2.1 Overview Social Studies SOL

2.1 OVERVIEW

The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Introduce the concept of ancient to the class. Have students list things that are new and things that are old. Talk about how old they are, how old their parents and grandparents are. Discuss the fact that ancient means very, very old. Discuss with the class the age of the United States. Tell them that they are going to study about people and countries that are much older than the United States.
Make a chart divided into two columns labeled ancient and modern. Ask students to come up with several ideas to fill up the chart.
Locate the continent of Asia on the map. Have the class locate the country of China on the continent of Asia. Talk about how the map shows modern China.
Use a map of ancient China to help the students find and locate the Great Wall of China. Show various pictures of the Great Wall and read a teacher-selected story about the Great Wall.
Use various resources and have students locate one fact about China. Have the students write and illustrate their fact on a brown paper bag cut into squares. Once the squares are complete assemble them into the shape of the Great Wall.
Use various textbooks, trade books, and charts to model for students how the ancient Chinese used characters to write. Have the class make a Chinese scroll using the Popsicle sticks as the ends and the adding machine tape in the middle. Have them write the characters they have practiced in black marker.
Introduce ancient Chinese inventions. Show the class a piece of silk and discuss the process that went into making it. Emphasize that we still use silk today. (Show the lifecycle of a silk worm)
Locate the continent of Africa on the map. Have the class locate the country of Egypt on the continent of Africa. Talk about how this map shows modern Egypt.
Introduce the architecture of ancient Egypt as shown in the pyramids. Use teacher created patterns, or bought patterns to have the students make their own pyramids. Discuss the importance of these monuments.
Explain that the ancient Egyptians also had their own writing. It was called hieroglyphics. Show examples. Use pictures and texts to demonstrate hieroglyphic writing. Allow the students to use art supplies to create their names using hieroglyphics.
Discuss with the class the importance of contributions and how the Egyptians contributed the 365-day calendar and clock. Have the students illustrate one of the Egyptian contributions.
As a review activity, have the students complete a Venn diagram comparing ancient China and Egypt. Graphic organizers are available at the following Web sites: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/ and http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm.

WEB SITES

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/KingsParkES/technology/china/index.htm
This Web site is about Ancient China.

http://www.chinavista.com/travel/greatwall/greatwall.html
Take a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China.

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/KingsParkES/technology/
webquests/Egypt/index.htm
This Web Quest is about Ancient Egypt.

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/as/education/projects/
webunits/egypt/Main.html
Here is a resourceful site about Ancient Egypt.

LITERATURE LINKS

Contributions of Ancient China and Egypt to the world (architecture, inventions, language)

Cotterell, Arthur.
Ancient China (Eyewitness Book). Dorling Kindersley Publishing Incorporated, 2000.
Although this book is higher than the second grade reading level, it includes a comprehensive history of Ancient China and its contributions to the world.

Hart, George.
Ancient Egypt (Eyewitness Book). Dorling Kindersley Publishing Incorporated, 2000.
This book is a photo essay on Ancient Egypt, including all aspects of Egyptian culture.