1. 8.4.9.B. Analyze historical documents, material artifacts and historic sites important to world history before 1500.

• Documents, Writings and Oral Traditions

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to write and comprehend ancient forms of writing
2. Students will be able to identify the differences in ancient alphabets
3. Students will be able to appreciate the need for written language

Subject Matter:  Hieroglyphics, Cuneiform, Phoenician Alphabet

Materials:

1. Copies of the alphabet
2. Words/Sentences for set (pictionary)

Procedure:

1. Set
   1. Choose volunteers from the class to attempt to communicate to the class without being able to speak English

                                                               i.      Students will be given an index card with one sentence on it

                                                             ii.      Students have to get the class to figure out what the sentence is without speaking English or showing the card to them

2. As a class, discuss the difficulties and what would make it easier
1. Introduction
   1. Hand out copies of ancient alphabets
   2. Explain each form of writing
2. Activity
   1. Have students write their names in various alphabets
   2. Students will write three sentences about what they did over the weekend
   3. Sentences will be exchanged within the class and another student will decode the writing and write it in another alphabet

                                                               i.      Students will pass their paper to the left

4. Students will receive their own paper back and change the second alphabet into the Roman alphabet
3. Debrief
   1. As a class, discuss the difficulties faced while trying to translate
   2. Describe the differences/similarities between the alphabets
4. Close
   1. Name reasons written language was/is important

Evaluation:

1. Student participation in class
   1. Working on alphabet in class
   2. Answering questions