Tennessee Tech University
How to Write Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Name: Sherri Wade
Date: March 8, 2013
Lesson Title: Egyptian Symbols: Learning How to Write Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs in a 21st Century
Grade/Level: 6th grade
Curriculum Standards
State/Common Core Curriculum Standards
Culture encompasses similarities and differences among people including their beliefs, knowledge, changes,
values, and traditions. Students will explore these elements of society to develop an appreciation and
respect for the variety of human cultures.
Learning Expectations:
1.05 Understand the role that diverse cultures and historical experiences had on the development of the
world.
1.06 Understand the influence of science and technology on the development of culture through time.
6.1.05 Understand the role that diverse cultures and historical experiences had on the development of the
world.
a. Explain and give examples of how language, literature, the arts, architecture, other artifacts, traditions,
beliefs, values, and behaviors contribute to the development and transmission of culture.
RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude
to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
RI.6.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including
what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
RI.6.7 Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time
lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an
understanding of the text in which it appears.
RI.6.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject
knowledgeably.
W.6.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and
publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of
keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
Focus Questions/Big Idea/Goal (List all 3)
What question(s), big idea(s), and goals drive your instruction?
Focus Questions: What are some ways people have used to communicate in the past and the present?
Big Ideas: Make comparisons between modern day text messaging techniques and the use of hieroglyphs
as forms of communication.
Goal: Students will understand the meaning and purposes of other cultures form of communication.
Lesson Objective(s)
Objectives are measurable.
Identify certain Egyptian hieroglyphs and recognize their meanings and uses.
Become familiar with aspects of ancient Egyptian culture and religion and their relationship to hieroglyphs.
Analyze how hieroglyphs were used to record history, promote international relations and create power for
the pharaohs.
Become familiar with how to correctly read and translate simple hieroglyphs.
Use a hieroglyph name generator to write their name.
Revised Spring 2011
Vocabulary/ Academic Language
What opportunities will you provide for students to practice content language/vocabulary and develop fluency ?
Hieroglyph, tomb, temples, obelisks, papyrus, pharaoh, shen, ankh, wedjat, ideograms, and scroll
Material/Resources
What do you need for this lesson?
Video Clips: Egypt’s Golden Empire Website, http://pbs.org/empires/egypt/index.html.
Large sheet of butcher paper for each student
Copies of the hieroglyphic alphabet
Pencils
Pens
Colored markers
Colored pencils
Crayons
Paint
Copies of ideograms
Scroll
Glue
Pictures
Scissors
Assessment/Evaluation
Formative: How will students demonstrate understanding of lesson objective(s)? How will you monitor and/or give feedback?
Student will receive participation grade for class activities. Students will present their posters to the class
and the classmates will translate the hieroglyph posters.
Summative: What evidence will you collect and how will it document student learning/mastery of lesson objective(s)
Students will be graded on their accuracy when completing the multiple choice quiz on hieroglyphics.
Instruction
(Include a suggested time for each major activity)
List Questions for higher order thinking
These cannot be answered by yes or no.
(Identify Bloom’s Level of Thinking)
Level I Knowledge: What is
papyrus?
students’ academic, social, and cultural characteristics. Time: 6 minutes
Level II Comprehension: Can
To create student interest, the teacher will put several text messages on the you identify an example of a
board before the students come in the room. Have the students translate
form of communication in
some the text messages. Put some of the hieroglyphic symbols on the board Ancient Egypt?
too. Write a text messages using hieroglyphics. Have the student guess the
message. Tell the students that Egyptians wrote on papyrus.
Set/Motivator: How will you engage student interest in the content of the lesson? Use knowledge of
Instructional Procedures/Learning Tasks: Provide specific resources/details of lesson content and
delivery. Time:
40 minutes
1. Tell students about Egyptian hieroglyphs, referring to the information
in the “set”.
