Why not begin your study of Kush by introducing your students to the ancient art of hairbraiding? See our Teaching Unit (from which the above graphics have been scanned) for more information.
WER Unit: Ancient Civilizations - Kush
Module 1: Geography and Early Kush
Module 2: An Independent State
The study of each civilization is introduced in a different way. Kush is introduced through the opera Aïda and also the fashion of hair braiding. Students are shown how the fashion of hair braiding is popular today in the USA and the Sudan (the location of Ancient Kush), and that it was also fashionable in Ancient Kush (as can be seen in the mummy of Queen Nedjmet).
Historical Literacy: Students listen to the music from the opera, and hear the story of the Ethiopian slave, Aïda. Through this story, and the visual example of the braiding, students are invited to discuss Kush's relationship to Egypt, and its place as a civilization of Africa.
Geographic Literacy: Students learn about the geographic location of Kush, and the geographic interpretation of the names Kush, Nubia and Ethiopia.
Kush (2 Modules) includes 9 stories with readability levels, 2 guided reading assignments, 1 drama, 13 activity sheets, 2 assignments targeted for monitoring and assessment, 3 map activities, 17 illustrated information sheets, 9 blackline masters, 2 review exercises, 3 colored reproductions, 8 teacher lesson guideline sheets, 2 monitoring and assessment sheets.
