1. Ancient Cultures Time Capsule Project
Students will be creating a time capsule to house artifacts that they will be “collecting” during our ancient cultures unit of study. A parent letter is included on the next slide, with examples of items that can be used to create individual student time capsules. All materials (maps, ancient culture note taking sheets, artifacts, etc.) can be kept in the time capsules.
Have a copy of the Ancient Cultures Note Taking Page for each student to use and complete during the study of each culture. Students should keep each note taking page in their Travel Time Capsule.

2. Ancient Cultures Time Capsule Project
Dear Parents,
We will be traveling back in time to visit the ancient cultures of Egypt, China, Greece, Rome and Mali! During our time travel we will be collecting artifacts to share at the end of our travels. To stow all of our artifacts during our travels, we will be making individual time capsules. Listed below are ideas of items to send in for your child to create his/her own time capsule. Please send in these items by ____________. Thank you for your help in helping us create an exciting tool to aid us in our artifact collection!
2 2-liter bottles
Oatmeal container
Pringles can
Ancient Cultures Time Capsule Project
Dear Parents,
We will be traveling back in time to visit the ancient cultures of Egypt, China, Greece, Rome and Mali! During our time travel we will be collecting artifacts to share at the end of our travels. To stow all of our artifacts during our travels, we will be making individual time capsules. Listed below are ideas of items to send in for your child to create his/her own time capsule. Please send in these items by ____________. Thank you for your help in helping us create an exciting tool to aid us in our artifact collection!
2 2-liter bottles
Oatmeal container
Pringles can

3. Ancient Cultures Artifact Project
At the conclusion of the study of each ancient culture, each student will be decorating an artifact that represents the civilization studied. Students should decorate their artifact to demonstrate their understanding of the civilization in at least two of the following categories:
Geography of the Land
Human Activities
Government
Architecture
Arts and Sports
In 2 or more sentences, students will state which categories they chose and give a description of how their design applies to the culture.
Artifacts will be collected in the students’ time capsules to use during the Ancient Cultures Culminating Activity.
A checklist and rubric are provided on the next slide. This should be used for each artifact activity.
*Artifacts for each unit are included on a slide at the end of each culture.

4. Name _________________________
Ancient Culture Artifact Project
You will be decorating your artifact to demonstrate an understanding of the following categories for the ancient civilization of ___________________. Design and draw a picture that shows that you understand two of the categories listed below.
Geography of the Land
Human Activities
Government
Architecture
Arts and Sports
In 2 or more sentences, state which categories you chose and give a description of how your design applies to the culture.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ancient Culture Artifact Rubric
Total Number of Points ____________
Grade ________
Comments:

5. Ancient Cultures Lessons for Ancient China and Egypt
History
3.2 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..
Geography
3.5 The student will develop map skills and an understanding of change over time by locating major ancient world cultures on world maps
a) at the beginning of their culture;
b) during their period of greatest influence; and
c) today.
3.7 The student will describe how people in ancient world cultures adapted to their environment.
Economics
3.8 The student will demonstrate an understanding of different cultures and the natural, human, and capital resources they used in the production of goods and services.
Have a copy of the Ancient Cultures Note Taking Page for each student to use and complete during the study of each culture. Students should keep each note taking page in their Travel Time Capsule.

8. Are you ready to travel back in time?

9. Where are we going?
Here is CHINA!

10. Are you ready to time travel back to Ancient China?

11. Welcome to
Ancient China!

12. What do you know about the geography of Ancient China?
On which continent would you find China?
What main waterway is important to the citizens of China?

13. Map of Ancient China at the Beginning of their Culture
Ancient China was located in eastern Asia centered around the Huang He River.

14. Map of Ancient China during the period of its greatest influence
Ancient China spread southward to Yangtze River.

15. Map of Modern Day China
China includes most of East Asia westward into the deserts of Central Asia.
After looking at the 3 maps of China, how would you describe how the land area of this ancient world culture has changed over time?

