Introduction

Welcome! Today you will take your own journey of Ancient Mesopotamia, known to us as the world's first civilization. I am hoping through your exploration of this land that you and your partner will be able to tell me a variety of factual details about the geography/region, the people, their religion, and the area's trade and commerce.

As a distinguished and well-known historical writer you have just been hired by Encyclopedia Britannica to write a part of an encyclopedia submission on Ancient Mesopotamia for their 2007 edition. Each student will work with a partner of their choice to research an assigned topic pertaining to this ancient land. Once you and your partner have completed your research, each student will then write their piece to be submitted to the editor of Encyclopedia Britannica. Your final piece and picture on your assigned topic will be combined with those of the other three topics, therefore creating one final encyclopedia submission.

PART ONE

1. Choose a partner to work with.

2. Make sure you have read through the introduction and the
task for the webquest.

3. Review the list of questions, provided by your teacher to be
answered throughout your research. *Each student must
individually answer and complete the questions on the
worksheet provided.

Student Worksheets: Geography/Region, People, Religion, Trade/Commerce

4. Thoroughly examine the following websites in helping you with
your research.

http://itss229.ed.psu.edu/k-12/edpgs/su96/meso/mesopotamia.html

http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/schools/Central/Curriculum/ELEMENTARY/SOCIALSTUDIES/Mesopotamia/ancient_mesopotamia.htm

http://lexicorient.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct-frame.pl?http://i-cias.com/e.o/mesopotamia.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002807/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/mesosumer.html

PART TWO

5. Once you have completed your questions, each student will
use their student worksheet to organize their information in
order to efficiently write their part of an encyclopedia submission
on Ancient Mesopotamia.

6. Independently complete your encyclopedia submission. Please
keep your piece in your writing folder so that you can
finish during tomorrow's writing time.

PART THREE

1. Draw a picture that represents your assigned topic

Encyclopedia Submission Requirements:

1) A colorful picture representing "the land between two rivers" and your assigned topic.
2) A written piece that includes the definition of Mesopotamia and describes your assigned topic.

Your grade for this project will be figured using the following rubric:

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Encyclopedia Article Content	Article includes little information that answers the provided questions.	Article includes some information that answers the provided questions, but may also not be clearly organized.	Article includes that is organized and clearly answeres the provided questions using some detail.	Article includes information that is organized and uses details and examples found in student's research to clearly answer the provided questions.
Encyclopedia Article Mechanics	Article includes many grammar and/or spelling mistakes.	Ariticle includes several grammar and/or spelling mistakes.	Article includes few grammar and/or spelling mistakes.	Article includes no grammar and/or spelling mistakes.
Cooperative Partner Work	Student exhibited poor behavior in working with their partner.	Student exhibited poor behavior in working with their partner.	Student exhibited satisfactory behavior in working with their partner.	Student exhibited excellent behavior in working with their partner.
Online Research Through Computer Use	Student was not able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the WebQuest.	With considerable assistance student was able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the WebQuest.	With assistance student was able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the WebQuest.	Student was able to use a computer to access and complete the activities outlined in the WebQuest.

By answering the questions and creating your piece for the encyclopedia editor you should have developed a deeper understanding of "the land between two rivers," Ancient Mesopotamia and its region, people and economy.

Permission

This webquest was created as a tool to share with other educators in helping them teach a unit on Ancient Mesopotamia. Please feel free to use it as a resource with your students.

http://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/mesopotamia.htm

http://itss229.ed.psu.edu/k-12/edpgs/su96/meso/mesopotamia.html

http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/schools/Central/Curriculum/ELEMENTARY/SOCIALSTUDIES/Mesopotamia/ancient_mesopotamia.htm

http://lexicorient.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct-frame.pl?http://i-cias.com/e.o/mesopotamia.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002807/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/mesosumer.html