ANCIENT HISTORY ACTIVATORS

Each lesson uses a practical concern to illustrate the development of a concept indicative of civilization: the Agricultural Revolution arises from the need for food surpluses; government, for effective flood control; writing, for accurate tallying of the food supply; written laws, for keeping order in a "city of strangers"; grand architecture, for instilling a sense of community; and cultural diffusion, for growing and expanding a society. The activators provide lesson plans, background essays, handout masters, classroom schematics (when applicable), debriefing activities, and writing prompts; each may stand alone.