Ancient Egypt Pharaohs Role-Playing Research Project

Students may choose one of these eight pharaohs: Akhenaten, Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, Khufu, Ramesses II, Seti I, Tutankhamen, or Thutmose III. Their task is to evaluate their chosen pharaoh's strengths and weaknesses as a leader and their contributions to Egyptian life and culture. Here are some of the specifics: For students: the role-playing letter introduction, step-by-step directions for implementation (written in plain English for students to easily understand), research logs, and a works cited page to document their sources. For teachers: a list of required materials, a pacing guide, two rubrics, and a list of reputable online resources for students to use when they conduct their research. This project is intended as a cumulative assignment to enrich a unit on Ancient Egypt. It would work best with middle school or high school students. You might modify it for mature elementary school students. Additionally, this project demands higher level critical thinking, as students must assess the importance of the pharaoh they have chosen. (This is not a biographical sketch.) They must also demonstrate teamwork skills, research skills, proper MLA citation, 21st century technology skills, the ability to work against a deadline, and much more.