Activity Overview
Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary related to the study of ancient Mesopotamia.
Students will preview the terms and definitions and use whole class or small group discussion to demonstrate their understanding of each meaning. Then, they will create a spider map of 3-5 terms at the teachers discretion. Each cell will contain a term, its definition and an illustration that depicts the meaning. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
Vocabulary for Ancient Mesopotamia
Akkadian: language spoken by most of Mesopotamia after Akkadians defeated major Sumerian city-states and conquered them under the world’s first empire, the Akkadian Empire, under Sargon the Great
Arch: an upside-down U-or V-shaped structure that supports weight above it, as in a doorway. Historians say that the invention of the arch is one of the Sumerian’s greatest architectural achievements
Aqueduct: a man-made channel built to carry water from one location to another
Ashur / Assur: capital city of the Assyrian Empire and the Assyrian’s highest god
Assyrian Empire: empire that rose and fell several times throughout history to rule over much of Mesopotamia, known for brutality and fierce warriors
Babylonian Empire: ruled much of Mesopotamia with its capital being Babylon
Chariot: a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by horses and often used by the Assyrians in warfare
City-State: an independently governed region that centered around a single, powerful city. By 3000 BCE , Sumerians had control of Mesopotamia with city-states called Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Kish Ur and Uruk, considered the world’s first city-state
Civilization: an advanced state of human society marked by advances in government, agriculture, science, language, and culture
Code of Hammurabi / Hammurabi’s Code: put into place by Babylonian King Hammurabi in 1772 BCE, it is the oldest written code of law in history. Written in cuneiform on a large 7-foot stele with a carved image of Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash, the sun god. (This is a similar story to the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God which scholars believe was around 1600-1300 BCE). Hammurabi’s Code was made up of 282 laws written in "if, then" format. It is where the saying, “eye for an eye” comes from
Cuneiform: one of the world’s first forms of writing, invented by the Sumerians, it used a wedge-shaped tool to make marks in soft, impressionable clay
Cylinder seal: an engraved stone cylinder that was rolled on soft clay to serve as a signature
Dynasty: rulers of a kingdom or empire that gain power through inheritance.
Empire: a large region of city-states that are conquered and ruled by a single leader, an emperor / empress.
Fertile Crescent: region in the Middle East along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that begins along the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile River Valley in Egypt stretching east to the Persian Gulf. This area had fertile solid for farming which created a surplus in food. This allowed for the development of civilization which is why the area is also referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization”
Gilgamesh: Sumerian King of the city-state Uruk from around c. 2900 – 2350 BCE. He was the hero in the Epic of Gilgamesh, a series of 12 tablets chronically his mythical adventures
Irrigation system: means of supplying land with water by techniques such as digging ditches, canals and setting up systems to carry water to crops
Levee: wall of earth built to prevent a river from flooding its banks
Lyre: stringed instrument similar to a harp
Marduk: patron god of Babylon, lord of the gods and goddesses and god of thunder. His planet was Jupiter and his sacred animals were horses, dogs, and the dragon
Scribe: important record keepers, poets, writers and teachers. They were trained to write in cuneiform and were highly respected
Shekel: standard unit of weight invented in Mesopotamia
Stylus: wedge-shaped tool used by scribes to write in cuneiform on wet clay
Ziggurats: temples to the gods located in the center of a Mesopotamian city. Ziggurats were massive step pyramids that towered over the rest of the buildings in the city-state. The gods were believed to reside in the top of the Ziggurat and only the priests were allowed to go there.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: To learn the meanings of words relating to our lesson you will preview the vocabulary and create a storyboard that demonstrates your understanding of different words.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- In the title boxes, identify the key terms you have chosen.
- In the description boxes, write the definition of the term.
- Create an illustration for each term using appropriate scenes, characters, and items. To find images that relate to ancient Mesopotamia, type “Mesopotamia” into the search bar.
- Save and exit when you're done.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definitions | The vocabulary words are correctly defined. | The meaning of the vocabulary words can be understood but it is somewhat unclear. | The vocabulary word is not clearly defined |
| Illustrations | The storyboard illustrations clearly depict the meaning of the vocabulary words. | The illustrations relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words but it they are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
Activity Overview
Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary related to the study of ancient Mesopotamia.
