Students explore the great civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia: Sumer, Akkad, the Assyrian Empire, and the Babylonian Empire. In Scenes 2 and 3, a video and several websites provide information from which, in Scene 4, small groups will prepare a report on the civilizations.
Students are introduced to Mesopotamia as the “land between two rivers” and the “cradle of civilization,” view an image of the Tigris River, and consider what these phrases suggest about the region. They respond on a collaborative wall to prompts about what those phrases might mean and what characteristics such a place might have.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson objectives and connect this experience to any prior study of Mesopotamian geography and environment. Facilitate discussion of student wall responses, prompting students to recall what they already know and to develop several guiding questions about the region’s history, government, economics, and culture.
Students examine an image of a Sumerian clay writing tablet, then watch Ancient Mesopotamia 101 to build background knowledge about the region’s history, geography, and key concepts. As they watch, they record important terms from the video on a collaborative wall. Next, they read the article Mesopotamia and use a graphic organizer to take notes on topics such as the region’s location, Babylon, Babylonian monuments, early laws, Mesopotamian gods, and ziggurats.
Teacher MovesHighlight key terms students should notice in the video (for example, cradle of civilization, Tigris and Euphrates, early agriculture, cuneiform, Epic of Gilgamesh, Babylon, Hammurabi’s Code). Monitor students’ note-taking in the organizer; if many miss important information, pause to review each feature together. Encourage students to explore the site in depth, discuss what they find with a partner, and then lead a class discussion about Mesopotamian influences that are still visible today.
Students view an image of the ruins of an ancient ziggurat, then read Ancient Mesopotamian Civilizations from the “Ancient Mesopotamia” section to the end of the page to learn about Sumer, the Akkadian Empire, the Assyrian Empire, and Babylon. They use a graphic organizer to record notes on each civilization. After reading, they choose one of the article’s “What Do You Think?” questions, post a written response on a collaborative wall using evidence from the text, and then read and reply to at least two classmates’ posts with questions or positive, constructive comments.
Teacher MovesMonitor students’ note-taking to ensure they capture key characteristics of each civilization. Use the sample ideas provided to anticipate and recognize strong responses to the “What Do You Think?” questions, and draw attention to answers that thoughtfully explain reasons for building ziggurats or the impact of long-distance trade. Support productive online discussion by prompting students to ground their posts and replies in evidence from the reading.
Students examine a map of Babylonia and learn that the Cyrus Cylinder is an important artifact from the Babylonian Empire. In teacher-assigned small groups, each group focuses on one civilization—Sumer, Akkad, the Assyrian Empire, or the Babylonian Empire. Using online research, they investigate their civilization’s geography and environment; history and government; agriculture and technology; arts, science, and mathematics; and religion. Groups synthesize their findings into a report, which they either post directly to a discussion wall or share via a digital presentation tool (such as Prezi, a timeline tool, slide presentation, or similar). They then review and discuss the presentations created by groups studying the other civilizations.
Teacher MovesClarify the significance of the Cyrus Cylinder as a written artifact praising Cyrus the Great. Ensure students are organized into groups and assigned one of the four civilizations, and direct them to appropriate online resources, including the optional articles and the video on the Standard of Ur for students who want to go deeper. Support groups as they research and organize their reports, and, if time allows, have groups present their findings to the whole class, encouraging classmates to ask and answer questions about similarities and differences among the civilizations.
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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