Lesson 7: The Innovations of Mesopotamia

Send In Activity 7

Part A: Questions (10 marks)

1. How do you suppose the invention of the wheel made life easier for the Mesopotamians? (2 marks)

2. What did the people of Mesopotamia first used writing for? (1 mark)

3. How do you think the invention of writing changed people's lives? (2 marks)

4. Identify five things introduced by the Mesopotamians that we still use today. This may require some additional research. (5 marks)

Part B: Make a cuneiform tablet (10 marks)

Materials:

• blank paper
• sculpting clay
• Trivial Pursuit game pieces
• Popsicle stick
• oven

a. Using this as an example, create your own cuneiform alphabet on a piece of paper.

b. Roll out the sculpting clay.

c. Using the wedge-shaped Trivial Pursuit pieces and a Popsicle stick, copy your alphabet onto the clay.

d. Bake the clay pieces in the oven until it is brown and ancient looking.

e. Submit the tablet to your teacher for marking (or submit a digital photo of it).

Marking Guide

• Your cuneiform alphabet contains 26 letters, each made up of a unique set of lines and / or symbols.
• The letter of our alphabet that each cuneiform letter represents is identified.

 

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