16. China is located on the continent of Asia.
                                                                                                  
China is located on the continent of Asia.
What do you notice on the map?
What do you see?

17. Geography of China
Located on a large land mass on the continent of Asia
Land consisted of forests, hills, mountains
Land was centered around the Huang He River

22. Farm Land

23. Now that you have seen the land of China….
Turn and talk:
What might they be good at or specialize in? Why?

24. What did the Ancient Chinese specialize in?
Human activities developed in response to the physical environments. When the environment did not meet their needs, the Ancient Chinese had to adapt to meet their needs.
What did the Ancient Chinese specialize in?
Farming in the fertile soil along the rivers
Fishing in the river and seas
Mining natural resources
Making pottery
Trading goods
Turn and talk:
Explain why you think that the soil was fertile along the rivers.
Why was their location along the river so important?

25. Adaptations to their Environment
How did use their environment to survive?
Fished along the river and seas
Farmed in the fertile soil along the rivers
Mined for natural resources

26. Summary Discuss as a class!
How did the geography and environment of China impact the way that the citizens survived and lived?

27. The Great Wall of China was built to keep out invaders.
Architecture
The Great Wall of China was built to keep out invaders.

28. Many inventions of ancient China are still used today!
Kite
Silk cloth
Compass
Fireworks

29. Written Language
The Chinese used characters and symbols to communicate through writing.

30. Design the lantern to show what you learned about Ancient China?

31. It is time to travel back in time to our next destination!
Hold On Tight!

34. Where are we going?
EGYPT

35. Are you ready to travel back in time to ancient Egypt?

36. Welcome to Ancient Egypt!

37. What do you know about the geography of Ancient Egypt?
On which continent would you find Egypt?
What is the major source of water for Egypt?

38. at the Beginning of their Culture
Map of Ancient Egypt
at the Beginning of their Culture
Ancient Egypt was located along the Nile River in northeast Africa.

39. Map of Ancient Egypt during the Period of its Greatest Influence
Ancient Egypt spread southward along the Nile River and east and west along the Mediterranean coast.

40. Map of Modern Day Egypt
Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa along the Nile River.
After looking at the 3 maps of Egypt, how would you describe how the land area of this ancient world culture has changed over time?

41. Geography of Egypt Ancient Egypt was…. Located along the Nile River
Located in the northeast corner of the continent of Africa
Located in the Sahara Desert
Rich soil along the Nile River

42. Think about it…. Turn and talk
How is the geography of Egypt similar and different to China?

43. What did the Ancient Egyptian specialize in?
Human activities developed in response to the physical environments. When the environment did not meet their needs, the Ancient Egyptians had to adapt to meet their needs.
What did the Ancient Egyptian specialize in?
Farming along the Nile River
Fishing
Trading goods
Making crafts
Turn and talk:
What goods did the Egyptians produce?
What natural resources did they have?
How did they use the Nile River?

44. Adaptations to the Environment
How did the Egyptians use their environment to survive?
Farmed in the fertile soil along the Nile River
Created irrigation systems to water crops
Traded along the Mediterranean coast

45. Summary Discuss as a class!
How did the geography and environment of Egypt impact the way that the citizens survived and lived?
How are the human activities of Egypt and China similar and different?

46. The Egyptians built pyramids as tomb for their pharaohs.
Architecture
The Egyptians built pyramids as tomb for their pharaohs.

47. Many inventions of ancient Egypt are still used today!
Paper made from papyrus
365-day calendar
Clock

48. Written Language
The Egyptians used a series of pictures called hieroglyphics to communicate through writing .

49. Decorate the pyramid to show what you learned about Ancient Egypt?

50. Leveled Postcard Alternative Assessment
The following slides include the three levels for the postcard assessment.
1= low
2= average
3= high
This activity can be used for each ancient culture.
The writing portion here is used as an assessment grade. You are welcome to combine the two as one assessment grade, or separate for two grades.

