Seeker of
Knowledge
Compiled by:
Terry Sams PES
Test and Illustrations by James
Rumford
Study Skills
Genre: Biography
Comprehension Skill:
Graphic Sources
Comprehension Strategy:
Ask Questions
Comprehension Review Skill:
Main Idea
Vocabulary: Word Structure –
Greek and Latin Roots
Summary
In 1802, Jean-Francois Champollion was
eleven years old. That year, he vowed to be
the first person to read Egypt’s ancient
hieroglyphs. Champollion’s dream was to sail
up the Nile in Egypt and uncover the secrets of
the past, and he dedicated the next twenty
years to the challenge. James Rumford
introduces the remarkable man who
deciphered the ancient Egyptian script and
fulfilled a lifelong dream in the process.
Stunning watercolors bring Champollion’s
adventure to life in a story that challenges the
mind and touches the heart.
Genre: Biography
A Biography is a story about
a real person’s life as told by
another person. As you
read notice how the author
uses words and images to
tell his story.
Can you tell the difference in
an autobiography?
(Different PowerPoint on Genre)
Comprehension Skill Tested
Graphic Sources TE 466
A graphic source shows or explains
information from the text.
Pictures, maps, charts, time lines, and
diagrams are all examples of graphic
sources.
Graphic sources can help you draw
conclusions about what you are reading.
KWL Chart
Comprehension Skill Tested
Graphic Sources PB 183
1. What does this map show?
2. Where is Alexandria located? In what
part of Egypt is it located?
3. How close were the cities of ancient
Egypt to the Nile River?
4. About how far is Alexandria from Giza?
5. How does this map help you better
understand ancient Egypt?
Comprehension Skill Tested
Graphic Sources PB 183
1. What does this map show?
2. Where is Alexandria located? In what
part of Egypt is it?
3. How close were the cities of ancient
Egypt to the Nile River?
4. About how far is Alexandria from Giza?
5. How does this map help you better
understand ancient Egypt?
Comprehension Strategy –
Ask Questions
Good readers ask themselves
questions as they read.
This helps focus reading because they
are looking for answers.
Asking questions is especially helpful
when looking for causes and effects.
Ask yourself, “Why did this happen?”
to find a cause.
Ask, “What happened because of
this?” to find an effect.
Comprehension Skill Review
Main Idea
Main idea is an important point
about the story’s topic
Supporting details give more
information about a main idea.
Vocabulary Skill:
Greek and Latin Roots TE 468
Many words in English come from the
Greek and Latin languages. You may be
able to use what you already know about
Greek and Latin words to help you.
You might know that –trans in translate
means across, through, or beyond. Use
the meaning of the word part help you
figure out an unknown word.
Research and Study Skill:
Thesaurus TE 487
A thesaurus is a special dictionary that
lists synonyms, antonyms, and other
related words in alphabetical order.
Synonyms are words with similar meanings.
Antonyms are words with opposite
meanings.
The part of speech tells how the word is
used, such as a noun or verb.
If an entry has multiple meanings, synonyms
are given for each meaning.
Weekly Fluency Check Phrasing TE487a
● Your reading will make more sense
if you group related words together.
Inappropriate phrasing can confuse
your understanding of the story.
● Read pg. 474 and notice how we
uses commas and dashes as
phrasing cues and how to
pronounce foreign names carefully.
Grammar Review – Pronouns
Pronouns are words that take the place of
nouns.
Pronouns that take place of a singular
noun are singular pronouns
I, me, he, she him, her and it
Pronouns that take the place of plural
nouns are plural pronouns.
we, us, they, them
Grammar Review – Subject and
Object Pronouns TE 439e
A subject pronoun is used as the subject
of a sentence.
I, you, he, she, it, we and they
Object pronouns is used in the predicate
of the sentence after an action verb or with
a preposition.
me, you, him her, it, us and them
Using pronouns makes writing less wordy
by avoiding repeated nouns.
Grammar Review – Pronouns
Pronouns are words that take the place of
nouns.
Pronouns that take place of a singular
noun are singular pronouns
I, me, he, she him, her and it
Pronouns that take the place of plural
nouns are plural pronouns.
we, us, they, them
Grammar Review – Possessive
Pronouns TE 487e
Possessive pronouns show who or what
possesses something.
The possessive pronouns my, your, her,
our, and there are used before nouns
The possessive pronouns mine, yours,
hers, ours, and theirs are used alone..
Possessive pronouns his and its are used
before nouns and alone.
Other Things
Other Books by Rumford
Take of Tour Of Ancient Egypt by 4th Graders
Life in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt Web Quest
On-Line Egypt Facts Game and More
Egypt’s Gods and Goddesses
Rebus Stories
Rebus Puzzles
Question of the Week
TE 466L
How can
knowing
another
language create
understanding?
