Name:_______________ Date: ______________

River: _________________

Location:______________

Geography___________________

Key Words:________________

PROS CONS

Name: _________________________ Date: __________________

Name: _______________________ Date:_______________

Ancient River Valley Civilization Vocabulary

Review the List. See the words on the list along with definitions and example sentences.Practice the List. Students answer at least 3 different questions on each word in the list. The more questions they miss, the more we ask. The activity can typically be completed in one sitting. Learn the List. All the words will be added to the student’s learning program. To complete learning the list, they must “master” every word, which may take several days (or even weeks), depending on the size of the list and the ability of students.

Organize the following list of vocabulary words into their respective quadrants based on which river valley they associate with:

Mesopotamia Yellow River

Indus River Nile River

Ancient River Valley Vocabulary List:

Subcontinent: The large mass of land jutting out of Asia; India.Monsoon: seasonal winds that change direction over the course of the yearMohenjo-Daro: One of the largest cities in the Indus River Valley civilization.Harappa: a large city in the Indus River Valley civilization; most archeological digs were performed hereloess: fertile soil made from silt that is full of sand from the deserts in the west.oracle bone: bones and shells used in Ancient China to communicate with the godsMandate of Heaven: divine approval of a rulerdynastic cycle: the rise, decline, and replacement of dynastiesfeudalism: political system in which nobles and lords are granted the use of lands owned by the kingcataract: Churning rapids at the end of the NileDelta: a triangular area of land formed from deposits at the mouth of a river

Menes: king of upper egypt united the two kingdoms of upper and lower egyptpharaoh: Egyptian god-kingTheocracy: government headed by religious leaders or a leader regarded as a godpyramid: Resting place for pharaohs after deathMummification: Embalming, drying and wrapping a corpse to prevent decayHieroglyphics: an ancient Egyptian writing system in which pictures were used to represent ideas and soundspapyrus: ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plantHyksos: Nomads and invaders of Egypt, ruling it from 1640 to 1570 B.C.New Kingdom: Period after the Hyksos were chased from EgyptHatshepsut: Female pharaoh of Egypt during the New Kingdom. Encouraged tradeThutmose III: Hatshepsut's stepson, a ruthless pharaoh of EgyptNubia: A region of Africa straddling the upper Nile riverRamses II: Pharaoh of Egypt during battle with the Hittites, 1900 B.C.Kush: A Nubian kingdom, lasting from 2000 to 1000 B.C.Piankhi: 751 B.C.- Kushite king who led an army down the Nile and overthrew the Libyan power in Egypt

Meroe: An active area of trade between Africa, Arabia, and India; close to the red seaMesopotamia: first civilization located between the Tigris & Eurphrates Rivers in present day Iraq; term means "land between the rivers;" Sumerian cultureFertile Crescent: a geographical area of fertile land in the Middle East stretching in a broad semicircle from the Nile to the Tigris and EuphratesSilt: fine soil found on river bottomsIrrigation: supplying land with water through a network of canals

City State: a state consisting of a sovereign cityDynasty: a powerful family or group of rulers that maintains its position or power for some timeCultural Diffusion: The spread of cultural elements from one society to anotherPolytheism: belief in many godsEmpire: Bringing together several peoples, cultures, nations, or states under the control of one rulerHammurabi: Emperor of Babylon who put together a code of lawSargon of Akkad: A conqueror of the city-state of Sumer, creating the world's first empireUr: The center of all the Sumerian states with a walled temple called the Ziggurat.Civilization: A city with a large population, complex trading system, and technology

Specialization: Each person can do a different job in a city, allowing it to be more efficientArtisan: A master of crafts and toolsInstitution: A long-standing arrangement of order to carry out a dutyScribe: A recorder of daily facts and historyCuneiform: First form of written language, recorded on clay tabletsBarter: To trade without moneyBronze Age: a period of human culture between the Stone Age and the Iron Age, characterized by the use of weapons and implements made of bronzeZiggurat: The temple in Ur best known for being the center of trade

Name: _________________________ Date:__________________

Legal Structures and Government of the _____________ River Valley.

Who was/were the main ruler?

Why were they significant?

What was their legacy that they left behind to their society?

Name two positive outcomes of their rule.

