Middle School Ancient History Cooking and Project Based FLEX Class (Part 1 Of 3)

Welcome!  I am super excited to share this class with you.  This class is a FLEX class, which means there are no live classes but instead you will be given a video each week to follow as we go through lessons and create projects.  The class will cover the whole Middle School Ancient Civilization Curriculum, but parents can purchase the classes a few weeks at a time.  This is our first class in the series. We will also create lunch or dinner together some weeks where we will eat just like they did during the era we are studying. 

Middle School Ancient Civilizations expands students’ understanding of the BCE/CE time frame through the study of people and events before the era of European exploration and settlement. This class focuses not only on the significance of geography in the development of the human story but also on the everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of the people and their roles in developing social, economic, and political structures of the major civilizations.  The first unit of our class starts with the Mesopotamia Era, we will then continue through Ancient Egypt and the Kingdom of Kush. Even though this class has videos post once a week and is super fun, expect students to devote around 2 hours a week to listen to the lesson (30 minutes), read text (20 minutes) and work on their interactive notebooks (they can do this while following along with the lesson).  As a group we will then complete a project each week (up to 55 minutes).  With the Flex class parents can break up the discussion and notes on one day, then the project on a second if they choose, effectively making this a twice a week class.

Class interaction:  Students will create videos (optional) or post pictures of their finished projects. Students will comment on each other's work. Also, each week students will fill out an interactive notebook that will support learning. Students will post handouts and notebooks upon completion in the classroom.  For a fun quiz element, I use Kahoot or Blooket.  Students will not need to purchase an account or have an account for either.  I purchase licenses for our notebooks because they can really aid in the learning process. Students will be able to keep their notebooks online or print them out for future use.  Supply lists will be given out a week before our class starts.  However, for week one students will need clay and a pen or pencil to write in the clay. Something to carve Cuneiform.
Recommended Accompaniment Text:  Mark Twain World Civilizations and Cultures Workbook.  (Digital) Around $10 https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Twain-Civilizations-Cultures-Grades-dp-B0842XJXZD/dp/B0842XJXZD/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1651927848
We will use this text for all 5 sections of this course.

Week One:  Early Mesopotamia Interactive Notebook 
Project One: Cuneiform Project (Clay)

Week Two:   Mesopotamia Continued:  
Project Two: King Hammurabi's Court Role Play

Week Three:  Epic of Gilgames/Mesopotamia Review/Kahoot Quiz
Project:  Snack like a citizen of Sumer:  Barley Porridge with Flax/Sunflower seeds, Figs and Dried Apricots
 
Week Four:  Introduction to Ancient Egypt Interactive Notebook

Week Five: Egypt con't.
Project:  Eat like an Ancient Egyptian:  Potato and Leek Soup, and Mummy Dogs (fun recipe)  

Week Six:    Lecture/Notebook Con't. 
Project: Sarcophagus Project/Afterlife Project (Handout)
We will create a sarcophagus and just like the Pharaohs, add 10 life events that mean a lot to us on the outside of the sarcophagus.  We will also talk about what Pharoah's put in their tombs and how we would do it differently.

Week Seven: Kingdom of Kush
Project:  Cucumber Yogurt Salad and Ancient Honey Cake

Week Eight: Kingdom of Kush
Project:  Travel Brochure