1. Ancient Civilizations: Traveling Across Time A WebQuest for 6th Grade Social Studies Designed by Kristina Luckett  
Introduction Task Process Resources Evaluation Conclusion Credits Objectives Curriculum

2. Introduction
Many scientists believe that people have been living on earth for more than 2 million years. Where and how they lived was greatly influenced by the kind of land on which they lived.
The relationship between people and their environment has been the center of world history.
The time period before the invention of writing is called prehistory. It lasted until about five thousand years ago, when people learned how to write.

3. Task
In this assignment/project you and a partner will be an archaeologist and an anthropologist. You will walk the earth discovering the truth about ancient civilizations such as:
Neanderthals of the Paleolithic Age
The Neolithic Age
Sumerians of Mesopotamia
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece
A detailed journal of your travels, discoveries, and artifacts will be turned in as a final product.

4. Process
The Paleolithic Age is time to visit the Neanderthals of the Paleolithic Age. I want your group to discover how the Neanderthals built tools and fire and how they skinned animals. Once you have read the information provided, I want your team to draw a diagram of tool making, a diagram of fire building, and a diagram of animal skinning. You will record your discoveries and diagrams in your team journal.
Timeline As an archaeologist and an anthropologist, you are quite the experts on timelines. You have had so many people ask you about timelines and B.C. and B.C.E. Draw the timeline in your journals and record in your journals the answers to the following questions:
1.      What is B.C. and B.C.E. and what is the difference between the two?
Mesopotamia The part of the world that is present day Iraq used to be called Mesopotamia. In fact, it has changed names several times. Read about the history of the land that was formerly called Mesopotamia. In your journal, put the dates provided into a detailed and colorful timeline that shows the history, growth, and development of that part of the world.
Egypt Next, travel to Egypt and explore their ancient customs. Read the interactive story about mummification. The story includes the embalming and wrapping of the dead in order to preserve their bodies for the afterlife. In your journal, draw a step-by-step diagram that illustrates and explains this ancient process. Once you have finished embalming and wrapping, explore the ancient relics by clicking on the item and reading the descriptions. After you have explored it is time to conquer the challenge. Once you have completed the challenge, print a copy of the final page to include in your journal of discoveries. After you have completed these 3 steps, feel free to explore the rest of this site to learn new information.
Greece Ancient Greece is known for mythology. Once you have traveled to Greece, play The Odyssey Game. The instructions will tell you how to begin the game and you will travel with your chosen character as long as you are making the correct decisions. If you make a bad decision, you risk the chance that your journey will end and you put others lives in danger. Once you get started and you make the correct decisions, chronicle each correct decision in your journal. Once you have finished with one character, go back and pick another character. You are not finished until you have completed the game successfully as all three different characters and you can chronicle their journey in your journals. Have fun on your trip!!!

5. Resources www.humanheritage.glencoe.com
Glencoe Human Heritage A World History.
You will also need:
A notebook that will be your journal.
Plenty of notebook paper & white paper.
Pencils, pens, crayons, and coloring sticks.
A folder with pockets to hold all of your printouts.

6. Beginning 1 Developing 2 Accomplished 3 Exemplary 4 Score
Beginning 1
Developing 2
Accomplished 3
Exemplary 4
Score
The Paleolithic Age
One group illustrated with no color and no descriptions.
One group illustrated with descriptions. Illustration is lacking color. Descriptions have few spelling and grammatical errors.
Two different groups of illustrations with detailed descriptions. Illustrations are colorful. Descriptions are free from spelling errors with few grammatical errors.
Three different groups of illustrations with detailed descriptions. Illustrations are elaborate and colorful. Descriptions are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
Timeline
Timeline is missing elements and question not attempted.
Timeline is not thorough and there are dates and descriptions missing. Question is answered incorrectly.
Timeline is thorough and no dates or descriptions are missing. Question is not answered thorough but the answer given is correct.
Timeline is thorough and no dates or descriptions are missing. Question is answered thoroughly and accurately.
Mesopotamia &
Timeline is missing elements. History, growth, and development not attempted.
Timeline is not thorough and there are dates and descriptions missing. History, growth, and development not attempted.
Timeline is thorough and no dates or descriptions are missing. History, growth, and development is lacking.
Timeline is thorough and no dates or descriptions are missing. History, growth, and development is thorough and accurate.
Egypt
No proof of completed challenge. Incomplete and non-descriptive information.
No proof of completed challenge. Illustrations are plain and non descriptive. Information is accurate.
Challenge completed with proof of completion. Illustrations are colorful but not thorough. Accurately describe the represented information.
Challenge completed with proof of completion. Illustrations are colorful and thorough. Accurately and superbly describe the represented information.
Greece
Game incomplete.
Game completed with 1 character and printouts.
Game completed with 2 characters and printouts.
Game completed with all 3 characters and printouts.

7. Conclusion
Wow, what a trip!!! How exciting it was to see you traveling the ancient world and discovering ancient ideas. You should now have a better understanding of ancient cultures. I hope that you enjoyed your trip!!!

8. Credits
WebQuest Template - The WebQuest Page -
Tennessee Social Studies Curriculum Standards Grade 6
Social Studies Textbook and website
All of the websites that I used in the Process section of this webquest are not my original work. These websites are authored by other teachers and/or scholars. I simply used these great sites in this webquest to help guide the student’s learning.
All of the pictures that I used in this webquest were taken from the hard drive of my computer. None of these pictures were downloaded from the Internet.

9. The Learner Will…
This assignment is designed for 6th grade Social Studies. At the end of this lesson the learner will be able to…
Identify the job characteristics of archaeologists and anthropologists.
Recognize significant epics as historical sources.
Read and construct a timeline.
Identify types of artifacts by pictorial representation.
Recognize the designations for time dating.
Recognize the significant mythologies of the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Greeks.

10. TN State Performance Indicators
These are the Tennessee State Performance Indicators that this assignment covers:
6.1.spi.2 Identify the job characteristics of archaeologists and anthropologists.
6.1.spi.4 Recognize significant epics as historical sources.
6.5.spi.1 Read a timeline and order events of the past between prehistory and the Renaissance.
6.5.spi.3 Identify types of artifacts by pictorial representation.
6.5.spi.6 Recognize the designations for time dating.
6.5.spi.17 Recognize the significant mythologies of the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
Quit