Lesson Plan: Pharaoh's Secret Message

Materials Needed

• Brown paper bag or a sheet of white paper
• A shallow dish with a used, damp tea bag (for aging paper, optional)
• Pencil and eraser
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers (gold and blue are great!)
• A printed copy of a simple hieroglyph alphabet chart (easily found online)
• Scissors
• A small cup of water

Lesson Details

Subject: Social Studies, Art, Language Arts

Grade Level: 1st - 2nd Grade (Age 7)

Time Allotment: 60-75 minutes

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

• Identify and draw one famous Egyptian pharaoh or god.
• Explain that hieroglyphs were a form of picture-writing used in Ancient Egypt.
• Create a personal cartouche (an oval with their name written in hieroglyphs).
• Design an original piece of artwork inspired by Ancient Egyptian themes.

Lesson Procedure

Part 1: The Hook - A Journey to Ancient Egypt (5-10 minutes)

1. Prepare "Papyrus": If using a brown paper bag, cut out a large rectangular piece. Have the student carefully crumple it into a tight ball and then smooth it back out. This creates a wrinkled, ancient look. If using white paper, have the student gently dab it with the damp tea bag to give it an aged, golden-brown color. Set it aside to dry while you work on the next steps.
2. Spark Curiosity: Start by asking, "Have you ever heard of a place where kings were called pharaohs, where they built giant triangle-shaped tombs called pyramids, and where they wrote with pictures instead of letters? Today, we're going on a trip back in time to Ancient Egypt!"
3. Introduce Key Figures: Briefly tell a simple story about a famous pharaoh like King Tutankhamun (King Tut), known for his amazing golden mask, or a powerful god like Ra, the sun god with the head of a falcon. Explain that pharaohs were the rulers, and people believed the gods controlled everything from the sun to the harvest.

Part 2: Become a Royal Artist (20-25 minutes)

1. Activity - Draw a God or Pharaoh: On a practice sheet of paper, guide the student to draw their own version of a pharaoh or an Egyptian god.
   • For a Pharaoh: Encourage them to draw a powerful face and add a special royal headdress (called a nemes), like the famous blue-and-gold striped one King Tut wore.
   • For a God: Suggest drawing a human body with the head of an animal. For example, Anubis, the god of the afterlife, had the head of a jackal. Or Bastet, a goddess of protection, had the head of a cat.
2. Discuss and Share: While drawing, ask questions like, "If you were a pharaoh, what would your crown look like?" or "What animal would you choose for a god, and what would its special power be?" This encourages creative thinking.

Part 3: Crack the Secret Code - Hieroglyphs! (15-20 minutes)

1. Introduce Hieroglyphs: Show the student the printed hieroglyph alphabet. Explain, "The Ancient Egyptians didn't use letters like A, B, C. They used pictures called hieroglyphs. Each picture stood for a sound. It was like their secret code!"
2. Create a Cartouche: Explain that when a pharaoh wrote their name, they put a special oval shape around it to show it was royal. This is called a cartouche.
   • On another practice sheet, help the student draw a large oval.
   • Using the hieroglyph chart, guide them to find the symbols that match the sounds in their name and draw them inside the oval. Sound out the name phonetically (e.g., "Ben" would be the symbols for 'B' and 'N').
   • Let them practice writing their name a few times. This is a fun way to connect a historical concept directly to them.

Part 4: Create a Pharaoh's Masterpiece (20 minutes)

1. Assemble the Artwork: Now it's time to use the "papyrus" paper made at the beginning. It should be dry.
2. Instructions: "You are now an ancient artist, creating a special message for the pharaoh! On your papyrus, you must include three things:"
   • 1. You as a Pharaoh: Draw a picture of yourself wearing a pharaoh's crown or headdress.
   • 2. A God Protector: Draw the Egyptian god you designed earlier, standing beside you as a powerful protector.
   • 3. Your Royal Name: Carefully draw your cartouche with your name in hieroglyphs.
3. Add Color and Detail: Encourage the student to use bold colors, especially gold, blue, and black, which were common in Egyptian art. They can add other Egyptian symbols like pyramids, the sun, or a river in the background.

Part 5: Gallery Walk and Closure (5 minutes)

1. Present the Art: When the masterpiece is complete, treat it like a discovery from an ancient tomb! Have the student present their artwork.
2. Ask Guiding Questions:
   • "Tell me about your message, great Pharaoh! What is your name in hieroglyphs?"
   • "Which god did you choose to protect you, and why?"
   • "What was your favorite part about our trip to Ancient Egypt today?"
3. Wrap-up: Congratulate the student on their amazing work as a royal scribe and artist. Display the artwork proudly.

Differentiation

• For Extra Support: Pre-draw the oval for the cartouche. Focus on just the first initial of the student's name in hieroglyphs. Provide simple templates of a pharaoh's head or an animal head to trace.
• For an Extra Challenge: Encourage the student to write a short phrase (like "I am strong" or "sun god") in hieroglyphs. Have them research and draw a second god or goddess to add to their artwork.