Year 3 and 4 full unit.
Includes lessons on the greatest achievements for:
Ancient Egypt
Shang Dynasty
Indus Valley
Ancient Sumer
6 powerpoint lessons and resources I have created included.
These are worksheets to accompany the start of teaching a unit on Ancient Civilisations for Year 7s or to 10+ year old students. The full unit compares the Ancient Civilisations of Sumer, Rome, Greece and China by focusing on particular topics like leadership, social structure and legacy.
A full lesson for KS2 exploring the importance of the River Nile to the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. The resource includes a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets.
Why was Ancient Egypt the ‘Gift of the Nile’?
In this lesson, pupils will play a map-work game in pairs to help them to investigate the basic geography of Ancient Egypt. Then they will learn about the important natural resources provided by the River Nile and its role in farming. Pupils will use their new knowledge to create an information poster about the Nile and an optional extension activity will challenge pupils to explore modern-day maps of Egypt to make comparisons.
Objectives:
To understand the importance of the River Nile in Ancient Egypt
To give examples of the natural resources
The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class.
This primary history resource is created by KS2History.
A selection of 18 exemplar essays/answers written in response to exam questions concerning the OCR’S Specification for ‘Myth and Religion’. All answers were high attaining and there is an example for the following types of questions:
Knowledge and Understanding
Detailed Response (x 2)
Stimulus Questions (12 answers relating to the Underworld and sacrifices)
Extended Response (x 2)
These can be used as a source of revision or to help develop essay writing skills before/after an examination.
**Explore the Ancient World with the Ultimate Civilisations Bundle! **
Take your class on an unforgettable journey through four of the most fascinating civilisations in history! This all-in-one Ancient Civilisations Resource Bundle includes information and activity packs on:
Ancient Greece – Discover mighty gods, brave warriors, and the birthplace of democracy! From Olympic Games to marvellous myths, pupils will dive into a world of legend and learning.
Ancient Egypt – Step into the land of Pharaohs and pyramids! Unearth mummies, decode hieroglyphs, and explore the powerful Nile in this pack packed with wonder.
Ancient Rome – March into history with gladiators, emperors, and incredible inventions! Learn how Roman roads, baths, and laws shaped the world we live in today.
Ancient Maya – Journey to the jungles of Central America to explore majestic temples, mysterious calendars, and the clever minds behind chocolate and astronomy!
Each pack is bursting with child-friendly texts, exciting activities, timeline tasks, comprehension questions, and creative challenges to spark curiosity and build knowledge. Ideal for KS2 classrooms, home learning, or cross-curricular projects.
Four civilisations. Endless discovery. One powerful bundle.
This is a set of presentations and teaching resources about a wide range of different ancient civilisation. Your students will be able to look at life in ancient China, ancient Greece, ancient Egypt and ancient Rome. The slides are a great way of getting your students to think about how people lived in the past, using primary and secondary sources.
This timeline activity is a hands-on visual way for students to put the events of Ancient Egypt in order, so that they can see how one of the great civilisations began, flourished, declined, and eventually ended.
This activity meets the following learning objectives:
develop an understanding of when the first civilisations appeared (Ancient Egypt)
develop an understanding of a historical period
develop an understanding of how the Ancient Egyptian civilisation changed over time
sequence important events on a timeline
There are two options to choose from:
Worksheet timeline cut and paste – either glue pictures under the dates (easier option), or write dates and glue pictures on (harder version). Students use the dynasties to help them put the kingdoms and intermediate periods in order.
Foldable timeline - glue events under the dates and primary source images. Students use pictures and clue cards to help them order the kingdoms, intermediate periods, key pharaohs and achievements.
U.K. and U.S. versions included.
I hope your children enjoy making their timelines.
You will receive 2 PDF files.
You may also like:
Ancient Egypt Activities Pack
Ancient Egypt Hands-on Activities
Achievements of Ancient Egypt
Civilisations have developed over time and space evolving into modern day societies.
This is a collection of video clips I put together to introduce this unit. I would also begin with a map of the area.
How do we define a civilisation? - I have already added my unit to introduce this.
What were the significant stages in our evolution toward modern day societies?
Was the evolution of society inevitable?
Are our modern societies better?
How do our religious systems, health practices, social organisation (includes leadership) and communications of today compare to civilisations of the past?
This unit explores the ancient Maya civilisation, focusing on who the Maya were, where they lived, and their major achievements. Students gain a chronological understanding of Maya history and geography, investigating their complex social, agricultural, and architectural accomplishments. Through mapping activities, visual resources, and discussions, students learn about key Maya cities and cultural practices, fostering a deeper appreciation for this influential civilisation within world history.
Ancient Egypt Worksheets - Reading Comprehension Passages and questions with answer sheet. This resource contains 4 Engaging, Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension Passages with answers.
