Teacher Resources for Instructional Planning


Grade 8, Social Studies Std 2: Analyze the characteristic of early civilizations in respect to technology, division of labor, government, calendar, and writings.

Lesson Plans: You Be the Judge: Hammurabi's Code Using Hammurabi's Code, you decide the proper punishment for shoddy workmen, straying wives, and abusive landlords. Create a Water Compass A reliable compass was essential before sailors could venture out of sight of shore. Europeans learned this from Chinese technology Learn the basics of how compasses were made in this activity. Journey Back in Time to Ancient Rome! During this WebQuest students use teamwork and the Internet to explore Ancient Rome and learn about their daily life, myths, and government. (This lesson can be modified for 8th grade.) Civilization Pie As a result of this activity, students will be able to construct their own definition of a "civilization" based on their study of ancient European, Asian, and/or African history. The Hidden History of Egypt In this lesson students will work in small groups to research aspects of daily life in ancient Egypt then present their findings to the class, using artifacts to illustrate their presentations. Egyptian Antiquities After completing this lesson students will understand that ancient builders overcame great obstacles in erecting monuments. Black Kingdoms of the Nile In this lesson students explore one theory that some archaeologists have offered, which involves the pulling of the stone on a sled up a single ramp. Students construct a model of a pyramid and use a variety of problem solving strategies to determine the length of a ramp needed to complete the building of a pyramid.

Resources: The Romans This website provides an excellent overview for students exploring the Roman Empire. It contains activities, resources, a glossary, and timeline. Based in the United Kingdom, the website provides interesting insights into the Roman invasion of Britain. Rome: Republic to Empire Explore historical and cultural topics associated with Ancient Rome. Historical topics include slavery, rebellion, and leaders. Civilization and culture topics include names, government, politics, army, clothing, home life, leisure, baths, and games.
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