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History

Life in Ancient Egypt

Overview

Children explore what daily life was like for ordinary people in ancient Egypt, discovering similarities and differences with their own experience.

Learning Objective
Children understand key features of daily life in ancient Egypt and can make connections to their own lives.

Resources needed

  • None

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Ask: what do you already know or imagine about ancient Egypt?
  2. 2 Describe daily life for an ordinary child in ancient Egypt: food, home, work, school.
  3. 3 Ask: what is similar to your life today?
  4. 4 Ask: what is very different?
  5. 5 Introduce one specific aspect in depth: farming along the Nile, hieroglyphic writing, or building.
  6. 6 Ask: why was the River Nile so important to Egyptian life?
  7. 7 Ask: what do we still use today that came from ancient Egypt? (calendar, writing, mathematics).

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Compare the life of a pharaoh with the life of a farmer — same civilisation, very different experience.
  • Children draw an ancient Egyptian scene based on the description.
  • Focus on one aspect: food, school, or religion.
More information

Teach: pharaoh, hieroglyph, Nile, pyramid, papyrus, ancient, civilisation. Using these specific vocabulary words builds historical literacy even at lower primary level.

Focus on just two comparisons: one similarity and one difference with the child's own life.

Can children name two things about ancient Egyptian daily life? Can they identify one thing that still exists from that civilisation?

No resources needed. Teacher oral account is the primary source. Children can draw their impression of an ancient Egyptian scene.

Children think ancient Egypt was only about mummies and pyramids. Emphasise that most Egyptians were farmers, craftspeople, and traders living ordinary lives.

Ancient Egypt is one of the most taught historical topics worldwide because of its rich evidence base and fascinating material culture. Focusing on ordinary life corrects the monuments-only view.

Activity details
Primary Medium 25 minutes no prep Whole Class, Small Group Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Ancient Egypt Daily Life Ancient Civilisations