We’re about to head into my favorite 3rd grade social studies unit: ancient civilizations. (Well, four of them are ancient, one is medieval).

Let me pause for a second and give you a quick update: after teaching 5th last year I got moved to 4th due to numbers. Then, the week before school started, they needed another 3rd grade virtual teacher at my school, so I got moved to virtual all year (which I am not a fan of) but I’m also back in 3rd grade (which I am a fan of).

Anyway, we’re getting into my favorite unit of the year. I am a history nerd – specifically ancient and European history, so teaching this unit requires very little from me in terms of review. Now, when I say nerd I mean it. I have a minor in Art History with a focus on the Italian Renaissance and Ancient Art. Ask me about the classical and theological influences of Michelangelo and you will get an entire college course. I even went with a friend a few years back to the Natural History Museum in DC so we could practice reading hieroglyphics on the few sarcophagi they have there. Nerd.

For this unit, especially being virtual this year, I developed a series of notes pages. My kids don’t have a textbook at home with them and only about half of them are able to access ours digitally so I’ve just taken to providing whatever they will need for their tests in notes form. So, I kick off this unit in about a week and a half, so let me tell you how I’m breaking it down:

Ancient Egypt is first. Honestly, it’s the most interesting for the 3rd graders usually because: mummies and…mummies. Also they have some knowledge about it, like they know the word Pharaoh usually and know what the pyramids are. And, honestly, they are equal parts grossed out and fascinated by the process of mummification – especially the removal of the brain.

Once they’re hooked and learn all about Egypt, we move to Ancient China. This one is usually more of a mystery to them, but after hooking them in with Ancient Egypt, they’re interested. And they now understand concepts like how geography affects the way people live or how they get food because we’ve taught that with things they already know about – like the Nile River and the Sahara Desert. So applying this concepts to another culture is a bit easier this time around.

Next we move to Ancient Greece. There’s a mix here on who knows what. If you get a kid who has read the Percy Jackson series (a WONDERFUL series, I highly recommend), they’re going to know a ton about Ancient Greece. Or maybe they’re into myths. Or Olympic sports. Either way, when you get to Greece you’ve got kids who know a lot, kids who know a little, and kids who have no clue.

Next up after Greece is Ancient Rome. This one is great to do after Greece because they build on each other thanks to the Roman obsession with all things Greek. Like Greece, there will be kids who know a ton, kids who know a little, and kids who know nothing.

Finally, now that we’ve touched on the ancient civilizations, we move way up in time to the Empire of Mali. Mali is more medieval but Mali got rich trading with China, Egypt, Italy, and Greece and Europe and the rest of Africa. So now that the kids know where all these places are, it’s easier to understand. This one is another one where I don’t usually have any kids with any prior knowledge, which makes it fun because they all get to discover it together.

I’ll break down teaching each civilization in my next few blog posts. The notes bundle can be found by clicking the image below:

Happy teaching!