Check it! - Egyptians - Year 4
The learning materials from Focus Education delve into the fascinating subject of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation, posing the question of why it was considered ahead of its time. To reinforce the students' understanding and retention, the programme suggests incorporating regular review sessions. These could take various forms, such as a spontaneous 'Brain dump', where students quickly jot down everything they remember, or the 'Give me FIVE!' exercise, which prompts them to recall five specific facts on a topic. Other methods include adding information to a 'mind map' to visually organise their knowledge, or using 'Retrieval Pyramids' to structure the recall of information in a hierarchical manner.
The materials encourage students to explore different aspects of Ancient Egyptian life, such as the significance of pyramids and pharaohs, by asking them to list five facts about each. In addition, there are prompts to 'Expand and Elaborate' on statements like the role of slaves in Egyptian society or the power dynamics compared to modern monarchies. The content is designed to challenge students at varying levels, with the expectation that all pupils should be able to respond to the foundational questions, while the more advanced students tackle the deeper inquiries about the influence of deities on Egyptian life or the reasons for caution when interpreting historical evidence. The 'Pyramid Check' serves as a thematic way to assess students' knowledge on the subject matter.
