INQUIRY LE ARNING PLANNER

UNIT TITLE:

WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN

LEVEL
Years 4/5/6

TEAM
Liana, Tamara, Alex

TERM
2

DURATION
9 weeks

UNDERSTANDINGS:

FOCUS QUESTIONS:

Ancient Egypt is an old civilisation that

came into being over 5000 years ago
Ancient Egyptians had their own unique
culture, language, art and way of life
They were very advanced compared to
other civilisations at the time
Many ancient Egyptian artefacts lasted a
long time; which is how we know about
them
They were just one of many ancient
civilisations

KEY CONCEPTS:

How big was their population?

What did ancient Egyptians believe in?
What did they eat, wear or do?
Were they peaceful?
Why/how did they build the Pyramids?
Did they have kings and queens?
Why were their artefacts so well preserved?
How did they communicate with each other?
How long were they around for?
Why did their civilisation end?

Understandings Linked with AusVELS:

Language, culture, beliefs, ancient civilisations,

mummification, discovery, advancement,
power structure (pharaohs)

Create relevant questions that stimulate

investigation (ACHHS083)
Sequence historical events (ACHHS117)
Identify, locate and compare information
from a range of relevant sources
(ACHHS102) (ACHHS122)
Develop texts which incorporate source
materials (ACHHS105)
Use a range of communication forms
(ACHHS106)

Thinking Processes

Communication Skills

Personal Learning

Interpersonal
Development

Analyse different
information sources and
question their
validity/relevance.
Back up ideas and claims
with research.
Synthesise and organise
different types of
information.

Display new knowledge

through a number of
different modes and media;
presentation/verbal, video,
writing, illustration, artwork
etc. When communicating
ensure that information is
delivered in an engaging,
clear and concise way.

Ensure that new

knowledge is being gained
through both group tasks,
and individual work. Own
learning should take place
in order for content to be
fully understood.
Students should try to ask
specific questions that
develop their personal
understanding.

Learn to effectively
collaborate with other
peers while engaging in
the inquiry. Respect others
in discussion, take
responsibility of work and
be an active member of a
group.

RESOURCES
ACARA Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). The Australian
rd
curriculum: History. Retrieved on 3 of October 2014 from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/curriculum/f10?layout=1
Hart, G. (2014). Ancient Egypt. America: DK Publishing.
National Geographic (n.d.). Treasures of Egypt: Hieroglyphics translator. Retrieved on 9th
October 2014 from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/egypt/translator.html
Oakes, L. & Gahlin, L. (2010). Ancient Egypt: An illustrated reference to the myths, religions,
pyramids and temples of the land of the pharaohs. London, England: Hermes House.
YouTube. (2014). Horrible Histories Hieroglyphics. Retrieved 16 October 2014, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHdSTjaZSMA
YouTube. (2014). TropicMind.com Ancient Egypt Educational Video for Kids. Retrieved 16
October 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgVIXOyU10I
White A3 paper and textas
iPads, laptops, computers, access to the internet
Projectors, whiteboard, smartboard
Wooden box, lock, tea stained paper with Hieroglyphics and drawings (Lesson1)
Long piece of paper or several A3 pieces put together for communal class timeline (Lesson 4)
A3 paper in the shape of a pharaoh (Lesson 4)
A3 paper in the shape of a pyramid (Lesson 5)

TUNING IN
Lesson 1: (This lesson is also serving as the immersion of students into inquiry)

Each student will have an envelope on their desk containing either a drawing of a
hieroglyph and its letter translation e.g.
, or a message written in hieroglyphics (There
should be 20 hieroglyphic letter translations and the rest of the students have messages).
The idea is for students to work together to build up the alphabet and translate the
messages
The teacher should encourage students to work together in translating the messages and
write what they have discovered on the whiteboard
In the process of translating the messages the students will uncover the whole alphabet
Eventually they will have created a message (which can be changed by each teacher if
they wish)
The message will be a riddle that helps them figure out a code to unlock a wooden box
e.g. An important date for the highest of you all the birthday (DD/MM) of the tallest
student

Inside the wooden box are drawings on old-looking paper of several ancient Egyptian
things; the pyramids, pharaohs, hieroglyphics, mummies, gods, clothing, dates etc.
The teacher than does circle time with the students in which they ask some I wonder...
questions about each picture
Once all the pictures have been discussed the teacher will give the students some basic
information about the inquiry unit

Lesson 2:

Students will sit on the ground and wait for instructions

Explain to students that they will be given a handout, and will be required to write down
anything they already know about Ancient Egypt
Show students the handout, which displays a picture of a Pharaoh with speech bubbles
connected to it, and explain that the speech bubbles are what they will be filling out
Help and encourage students before commencing the activity by allowing students to give
examples of what could be written What are some things we could write in the speech
bubbles?, Who can give me an example of something they already know about Ancient
Egypt?
Ask students to return to their seats and begin task
Allow students to discuss what they have written with the person next to them
Stop activity, and ask some students to share what they have written with the class
This activity will cater for future lessons and areas of discovery, pinpointing exactly what
areas surrounding Ancient Egypt will be focussed on
Inform students that over the next few weeks they will be referring to this handout, and will
be able to add to it through their knowledge base expanding

