By:   Melinda Butler Schaddalee, Goshen Middle School; Goshen, IN; 6/15/1997 

Site Address:   http://www.website1.com/odyssey/week1/home.html

Theme:   Odyssey in Egypt

Grade Levels: 6-8

Special Needs Addressed:

Is set up to be used with an Apple Computer to activate the video program, however, the pictures are excellent and can be used without the video.

 Annotation of Site:

"Odyssey in Egypt" is a completely interactive weekly "archaeological dig.." It is a program that links up with archeological sites in Egypt and provides weekly multidisciplinary lessons through a "virtual classroom." The curriculum covers Egyptian history, culture, science and archaeology and is geared specifically toward the middle school student. On-line video helps to introduce the topic and guide the student through the lesson. This is facilitated by a program that can be downloaded called QuickTime VR(Apple Computers.) Students are introduced to the culture of the people of Egypt as they learn to know those that live, work and study near the site.

Six sections in the program are available and updated weekly. These include updates and reports from the teenage consultants, a short weekly lesson on the science and techniques of archaeology, an opportunity to exchange E-mail messages with local Egyptians, a weekly lesson which features "modules on the history, culture, geography, topography and demography of Egypt," a look at daily life at the excavation site, and a weekly class project that challenges the student's thinking and processing skills. Links to other Egyptian sites are also available which can enhance learning and provide for further study.

Geography Standards Addressed:

This site addresses all of the National Geography Standards. Students have the opportunity to see relations between people, places and environments, use their geographic skills and apply spatial and ecological perspectives to life situations.

• 1.   How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.
• 2. How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context.
• 3. How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places and environments on the Earth’s surface.
• 4. The physical and human characteristics of places.
• 5. That people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity.
• 6. How culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions.
• 7. The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth’s surface.
• 8. The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth’s surface.
• 9. The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.
• 10. The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaic.
• 11. The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface.
• 12. The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
• 13. How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth’s surface.
• 14. How human actions modify the physical environment.
• 15. How physical systems affect human systems.
• 16. The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.
• 17. How to apply geography to interpret the past.
• 18. How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

Indiana Social Studies Proficiency Guidelines Addressed:

• -Evaluate the effect of historical events, figures, and decisions on cultures.
• -Use geography to interpret history: past, present and future.
• -Explain the relationship between physical and cultural feathers on the Earth's surface.
• -Use relevant data derived from a variety of sources, formulate conclusion, make decisions, and present finding related to various cultures.

Web Site Ideas:

Teaching Objectives:

Students will conduct weekly studies in history, archeology, geography, and culture. Students will analyze information, apply knowledge and decision-making skills, and evaluate information about Egypt and its culture.

Suggestion:

This site can be used in a variety of ways. It is best for the teacher to evaluate their own situation, classroom, and teaching styles to see what would work best for them. It is an excellent site that brings the world of far away into our classroom and allows our students to be personally involved.

I would use cooperative groups. Depending on available time and accessibility to the Internet, each group can either complete each assignment weekly - turning in an evaluative report, or each group can be assigned a specific section. I would have students complete the "SOS" section as their weekly assignment for each group.

Since there is a lot of reading to be done, decisions need to be made as to whether the student prints out the reading material and splits up the reading to be done off line, or as a group read it aloud while still on-line. There are advantages to both. Again, a thorough preview of the site by the teacher is necessary to create the optimum learning experience for your students.