Learning Scenario
Arabic: The Splendors of Egypt
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Author: Fadwa Saqer |
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Egyptian hieroglyphics tell much about the life and death of the ancient Egyptians. Their beliefs, customs, and culture come to life through these writings. In this scenario, students become "Egyptologists" as they conduct research on a variety of topics. At the end of the scenario, students complete two projects of their choice based on their findings. Students conduct class discussions in English as needed. More advanced students and native speakers of Arabic use target language resources as much as possible.
ACTIVITY SET 1: Activating Background Knowledge
To activate learners' background knowledge about Egypt, students
watch two videos in English. One of the tapes is designed for the
prospective traveler in Egypt, and the other is a documentary from
National Geographic (see Resources). As they watch, students choose
two cities that interest them based on the location of the ruins
and antiquities. They make notes in Arabic, listing three facts
about their selected sites. As each student shares information with
the class, other students add to their own lists. From this small
beginning, students develop a learning log notebook with extensive
information about Egypt that they use as they develop their final
products.
ACTIVITY SET 2: Understanding Hieroglyphics
Students are given a chart of the Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabet
with transliterations used by Egyptologists and the approximate
pronunciations in English. The orientation of the language, the
sounds, the vowels, the gender, and the Egyptian numbers all are
discussed in class and are compared with Arabic. Students practice
writing their names in hieroglyphics.
ACTIVITY SET 3: Viewing Artifacts
Students take a field trip to a museum that has an ancient Egypt
collection such as the Museum of Fine Arts or the Museum of Natural
Sciences in Houston, Texas. They participate in a guided tour, take
pictures (if allowed) or make sketches, and gather information that
they add to their notebook. While at the museum, students study
the artifacts and attempt to identify any hieroglyphics they find.
(If a field trip is not possible, students visit and gather information
from a virtual museum, such as the one found at http://touregypt.net/museum/.)
ACTIVITY SET 4: Investigating Egyptian Deities
Among the artifacts students encounter on their museum visit
are examples of ancient Egyptian deities. Animals were important
spiritual figures for the ancient Egyptians, and their deities'
characteristics were often represented both physically and mentally.
ACTIVITY SET 5: Visiting Egypt
After visiting the museum, students make a virtual trip to Egypt
using the Internet to explore more aspects of its rich history.
Students investigate ancient sites such as the Pyramids of Giza,
the Sphinx, Hatshepsut’s temple, the Light House at Alexandria,
Al Karnak, and/or the Delta. They choose a travel destination and
look for information for their notebooks such as who built the ancient
site and why, where it is exactly, and what makes it interesting.
Once they have gathered enough information, they “send”
post cards from their Egyptian vacation location. They draw a colored
picture of one of the sites, create a stamp with an Egyptian theme,
and address the card to a friend or a family member. Intermediate
students write a standard post card message that reports on where
they are and what they are doing. More advanced students write a
lengthier card that includes their feelings about when they first
arrived, whether they would return, and what were the best and worst
things about their visit.
ACTIVITY SET 6: Building a Pyramid
One of the sites even a virtual tourist is sure to encounter is
the Great Pyramid. Students build a model of this ancient monument,
but first they must properly scale it down. To do so, they must
make the pyramid 3,000 times smaller than it really is! This means
that every 30 meters of the pyramid is scaled down to one centimeter
on their plan in their notebook. Students visit a Web site where
they find an outline and the instructions for building a paper pyramid
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/geometry/print.html).
Once they have assembled and printed their scaled-down model, they
compare it to scaled-down versions of other buildings and objects,
such as the tallest building in the neighborhood, the Sears Tower
in Chicago, or the Statue of Liberty. (To do this, students divide
the object’s height in meters by 30 to get its scaled height
in centimeters.) They make comparative statements (either orally
or in writing) about their discoveries, for example: The Great Pyramid
is ____ times larger than my house; The Statue of Liberty is ____
times smaller than the Great Pyramid.
ACTIVITY SET 7: Creating a Mummy
Since the ancient pyramids were used as a final resting place for
the dead, students enjoy investigating mummies on the Internet to
gather information about all aspects of the mummification process.
One particularly good site includes a “clickable” mummy
(http://www.akhet.co.uk/clikmumm.htm).
Each aspect is assigned to a particular group for research. For
example, one group may study the different methods for the preservation
of the internal organs; another, the mummification of the head;
a third, why the brain was treated differently from the rest of
the internal organs, etc. A Fact Chart (see Resources) is used to
organize the data gathered and is included in their learning log.
Students then become “mummification instructors.” Groups
of students take turns giving the class lessons on one aspect of
the mummification processes using props in their presentations.
Other groups take notes as they listen.