Lesson 3:

Students will sit on the ground and be shown a video on the Smartboard about Ancient
Egypt
Students will be given an activity sheet that relates to the video contains basic
information about Ancient Egypt
Students return to their tables to complete the sheet
Once again students return to the ground to discuss the activity sheet, e.g. what did you
find interesting? What surprised you?
After discussion, teacher will ask students about their knowledge of what inquiry is
allow for class discussion to begin through further questions about inquiry
Specifically discuss inquiry in relation to Ancient Egypt ask students to think about and
discuss with other students around them what they want to learn during this unit
After a few minutes, ask students to come up with their own questions about Ancient
Egypt that they are interested in learning about write these questions on the whiteboard:
if students struggle, prompt them with some basic questions
Edit these questions with the students as they are coming up with them How could we
make this question more specific?
Ask students to each choose a question that they are interested in, and return to their
tables to begin research using their iPad
Teacher will help students who are struggling while they conduct research

Before the lesson ends, ask a few students if they wish to tell the class about something
they have learned from the research conducted

Reflection

FINDING OUT

SORTING OUT

How can we: Take students beyond what they already know?
Challenge their ideas, beliefs and attitudes? Enable them to
use skills and knowledge to collect new information? Provide a
range of experiences to develop our understandings?

How will students sort out, organise, represent and present

what they have found out? How can they communicate and
express what they know? How will they use preferred ways to
demonstrate their knowledge, skills and values?

Lesson 4:

Lesson 6 :

Activity 1: Creation of a basic timeline

Inform students that they will be creating

a basic timeline of Ancient Egypt
Working individually or in small groups
depends on how they like to work
Timeline will be presented, and should
be informative and creative
Choice of using PowerPoint,
illustrations, physical interaction or video
Should include major events, and
distinct time periods
Resources available: iPads, books, and
videos
Once completed, allow students to
explore a specific event or happening
E.g. a period of extreme droughts
around 2200 BC which caused serious
changes in the kingdom
Knowledge needed of what happened
before, during and after their researched
event/why it is of historical importance

Extending the activity:

Create communal class timeline
Large timeline to be displayed on the
classroom wall this can be filled in
further as their knowledge base
continues to grow

Students choose a focus area of Ancient

Egypt, i.e. clothes, society, ancient
kings/queens, history
Present information in a creative way
Encourage students to make their
presentation unique, e.g. Dressing up,
getting into character, role play, etc.
Help struggling students by giving them
ideas, and prompting them to use a
range of resources
Access to resources: iPads, books,
videos help gather information

- Presentation of timelines?
- Debate about when the best time to be alive
was?

Reflection
Encourage some discussion between the
teacher and each other by asking:
Why did you choose the focus area that
you did?
What is something new that you learnt
about your focus area?


Activity 2: Pharaohs

Refer students to wonder piece

regarding the Ancient Egyptian person in
the tuning in section lesson one
Teacher informs students that the
person is a Pharaoh begins class
discussion
Students to work in small/medium sized
groups
Researching information about
Pharaohs
Give students handouts (large piece of
paper with blank image of a Pharaoh)
and allow them to fill this in with
researched information
Resources: iPads, books, videos to
help with their research
Groups share information they have
gathered with the class
Place displays on wall inform students
that this can be further filled in as they
discover more information throughout
the inquiry

Extending the activity:

Students are to research a particular

Pharaoh
Encourage students to record
information in an interesting/creative
way
Aim to find out when the Pharaoh ruled,
how they got power, what they did and
why

Reflection
Encourage some discussion between the
teacher and each other by asking:
What is something you learnt from the
timeline activity?
What is something you learnt about
pharaohs?
Can you think of how pharaohs and the
timeline relate? How can we put the two
together?

What are some other creative ways you

could have presented your research
findings?

Reference the thought bubble of knowledge

created in tuning lesson 2; ask students to think
about what they know now that they didnt
before.
Finally, regarding the work they done, ask them
to write or talk about something they were
proud of, and something they would like to
improve.
Lesson 5:
Activity 1: The Pyramids

Gather students on floor

Direct their attention to wonder piece
they made about pyramids
Work with students to elaborate on
questions already posed/develop new
questions
Hand out A3 pyramid sheets that have
five levels, and explain that they are to
decide on where to put five different
questions
Lowest section of pyramid is for
questions of most interest to them
personally
Refer back to wonder sheet discuss
what might be some good questions
about the pyramids
Encourage students to use who, what
where, when, why and how. E.g. when
were the pyramids built? Who built
them?
Allow access to resources: iPads,
books, videos help gather information
Encourage students to work individually
to create their questions, but
collaboratively in researching answers

Activity 2: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Begin lesson with large poster/projection

of hieroglyphic text
Discuss how hieroglyphics were a form
of language with the students
Play video by Horrible Histories (if
deemed appropriate)

Lesson 7: Debate

Divide class into two groups

Give each group a time in Ancient Egypt
Explain the task to students they will
be debating why they believe it would
have been better to be an Egyptian
during their specific period of time
Encourage students to use facts and
events from timelines previously made
Allow access to resources: iPads,
books, videos help father information
for the debate
This task encourages teamwork with
classmates

Reflection
Encourage some discussion between the
teacher and each other by asking:
Did debating help you to understand
both points of views better?
If you had the choice of picking a side in
the debate, which side would you
choose? Why?

