Cuneiform writing activity pdf

Thats over 5,000 years ago, and more than 2,000 years before the letters of the latin alphabet, the ones youre. The niftiest sumerian cuneiform english dictionary in the university world. This system of communication was later adopted and used as part of the babylonian dialect. Make prior to class or buy clay tablets with pictograph or cuneiform writing. A dry period begins in africa, causing the sahara to spread. Internet activities quizzes maps test practice current events go to for chapter3 ancient mesopotamia 5000 b. Write your name in cuneiform in todays literacy, we will be looking at cuneiform, an ancient form of writing from mesapotamia now iraq. Cuneiform writing overview cuneiform, meaning wedge, is the term applied to a mode of writing which used a wedgeshaped stylus to make impressions on a clay surface, and also on stone, metal, and wax. For instance, the early pictograph for a duck might be a small image.

Chapter 3 ancient mesopotamia 6th grade social studies. Cuneiform became the written language from as early as 5000 bc. Most of the clay tablets were sunbaked, making surviving tablets very fragile. This handson activity is the perfect way to get your child interested in ancient cultures and history. Cuneiform is noted as the first writing system ever recorded. None give unicodes and their translations are superficial computer generated. Worksheets are mesopotamia cuneiform activity, lesson 2 early mesopotamia, babylonian maths, mesopotamia, write like a sumerian cuneiform work, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa, egypt lesson plan.

The cuneiform script, the writing system of ancient mesopotamia, was witness to one of the worlds oldest literate cultures. You can use this site to write your monogram or initials in cuneiform. Eventually, the sumerians added abstract symbols or signs to represent specific letters, numbers, and parts of a word. Thus, under writing, only the typical examples matum, manama. How to write in cuneiform, the oldest writing system in the world. In accomplishments of the mesopotamians there is a picture of a board game played by mesopotamians. If your classroom copy of the lesson already has the answers underlined or highlighted, you are off to a great start building. First graders examine cuneiform writing from a stone tablet, then write a simple sentence using pictographs. Write an advertisement for the ancient times newspaper that. Oxford handbook of cuneiform culture oxford handbooks. The worlds first written language and over 5,000 years old.

Mesopotamia cuneiform activity cuneiform translation use the cuneiform decoder below to get some practice translating ancient sumerian writing. Students answer questions about the sumerian civilization. This threepage pdf file focuses on the contribution of cuneiform, the earliest form of writing, by the sumerian civilization. It began as a system of simple pictographs images that represented a single word. Worksheets are, mesopotamia cuneiform activity, ancient sumer, babylonian maths, babylonian mathematics, babylonian maths, the sumerians, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa. This discussion came up after visiting the british museum and seeing cuneiform writing and the famous rosetta stone. Have students work in groups and do one of the following. Ancient world writing systems syracuse university libraries. In order to use this activity with your class for a particular ignite. Cuneiform writing on clay tabletsa fun sixth grade social studies activity joyin5th 6th grade social studies ideas egyptian symbols egyptian alphabet egyptian mythology thinking day ancient civilizations ancient egypt hieroglyphics ancient history art lessons egyptian art. Reading the assyrianbabylonian cuneiform characters, however, is a difficult job, even to specialists, and both the layman and the professional scholar have to settle for a critical edition made by someone who has meticulously studied the tablet. Using clay and a stylus, the participants will practice the creation of cuneiform writing. And therefore, the pictographic writing system gradually was being replaced by cuneiform writing, which is how we imprint stylus into the wet clay, creating the system. Cuneiform, the first written language translators needed.

For over three millennia, it was the vehicle of communication from at its greatest extent iran to the mediterranean, anatolia to egypt. Write your name on a tablet using the old babylonian syllabary. The cuneiform tablet included with this lesson plan is sumerian, the image. Informational text about the topic, filled with concise facts about the topic. The cuneiform writing system 30 person sixth grade class 2 common core standard that is addressed. The message says, the sumerians invented cuneiform. The sources are quoted in the measure of their relevance. Performance of skill expectationsenduring understandings.

Write your name in cuneiform just like a mesapotamian. They use the cuneiform alphabet to decode the message. This technique originated in ancient southern mesopotamia and. Cuneiform writing the sumerians were accomplished traders and businessmen. Cuneiform is an ancient system of writing first used about 3,500 to 3,000 bce. The latest known example of cuneiform is an astronomical text from c.

