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A Lesson on Egypt Grade: Grade 4
Subject: English Language Arts
Created by: Blair Mccausland
Lesson Length: 45 minutes
Keywords/Tags: A Lesson on Egypt, grade 4, compare and contrast
Lesson Description: Explore the past and present of Egypt!
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.6: Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1a: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1b: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
 
     
     
 
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.

Egypt

Egypt is a country in Africa. It is at the north part of the continent. The north side of Egypt borders the Mediterranean. East of it is the Red Sea, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. Other countries are on its other sides. It is in a very special location. It is a place that is close to Asia. 

The capital of Egypt is Cairo. That is a really great city. It has been an important city for a long time. It is the largest city in Africa. If you visit that city, you will find a very modern place. You will see many cars. You will see many businesses, schools, and homes. 

About 82 million people live in Egypt. They have a rich history. Long ago, Egyptians made this the greatest place in the world. They built pyramids. These very smart people invented ways to farm. 

Long ago, Egyptians were wonderful leaders. They built great buildings. They set up schools. They invented a special way of writing. That was called hieroglyphics. They looked like pictures instead of alphabet letters. 

You will still see hieroglyphics in Egypt today. But they are not used to read and write. They are a part of history. Egypt has a long history. It has been a leader for a long time. If you read Egypt’s history, you will know how great this country has been. 

Today most Egyptians live near the banks of the Nile River. This is where the only good land to farm is. It’s a great place to live. There are other parts that are difficult to live—they are deserts. So not many people live there. 

About half of Egypt's residents live in cities. Those big cities are in the area of the Nile River. If you go to Cairo, the biggest city, you will find millions of people. 

Egypt has had some problems. There have been wars. There have been problems of poverty. Poor people in the cities need jobs. They need homes. Egypt is working to solve those problems. 

Egypt is making its schools better. The school leaders are making plans to help students learn more. They are planning ways to help parents help their children learn more, too. 

Egypt is a great country. It has a wonderful history. It will have a great future because people are working hard. They are working together to get more jobs and homes. 

 
     
     
 
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity (20 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence.

Vocabulary Questions

Word/Phrase: Rich | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q1 "About 82 million people live in Egypt. They have a rich history. Long ago, Egyptians made this the greatest place in the world." What does the word "rich" mean in this sentence?
A. made of money
B. elaborate *
C. weak
D. crazy

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "rich" correctly?
A. My Uncle Jim is rich, he lives in a mansion!
B. I was rich with laughter.
C. The story includes rich details of the plot. *
D. I was rich when the cat died in the movie.

Word/Phrase: Invented | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q2 "Long ago, Egyptians were wonderful leaders. They built great buildings. They set up schools. They invented a special way of writing." What does the word "invented" mean in this sentence?
A. created *
B. destroyed
C. associated with
D. imagined

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "invented" correctly?
A. The toddler invented the tower by knocking it down onto the ground.
B. I invented after getting a cat!
C. The man invented a robot. *
D. I invented you to the party.

Word/Phrase: poverty | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q3 "There have been problems of poverty. Poor people in the cities need jobs. They need homes." What does the word "poverty" mean in this sentence?
A. people without homes *
B. crimes
C. war
D. singing

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "poverty" correctly?
A. I was lacking poverty in my essay.
B. Many poor children in Africa are in poverty. *
C. The girl shows her poverty by wearing it on her necklace.
D. Kitten's poverty stay with their mother for two weeks.

Word/Phrase: Hieroglyphics | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q4 "You will still see hieroglyphics in Egypt today. But they are not used to read and write." What does the word "hieroglyphics" mean in this sentence?
A. temples
B. schools
C. post offices
D. the use of photos as writing *

Which one of the sentences below uses the word "hieroglyphic" correctly?
A. The strange writing looked like some sort of hieroglyphic! *
B. I love to play with hieroglyphics after school!
C. After the storm, hieroglyphics appeared.
D. His performance was hieroglyphic.

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4,
 
     
     
 
Task 2: Discussion Activity (40 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.

  Topic Title Replies

Message Give examples of how
Give examples of how the author displays that he favors Egypt. Use direct quotes from text. 
Sent on: Jun 29, 2015 by: Blair Mccausland
0

Message What was the...
What was the authors main purpose of this passage? 
Sent on: Jun 29, 2015 by: Blair Mccausland
0

Message How does the author...
How does the author use details to pursuade the readers about the upcoming of Egypt?
Sent on: Jun 29, 2015 by: Blair Mccausland
0

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1a, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1b,
 
     
     
 
Task 3: Writing Activity (40 points)
Instructions: Write a two paragraph essay comparing and contrasting Eqypt of the past and present. 
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.6,
 
     

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