Ancient Civilizations Lesson Plans

From Remains of the Day to Taking the Mystery Out of Mesopotamia, find teacher approved ancient civilizations lesson plans that inspire student learning.

Remains of the Day

19 Views: 6th - 12th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students consider how archaeologists discovered and pieced together artifacts that indicate a Celtic presence in ancient Turkey. They research ancient civilizations and create archaeological digs containing items representative of these cultures.

[PDF] Hunters and Gatherers Newly Added

18 Views: 6th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students participate in mapping and other activities to understand why ancient civilizations developed as they did. In this ancient civilization lesson, students recognize that there were three important climate zones and complete a worksheet. Students choose the North or South and write a poem.

Interpreting the Evidence

9 Views: 6th - 8th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students find out about the social changes that caused the collapse of important ancient civilizations in Central America, Mesopotamia, the southwestern United States, and western Africa.

Ancient American Artifacts

22 Views: 6th - 8th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students conduct research on artifacts from the ancient civilizations of the Mayas, the Aztecs, or the Incas using both print and non-print resources. They create two-dimensional or three-dimensional representations of their artifacts and present their artifact to the remainder of the class without sharing its identity. Classmates play "20 Questions" in order to identify each others artifacts.

social Studies: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorow

2 Views: 6th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students take an Internet trip back in time to explore ancient cultures. Working in teams, they assume the roles of theologian, cartographer, economist, political analyst, and anthropologist. The same groups then create time capsules of contemporary life with five artifacts,equivalent to the ancient artifacts, and explanations for future anthropologists.

Hit or Myth

29 Views: 6th - 12th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students define myths and explain why mythic figures are used in movies. After reading an article, they discover the myth surrounding the lost city of Atlantis. They read and examine myths from ancient civilizations and identify similarities among characters, themes and plots. They create a children's book based on myths of different civilizations.

[PDF] Who Were the Celts?

18 Views: 7th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students explore the aspects which made the Ancient Celtic culture distinct. They summarize and synthesize what they believe to be the important aspects of Ancient Celtic culture through visual representation. They explore how the different aspects of Celtic culture are not mutually exclusive.

[PDF] How Does the Civilization of Ancient Greece Continue To Influence Us Today?

53 Views: 7th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students study how geography affects the development of civilizations. They examine how geography affects settlement, how civilizations met and continue to meet their needs and the foundations of the democracy we enjoy in Canada today.

The Emergence and Evolution of the Cuneiform Writing System in Ancient Mesopotamia

138 Views: 6th - 8th Grade; 5.0/5.

Students examine the effect of cuneiform writing on the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. They explore various websites, complete a timeline, complete an online treasure hunt, and place artifacts in chronological order.

[PDF] Taking the Mystery Out of Mesopotamia

19 Views: 1st Grade; 5.0/5.

Students locate Mesopotamia on the map and explain the importance of its location. In this Mesopotamia lesson, students understand why the new discoveries of Mesopotamia were so important to civilization. Students participate in activities including cuneiform writing, and writing a code of laws.