BACK IN THE TIME OF MESOPOTAMIA
INTRODUCTION :
What would life be like if no one ever ventured beyond their neighborhood? What would we know about the world we live in? Well…probably very little! But we don’t have to worry about that, because exploration has played a major role in learning about our Earth for centuries. Now it is your turn to go exploring. You will embark on a cyber journey into ancient Mesopotamia. You will explore this ‘cradle of civilization’ to understand how Mesopotamia has affected the world you live in. You will take on different roles that will ask you to search around Mesopotamia and find out important information. You will come away with the knowledge that Mesopotamia has changed or affected your world in some way. Considered the first great civilization, Mesopotamia developed around 5000 B.C. in the area located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The word "Mesopotamia" is derived from the Greek words, mesos meaning "middle," and potamos meaning "river," which became known as the "land between two rivers." This area was home to many civilizations including Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. Archaeologists and historians consider Mesopotamia the "cradle of civilization." Many believe the people of this region influenced the development of the human race in many ways. Mesopotamia no longer exists today. It is now known as all the land in northern Syria, southern Turkey, through Iraq into the Persian Gulf. OBJECTIVES:
TASK:
You will journey back in time to ancient Mesopotamia. You are to discover and bring back information, about this ancient civilization. Your final project (a newsletter) will demonstrate how this ancient civilization contributed to our modern world. You may be as creative as you like when putting together all of the information you uncover. As part of this Journey, you will be asked to take on one of four different roles: Geographer, Historian, Agriculturalist, and Archaeologist. You will be working individually, however you can collaborate with others in your class who has the same role as you during the research process. PROCESS:
STEP 1: For the first step you will need READ the instructions and questions on your role worksheet very carefully. STEP 2: Once you have read everything, you should begin doing research your assigned role. Each of the 4 roles links above will provide you with instructions and web pages for you to explore. As you explore through your role, you will need to have a pencil and paper to keep an ongoing journal of all the information you have gathered for this role. STEP 3: Once you have gathered all the required information, you can begin compiling all your information into a newsletter with a focus on the point of view of your role (Geographer, Historian, Agriculturalist, or Archaeologist). 
GRADING RUBRIC:
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GOOGLE DOCS TUTORIALS:
Mesopotamia Explained
Ancient Mesopotamia History
Mesopotamia from Nomads to Farmers
READING MATERIALS:
Standards Covered:
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