Intro to Mesopotamia

Introduction to Mesopotamia

An interactive initial examination of the Fertile Crescent for the students of historic North Miami Middle School's 8th Grade Ancient World History Classes.

Open Ended

Look up the word “fertile.”

*Share the definition that best fits the context of this lesson. **Remember to include your source

Multiple Choice

Which civilization began on the plain between the Euphrates River to the southwest and the Tigris River to the northeast?

• Axum

• Carthage

• Mesopotamia

Multiple Choice

In which modern-day country is Mesopotamia located?

• Iraq

• Iran

• Ireland

Multiple Choice

What are the names of the rivers that served as the base for the Fertile Crescent?

• The Euphrates and the Tigris

• The Leo and the Taurus

• The Ganges and the Indus

Multiple Choice

Into what body of water do the Euphrates and Tigris rivers flow into?

• The Arabian Sea

• The Red Sea

• The Persian Gulf

Multiple Choice

Why is Mesopotamia called “The Fertile Crescent”?

• Because it had the first and finest bakeries of ancient lands that made sweet delicate pastries shaped like curved moons

• Because the land between the two rivers created rich farmlands that curve up from the river delta at the Persian Gulf.

• Because of the long, vast stretches of straight land that formed a long desert area devoid of life

Open Ended

VOCABULARY BONUS: Look up the word “artifact.”

*Share the definition that best fits the context of this lesson. **Remember to include your source

Poll

REVIEW BONUS POLL: Are artifacts made by nature or are they made by people?

• made by nature

• made by people

Multiple Choice

According to historians, humans first moved to Mesopotamia about 7,000 BCE. These people were hunters and gatherers.

Which prehistoric period was marked by humans as hunters and gatherers?

• Paleolithic

• Neolithic

• Gothic

Multiple Choice

TRUE OR FALSE: Artifacts are made by nature.

• true.

• FALSE!!!

  Artifacts are made by people, not nature.

  *Fossils are made naturally.

Multiple Choice

According to historians, the first attempts at farming in that region occurred in 4,000 BCE. Those first farming communities emerged along both the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.

Which prehistoric period was first marked by humans as farmers?

• Paleolithic

• Neolithic

• Old Stone Age

Open Ended

THINKING CAP QUESTION: Why would humans choose to build communities near rivers?

Open Ended

THINKING CAP QUESTION:

If a person did not live too close to a river, how might that person be able to use water from the river for his/her/their farm?

Open Ended

VOCABULARY BONUS:

Look up the word “irrigate”

*Share the definition that best fits the context of this lesson. **Remember to include your source

Multiple Choice

If a person did not live too close to a river, how might that person be able to use water from the river for his/her/their farm?

• irrigation

• syncopation

• solar panels

Multiple Choice

Define "irrigation"

• An irritable nation’s situation or condition

• The condition of an irritable situation for the population of a nation

• a system that supplies dry land with water through ditches, pipes, and/or man-made streams

Multiple Choice

Rain and melting mountain snow made _____ a danger during springtime in Mesopotamia.

• floods

• drought

• earthquake

Multiple Choice

Flooded rivers caused silt to build up. What is "silt"?

• Small particles of fertile soil

• A small hummingbird that was hunted by English colonizers in Virginia

• A type of pole used to make a person appear taller

Multiple Choice

As farmers became better at farming and controlling water supplies (irrigation), they often did not have _________.

• extra crops

• surplus crops

• space nuggets

Multiple Choice

Define "surplus"

• A type of sea mammal that lives in arctic regions and is overly polite to authority figures

• An amount that is left over after a need has been met

• The antonym of “ma’amplus”

Multiple Choice

Surplus food, efficient farming allows some members of a community to do other things. As a result, some people became _______ which are skilled workers.

• Artisans

• Novices

• Rookies

Open Ended

What did the artisans of ancient Mesopotamia make?

"According to the text, the artisans of ancient Mesopotamia made...."