Students will preview the terms and definitions and use whole class or small group discussion to demonstrate their understanding of each meaning. Then, they will create a spider map of 3-5 terms at the teachers discretion. Each cell will contain a term, its definition and an illustration that depicts the meaning. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
Vocabulary for Ancient Mesopotamia
Akkadian: language spoken by most of Mesopotamia after Akkadians defeated major Sumerian city-states and conquered them under the world’s first empire, the Akkadian Empire, under Sargon the Great
Arch: an upside-down U-or V-shaped structure that supports weight above it, as in a doorway. Historians say that the invention of the arch is one of the Sumerian’s greatest architectural achievements
Aqueduct: a man-made channel built to carry water from one location to another
Ashur / Assur: capital city of the Assyrian Empire and the Assyrian’s highest god
Assyrian Empire: empire that rose and fell several times throughout history to rule over much of Mesopotamia, known for brutality and fierce warriors
Babylonian Empire: ruled much of Mesopotamia with its capital being Babylon
Chariot: a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by horses and often used by the Assyrians in warfare
City-State: an independently governed region that centered around a single, powerful city. By 3000 BCE , Sumerians had control of Mesopotamia with city-states called Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Kish Ur and Uruk, considered the world’s first city-state
Civilization: an advanced state of human society marked by advances in government, agriculture, science, language, and culture
Code of Hammurabi / Hammurabi’s Code: put into place by Babylonian King Hammurabi in 1772 BCE, it is the oldest written code of law in history. Written in cuneiform on a large 7-foot stele with a carved image of Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash, the sun god. (This is a similar story to the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God which scholars believe was around 1600-1300 BCE). Hammurabi’s Code was made up of 282 laws written in "if, then" format. It is where the saying, “eye for an eye” comes from
Cuneiform: one of the world’s first forms of writing, invented by the Sumerians, it used a wedge-shaped tool to make marks in soft, impressionable clay
Cylinder seal: an engraved stone cylinder that was rolled on soft clay to serve as a signature
Dynasty: rulers of a kingdom or empire that gain power through inheritance.
Empire: a large region of city-states that are conquered and ruled by a single leader, an emperor / empress.
Fertile Crescent: region in the Middle East along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that begins along the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile River Valley in Egypt stretching east to the Persian Gulf. This area had fertile solid for farming which created a surplus in food. This allowed for the development of civilization which is why the area is also referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization”
Gilgamesh: Sumerian King of the city-state Uruk from around c. 2900 – 2350 BCE. He was the hero in the Epic of Gilgamesh, a series of 12 tablets chronically his mythical adventures
Irrigation system: means of supplying land with water by techniques such as digging ditches, canals and setting up systems to carry water to crops
Levee: wall of earth built to prevent a river from flooding its banks
Lyre: stringed instrument similar to a harp
Marduk: patron god of Babylon, lord of the gods and goddesses and god of thunder. His planet was Jupiter and his sacred animals were horses, dogs, and the dragon
Scribe: important record keepers, poets, writers and teachers. They were trained to write in cuneiform and were highly respected
Shekel: standard unit of weight invented in Mesopotamia
Stylus: wedge-shaped tool used by scribes to write in cuneiform on wet clay
Ziggurats: temples to the gods located in the center of a Mesopotamian city. Ziggurats were massive step pyramids that towered over the rest of the buildings in the city-state. The gods were believed to reside in the top of the Ziggurat and only the priests were allowed to go there.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: To learn the meanings of words relating to our lesson you will preview the vocabulary and create a storyboard that demonstrates your understanding of different words.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- In the title boxes, identify the key terms you have chosen.
- In the description boxes, write the definition of the term.
- Create an illustration for each term using appropriate scenes, characters, and items. To find images that relate to ancient Mesopotamia, type “Mesopotamia” into the search bar.
- Save and exit when you're done.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definitions | The vocabulary words are correctly defined. | The meaning of the vocabulary words can be understood but it is somewhat unclear. | The vocabulary word is not clearly defined |
| Illustrations | The storyboard illustrations clearly depict the meaning of the vocabulary words. | The illustrations relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words but it they are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
How To Create Vocabulary Flashcards for Ancient Mesopotamia
Make a List
Ask the students to perform some research on the topic of Ancient Mesopotamia and make a list of vocabulary they think is a bit complex or harder to understand. Students can make their own personalized lists or teachers can also share a general list with the class from the lesson plans beforehand so students are more familiar with the contents to be discussed in the class.
Prepare Flashcards
Ask the students to prepare their own flashcards that they would like to study from. Students can customize and decorate their cards as per their liking. For instance, some students can use colored paper or printed paper, some students can fold and innovate the paper according to their understanding.
Collect Information
Since students already have a list of the words they want to use for their flashcards, ask them to collect the rest of the data they want to put in the flashcards. For instance, a definition of the word, or students can also add a relevant image or a symbol, and a sentence that will help them understand the word in context.
Use Engaging Games
Create a game out of the flashcards. To make studying more interactive, students may compose quiz-style questions based on the flashcards and play games like "Mesopotamia Flashcard Challenge." This will make learning more fun and engaging and also enhance their critical thinking skills.
Assemble and Share
Encourage the students to present their flashcards to the class. This can be accomplished through flashcard showcases, group projects, or presentations. Students can also test each other on their flashcards and create a more collaborative class environment for learning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ancient Mesopotamia Vocabulary
Is it possible for students to get familiar with all complex terms in a short while?
Of course not! It takes time to learn and retain complex vocabulary terms, especially for students at a younger level. Teachers can spend more time in class working on these terms and using different activities to help students learn the words in a quicker way. For example, making visual vocabulary boards will make the learning process easier and more interesting and students will be able to retain the information in a much better way.
In what ways may teachers use visual vocabulary in their lessons for a better learning experience?
The visual vocabulary may be included in lectures, conversations, and assignments by teachers as a teaching tool. Additionally, it may be applied to evaluation tasks like tests and visual analysis exercises. Teachers can also use other related activities to enhance the teaching and learning experience.
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