Egyptian Cinderella - Learning Sequence

The learning sequence for this unit provides a structured overview of a six-week educational journey, blending the study of Ancient Egypt with the exploration of the story 'The Egyptian Cinderella'. In the initial weeks, students are introduced to the topic of Ancient Egypt, where they record what they already know and pose questions they hope to answer. They delve into research, focusing on the River Nile and its critical role in Ancient Egypt's settlements and lifestyle. The process of information gathering is modelled through skimming, scanning, and recording key information. Students also experiment with causal language, plan and rehearse statements, and learn to structure paragraphs effectively, with a strong emphasis on evaluation and redrafting.

As the weeks progress, the class begins reading 'The Egyptian Cinderella', analysing the character of Rhodopis and the language used to describe her story. Activities include role-playing, designing and describing shoes, and writing in character as Rhodopis, with a focus on expressing emotions subtly. The sequence continues with discussions about the falcon's role, research on Egyptian gods and pharaohs, and building descriptions using precise language. In the final weeks, students compare 'The Egyptian Cinderella' with the traditional Cinderella story and another classic, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', examining language choices and sentence types. They continue their Ancient Egypt research and apply this knowledge to create their own stories and information texts, refining their writing through planning, drafting, and proofreading, guided by a toolkit of narrative elements.