Lesson Plan
The Royal Cubit by ECSDM
Course, Subject
Algebra I (Next Generation), Math, Science & Technology, Mathematics (NYS P-12 Next Generation)
Grade Levels
Commencement, 9th Grade, 10th Grade
Description
This is an interdisciplinary lesson designed to explore the history of measurement in ancient Egypt. The purpose of this lesson is bringing history and mathematics to life for the students while experiencing how systems of measurement came into being.
Duration
One class period - 40-45 minutes
Learning Objectives
Students will learn how Egyptians invented a standardized measurement system through role-playing. Students will understand how the system was developed as well as why such a system was needed. The students will role-play as though they are Egyptians who need to measure several objects. At the end of the activity, students will share the problems encountered during the activity. We will talk about how this could be a problem in Egypt and how the situation could be remedied. Students will learn what a cubit is and see an example. Students will then answer questions about the lesson in their journal entries. The class’s role-playing pictures will then be posted on a bulletin board to showcase their work along with their responses to the worksheet.
Materials
· Example of Cubit (reproduction)
· Notebook
· Highlighters
· Digital Camera
· Map of the world
· Flags
· Measurement record sheet
· Dry Erase Markers
· Dry Erase Black Board
· SMART Board
· Class measurement record poster
· Journals
· Pencils
Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Identification of Student Prerequisite Skills Needed for Lesson:
Students will know what measurement is. Students will discuss the measurement system that we use today.
2. Presentation of New Information or Modeling:
The class will briefly have a discussion about how mathematics topics were created throughout history. We will then find Egypt on the bulletin board “World Math”
Teacher: Throughout history, mathematics has been created in order to solve problems that people have encountered on a daily basis. Mathematics was not developed over night, to this day all around the world, there are mathematicians who spend their days trying to find answers to everyday problems. Today’s lesson takes us to Egypt to learn measuring systems. What is Egypt known for?
Student: Pyramids.
Teacher: Yes. The Egyptians are known for building the great pyramids. Would you think that measurement would be very important for building pyramids?
Student: Yes.
Teacher: How do we measure things today?
Student: With a ruler.
Teacher: What are the measurements that we use?
Student: Inches.
Teacher: Anything else?
Student: Centimeters.
Teacher: Yes, we have several ways to measure things; does everyone measure things the same way?
Student: Yes.
Teacher: In ancient times, people used parts of the body to measure objects. For example, the inch is a thumb, the foot was your foot, the yard relates closely to a step. Egyptians used a cubit (www.worldhistory.net).
3. Guided Practice:
Teacher: Today you will measure objects around the room using ancient measuring tools, your bodies. In pairs, you will measure and record your answers on this worksheet (show overhead of the worksheet). Once you have completed your measuring, we will come together and share our findings with the class. We will then discuss the development of the Egyptian measuring system.
4. Independent Student Practice:
In pairs, students will measure objects in the classroom using their body parts. They will record their measurements on the worksheet provided. As students measure, I will walk around the room and take digital pictures of the students measuring with their body parts. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
5. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event:
Once students have finished collecting their data, we will put all of the information into a sheet on the overhead projector. We will discuss our findings with the class and talk about the problems that we have encountered. We will then discuss how the Egyptians solved this problem. Students will take notes in their notebooks while we talk about Egypt. Once we have talked about it, students will do a journal entry on the process.
|
Item
|
Method of Measurement
|
Group 1
|
Group 2
|
Teacher
|
|
Length of Pencil
|
Thumb
|
17
|
16
|
13
|
|
Height of Desk
|
Hand Width
|
12
|
10
|
7
|
|
Length of Classroom
|
Foot
|
30
|
25
|
20
|
|
Length of the Hall
|
Your Step
|
37
|
30
|
25
|
Teacher: (Once the information has been collected from different groups on the poster in the front of the room) What do you notice about the measurements taken by the class?
Student: The measurements for each group are different.
Teacher: Why do you think that is?
Student: Because we are different sizes?
Teacher: Yes. Is this a problem that we have today that we have different measurements for things?
Student: No because we use a ruler.
Teacher: How could we fix this problem of different measurements if we were ancient Egyptians?
Students: We could create a ruler.
Teacher: The Egyptians were the first to realize the need for a standardized system of measurement. They created the cubit for this system. The cubit is the measure of a person’s forearm, of the length from one’s elbow to the tip of their middle finger plus the width of the palm of the hand of the Pharaoh of King ruling at that time (www.ncsli.org).
The "Royal Cubit Master" is the original cubit, which was carved out of a block of granite to endure for all times. Workers who built tombs, temples, pyramids, etc. were supplied with cubits made of wood or granite. The Royal Architect or Foreman of the construction site was responsible for maintaining & transferring the unit of length to workers instruments. They were required to bring back their cubit sticks at each full moon to be compared to the Royal Cubit Master.
Failure to bring the cubit stick for comparison to the master was punishable by death. Though the punishment was severe, the Egyptians had anticipated the sprit of the present day system of measurement. (I will pass around the Cubit model that I have so students can see)
With this uniformity of length, the Egyptians achieved much more accuracy. Thousands of workers were involved in building the Great Pyramid of Giza. Through the use of cubit sticks, they were 0.05% accurate. In roughly 756 feet or 9,069.4 inches, they were within 4 1/2 inches (www.ncsli.org).
Egyptians buried land surveyors and architects with the tools that they used in trade, which included the Royal Cubit. Egypt has been the richest field for ancient historical research for a long time. This is because of the way that they buried their dead with artifacts and the extremely dry climate of the region (Eves, 1990).
After the class discussion, students will answer a few questions in their journals. Journal entries are a good way for me to see what students have learned because they are private. Students who are otherwise shy or hesitant to share what they know with the class are more willing to take chances and answer questions.
Journal Entry (see attached for sample journal entry):
Assessment
See attachment:
The Royal Cubit Rubric.doc
