drawings. Explain that they will get a large piece of brown paper, and that they will collaborate
to think of at least two important items to draw. Tell them the expectations are to equally
contribute, try their best to draw neatly, and have a reason for their items. Pass out the paper and
tell students to begin. As they finish tell them to turn the paper over and write what they drew
and why it is important. If time allows, have students show the class their drawings and explain
what it is. Tell the class their drawing will be hung on the wall, like they would in a tomb, but
they will get to take it home in a few weeks.
Evaluation
Formative: Observed students’ participation during discussion and staying on task while taking
notes and working on afterlife checklist and drawing.
Summative: Students’ afterlife checklist and drawing will be collected for completion and
identification of important items.
Background Information/Content:
Religion in Ancient Egypt was extremely important, and the center of everyday life. It is
different from the beliefs of many Americans, making it difficult to understand and appreciate
completely (Brewer & Teeter, 2002). Ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses,
also known as deities, which took many different forms and changed often. These deities
represented all aspects of Egyptian culture such as, astronomy, medicine, geography, agriculture,
art, law, and more (Brewer & Teeter, 2002). Religious beliefs are different across cultures and
around the world, and have also changed overtime, so some information about Ancient Egyptian
beliefs are based only on modern research causing some unclear interpretations (Brewer &
Teeter, 2002). Two gods were considered kings, Osiris and Horus, and were treated extra special
(Brewer & Teeter, 2002). Pharaohs were also considered gods, and each had temples build for
them (About Religion, 2003). Understanding the beliefs of Ancient Egypt may be challenging
for some people because it is different than ours, but it helps us learn to respect different cultural
beliefs.
Afterlife was another belief of the Ancient Egyptians, and also a major part of their
religion and daily life. They looked forward to death because they believed their afterlife would
be even better. However, they were not automatically granted a good afterlife, they had to earn it
by being good while they were alive (Donn, 2014). Tombs were the place of burial in Ancient
Egypt. They were large because Egyptians were buried with all of the items that were important
to them, and wanted to have available for their afterlife (Carr, 2014). When someone died, their
body was preserved for afterlife through the mummification process, and during this time, tombs
were made and their treasures were places inside. Items of need or importance were included,
such as furniture, clothes, knives, spoons, food, jewelry, and more (Carr, 2014). Sometimes,
however, certain items would not fit in the tomb, or not able to be buried, so drawings and
carvings were made on the tomb walls. These were considered to be just as good, and made them
available for afterlife (Carr, 2014). This is again something not common in the American culture,
but is exciting to learn about and helps us better understand the Ancient Egyptian culture and
beliefs.
Bibliography
About religion. (2003). EMC 3706, Ancient Egypt. Evan-Moor Corp.
Afterlife Checklist. Theme series – Egypt. Creative Teaching Press.
Carr, K. (2014). Egyptian afterlife project. Portland State University. Retrieved from
http://www.historyforkids.org/crafts/egypt/afterlife.htm
Donn, L. (2014). Ancient Egypt for kids the afterlife. Retrieved from
http://egypt.mrdonn.org/afterlife.html
Egypt Past. Ancient Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife; Life after death. Retrieved from
http://www.egyptpast.com/gods/afterlife.html
Brewer, D. J. & Teeter, E. (2002). Religion in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. The University
of Chicago. Retrieved from http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/1/777777190168/
Afterlife Checklist
Name:__________________
What would you need in the afterlife? List at least 10 things, and explain how each item would
help you in the afterlife. You may also choose intangible items like love or friendship.
Items I would need
Why I would need this item