As part of their study of life in ancient Egypt, sixth graders in South Orangetown Middle School Social Studies teacher Eric Goldstein’s class have been working on a variety of hands-on research projects.
Students first learned how to write their name in hieroglyphs, the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt. Students illustrated their name on papyrus paper and created a classroom-wide banner. Now, they are working in groups to create an informative book about Ancient Egypt that is suited for children in second and third grade.
Using Google Slides, students are working together to create books that include features commonly found in children’s books including colorful pictures with captions, easy-to- read passages and even cartoon characters they’re familiar with such as Daniel Tiger or superheroes. Each book is intended to give their target audience a basic overview of Ancient Egypt and should cover topics including geography, daily life, art and architecture, inventions, pyramids, hieroglyphics and facts about historical figures such as Cleopatra. Students have the option of writing their book as a story with characters or as a textbook. They can also include additional features to their book including fun games such as crossword puzzles and coloring sheets, trivia and educational video links.