Thanks to the sumerians, we know a great deal about the ancient mesopotamian civilizations of babylon and assyria as well. The present study of old akkadian writing and grammar is based on sources fully listed and discussed in the glossary of old akkadian published in 1957 as mad iii. As their business dealings became more complex, they needed a way to keep track of their goods and payments. People by the euphrates river begin to irrigate crops. Cuneiform was also used to write stories, myths, and personal letters. This printable is a worksheet for students to become familiar with the general look of cuneiform writing. The name, a coinage from latin and middle french roots meaning wedgeshaped, has been the modern designation from the early 18th century onward. Learn about cuneiform writing and what sumerian cuneiform is. This lesson plan, intended for use in the teaching of world history in the middle grades, is designed to help students appreciate the parallel. Make your own cuneiform writing tablets inspired class. This picture prompt will help your child practice creative writing. Cuneiform the first known system of writing is sumerian cuneiform, which dates back to c. Poetry analysis and writing workshop this unit plan is designed to give your students a complete experience with george ella lyons poem. In this activity students will be introduced to the worlds first writing system cuneiform as they work through the british museums mesopotamia site interactive online activity the story of writing, available through the edsitement resource the oriental institute.

Write this small text on clay capital sumerian logograms. As the civilization of sumer started to decline, other civilizations continued to use the sumerian written symbols. Hundreds of clay tablets covered with cuneiform writing provide an extraordinarily rich source of information about the earliest mathematics which has reached us. Sumerian cuneiform writing miniproject directions and alphabet. The first cuneiform writings were pictographssymbols that represented an entire word. Chapter 3 section 1 the civilization of sumer cuneiform web quest and activity as you have learned from your textbook, the ancient sumerians developed an intricate writing system known as cuneiform over several thousand years ago. The script emerged from 30th century bc and was used simply to write the sumerian language. The cuneiform writing system in ancient mesopotamia. The use of combinations of the same basic wedge shape to stand for phonetic, and possibly for syllabic, elements provided more flexible communication than the pictogram. Cuneiform mathematics is both the oldest in history and the latest in historiography. Worksheets are mesopotamia cuneiform activity, lesson 2 early mesopotamia, babylonian maths, mesopotamia, write like a sumerian cuneiform work, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa, egypt lesson plan 1 hieroglyphs and communication. During its 3,000year history cuneiform was used to write around 15 different languages. Articles containing latinlanguage text webarchive template wayback links. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity historys historiesyou.

Click on popout icon or print icon to worksheet to print or download. Cuneiform, system of writing used in the ancient middle east. The final assessment can be drawn on paper or pressed into clay. Cuneiform writing was used to record a variety of information such as temple activities, business and trade. They developed the first known written language, called cuneiform, to keep business records and accounts. What types of things did these ancient people write down. Os old sumerian period 25002350 bc oakk old akkadian sargonic period 23502150 bc. Use the cuneiform alphabet to write your first name in cuneiform writing with pictographs use the chart below to write a message in ancient pictographs about mesopotamia. Cuneiform, or sumeroakkadian cuneiform, was one of the earliest systems of writing, invented. Lesson plans full pdf set w cuneiform lesson i use. Cuneiform script is one of the oldest known writing forms. The standard academic online dictionary is the electronic pennsylvania sumerian dictionary epsd.

Cuneiform digital library initiative cdli on the web. Learn more about cuneiform s development and influence. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity reading comprehension. The cuneiform writing system was invented in the south of present iraq around 3200. Cuneiform writing activity having begun our studies in mesopotamia we took a slight detour to understand the history of writing.

The oxford handbook of cuneiform culture examines the ancient middle east through the lens of cuneiform writing. Teaching child visitors how to write their names using an unfamiliar or antique alphabet is a favorite activity of museum educators, but dr. Other images allow the exploration of the world of scribal activity. Displaying all worksheets related to cuneiform activity.

Find cuneiform writing lesson plans and teaching resources. Then find 3 different people who can translate it without the chart. This activity has students write in cuneiform and discuss the challenges of written language. It emerged in sumer and is also known as the sumerian cuneiform. Cuneiform translation cuneiform your job is to translate this ancient language to discover some famous people and places in ancient mesopotamia. Ancient mesopotamia activities and projects for elementary. While observing the rosetta stone this is a model the children were able to see the 3 different.