Cuneiform Writing

Name: Lindsay Ptasienski

Date: November 2, 2010

Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade Social Studies

Co-Operating Teacher: Zachary Cain

Prerequisite Knowledge: There is no prerequisite knowledge for this activity.

Approximate Time: 42 minutes

Goals for Personal Development: Try to offer the students more specific praises throughout the lesson
Say “you guys” a fewer number of times.

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes:

- Students will be able to identify the world’s first system of writing

- Students will recall definitions of “History” and “Prehistory”
- Students will be able to complete the cuneiform writing challenge on their clay tablets

Content Standards:

18.A.3 Explain how language, literature, the arts, architecture and traditions contribute to the development and
transmission of culture.
18.B.3a Analyze how individuals and groups interact with and within institutions (e.g., educational, military).

Materials/Resources/Technology:

Clay
“Cuneiform Writing” Translator
Toothpicks
History Textbook
Cuneiform Codes

Implementation:

Students will complete the pre-test, and we will review the questions as a class. I will then ask the students to close their
eyes and listen to what a day in the life of a Mesopotamian was. They will hear about what it is like to be a student in
Ancient Mesopotamia. They will then open their eyes, and I will hand out their clay tablets to them as if they were
students from Ancient Mesopotamia. They will be given one of three codes to copy on their clay. After they have copied
their message, they will need the “Cuneiform Writing” translator to find out what their messages say. After they translate
their first message, they will need to write one interesting fact that they have learned today on their clay either in English
or in Cuneiform, but they will need to show me before they leave the classroom. Once they have completed this task, they
can choose to work on the challenge message.

Time
Opening of lesson: (Objectives, hook, behavior expectations)

At the beginning of the class, I will ask the students for their eyes facing front, and their
mouths closed. I will then state that in order for us to complete this activity in a fun way,
then I expect respectful participation from the entire class, which means raised hands and
a mature participation in the game. State that they have a choice: they can listen and
participate for the discussion in order to enjoy the activity at the end of class, or we can
have a lecture for the whole period and they could miss out on the fun.

After the establishment of expectations, I will review some terms previously learned in
class by doing a pre-quiz as a class. “We have been learning all of these things about
Ancient Mesopotamia—the geography, the government, so now I want to talk about what
it would be like to be a student—someone your age. But first we have to remember just a
few things.” I will ask questions about what history is, and what prehistory is. I will then
ask them if they remember what irrigation was and why it was so important. Did it give
the people more jobs? Why? Do you think that it gave them the opportunity to develop
new technologies and cultures? One of their greatest cultural developments was writing.
After we have reviewed previous material, I will ask the students to close their eyes and
pretend that they are in Ancient Mesopotamia. They I will tell them a story about the day
in the life of a student in Ancient Mesopotamian writer.
Procedures: Include critical thinking questions and accommodations for individual needs

Accommodations:

-Juana is an ELL student, and she speaks very little English. Be sure to help her begin the scribe
activity, and have Susana translate the code for her at the end.
-Be sure that Will Cowart and Devante McCormick are sitting away from one another.

Once I have told them the story of a day in the life of an Ancient Mesopotamian student, I will
tell them that it is time for them to practice their Cuneiform writing. “What is Cuneiform
again?” I will ask. “The world’s first form of writing, and the beginning of studying history.” I
will then pass out the clay tablets for the kids as well as a toothpick for them to write with. The
kids will then get either message 1, 2, or 3. I will give directions to the students saying that they
must copy the message onto their clay tablets just as students did back in the times of Ancient
Mesopotamia. Once they have completed their message, they must show the teacher for
inspection. Once they have completed their message, and have gotten it approved by the
instructor, they may take a code translator and translate the code into English. Once the students
have translated their codes into English, they may choose to try the challenge code. For this
code, they will only have to translate the question into English, but once the figure out the
answer, they will need to write that in Cuneiform to receive extra credit.

Extension/Shorten:
If all of the students complete the activity before the end of the class period, they can complete a
multiple choice review sheet from the lesson to reinforce the history taught that day. If the
students do not finish their clay tablets, they will not need to complete the review worksheet.

Summary/Closing:

I will then pull the class back together to announce that the students must write their names on
the back of their clay tablets, and place them in the front of the classroom. “You will get to keep
your clay tablets so that you can have your own artifact from your memories as a student in
Ancient Mesopotamia. They will air dry, so I will take them home and let them air dry, and
bring them back next Tuesday. Great work today. I really liked how you _________.”

If the students completed the multiple choice worksheet, at the end of the class, the teacher will
ask the students to place this worksheet in their class period folders for grading, and it will then
be returned to be put with all of their other portfolio items. The teacher will thank the students
for their participation, and dismiss them with the bell.

Student Assessment:
Students will be assessed by in-class participation, completion of the clay tablet and completion
of worksheet in class.