Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt Geography Grades 3-5

Introduction This lesson provides a very basic introduction to the geography of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Students will look at a historical map of these empires and explain what they have in common (they should mention the river systems). They’ll map specified places in each empire and state which place belonged to which empire. Use this activity at the beginning of a unit on either of these empires or on ancient civilizations in general, and have students continue to refer to these maps throughout the unit. Time Frame: 1 class period Objectives and Standards Students will: • View and answer questions about a map of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. • Match specified places with the correct empire. • Label specified places on an outline map. National Social Studies Standards: • 2: Time, Continuity, and Change: Social studies programs should include experiences

that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.

• 3: People, Places, and Environments: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.

National Geography Standards: • 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to

acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective. • 4: The physical and human characteristics of places. • 12: The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement. • 17: How to apply geography to interpret the past. Maps and Materials Needed • Mesopotamia and Egypt, c. 4000-1000 BCE map:

http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=3140:mesopotomia-&-egypt,-c.-4000-1000-bce&cid=86:history (one copy for each pair of students; download and print the PDF file, or students can look at the map online)

• Middle East outline map with shaded relief: http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=2299:middle-east&cid=104:outline (one copy for each student; download and print the PDF file)

• colored pencils or crayons Procedure 1. Divide the class into pairs, and give each pair a copy of the Mesopotamia and Egypt,

c. 4000-1000 BCE map (http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=3140:mesopotomia-&-egypt,-c.-4000-1000-bce&cid=86:history). Or, have them look at the map online.

2. Ask students to answer the questions in section 1 of the handout.

3. Have students look at the map and, in section 2 of the handout, match the places on the list with the correct empire (Egypt or Mesopotamia) by writing E or M next to the places.

4. Give each student a Middle East outline map with shaded relief (http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=2299:middle-east&cid=104:outline), and ask them to label the range of the Mesopotamian and Egyptian empires and the features listed in sections 2 and 3 of the handout.

Assessment Suggestions Check to make sure that students have: • Answered the questions on the handout in a manner that reflects a careful

examination of the maps. • Accurately matched the places with the empires. • Accurately shaded the empires and labeled the places on their outline maps.

Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt Geography Student Handout

1. Look at the Mesopotamia and Egypt, c. 4000-1000 BCE map

(http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=3140:mesopotomia-&-egypt,-c.-4000-1000-bce&cid=86:history), and answer these questions about what you see:

a) What types of geographical features did the Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires

have in common? b) Why do you think these two civilizations developed where they did? What do you

see on the map that gives you a clue about this? 2. Look at the map, and match each of the places on the list below with the correct

empire. To do this, write E for Egypt or M for Mesopotamia next to each place.

Nile River Tigris River Euphrates River Ur Giza Cairo

Babylon Nippur Heliopolis Jericho Thebes Memphis

3. On your outline map

(http://www.maps101.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=2299:middle-east&cid=104:outline), use different colored crayons or pencils to shade in the ranges of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires. Then label the features and places on the list above. Also label the following features:

• Mediterranean Sea • Red Sea • Black Sea • Caspian Sea • Persian Gulf • Arabia • Anatolia

• Cyprus