51. Print on cardstock. 1 Checklist for Postcard
Directions: Cut out the postcard. On
back draw a picture of what you think
Rome looked liked. Use the checklist
below to help you complete the picture.
Has the name of the
location
Has a picture of 1 geographical
feature.
Has 1 sentence about
the 1 geographical feature.
Picture is neat and clear to see
Picture uses at least 5 different
colors

52. Print on cardstock. 2 Checklist for Postcard
Directions: Cut out the postcard. On
back draw a picture of what you think
Rome looked liked. Use the checklist
below to help you complete the picture.
Has the name of the
location
Has a picture that includes 2
geographical features.
Has 2 sentences about the
2 geographical features.
Picture is neat and clear to see
Picture uses at least 5 different
colors

53. Print on cardstock. 3 Checklist for Postcard
Directions: Cut out the postcard. On
back draw a picture of what you think
Rome looked liked. Use the checklist
below to help you complete the picture.
Has the name of the location
Includes the name of the continent
Includes a name of a body of water
near the location.
Has a picture that includes 2
geographical features.
Has 2 sentences about the 2
Picture is neat and clear to see
Picture uses at least 5 different
colors

54. Rubric for Postcard Postcard 1 Postcard 2 Rubric for Postcard
Name: ________________
Has the name of the location.
Has a picture of 1 geographical
feature.
Has 1 sentence about the 1
geographical feature.
Picture is neat and clear to see.
Picture uses at least 5 different
colors.
1 point per box.
_____/ Grade:
Rubric for Postcard
Name: ________________
Has the name of the location
Picture shows 1 geographical feature.
Picture shows 2nd geographical features.
1st sentence about the geographical feature.
2nd sentence about the geographical feature.
Picture is neat and clear to see.
Picture uses at least 5 different colors.
1 point per box.
_____/ Grade:

55. Postcard 3 Rubric for Postcard Has the name of the location.
Includes the name of the continent.
Includes a name of a body of water near the location.
Picture shows 1 geographical feature.
Picture shows 2nd geographical feature.
1st sentence about geographical feature.
2nd sentence about geographical feature.
Picture is neat and clear to see.
Picture uses at least 5 different colors.
1 point per box.
_____/ Grade:

56. Postcard Writing Alternative Assessment
There are two assignments. They are leveled to best fit your students’ needs. Choose the appropriate activity for your students.
This activity can be used for each ancient culture.

57. Postcard Writing Assessment
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________
Postcard Writing Assessment
After traveling for the last two days in social studies class, it is time to reflect on what you saw and learned about the culture studied.
Using the back of the postcard that you created in class, write a letter home to someone you live with describing the things you saw and learned. Complete the questions below to plan and guide your writing. Then neatly write your letter, and if needed, have a family member help you fill out the address. If you are writing the letter to someone in your house, then the address should be your home! Be sure to include proper capitalization and punctuation in the address.
Where did you go? _______________________________.
What continent did you visit? _________________________________
Tell two things about the land: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What jobs did the people of this land specialize in? (Name 2) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What was the most interesting thing you learned? __________________________________________________________________
Now use the answers to these questions to complete your writing. It should include:
4-6 sentences
Proper capitalization, punctuation and spelling
Proper friendly letter format

58. Post Card Writing Assessment
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________
Post Card Writing Assessment
After traveling for the last two days in social studies class, it is time to reflect on what you saw and learned about the culture studied.
Using the back of the postcard that you created in class, write a letter home to someone you live with describing the things you saw and learned. Complete the letter below and then copy it onto the back of your postcard.
Dear ________________________,
Today I visited ___________________________. It is located on the continent of _______________________________________. The land here is ______________________________ and ________________________________. The people in this land specialize in _____________________________ and _________________________. One interesting I learned about this place was _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Love,
_________________
Address: Fill out the address on the lined part of the postcard. Use your address. The person you are writing is named first.
Here is a sample:
Dr. Shandor
302 Dare Road
Yorktown, Virginia 23692