James Madison University – College of Education
Social Studies Lesson Plan Format
Name: _Susan Grove_________________________
Date: __July 13, 2010___________
Subject/Class: _Honors World History & Geography I_Grade Level: _9_ Topic: Geography of
Ancient Egypt
NCSS Theme #_3_ : _People, Places and Environments
Subthemes: Knowledge : Bullets 1, 2, & 3___
Processes_ : Bullets 1 & 2
(Remember NCSS is focused on Knowledge, Process and Product—be specific)
Essential Questions/Big Ideas:
Why did civilizations develop in river valleys?
What were the major uses of the Nile River to the Ancient Egyptians?
Do cities today use rivers in the same way as the Ancient River Valley civilizations? Do cities
today need to be located near a major river to survive? Has technology helped humans to better
use the rivers to their advantage?
SOLs/Standards addressed:
WHI.3
The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including those
of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River Valley, and China and the civilizations of the
Hebrews, Phoenicians, and Nubians, by
a) locating these civilizations in time and place;
b) describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery;
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
1. Students will be able to locate on a map political and physical features relevant to
Ancient Egypt on a map.
2. Students will be able to identify the following physical features and how they impacted
Ancient Egypt: delta, cataract, desert.
3. Students will be able to identify and prioritize the use of the Nile for the Ancient
Egyptians.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Assessment alignment chart: How will you know they know the objectives listed above?
Objective
U1: SWBAT locate on a map political and
physical features relevant to Ancient Egypt
on a map.
U2: SWBAT identify the following
physical features and how they impacted
Ancient Egypt: delta, cataract, desert.
U3: SWBAT identify and prioritize the
use of the Nile for the Ancient Egyptians.
Assessment (formative and summative)
Formative – Ancient Egypt Geography Treasure Hunt
(as shown by Christa Owens at CTA)
Summative – Map Quiz given next class period and
Ancient Egypt Unit Test
Formative – Teacher questions during lecture (students
have white boards to write answers on)
Summative – Ancient Egypt Unit Test
Formative – Student created foldable
Summative – Ancient Egypt Unit Test
Background Content Outline:
Egypt Geography – Teacher Notes
I. Review map labeled in Treasure Hunt Activity – have students make any corrections
II. General Information
A. Flows north from Lake Victoria and other tributaries that feed from Highlands
B. Several cataracts – rapid waters to rough for boats to pass through
C. Surrounded by deserts – arid, dry land, low vegetation & precipitation
1. Eastern Desert
2. Western Desert
3. Sahara Desert
4. Deserts called the “Red Land” by Ancient Egyptians due to sand
D. Nile Delta
1. delta – fan shaped area where Nile empties into Mediterranean Sea
2. Deposited silt creates fertile land
3. Most people settled in this area or along the banks of the Nile because
fertile land
4. Land along river & in delta called “Black Land” due to soil
E. Seasons
1. Akhet
a. July to October
b. Flooding season – Nile would overflow and spread soil along
the banks
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
c. Farmers had little work at this time so were often put to work for
the pharaoh
2. Peret
a. November to March
b. After flood would scatter seed into damp soil before ground
hardened
c. End of season was harvest time
3. Shemu
a. April – June
b. Sun would baked the land
4. Aswan Dam
a. Built in 1960’s to help control Nile flooding
b. Put an end to annual flooding of land
5. Predictable flooding over time unlike Mesopotamia
F. Uses of the Nile River
1. Irrigation
a. Built dykes and ditches to help water move to desired locations
b. Low flood years caused famine because not as much land could
cultivated
2. Travel
a. Like a major highway for travel
b. First boats were made of papyrus reeds; later made of wood
c. Barges carried large loads
3. Trade
a. Linked cities because no major road system
b. Goods from city to city and from Mediterranean trade routes
4. Papyrus
a. Reed like plant that grows on banks of Nile
b. Variety of uses – paper, baskets, boats & rafts
5. Food
a. fishing
b. hunting – wildlife plentiful because of river
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
DEAN CHART
Concept word
Delta
Cataract
Desert
D=define
Fan like area of
deposited silt as
water goes from
a smaller body of
water to a larger
body of water
Area of rapid
waters, low
waterfalls in a
river that
prevents boats
from traveling
further on a river
Arid and low
precipitation;
sandy, dry
ground, low
vegetation
E=examples
Mississippi Delta
Ganges Delta
A=attributes
Fertile
Marshy
N=non-examples
Strait
Plain
Colorado River’s
Cataract Canyon
Rough Water
Rapids
Waterfalls
Plateau
Lake
Sahara Desert
Dry
Low rainfall
Lack of fertility
Tundra
Rain Forest
Swamp
Instructional Plan:
Hook and
Intro
10 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do
1. Teacher will put a picture of activity on the
Nile River from an Egyptian tomb painting
on the Smart Board.