After video, initiate class brainstorm

about hieroglyphics teacher writes
down ideas/information on whiteboard
that is discussed by students
For example: What are its features?
How is it different to the English
language? How do you read it? Can you
speak it? How does it work? Do you
notice any patterns?
Encourage all students to voice their
opinions
After, students are to think about and
come up with questions that interest
them about hieroglyphics these are to
be written on a handout with the heading
Hieroglyphics in the centre surrounded
by thought bubbles
Resources available: iPads, books,
videos to help gather information
Encourage collaboration between
students

Reflection
This reflection will be similar to the
previous lesson in an effort to get students
into a routine of self-closure and evaluation
Encourage some discussion between the
teacher and each other by asking:
What is something you learnt from the
pyramid activity?
What is something you learnt from the
hieroglyphics activity?
Can you think of how hieroglyphics and the
pyramids relate to one another? How can
we put the two together?
Encourage a further discussion with students;
asking them how does the information they
gathered from the past lesson(s) relate to what
they now know. Ask them to complete a quick
mind map of information that might come from
the four concepts; pharaohs, ancient Egypt
timeline, pyramids and hieroglyphics.
Finally, ask them to write or talk about
something they are proud of, and something
they would like to improve.

GOING FURTHER
How can we extend and broaden the unit? What other perspectives or dimensions can we explore? What are the ways which
students can negotiate their own personal inquiries?

Lesson 8:

Allow students to choose an ancient city

Explain to students that they will be comparing their choice of ancient city with Ancient
Egypt
Hand out poster paper for students to make their comparisons on
Encourage students to use similarities and differences when making comparisons
Allow students to work in pairs to complete this task this will get them working effectively
and allow another input in the discussion
Resources available: iPads, books, videos help gather information for their comparisons

Lesson 9:

Inform students that because they have been researching information about Egypt in the
past, this lesson with be about Egypt today
Students are split into table groups
Each table is given a focus area in which to investigate
Topic examples: cuisine, kings and queens, clothing
The groups are to collate and gather information which will be displayed/presented on a
poster
From these posters, the class are to create a class display that will remain on the wall in
the classroom
Resources available: iPads, books, videos help gather information

Extending the activity:

Students are to be given two options for creative writing
First option: Write a creative story about Egypt in the future
Students will be given a general topic, and they will have to write a short story about the
topic e.g. The life of a Pharaoh, or, Building a Pyramid
Second option: Write three journal entries for a Pharaoh over three days
If students finish early, they are to draw images relating to their topic

Reflection
Encourage some discussion between the teacher and each other by asking:
How did the ancient city you chose compare with Ancient Egypt?
What did you find interesting in comparing Ancient Egypt to Egypt today?
What do you think Egypt in the future will be like?

ASSESSMENT SUMMARY (ONGOING: FOR, AS and OF learning)

What are the cumulative and summative opportunities for assessment? How can teachers and students monitor progress? What
strategies can we use to cater for variance in learning styles and progress? How can we allow for expected and unexpected
outcomes? How can we provide opportunities for self, peer, teacher, parent assessment?

INQUIRY STAGE
Finding out

DESCRIPTION
Student work to assess:

PURPOSE
Assessment FOR learning

A number of the pieces

(timeline, pharaoh poster,
pyramid sheet) can used to
assess students researching
skills and ability. If students
are struggling to find relevant
or accurate info the teacher
can step in do a research skills
lesson.

Creation of a basic timeline

(L1)
Investigation of a specific
period of time (L1)
Group pharaoh poster (L1)
Individual pharaoh
investigation (L1)
Pyramid sheet (L2)
Hieroglyphic discussion
(L2)
Hieroglyphics poster (L2)

Lesson number indicated

The assessment pieces will

also show students ability to:
Work collaboratively
Collate and present info
Question concepts and go
further
Please specify which of the
three assessment strategies
you are developing e.g FOR,
AS or OF

INQUIRY EVALUATION
Overall, this unit was an engaging and informative unit for students. They learnt a
lot about Ancient Egypt, things which they would not necessarily have even
thought about otherwise. The tasks were all engaging, and if anything was to be
changed, we would include more arts and crafts, as the students really seemed
immersed in them and seemed to enjoy them the most. They also really enjoyed
dressing up and getting into character, which brought out their creative side.