Exploring Our Past: From Stone Age Ireland to Ancient Civilizations · 3rd Year

Active learning ideas

Ancient Egyptian Games

Active learning helps students connect emotionally to ancient cultures by turning abstract facts into tangible experiences. When students move, discuss, and create, they remember the strategic depth of Senet or the cultural role of the Olympics far longer than from a textbook alone.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Life, society, work and culture in the past
• NCCA: Primary - Continuity and change over time

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 40 min · Pairs

Simulation Game: Playing Senet

Students create a simple Senet board on paper and use stones or counters to play. They must follow the ancient rules and discuss why a game about 'reaching the afterlife' was so popular in Egypt.

Analyze how ancient games reflected Egyptian culture and beliefs.

Facilitation Tip

For the Senet simulation, set up three game stations with rule cards so small groups rotate and practice turn-taking quickly.

What to look for

Students will write two sentences explaining one way ancient Egyptian games reflected their culture or beliefs, and one sentence comparing Senet to a modern board game they know.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 30 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Toy Materials

Display a collection of modern toys (plastic, electronic) and ancient toy replicas (wood, clay, bone). Groups must match the ancient toy to its modern equivalent and discuss why the materials changed.

Compare the rules of Senet to a modern board game.

Facilitation Tip

During the Toy Materials activity, provide labeled trays with modern playthings alongside replica ancient artifacts to spark immediate comparisons.

What to look for

Present students with images of different ancient Egyptian artifacts related to games. Ask them to identify which artifact is a game board and briefly describe its potential use.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Training for Life

Students look at a list of ancient sports (archery, wrestling, running). In pairs, they discuss how each sport helped a young person prepare for adult life in a world without shops or modern technology.

Explain the importance of play in ancient societies.

Facilitation Tip

For Think-Pair-Share, assign pairs roles (speaker, recorder) to ensure both students contribute, not just the confident ones.

What to look for

Facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'Why do you think playing games was important for children and adults in ancient Egypt, even with their busy lives?' Encourage students to connect play to social interaction, skill development, or religious beliefs.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model curiosity by asking open-ended questions such as 'How might a game board tell us about daily life?' Avoid over-explaining; let students puzzle through rules or materials first. Research shows students grasp continuity and change better when they analyze artifacts rather than memorize timelines.

Students will explain how games reflect cultural values and connect ancient play to modern experiences. They will use historical evidence to support their ideas and collaborate respectfully during group tasks.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Simulation: Playing Senet activity, watch for students assuming games were only for leisure.

  After setup, ask each group to brainstorm one way Senet might have connected to Egyptian beliefs, then share before gameplay begins.

• During the Collaborative Investigation: Toy Materials activity, watch for students labeling artifacts as 'toys' without deeper context.

  Have students create a two-column chart: one side lists the artifact, the other side records their guesses about its use, then check their hypotheses against provided background text.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share