Ancient Egypt: Geography and Environment

Social Studies Middle School Ancient Egypt: Geography and Environment
Students learn about the effect of geography on ancient Egyptian civilization. The main attention is given to the Nile River, whose flooding made the soil fertile and compensated for the absence of rain and the confining influence of the desert. Students learn how a climatic event at approximately 6000 B.C.E. shrank the arable portion of the region and forced humans to settle close to the Nile. Finally, they read an ancient “Hymn to the Nile” and collaborate to write verses of their own about the Nile.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

1:1 Devices
Teacher Pack

The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for Ancient Egypt: Geography and Environment:

Preview - Scene 1
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Overview

In this experience, students learn about the effect of geography on ancient Egyptian civilization. The main attention is given to the Nile River, whose flooding made the soil fertile and compensated for the absence of rain and the confining influence of the desert. Students learn how a climatic event at approximately 6000 B.C.E. shrank the arable portion of the region and forced humans to settle close to the Nile. Finally, they read an ancient “Hymn to the Nile” and collaborate to write verses of their own about the Nile.

Students will work together in small groups in scene 4.

Objectives

  • Locate and describe the physical geography of ancient Egypt.
  • Identify the ways that geography influenced ancient Egypt.


It is…

  • the longest river in the world.
  • bordered by burning hot desert.
  • called “lower” at its north end and “upper” at its south end.
  • the source of countless benefits for the world’s oldest civilization.

Did you guess that it’s the Nile River? In this experience you’ll learn about the wonders of the Nile and other aspects of Egypt’s geography and environment.

Objectives

  • Locate and describe the physical geography of ancient Egypt.
  • Identify the ways that geography influenced ancient Egypt.


relief map of the Nile

Nile River and Delta


Look at the photo, taken from orbit in space. What geographical features can you see? To list more than one idea, separate your ideas with a comma, like this: flower, bush

Post your answer

Discuss student responses. Possible entries include river, green land, desert, mountains, and seas.


Based on the geographical features you noticed, what can you guess about that region?


Discuss student responses and encourage them to test their ideas throughout the rest of the experience.


When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

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