Day 2 - Question of the
Day
Why does JeanFrancois care so much
about learning a lost
language?
Day 3 - Question of the Day
Why was JeanFrancois’s
discovery
important?
Day 4 - Question of the
Day - Review
What are some
examples of symbols
used for words that
you might see
today?
Review Questions
1. Why did the author show
hieroglyphs in the sentences?
2. Why did the scholars turn
Jean-Francois away?
3. What is the main idea of this story?
4. How were Jean-Francois and Napoleon
alike?
5. What hieroglyph represent JeanFrancois? Why?
Review Questions
1. Why was knowing about Egypt’s history
important for reading hieroglyphs?
2. Why did some people think Jean-Francois
was a traitor?
3. What was the “key” he discovered that
helped him understand the hieroglyphs?
4. When did he first translate Egypt’s
hieroglyphs?
5. How can you tell he worked very hard to
reach his goal?
Vocabulary - Say It
ancient
uncover
link
scholars
triumph
temple
seeker
translate
More Words to Know
spellbound
decipher
hieroglyphs
converse
symbol
ancient
of times long
past; antique
uncover
make known;
reveal; expose;
show truth
link
anything that joins
for connects, as a
loop of chain does
triumph
victory; success
scholars
learned people; people
having much knowledge
seeker
one who tries to
find; one who
searches
translate
to change from
one language to
another
temple
building used for the
service of worship of
God or gods
decipher
to change
something in cipher
or code to another
language; decode
hieroglyphs
pictures, characters, or
symbols standing for
words, ideas ,or sounds.
The ancient Egyptians
used them instead of an
alphabet like our.
spellbound
too interested to move;
fascinated
symbol
something that stands
for or represents
something else
converse
to talk together in
an informal way
Jean-Francois
went to Paris to
meet scholars
studying the
Rosetta stone.
Jean-Francois went
to Paris to meet
scholars
studying the
Rosetta stone.
Jean-Francois
learned all the
know ancient
languages at an
early age.
Jean-Francois
learned all the
know ancient
languages at an
early age.
He was a seeker of
knowledge who can
not rest until he
found the answer to
something.
He was a seeker of
knowledge who can
not rest until he
found the answer to
something.
He knew there
had to be a link
between the
pictures and the
letters. .
He knew there
had to be a link
between the
pictures and
the letters.
He had a list
of the names of
pharaohs copied
from the walls of a
temple in Egypt.
He had a list of
the names of
pharaohs copied
from the walls of a
temple in Egypt.
It was a great
triumph when he
became the first
to understand the
ancient writing.
It was a great
triumph when he
became the first to
understand the
ancient writing.
He was able to
translate the
ancient writing to it
could be
understood.
He was able
to translate
the ancient writing
to it could be
understood.
Jean-Francois was
sent to Egypt on an
expedition to uncover
more secrets.
Jean-Francois was
sent to Egypt
on an expedition
to uncover more
secrets.
Jean-Francois
was spellbound,
imagining himself
with Napoleon.
Jean-Francois
was spellbound,
imagining
himself with
Napoleon.
His brother brought
him a notebook
filled with Egyptian
hieroglyphs.
His brother brought
him a notebook
filled with Egyptian
hieroglyphs.
They thought the
Rosetta stone
might help the
scholars to
decipher the
Egyptian.
They thought the
Rosetta stone
might help the
scholars to
decipher the
Egyptian.
Some people
learn to converse
in another
language.
Some people
learn to converse
in another
language.
He carefully
placed his fingers
in the circle, the
symbol of the
universe.
He carefully
placed his fingers
in the circle,
the symbol of the
universe.
Writing Assignment
Write a Feature Story
Choose a topic that will
interest your schoolmates.
It might be a person, a place, or
an event.
Use details that show, not tell,
your readers about the topic.
Use people’s actual words
when possible.
Spelling Words
Consonants /j/, /ks/, and /kw/
village
except
quick
explain
bridge
charge
knowledge
equal
question
queen
Spelling Words
Consonants /j/, /ks/, and /kw/
expect
excited
fudge
Texas
exercise
excellent
quart
liquid
quit
expert
CHALLENGE
expedition
advantage
aquarium
inquire
infrequent
This Week’s Word Wall Words
Click and type your own
words for this week:
Let’s review our Spelling
words. Watch carefully
because they will flash on the
screen for just a moment. We
can clap as we spell the word,
or we might just practice
reading the words.
village
except
explain
quick
charge
bridge
knowledge
question
equal
queen
excited
expect
Texas
fudge
excellent
exercise
quart
liquid
quilt
expert
expedition
aquarium
inquire
frequent
advantage