ACTIVITY SET 8: Shopping, Egyptian Style
Most tourists don't limit their travel experiences to museums and
monuments; they often like to shop as well! One of the famous markets
in Egypt is the Khan El Khaleeli bazaar. It is a public market place
where one can find souvenirs, artifacts, and many other kinds of
products. It is also a place where people have to bargain and negotiate
prices before they make a purchase. Students learned about the bazaar
from the videos viewed in Activity Set 1; they now use Arabic to
compare it to the flea market in the United States using a graphic
organizer such as a T-chart
or Venn
Diagram. (See Resources for samples.)
To further their investigation of products found in the bazaar, students create a mail order catalog of Egyptian items with pictures, descriptions, and prices in Arabic. Catalogs include a variety of specific categories such as furniture, food, African animals, personal care/fashion items (e.g., cosmetics such as kohl, wigs, clothes, sandals, mirrors), or funeral equipment such as sarcophagi, coffins, canopic jars, Book of the Dead. Each catalog page contains only one item from each category to facilitate using the pages in the roleplay that follows. Students name their catalogs and create an appropriate cover. They next work in pairs to recreate the atmosphere of an Egyptian bazaar in the classroom by constructing and decorating stalls that are filled with items for sale, either pictures from their catalogs or realia that is available. Students take turns roleplaying the shopper and the salesperson, enacting the bargaining and negotiating process in Arabic as they “purchase” items that interest them.
- Communication: Interpersonal, Interpretative, & Presentational Modes
- Cultures: Practices & Perspectives, Products & Perspectives
- Connections: Access to Information, Other Subject Areas
- Comparisons: Concept of Culture, Influence of Language & Culture
- Communities: Within & Beyond the School Setting, Personal Enrichment & Career Development
- Computers with Internet access and software (such as PowerPoint) for both publishing and presentation
- Art supplies for students to draw maps, make sketches of the artifacts, and create the greeting cards and Egyptian stamps
- Rulers, calculators, pencils, papers, cardboards, adhesive (glue), erasers and geometry set to draw the scales of the pyramids
- Different forms and charts to help students handle their data gathering and organize their ideas such as: Fact Charts, Character Charts, and KWL charts
- Wall map of Egypt
- Chart of the hieroglyphic alphabets, corresponding vocabulary word list
- Pictures of artifacts (e.g., from the Museum of Natural Sciences and/or the Museum of Fine Arts)
- Laura McKenzie’s Travel Tips: Egypt (video)
- Egypt: Quest for Eternity (video)
Cultures: Students learn about Egyptian cultural products (art, language, food, etc.) and practices (shopping, religion). They also gain an understanding of the perspectives behind these products and practices (e.g., the significance of the afterlife to ancient Egyptians and the resultant items and rituals).
Connections: Students use target language resources to gain access to information about all aspects of ancient Egypt. They connect to many other subject areas, such as social studies, history, geography, mathematics and the fine arts.
Comparisons: Students compare their culture to the culture of Egypt as they compare the flea market with the Egyptian bazaar and the pyramid with the Statue of Liberty.
Communities: Students use the language beyond the school setting during their field trip to the museum.
- Have a "Food Day" in which groups of students prepare select dishes from Egypt using the school's home economics facility. Dishes can be prepared after school and consumed in class the next day. This rewards the students for working hard and gives them a chance to have a real taste of Egypt.
- Play the song Desert Rose, performed by Sting and Cheb Mami or other suitable Arabic songs. Students translate the Arabic part of the lyrics.
- The Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH)
1001 Bissonnet Street Houston, Texas 77005
Telephone: (713) 639-7588
e-mail: resource@mfah.org
contact person: Shelley F. Roselius,
Resource Center Coordinator correspondence:
P.O. Box 6826, Houston, TX, 77265-6826 - Houston Museum of Natural Science
Information/Tickets: (713) 639-4629
e-mail: webmaster@hmns.org
- Laura McKenzie's Travel Tips: Egypt (Republic Pictures Home Video)
- Egypt: Quest for Eternity (National Geographic Classic Videos, Westron Video).
NOTE: These Internet resources may have changed since publication or no longer be available. Active links should be carefully screened before recommending to students.
Egypt
- http://touregypt.net/museum/
- http://touregypt.net/recipes
- http://www.neferchichi.com/
- http://www.akhet.co.uk/clikmumm.htm
- http://www.egyptianacademy.com/
- http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/egypt/hunt/EgyptHunt.html
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/geometry/print.html
Sample Graphic Organizers
- http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6293.html (registration required)
This site includes links to printable graphic organizers such as fact charts, character charts, T-charts, and Venn diagrams.
"Desert Rose" Song Sites