What the Students Will Do
1. Students will be given 30 seconds
to look at the picture before it is
turned off. On a piece of paper
students will be list what activities
they saw in the picture and then
share their results.
2. Then teacher will display the picture again
and ask students leading questions on what
is happening in the picture
2. Students will then list any
additional things they saw
happening in the picture. And
answer teacher led questions about
the picture.
.
3.
The teacher will introduce the lesson and
explain to the students about Egypt being
the 2nd river valley they will be discussing
and then explain the objectives of the
lesson and what students will be expected
to do by the end of the lesson.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
3. Students will listen to teacher
explanation of lesson.
Map
Activity
20 minutes
1. Teacher will handout Ancient Egypt
Treasure Hunt Activity, star stickers, and
colored pencils.
2. Teacher will check for understanding by
walking around room and looking at
student placement of stars on map.
Lecture &
Notes
20 minutes
1. Teacher will lead a power point lecture that 1. Students will take notes on power
discusses the map the student’s labeled
point lecture and check their map
(both correct locations and importance of
to make sure items are correctly
key places and vocabulary) and the
labeled.
importance of the Nile River to the Ancient
Egyptians.
2. Teacher will check for understanding by
asking questions of students throughout the
lecture.
Foldable
Activity
30 minutes
Homework
Up to 10
minutes in
class
1. Students will complete Ancient
Egypt Treasure Hunt Activity
using their textbooks.
2. Students will answer teacher
questions on material throughout
the lecture.
1. Teacher will demonstrate how to create a
1. Students will listen to teacher
foldable that shows the uses of the Nile and
instructions.
their order of importance as decided by the
student. Teacher will also explain the
homework assignment for students to begin
when they complete the foldable and
announce a map quiz for the next class.
2. Teacher will pass out materials for
foldable.
2. Students will create a foldable that
shows the uses of the Nile to
Ancient Egyptians. On the foldable
they will list them, create an image
of them, explain why the use is
important and rank the uses in
order of importance.
3. Teacher will observe students as they work
on foldables then collect the foldable as
students finish the assignment.
3. Students will turn in foldable when
finished and begin homework
assignment.
1. Teacher will give students the following
assignment. “Write a 7-10 sentence
paragraph comparing the use of major
rivers today versus Ancient Egyptian uses
of the Nile River. What has changed since
ancient times and what has stayed the
same?”
1. Students will complete the
homework assignment after turning
in their foldable.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
2. Students will study for a map quiz
next class.
Summative
Evaluation
1. Teacher will give students a map quiz the
next class period.
1. Students will take an Ancient
Egypt Map Quiz the next class
period.
2. Teacher will give students a unit test on
Ancient Egypt at the end of the unit.
2. Students will take a unit test on
Ancient Egypt at the end of the
unit.
Materials Needed for the Lesson:
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Image – Ancient Egyptian Tomb Painting
Smart Board
Ancient Egypt Treasure Hunt Worksheet
Star Stickers
Colored Pencils
Power Point on Ancient Egyptian Geography
Colored Paper
Scissors (class set)
Glue Sticks
Bibliography/Resources Used (using APA):
Owens, Christa. (6/28/11). Interactive and Student-Owned Strategies that Really Work. Content Academy
History K-12. Lecture conducted from James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Adaption/Differentiation:
ELL/struggling
Students can work with a partner on the Ancient Egypt Treasure Hunt.
readers
Teacher can also reduce the number of locations on the Treasure Hunt
Worksheet. Change homework assignment to a simpler paragraph.
ADHD
Gifted
Activities in this lesson are manipulative and/or 20 minutes or less in
length therefore should be suitable for an ADHD student.
Lesson is created for this level.
Explanation of Instructional Strategies Used:
This is the first lesson in the Ancient Egypt unit. I chose hands on activities for this lesson, such as the
Treasure Hunt Activity and the foldable, because it helps the students to remember the facts and
understand the effect of geography on a civilization. The Treasure Hunt Activity also helps to put the
location of Egypt in perspective compared to other places we have discussed thus far. The foldable
creates a study aid for the students. The lecture provides time for more in depth teaching and learning.
By doing it with power point I can include pictures that students can remember and I will also pass
around books, papyrus paper and have a papyrus plant for students to see. The paragraph at the end of
the assignment helps to get students to think about modern events in relation to geography.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10