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.
Students will then create a spider map focusing on Politics or Government of Ancient Mesopotamia using the template in Storyboard That and creating illustrations and descriptions to demonstrate what they’ve learned.
By focusing on just one category, students are encouraged to include more information and should complete 3-6 cells. 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 post assessment after students have presented.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map focusing on the different characteristics of the Politics or Government of ancient Mesopotamia.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Minimum of 3-6 cells showcasing different characteristics of the Government of ancient Mesopotamia. Appropriate scenes to illustrate each cell. 1-3 sentence description for each cell demonstrating your understanding.
Begin the lecture by generally discussing the relationship between politics and religion. Teachers can first discuss both concepts independently and then find a common ground to bring the topics together. Ask the students questions regarding the history of the connection between politics and religion and if they have any examples they would like to share to back up their argument.
Before students can analyze the relationship between politics and religion in Ancient Mesopotamia, teachers can provide them with some examples to give them an idea of what this connection looks like. These examples can be from any other civilizations or contemporary times. For instance, in Ancient India religion was responsible for creating social and political systems.
Help the students examine the influence of religion on the political system of Ancient Mesopotamia. Teachers can first explain in detail the political structure of Ancient Mesopotamia and then students can gradually analyze all the factors influencing this system. These factors can be religious, cultural, and geographical.
Encourage class discussion or debate on issues such as: How did the relationship between politics and religion affect Mesopotamian cultures' stability? Teachers can assign each student a topic and ask them to perform research, gather and analyze data, and present their findings in the class in order to induce a more engaging class environment.
Encourage critical thought regarding the long-lasting impact of these dynamics by exploring how the relationship between politics and religion in ancient Mesopotamia could have contemporary counterparts. Ask the students to discuss the modern relevance of this topic and how the relationship between religion and politics has been shaped over time.
Every city-state in Mesopotamia had its own king or ruler. These city-states frequently maintained a centralized administration in which the monarch fulfilled the roles of both a religious and political leader.
Deities including Anu, Enlil, Inanna, and others were part of the Mesopotamian pantheon. Every deity or goddess had distinct responsibilities and territories, and everyday life revolved around their devotion. Since the Ancient Mesopotamian civilization predominantly practiced polytheism, there were multiple gods and goddesses the people used to worship.
Temples served as important political, social, and religious hubs. The clergy had a great deal of power, and prominent priests frequently served as advisors to kings. Temple donations added to the riches and power as well.