In this activity students will break down what they have learned about ancient Mesopotamia in a G.R.A.P.E.S. Chart. There are many different acronyms that can be helpful when analyzing ancient civilizations and this one is widely used. However, teachers may use whatever they prefer and can simply change the titles in the template.
Using a G.R.A.P.E.S. Chart to organize information about ancient Civilizations is a useful tool to enhance students' analysis of the characteristics and contributions of a society. Going further and including visuals helps students to better retain the details of each category.
When learning about ancient Civilizations, students may need teachers to provide a variety of resources. The use of diverse resources such as primary sources, videos, songs, readings from textbooks, encyclopedias and literature can be helpful for students to gain an accurate and complete picture of the time period. Students can use graphic organizers to write notes about the different categories as they learn.
Teachers may wish for students to work together on this lesson which is possible with Storyboard That's Real Time Collaboration feature! With Real Time Collaboration, students can work on the same storyboard at the same time which is perfect for this lesson! As teachers know, collaborating on assignments allows students to think on a deeper level while increasing their communication and problem-solving skills. Collaboration can also help cut down on the time it takes to complete a storyboard. While there is no set limit to the number of users who can work on a storyboard at once, we recommend five users or fewer for optimal performance. All of our assignments default to individual. To make this lesson collaborative, teachers must enable collaboration for the assignment within the "Edit Assignment" tab.
What were some key inventions or contributions of ancient Mesopotamia in the areas of:
Please note: Further activities utilize spider maps to expand on each category. By focusing on just one category, students are encouraged to include more information. Students can come together after they’ve created their storyboards to share what they’ve learned. The full G.R.A.P.E.S. Chart can be used as a pre or post assessment as well.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a chart that describes the different aspects of ancient Mesopotamia: Geography, Religion, Achievements, Politics, Economy and Social Structure.
Student Instructions:
Assign the students to perform initial research to acquaint themselves with the subject matter they have selected. To obtain knowledge, use scholarly publications, textbooks, and reliable websites. Teachers can also have an initial discussion in the classroom where they can explain some important facts regarding Ancient Mesopotamia and encourage the students to perform their own research once they are familiar with the facts.
Help students develop a well-organized report outline. Included here should be an introduction, background data, methodology (if any), key findings, analysis, and conclusion. Ask the students to narrow down a research topic. Students can focus on one topic for their research, but for a comprehensive report, they can also focus on other aspects to show interconnectedness.
Encourage the students to check out any nearby museums or exhibitions that feature items from Mesopotamia. Their comprehension can be improved and insightful information can be gained from this practical experience. Also, ask the students to collect data from primary sources if available as it can give a more interesting aspect to the report.
Students should be encouraged to clearly and concisely convey their major results and analysis. This might be talking about Mesopotamian accomplishments, societal structures, technical developments, or anything else pertinent to their study issue.
Once all the students finish their reports, they can share their major findings and insights with the rest of the class. Students with similar topics can build on each other’s analysis and share their perspectives to create a healthy class environment for discussion.
The development of mathematics, the establishment of the first written code (the Code of Hammurabi), the invention of writing (cuneiform), and the construction of architectural marvels like ziggurats were among the accomplishments of ancient Mesopotamia. Since this civilization was the first civilization in the world, their contributions hold a significant place in history.
Religious polytheism was prevalent in Ancient Mesopotamia. The city-states had their deities, and among their religious customs were building temples (ziggurats) and performing rituals and sacrifices.
Agriculture was made easier by the topography, especially the rivers and the rich soil. In order to regulate the flow of water and enable the growth of crops and the development of permanent populations, irrigation systems were created. These irrigation systems have been contributing to the agricultural systems for thousands of years all over the world.