Lesson Plan - Egypt's Golden Boy

Build Background Knowledge

Have students use Junior Scholastic’s interactive atlas and almanac to research Egypt. Direct them to visit junior.scholastic.com/atlas, zoom in on Egypt, and click its name. Ask students to write three sentences with facts about Egypt. Use Think-Pair-Share to discuss responses.

Preview Vocabulary

Use the online Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach the domain-specific terms archaeologist, artifact, civilization, economy, Egyptologist, excavation, export, investor, Islam, and pharaoh. Have students refer to the Skill Builder as they read.

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to underline or highlight the central idea of each section.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• Who was Tutankhamen? What has made him a global celebrity? (Central Ideas)
Tutankhamen, known as King Tut, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. He became king in 1333 B.C. at the age of just 8 or 9. His rule lasted only 10 years because he mysteriously died at age 19, perhaps by murder or from an infection. Few people in modern times were familiar with Tut until the discovery of his tomb in 1922. The discovery turned him into a global celebrity. People have remained fascinated by his story and ancient Egypt ever since.

• How has life in Egypt centered on the Nile in the past and today? (Development of Ideas)
The ancient Egyptian civilization centered on the Nile because the river helped people grow crops and travel for trade. Today, most of the more than 102 million people who live in Egypt still live near the Nile.

• How does the map of Egypt support the article? (Text Features)
The map supports the article by showing Egypt and parts of the countries and waterways that border it. The yellow star symbolizing the Valley of the Kings shows the location where Tut’s tomb was found and where some archaeological work continues today. The white circled star shows the location of Cairo, the current capital city near where archaeologists discovered artifacts, including mummies and statues earlier this year. Last, the map reveals how the Nile River runs north past major Egyptian cities before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.

• What did Howard Carter and his team discover in November 1922? (Key Details)
The British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered Tut’s tomb, which his team had spent years looking for. On November 4, workers found the first step of a stone staircase that led to the tomb. On November 26, Carter and the project’s investor, Lord Carnarvon, finally entered the tomb. It glittered with thousands of artifacts, including golden chariots, jeweled chests, dazzling statues, a throne, and jewelry. The biggest find was a sarcophagus with three coffins inside, including a final one made of solid gold that held Tut’s mummy.

• Summarize the section “Tutmania.” (Summarizing)
The discovery of Tut’s tomb 100 years ago made news around the world. A fascination called Tutmania spread and influenced pop culture, from fashion to music. Over the next 10 years, Carter and his team catalogued and removed more than 5,000 artifacts from the tomb. Some of the objects have been displayed in museums around the world over the years since. In November, the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza is planning to open and exhibit nearly all of Tut’s treasures together for the first time.

• What is the pharaoh’s curse? (Legends and Myths)
The pharaoh’s curse is a legend that says anyone who bothered the tomb of a pharaoh would experience a deadly curse. Rumors of a curse spread following the death of Lord Carnarvon just four months after he entered Tut’s tomb, as well as the deaths of several other people who had visited it. However, the curse is just a myth. Carnarvon wasn’t in good health before going in the tomb and died from an infected mosquito bite. Also, Carter lived for 16 more years after entering the burial place.

• How does the sidebar “Egypt Today” support the article? (Integrating Information)
While much of the article focuses on the civilization of ancient Egypt, the sidebar provides information about the country today. It explains that Egypt is a modern country and shows a photo of people eating at a restaurant and using smartphones. It gives details about the country today, such as that most Egyptians speak Arabic and follow the religion of Islam. Much of Egypt’s economy relies on tourism and oil and gas exports.

• Choose one of the images in the article to analyze. What do you notice about it. What do you wonder? (Visual Literacy)
Sample response: The photograph of Carter and a member of his team examining Tut’s coffin shows how it was decorated. I notice that Carter seems to be using a tool to carefully remove dirt from the coffin as the team member holds a flashlight to help him see what he is doing. The coffin is shaped like a person and covered with blue and gold designs. I wonder how many people Carter had working for him and what it was like to see and touch the treasures.

Watch a Video

As students watch “The Life and Death of the Boy King,” have them complete the following 3-2-1 task: Record three important details about King Tut, describe two images that stand out to you, and come up with one question you have. Use Think-Pair-Share to discuss responses.

Determine Central Ideas

Assign the Skill Builder Heading Hashtags to have students determine the central idea of each section and brainstorm hashtags that summarize each idea.

Cite Text Evidence

Guide students to complete the Skill Spotlight activity at the end of the article independently or in pairs. You might want to review responses by projecting the Presentation View of the magazine at junior.scholastic.com and highlighting details that students underlined. Discuss which pieces of evidence provide the strongest support.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.