Modified LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Author: Mike Nelson
Date Created: 2/20/2012
Subject(s): World History
Topic or Unit of Study (Title): Egypt’s Golden Empire: Touring Ancient Egypt
Grade Level: High School
Materials: Computer with internet connection; Ancient Egyptian Geography Study Guide
http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/pdf/lesson7_stud_guide.pdf
Summary (and Rationale): This lesson focuses on the importance of geographic features and the
abundance of natural resources that helped ancient Egypt become the world's first superpower. Students
will learn about the geography and resources available to the ancient Egyptians.
I. Focus and Review (Establish Prior Knowledge): What countries border modern-day Egypt? What are
the major bodies of water that surround and are a part of Egypt? What is a delta, and why was the delta of
the Nile so important to ancient Egypt? Where were the fertile lands in ancient Egypt located? Discuss
with class why the Nile River was so important to the ancient Egyptians by listing its various uses and the
resources it provided. [10 minutes]
II. Statement of Instructional Objective(s) and Assessments:
Objectives
Assessments
When discussing ancient Egypt, students will
participate in a class discussion and hypothesize
about the geographic and natural resources
available in ancient Egypt, and list three reasons
why Egypt’s geography and resources were so
important to the growth of the Egyptian Empire.
As part of a class discussion, students will
hypothesize about the geographic and natural
resources available in ancient Egypt, and be able to
list three reasons why Egypt’s geography and
resources were so important to the growth of the
Egyptian Empire.
When asked to locate Egypt on a map, students will
utilize their Ancient Egyptian Geography Study
Guide in order to locate ancient Egypt, distinguish
between Upper and Lower Egypt, and identify three
geographic areas in which resources (e.g. gold)
were located.
Using the a map and their Ancient Egyptian
Geography Study Guide, students will be able to
locate Egypt, distinguish between Upper and Lower
Egypt, and identify three geographic areas in which
resources (e.g. gold) were located.
Given a topic for research, a computer and the
internet, students will write five appropriate search
terms that will locate a minimum of ten electronic
sources for his or her topic.
Using the internet, students will write five
appropriate search terms that will locate a minimum
of ten electronic sources for his or her topic.
When divided into small groups of 4-5, students will
discuss their findings, and as a group, submit a list
of five detailed examples of how the geography and
After completing their individual research for their
respective topic, students will separate into small
groups, discuss their findings, and as a group,
natural resources of ancient Egypt helped the
empire to become the world’s first superpower.
submit a list of five detailed examples of how the
geography and natural resources of ancient Egypt
helped the empire to become the world’s first
superpower.
State the objective: [This should take two 90-minute class periods]
Assessment: [No additional time is required]
III. Teacher Input (Present tasks, information and guidance):
1. Using the Egypt’s Golden Empire web site’s Virtual Egypt feature
http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/special/virtual_egypt/index.html, pose questions such as: based on what
you can see in the pictures, how would you describe the geography of Egypt? Discuss the types of
resources, plants, animals, and climate you think the country would have. Based on the pictures, how
would you characterize Egypt? Please choose one: a) barren desert, b) mountainous, c) rocky plains, or d)
fertile growing land. Explain why. Is this a place you would want to live? Why or why not?
2. Explain to students that the ancient Egyptians were one of the world’s superpowers, and that knowledge
about the geography of the country can help them understand how the ancient Egyptians attained such
power and status in the world. Distribute the Ancient Egyptian Geography Study Guide, and review the
questions.
3. Once students have completed the study guide, review the answers. Have them separate into small
groups and discuss what they have learned about the importance of geography in making ancient Egypt a
superpower. Use questions such as: how did Egypt’s terrain and physical features help to make it more
powerful? What natural resources did the ancient Egyptians use to help them attain and maintain
themselves as a world power? Why was the Nile River critically important to the ancient Egyptians? [150
minutes]
IV. Guided Practice (Elicit performance): Have students look online to find the Egypt’s Golden Empire
web site. Have them access the Virtual Egypt feature and guide them through the aforementioned
questions. As they familiarize themselves with the site, walk around and answer any additional questions
they might have. [10 minutes]
V. Closure (Plan for maintenance): Facilitate a class discussion, comparing the geography and resources
available to the ancient Egyptians with those we possess in the US. Examine how certain geographic
features and natural resources could contribute to the making of a superpower and examine the
commonalities between other areas of the world where great powers began and have continued to flourish.
[30 minutes]
VI. Independent Practice: Students will consider what they’ve learned, and retain the knowledge for future
use. [No additional time is required]
STANDARDS: WH.1 Apply the four interconnected dimensions of historical thinking to the Essential
Standards for World History in order to understand the creation and development of
societies/civilizations/nations over time. WH.2 Analyze ancient civilizations and empires in terms of their
development, growth and lasting impact.
Plans for Individual Differences: For students having difficulty following the steps, analyze where their
difficulty is and assist them. Students may benefit from having peer assistance too. For this lesson,
multiple levels of questions will be utilized. The teacher prepares a list of questions about the geography
and resources of ancient Egypt. During a discussion, the teacher asks initial questions to specific students,
based on readiness. All students are encouraged to ask and answer follow-up questions.
References (APA style):
Egypt’s Golden Empire: Touring Ancient Egypt. Retrieved February 20, 2012 from
http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/educators/lesson7.html
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: Essential Standards. Retrieved February 20, 2012 from
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/social-studies/world.pdf