A quick overview of topics covered in this resource include:
1.) Ancient Egypt: covers the civilisation of Ancient Egypt, the Nile River and how the floods happened and the benefits
Keywords: Civilisation, Nile River, Fertile, Crops, cultivation
2.) Society & Social Structure of Ancient Egypt covers the social hierarchy (Pharaoh, Viziers/Priests/Nobles, Scribes, Merchants/Craftspeople, and Peasants/Servants)
and a description of daily life and society
Keywords: Pharaoh, hierarchy, government, merchants
3.) Inventions and technology in Egypt: Buildings, ships, papyrus, makeup and tooth care
Keywords: architecture, reeds, cedar, Kohl
Other Ancient Egypt resources:
Colour-in Ancient Egypt wordsearches with answers
Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphics Worksheets with answers and alphabet poster
Five of the best editable Millionaire Quizzes available featuring background music, failscreens, sound effects and increasingly hard questions. Video previews of each are available on their separate pages.
Year 4 unit pack consisting of 5 lessons. Planning and resources for:
Rise of a civilisation
Timeline of significant events within the land of Mesopotamia
Gods and goddesses
Inventions
Rise and fall of a civilisation
All lessons link to the enquiry question/ statement The first civilisation was a success.
An overview timeline of Ancient Greece and Rome on one slide to help contextualise key events in the ancient world.
Download includes and editable PPTX file which can be added into PowerPoint presentations and adapted to the needs to the class. It also includes a printable PDF file which can be a useful reference resource for pupils to refer back to.
This resource was originally created to support the GCSE Classical Civilisation course so might not have all of the events that you require for your course. Furthermore, some of the dates are debated, so adapt as you see fit.
A collection of lessons, activities and resources about ancient civilisations from around the world.
The civilisations covered include: China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia and Sudan.
Activities and lessons include the dawn of history, examining the oldest shipwreck ever found, the first written language in the world, studying primary sources and a game about Egypt’s book of the dead.
Explore the Fascinating World of Ancient Maya!
Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the heart of Ancient Maya with this engaging educational resource. This 41-slide presentation covers everything young learners need to know about one of the most intriguing civilisations in history. Packed with colourful images, interesting facts, and engaging tasks, this resource brings the ancient Mayan world to life.
The resource covers 8 exciting topics, each with two tasks/activities:
The Ancient Maya People: Step into the world of the Maya—one of the greatest civilisations of the Americas! Discover who they were, where they lived, and how their amazing culture began.
Cities and Buildings: Explore the towering temples, grand pyramids, and busy marketplaces of Maya cities, where clever design met stunning architecture in the heart of the jungle!
Writing and Numbers: Crack the Maya code! Learn how they used symbols and dots to write messages, tell stories, and create one of the most advanced number systems of the ancient world.
Religion and Gods: Meet the fascinating gods and spirits of the Maya, and uncover the sacred rituals, offerings, and beliefs that shaped their lives and honoured the heavens.
Food and Farming: Dig into daily meals and clever farming techniques as you discover how the Maya grew maize, hunted in the forests, and made chocolate a sacred treat!
Daily Life: From weaving and trading to music and games—find out what everyday life was really like for Maya children, families, and workers in this vibrant society.
Calendar and Astronomy: Travel through time with the Maya’s amazing calendars! See how they used the stars and sun to plan farming, festivals, and even predict the future.
What Happened…? Investigate the mystery of the Maya collapse—why did their great cities fall? Discover what we know, what we’re still learning, and how the Maya live on today.
Perfect for both the classroom and at-home learning this fun, educational resource will engage kids with history in an exciting and memorable way. Start your adventure into Ancient Maya today!
A full lesson for KS2 introducing the story of Cleopatra VII and her legacy as the last main Ancient Egyptian pharaoh. The resource includes a detailed lesson plan, Powerpoint and pupil resource sheets.
Who was Cleopatra and how is she remembered?
In this lesson, pupils will learn about Cleopatra VII and her legacy as the last main pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Pupils will act out her story, including the defeat of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. Pupils will read a range of opinions about Cleopatra from historical sources and be encouraged to form their own conclusions about her character.
Objectives:
To explore the story of Cleopatra VII
To investigate Cleopatra’s legacy and some of the different opinions about her.
The lesson plan includes differentiation ideas to adapt the activities for the needs of your class.
This lesson is part of the KS2History Ancient Egyptians Planning Pack for KS2.
This primary history resource is created by KS2History.
Interactive resource on Chichen Itza that allows pupils to explore key structures through clickable hotspots.
Each hotspot opens a child-friendly information box featuring clear explanations, illustrations, key facts, and vocabulary. Pupils can discover the story of the (re)discovery of Chichen Itza in the 19th century, and sites such as the Temple of Kukulkan, Great Ball Court, Sacred Cenote, Temples of the Jaguars, and more.
Ideal for whole-class teaching, tablet work or independent research. Supports enquiry skills, visual learning, and cross-curricular links with history and geography. Perfect for introducing or deepening understanding of Maya civilisation in an engaging, interactive way.
See also: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13256939
Lesson looking at the role of Gladiators in roman society. Pupils complete a starter/settler activity and then watch a series of horrible history clips and take notes on whether they think the Romans were civilized or not based on the role of gladiators. Videos can be found on youtube - gladiator training clip is terry jones from monty python looking at how gladiators trained is also on youtube. Pupils finish by completing a questionnaire by pretending to be a gladiator. Pupils then take part in plenary by judging how civilized they think Romans were.