Mesopotamia to Massachusetts

 

I. Introduction:

The Lexington Museum is planning an exhibit about Mesopotamia. This exhibit will showcase artifacts from the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia.The museum also hopes to show the importance of these artifacts and to compare/contrast the ancient civilization to the one in which we live.

The Museum has a problem. The trunk containing the artifacts has been located in the basement of the museum. However, the artifacts are not lableled. In addition, there is no written information about these artifacts or their importance. The museum is unabable to complete its exhibit without this valuable information.

  Internet Sites:

Read this internet site thoroughly for complete understanding of the artifacts. Click on Sumer and read the "story". Read it slowly for understanding.

The British Museum

II. Task:

The Lexington Museum has hired you to identify these mysterious items and to find out what their importance was in Mesopotamian society. Once the objects have been identified and researched, the team members will use their information to help the museum complete its exhibit. This information will be presented as a small exhibit or on a brochure about life in Mesopotamia.

III. The Process:

The team of specialists from "Artifacts R Us" will be made up of 2 people. Team members will be responsible for finding the artifacts for identification. Each pair will be responsible for identifying all 8 artifacts. You will need to read the internet site in order to discover how the artifacts were used in Mesopotamia.

Directions for finding the artifacts:

1. Click on the British Museum site listed below.

2. Click on "Sumer" and the the "Royal Tomb of Ur."

3. Read the "story" in the Royal Tomb of Ur.

4. Pay attention to the pictures in the story. Click on the pictures that match the artifact on your sheet.

5. Keep notes on the "Artifacts R Us Summary Table" your teacher handed to you. As you do your research fill in the table with notes.Show your notes to your teacher. As you complete each Summary Table, have your teacher approve and sign it.

6. Extrad Credit: Define the terms: scribe, omens, predict, summarize, cuneiform, burial, trench

V. Conclusion:

Each artifact will be presented in a musuem format by the archaeologists who researched it. This will include displaying the image of all 8 artifacts and completing the Mesopotamia Exhibit Write Up.

VI. Evaluation:

Fill out the Group Assessment with your team.

VII. Direction page:print out for students

VIII. Teacher page