2. Explain to students that they will be learning about Egyptian
hieroglyphs and how they were used in the everyday life of the
ancient Egyptians.
3. Teacher will explain why hieroglyphs are historically significant in
teaching us about Egypt’s history, customs, and life in ancient Egypt.
Level I Knowledge: Can the
student recognize the basic
components of culture (i.e.,
language)?
Level II Comprehension: Can
you distinguish how early
writing forms in Egypt
influenced life (i.e. religion and
Revised Spring 2011
Time: 5 minutes
4. Have students view the video clips about Amenhotep’s diplomatic
strategies to see pharaohs used of hieroglyphics to stay in power.
5. Hand out copies of the Egyptian alphabet to each child as well as the
butcher paper.
6. Read aloud an ancient Egyptian sentence to the students.
7. Show the students how the Egyptians would have written their
names.
8. Have some students come to the board and spell their name to
become more familiar with the language.
9. The teacher will tell the students, they will be Egyptian scribes. Each
child will write his or her name in hieroglyphs, followed by ideogram of
his or her choice.
10. Remind the students to work very slowly and carefully.
11. Have the students to create a one to two sentence message using
Egyptian hieroglyphs.
12. Students will write down the translation of the message on the back of
the paper.
13. Post messages on the wall and have the students translate each
poster.
Closure: Verbalize or demonstrate learning or skill one more time. May state future learning. Time:
6
minutes
The teacher will show another message and have the students to translate
the message on paper. The teacher will ask what language is it. The teacher
will show different forms of communication from other cultures.
culture)?
Level III Application: Can you
apply text messages to
hieroglyphics?
Level IV Analysis: Can the
students compare and
contrast text messages and
hieroglyphics?
Level III Synthesis: Can you
write and decipher messages
using various alphabets?
Level V Synthesis: How would
you write your name in
hieroglyphics?
Level V Synthesis: How can
the students rewrite a
sentence from ancient Egypt
to 21st century language?
Level VI Evaluation: Based on
the information about
hieroglyphs, how would the
students interpret the following
language: Spanish
Adaptations to Meet Individual Needs: How will you adapt the instruction to meet the needs of individual students? Include ELL?; SPED?; Gardner’s Learning Styles - Name and specify what happens in the lesson that uses each learning style listed; Other individual needs
of the students/class you are teaching?
ELL students will be allowed to write in their native language and posting on the wall and have the English
speaking students translate their message. SPED students will use visual aids (pictures) and work with a
partner to make their poster.
Gardner’s Learning Styles:
Artistic intelligence: Students will show their create side by forming
Interpersonal intelligence: Students will work together to transcribe the messages.
Linguistic intelligence: Students will show their ability to interpret another language.
Intrapersonal intelligence: Students will compose their name in a different language to demonstrate
understanding of another language.
Logical intelligence: Students are able to see and relate 21st century text messages to hieroglyphs and
explore the patterns and relationships.
Management/Safety Issues: Are there any management and/or safety issues that need to be considered when teaching this lesson?
Make sure students do not cut themselves with the scissors or eat the glue.
Rationale/Theoretical Reasoning: The
purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the writing and
art of ancient Egypt through hieroglyphs. The student will learn that one of the oldest writing
Revised Spring 2011
systems in the world is hieroglyphics and that each symbol represents sound. The student will
develop an understanding that hieroglyphics was used as a form of communication, record
keeping, and a way to preserve writing language to the gateway of the past, by the use of text
message in the 21st century students will be able to see the connection of the past to the present.
References: Egyptian Symbols and Figures: Hieroglyphs retrieved on 3/2/2013 from
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/egyptian-symbols-and-figures-hieroglyphs.
GreatScott! Website, http://www.greatscott.com. Retrieved on March 2, 2013.
Reflections/Future Modifications: To what extent did the class learn what you intended them to learn? What will be your next steps
instructionally? What did you learn about your students as learners? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher?
Revised Spring 2011