ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIAN EMPIRES LESSON PLANS
If you’re a social studies teacher looking to enhance your curriculum or searching for supplementary resources, you’ve found the right place. I want to help every teacher be their best when teaching your Ancient Mesopotamia unit! The following resources are activities I personally use in my Ancient Mesopotamia units.
Ancient Mesopotamia Bell Ringers
I kick off my Medieval Europe unit with dynamic, no-prep, skill-based bell ringers. Each bell ringer engages students by reviewing content and practicing crucial reading and writing skills such as subject/verb identification, citation, and sentence writing, with fun drawing prompts included. This approach not only prepares students for the day’s lesson but helps with classroom management, establishing routines and maintaining student expectations.
Ancient Mesopotamia Map Activities for Middle School Social Studies
I start every ancient or medieval world history unit with an immersive map activity. This Ancient Mesopotamia Map & Reading Activity provides students with a hands-on approach to understanding Mesopotamian geography, and its impact on empires. Each lesson includes interactive map labeling, coloring tasks, followed by a short reading passage and writing activity on geographic influences, as well as a Google Classroom or printable quiz.
Akkadian Empire Report Card Reading Activity
When I plan a reading comprehension activity, I want to make it interesting for students. In the Akkadian Empire Report Card Reading Activity, I transform my students into teacher-historians as they study ancient Mesopotamia & the Akkadian Empire. Students read GRAPES thematic reading passages about the Akkadian Empire, answer questions based on each theme, then grade each theme. Finally, they calculate the empire’s GPA and write teacher comments.
I teach each empire using this approach.
Babylonian Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Assyrian Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Persian Empire Report Card Reading Activity
Hexagonal Thinking Activities
When I teach writing, I begin with organization. I use one of the four Hexagonal Thinking Activities for ancient Mesopotamia. These are a great way for students to visualize what key terms they will use and how their paragraph will be organized.
Mysteries of Persepolis Documentary
Documentaries provide a great opportunity for students to learn or review using visual mediums. I tell my students that documentaries are like virtual field trips because we get to hear from historians and archaeologists, and see the actual sites students have studied. I also like to mix it up! Documentaries are a nice change of pace for classes, and they are great for sub plans too! The Mysteries of Persepolis Documentary, covers the Persian Empire, Cyrus, Darius, the Greeks and Alexander the Great.
Decline & Fall of the Akkadian Empire Simulation
As a social studies teacher, I want my students to develop an understanding of cause and effect. Part of that is understanding how empires rise and fall. In the Decline & Fall of the Akkadian Empire Simulation, students explore the complexities of empire decline with our interactive simulation. Students experience the forces that contribute to the decline of the Akkadian Empire. And they do this while working to prevent the collapse of their simulated empire. This simulation fosters critical thinking and historical empathy, leaving a lasting impact on student learning.
Ancient Mesopotamia GRAPES Puppet Project
We’ve all had classes that just won’t participate. Whether it’s personalities or just how kids are these days, sometimes it is hard to get a good discussion going in class. The way I promote active participation is by using Gen Z and Alpha slang in the Ancient Mesopotamia Puppet Project. Students use slang and key terms to write a script bragging about Mesopotamian empires and kings such as Sargon and Hammurabi. They then translate their slang into academic language. Finally, they talk with other students or perform a puppet show about Mesopotamian history.
Ishtar Gate & Ziggurat Project
Engage students with a hands-on 3D project where they construct a Ishtar Gate & Ziggurat Project. This culminating activity integrates key terms and historical events, encouraging collaborative learning and creative expression. A detailed checklist and rubric ensure project quality and classroom decoration.
Ancient Mesopotamia Test
I used to dread making tests for my ancient and world history units. If you need help writing your unit test for the Ancient Mesopotamia Test, use this assessment covering Mesopotamian geography, the Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian & Persian Empires, Sargon, Hammurabi and much more. There is a regular and modified version, a study guide and writing tests.
The Ancient Mesopotamia unit is designed with teachers in mind. It is full of time-saving activities. You will get more student buy-in with interactive simulations, hands-on projects, and insightful discussions on historical figures. Designed for flexibility, the ancient Mesopotamia unit helps teachers be their best!
Be sure to listen to the Middle Ages Podcast for more awesome ideas ancient and world history teachers!