Students explore the Middle and New Kingdoms of the Egyptian Empire. They learn about the basic history of the Middle and New Kingdoms and take a close look at the life and legacy of Hatshepsut. Then they do their own research on other important pharaohs of the era. Finally, they research the last pharaoh of Egypt—Cleopatra.
Students are introduced to the New Kingdom as a golden age of Egyptian arts, sciences, and government, and see images of pharaohs such as Ramses II. They review the lesson objectives and respond to a word cloud prompt by listing as many Egyptian pharaohs as they can name.
Teacher MovesPresent the overview of the experience and connect it to prior learning about the Old Kingdom. Review the objectives, then discuss student word cloud responses, asking what they already know about the named pharaohs and helping the class generate guiding questions to frame the rest of the experience.
Students examine a map of the Egyptian Empire around 1450 B.C.E., then read selected sections of Egypt (Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom) to learn about the history and development of the Egyptian Empire. They take notes in a two-part graphic organizer comparing key features of the Middle and New Kingdoms, and then contribute to a shared table describing the role of pharaohs during the New Kingdom.
Teacher MovesOffer reading support by directing struggling readers to Ancient Egypt: New Kingdom as an alternative or supplemental text. After students complete their notes and table entries, lead a discussion of their responses, highlighting examples such as trade networks, major construction projects, expanded powers of rulers like Seti I and Ramesses II, and the first peace treaty.
Students view an image of a statue of Hatshepsut and watch The Pharaoh that Wouldn’t Be Forgotten to deepen their understanding of her life, rule, and the mystery surrounding attempts to erase her memory. They answer multiple-choice questions about why Hatshepsut was unusual, the concept of maat, and her relationship to Thutmose III. Students then post to a discussion wall explaining why someone might have wanted to erase Hatshepsut from history and respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesExplain that the questions are based on the video’s “Think” prompts and, if appropriate, direct interested students to additional readings such as Hatshepsut Biography and Hatshepsut. After students post and reply on the discussion wall, facilitate a brief whole-class conversation about their ideas and, if time allows, extend the discussion to the broader role of memory and erasure in history. Before moving on, divide students into small groups and assign each group one pharaoh (Thutmose III, Ramses II, Akhenaten, or Tutankhamen) for the next scene, ensuring all four are covered.
Working in their small groups, students research the pharaoh assigned to them (Thutmose III, Ramses II, Akhenaten, or Tutankhamen) using online sources, including resources from the Student Pack such as Thutmose III, Article #1, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ramses II. They create a report that includes key biographical facts, major accomplishments, at least one unusual fact, an explanation of how the pharaoh strengthened or weakened the Egyptian Empire, and an image. Groups publish their report or a link to a digital product (e.g., Prezi, timeline, presentation, or Glogster) on a small-group discussion wall, then review and discuss reports about the other pharaohs within their group.
Teacher MovesClarify expectations for the group research report and suggest appropriate digital tools for presenting findings. Ensure each pharaoh is assigned to at least one group and that students know how to access the provided research resources. Monitor group work, checking for accuracy and completeness, and prompt students to compare and discuss the different pharaohs’ impacts on the Egyptian Empire as they review one another’s reports.
Students view an image of Cleopatra and then learn about her as the last pharaoh of Egypt by watching Cleopatra and reading Cleopatra VII. Drawing on this information and their understanding of the role of pharaoh, they post a questionnaire of five to ten questions they would like Cleopatra to answer about her experiences as the final ruler. Afterward, they review classmates’ questionnaires and attempt to answer one set of questions from Cleopatra’s perspective.
Teacher MovesPreview the Cleopatra video in advance and decide whether to show it or have students rely solely on the reading, based on classroom needs. Remind students to base their questionnaire items and role-played answers on historical information from the resources and prior scenes, and encourage thoughtful, open-ended questions that probe Cleopatra’s challenges and decisions as the last pharaoh.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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