A Web Quest by:
Andrew S. Basler
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Teachers | Credits
The ancient Egyptian empire is one of the oldest and most magnificent of all the ancient civilizations. The remains of that once mighty empire can still be found today on the banks of the Nile river. Exploring the numerous pyramids, tombs, temples and ruins can teach us how the Egyptians lived and what they believed.
You work for an international touring agency that plans and provides tours all over the world. You have just been assigned to a group whose task is to plan a tour of ancient Egypt. In your group, you will have to choose 5 different places to visit (The Giza Pyramids, Memphis, Valley of the Kings, etc). In addition to deciding what places you want to visit, you must also do some research on your destinations to ensure that those on the tour will learn about the history and culture of Egypt. After your group has planed the tour, you will present it to your class, justifying your choices by explaining the cultural and historical significance of each of the five chosen destinations.
First, you will watch the IMAX dvd "The Mysteries of Egypt." This will give you some background knowledge of ancient Egypt.
After the movie, your teacher will divide you into groups of four or more.
Each member of the group must participate in both the research and the class presentation.
Use the following websites to explore Egyptian ruins, pyramids, temples and archaeological sites. Decide which sites you want to include on your tour.
After you have decided which locations you want to include, do further research on the history of your tour destinations through the 3 Egypt websites and the Search Engine.
Prepare your class presentation by creating an itinerary or schedule for your tour of Egypt.
In your class presentation, you will present your schedule and give some facts and history about each destination, and explain why you think it is an important or exciting destination for tourists.
You should prepare a visual aid (poster board, power point, etc.) promoting your tour to potential tourists.
Your class presentation should be 8-10 minutes long, including some time for answering any questions.
Your grade will be based upon the following rubric:
| Oral Presentation Rubric | Possible Points | Self-Assessment | Teacher Assessment |
| Provided depth in coverage of tour destinations. Showed evidence of research. | 50 |
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| Presentation was well planned and coherent. (Evidence of rehearsal) | 10 |
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| Visual Aid (helpful, neat) | 10 |
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| Thoroughly answered questions and "sold" the tour. | 10 | ||
| Stayed within the time limit. (8 to 10 minutes) | 10 | ||
| Communication Skills (eye contact, posture, clear voice, appropriate volume, transitions between speakers smooth, and all members presented) | 10 |
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| Total Possible Points |
100 |
Be sure to note that half of your grade is on the depth of research and coverage of your tour destinations. Also remember that you are trying to sell this tour to potential tourists. Part of the depth coverage includes how well you justify the legitimacy of each destination.
Exploring ancient ruins of past civilizations can teach us a lot about that civilization. Understanding a civilization can help show us where we are today, and what the future holds. The Egyptians contributed much knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and architecture. Learning about their contributions is a worthwhile activity that can lead to the desire for knowledge and a love of exploration.
Grade Band: 7 - 12
Tennessee Curriculum Standards:
7th Grade Social Studies
7.1 t.p.i. 1: Research a country for a fictional visit
s.p.i. 5.1: Understand the patterns of human settlement
World Geography
3.3 Understand the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of the Earth's surface
3.4 Understand the physical and human characteristics of a place
Ancient History, Era 2 (4000 - 1000 BCE)
1.2 level 2: Recognize pastoral peoples' architectural advancements (e.g., arches, ziggurat, temples, pyramids)
5.2 level 1: identify and label key traits of the various civilizations (e.g., Old, Middle and New Kingdoms in Egypt.)
6.1 level 2: detect noted individuals for their contributions throughout history (e.g., Thutmose, Ramses II, Queen Hatshepsut, Sargon, Amenhotep IV)
Purpose: To promote an interest in exploration of ancient cultures, to teach internet research skills, to promote oral presentation skills, to promote teamwork through group research.
Preceding events of Instruction - the teacher should first show the IMAX dvd "Mysteries of Egypt" (40 mins) available at www.amazon.com . This movie may be included in a study of cultures, geography, ancient world history or Egypt.
Learning Improvements - Students will be allowed to do independent research which should lead to a move away from extrinsic rewards to greater intrinsic rewards. Learning will be reinforced when the students assemble and evaluate the research they have done.
Slingshot. (1999). Mysteries of Egypt [dvd]. Toronto, Canada: Imax.
NOVA online adventures. (2000). Mysteries of the Nile. Retrieved October 13, 2003, from www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/
The British Museum. (2003). Ancient Egypt. Retrieved October 13, 2003, from www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html
The Ancient Egypt Site. (2003). Home Menu. Retrieved October 13, 2003, from www.ancient-egypt.org
Google. (2003). Search Engine. Retrieved October 7, 2003, from http://www.google.com