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DD 8's homework

7 replies

BathshebaDarkstone · 14/11/2015 19:44

She has to give 5 personal opinions on ancient Egypt. We're stumped.

Any ideas please? Smile

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cece · 14/11/2015 19:47

What are her opinions?

Maybe choose 5 aspects; pyramids, mummies, Tutankhamun, Farming, education, and then give her opinion on them.

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Madcats · 14/11/2015 20:32

Okay...quizzing DD(8). It's a bit random because she is watching Dr Who (but helping so we don't realise she ought to be well on her way to going to bed!)

Try asking her
Would it be weird living in a place where almost nobody can read and write?
Would you like to be a slave?
Would you be scared of the gods?
What would you do if you didn't like cats?

A bit profound, but she said
"we have everything we need and know about. Sure, there will be electricity and computers and things, but we don't know about those so we won't miss them...and there will be something to replace electricty soon that we don't know about.

That homework is plain mean!

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MMmomKK · 14/11/2015 22:54

I am not sure what they mean by an "opinion" about an ancient country - but here are the things I find interesting about Egypt:

  • it is amazing that they managed to build something, that people are still considering 'Wonders of the World'. And that to this day scientists don't really fully understand how it was done
  • it is almost unbelievable that they knew as much math, astronomy, and geography - to perfectly position those pyramids with N,E,W,S orientation, pointing at Orion's Belt, and having pi in its math... And all centuries before "the beginning of time"
  • it is great that they invented papyrus - we have paper because of them
  • they invented irrigation and allowed our civilisation to flourish
  • I thank them for their cat worship - and my cat does as well... :)
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user789653241 · 15/11/2015 07:41

She can watch this 11 minutes video and give the opinion what she thinks about ancient Egypt.(Language isn't perfect, so watch it yourself first, if you are worried. My 7year old loves this programme.)

www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/crash-course1/crash-course-world-history/what-happens-when-you-stay-put/v/crash-course-world-history-04

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BathshebaDarkstone · 15/11/2015 21:22

Thanks for everyone's help! She said that she found it hard to have opinions on something that she knows so much about!

She came up with:

Pharaohs were very bossy.
Pharaohs wore hat thingies.
Cleopatra held a cobra stick.
Tutankhamen died when he was 13 years old.
Pharaohs held stick things.

Grin

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cariadlet · 15/11/2015 21:54

It's very hard for 8 year olds to come up with personal opinions, but only the first idea (Pharoahs were very bossy) is really an opinion and the others in your dd's list are facts.

Hopefully, your dd is fast asleep now so too late to talk about it. When is the homework due in? If it's tomorrow maybe you could have a chat over breakfast.

Here are a few ideas:

Would you rather learn to read and write using letters and an alphabet or using pictures and hieroglyphs? Which would be easier to understand?
Which kinds of Egyptian foods would you like to eat and which would you hate?
Is it ok to have slaves?
Would you like to wear the kind of clothes that the Ancient Egyptians wore or do you like the clothes we wear today?
Do you think it was a good idea for Pharoahs to be buried with so many of their possessions?
What do you think about the way Eyptians treated the dead? (eg putting organs in canopic jars, mummification). Would you like to help the priest?
Would Tutankhamen have been a good Pharoah if he was only 13 when he died?
Why was it hard to be a farmer in Egyptian times?


Try to encourage dd to give reasons for her opinions. Hope this helps.

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BathshebaDarkstone · 16/11/2015 12:07

That was fantastic cariadlet thanks! Grin It was due in today but she did a quick rewrite and hopefully she'll get good marks.

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