Name: ___________________________ Date:_________________

Name: ____________________________ Date: ____________________

Name:_____________________________ Date: ___________________

Essay Questions:

Gifted and Talented

1. Ancient River Valley Civilizations used their rivers for a variety of reasons. Name five of the reasons and how they were used.

2. How did the characteristics of the rivers form the cultural landscape of the civilizations? Pick one of the four rivers and describe at least three functions.

3. In what ways have the rivers shaped their modern day countries?4. Explain why the rivers served as an effective mode of transportation and trade.5. Relate one of the ancient characteristics of the rivers to its modern day state.

What is different about it now? Has anything changed or stayed the same?

ELL and SPED

6. Which is your favorite Ancient River Valley civilization? Why? Please explain in 3 well written paragraphs with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

7. If you could live by one of the rivers, which would it be and why? Create a travel brochure describing and persuading to your classmates why this is the best river to live on, or even eventually retire to.

6 th Grade Ancient River Valley Civilizations Group Project

Students will be conducting a research- based group project on one of the Ancient River Valley Civilizations. These first permanent settlements developed in Egypt (Nile), Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates), Indus River Valley (Indus River), and China (Yellow River). Groups will work together to gather information and work towards a final presentation in which they will creatively present their findings to their classmates. As part of their presentation, each group must answer the following investigative questions in addition to giving their research on the government, religion, geography, and technology of their assigned river:

1. How did the unique geographic features of your region shape the development and growth of your civilization?2. What were the every lives like of the people of your civilization?3.Where were you able to learn about your civilization from what they left behind?

Groups are encouraged to include additional information and original artwork that they feel their audience would be interested in and consider the best way to creatively present it. The two group members will be held accountable to proper research and citations, cohesive work flow, and splitting up of duties. For example, one group member may take geography and technology of their assigned river while the other member may take government and religion. If an agreement between the two duties is not decided, the teacher will issue the responsibilities.

Project can be presented in a Powerpoint presentation, or other slide show application. Artists may feel free to get creative with poster board and construction paper. Please be sure to relate your creativity to your research!

Ancient Valley Civilizations Rubric4 3 2 1

Presentation

Follows the

assigned format of

the project

Effective use of

graphics (where

required) Engaging

presentation skills (voice,

eye contact,

etc.) Share the

speaking responsibilities with

partner fluidly

and evenly

Follows most of

the assigned format

Illustrated with

supporting

graphics (where

required) Engaging

presentation skills most of the time (voice,

eye contact,

etc.) Shares

speaking responsibi

lities between partners

Has some compone

nts of assignment format

Illustrated with

supporting

graphics (where

required) Engaging

presentation skills some of the time (voice,

eye contact,

etc.) Somewha

t share speaking

responsibilities

Does not follow

assigned format

Few or no

graphics Limited

of no presentati

on Little or

no flow between

two partners, or one speaks

the entire time

without representation of

other partner

Content Clearly displays students

understanding of

historical impact

Supports opinions

with evidence

Demonstrate

mastery of major

issues

Shows some

personal understan

ding of historical impact

Partially supports opinions

Displays evidence

of understan

ding major issues

Shows little

understanding of historial impact

Supports few

opinions Displays

little evidence

of understan

ding major issues

Shows no

understanding of

historical impact

No evidence

of support

for opinions

Displays no

evidence of

understan

ding major issues

Evidence of

Research

Uses diverse

sources of informati

on in developin

g an accurate project

Demonstrates

accurate use of

research strategies (outling,

note taking, graphic

organizers, etc.,)

Cites all sources

Uses several

sources of informati

on in developin

g an accurate project

Demonstrates some

use of research strategies (outlining

, note taking, graphic

organizers, etc.)

Cites most

sources

Uses few sources of informati

on, ineffective use of research materials

Demonstrates little

use of research strategies (outlining

, note taking, graphic

organizers, etc.)

Cites some

sources

Shows evidence of little or no

research Inaccurat

e use of research strategies (outlining, note taking, graphic

organizers, etc.)

Cites few or no

sources

Mechanics

Demonstrates an

excellent understan

ding of written English,

grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure

Good understan

ding of written English,

some grammatical errors

Many grammatical errors

Grammatical

errors distract from

meaning