Visual & Performing Arts · 1st Grade · Art History and Global Traditions · Weeks 28-36

Art from Ancient Egypt: Hieroglyphs and Pharaohs

Students will explore the art of Ancient Egypt, focusing on hieroglyphs, tomb paintings, and the symbolism of pharaohs and gods.

• Common Core State Standards
• NCAS: Connecting VA.Cn11.1.1
• NCAS: Responding VA.Re7.1.1

About This Topic

Art isn't just found in museums; it's all around us in our neighborhoods. This topic introduces first graders to public art, including murals, statues, and monuments. They learn that public art is created for everyone to enjoy and often tells a story about the community's history or values. This aligns with National Core Arts Standards for connecting art to the community and understanding the role of art in public spaces.

Exploring public art helps students feel a sense of pride and ownership in their community. It encourages them to look at their surroundings with a critical and appreciative eye. This topic particularly benefits from hands-on, student-centered approaches like a 'community art walk' or a collaborative project to design a mural for the school.

Key Questions

1. Analyze how hieroglyphs tell stories and convey meaning.
2. Compare the art of Ancient Egypt to modern forms of storytelling.
3. Explain the significance of specific symbols in Egyptian art.

Learning Objectives

• Identify key symbols and figures depicted in Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings.
• Explain the function of hieroglyphs as a form of written communication and storytelling.
• Compare the visual elements of Egyptian tomb paintings to contemporary forms of visual narrative.
• Analyze the symbolic meaning of pharaohs and gods within the context of Egyptian art.

Before You Start

Introduction to Symbols and Pictures

Why: Students need a basic understanding of how images and symbols can represent ideas before exploring complex systems like hieroglyphs.

Basic Drawing and Observation Skills

Why: The ability to observe details in images and replicate them through drawing is foundational for analyzing and creating art.

Key Vocabulary

Hieroglyphs	A system of writing that uses pictures and symbols to represent words, sounds, or ideas, used by ancient Egyptians.
Pharaoh	The ruler of ancient Egypt, considered a god on Earth, whose image and power were often depicted in art.
Tomb Painting	Artwork found on the walls of tombs, often depicting scenes from the life of the deceased, religious beliefs, and mythological stories.
Sarcophagus	A stone coffin, often elaborately decorated with carvings and inscriptions, used for the burial of pharaohs and wealthy Egyptians.
Cartouche	An oval frame containing the hieroglyphs that spell out the name of a royal person, usually a pharaoh or queen.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Public art is just 'graffiti' or a mess.

What to Teach Instead

Explain the difference between 'vandalism' and 'commissioned public art.' Show how communities invite artists to create murals to make a place more beautiful or to tell an important story.

Common Misconception

Statues are only of 'famous' people.

What to Teach Instead

Show examples of public art that celebrate everyday heroes, animals, or even abstract ideas like 'friendship.' This helps students see that public art can represent anyone or anything important to a community.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The School Mural

In small groups, students brainstorm a 'message' they want to send to their school (e.g., 'Be Kind'). They then work together to sketch a large-scale mural design on butcher paper that represents that message.

50 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Neighborhood Detectives

Take a walk around the school or use Google Street View to find examples of public art. Students use a checklist to identify if the art is a statue, a painting, or a monument and what 'clues' tell them about its meaning.

40 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: Who is it For?

Show a picture of a famous public monument. Pairs discuss who they think the 'audience' is and why the artist chose to put it outside instead of inside a building.

20 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Museum curators, like those at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, study and preserve Egyptian artifacts, including hieroglyphic inscriptions and tomb fragments, to share this history with the public.
• Archaeologists use their knowledge of Egyptian art and symbols to decipher ancient texts and understand the daily lives, beliefs, and governance of people from thousands of years ago.
• Modern graphic designers and illustrators draw inspiration from ancient art forms, including hieroglyphs, to create unique visual styles for books, films, and advertisements.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with images of common Egyptian symbols (e.g., ankh, eye of Horus, scarab beetle). Ask them to draw the symbol and write one sentence about what it might represent based on class discussions.

Discussion Prompt

Show students a simple hieroglyphic message or a section of a tomb painting. Ask: 'What story do you think this art is trying to tell? How is it similar to or different from a story told in a book or a cartoon today?'

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one thing they learned about pharaohs or gods in Egyptian art and write one word to describe its importance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find public art near my school?

Check your local city arts council website or use online maps. Even small towns usually have a veterans' memorial, a historical plaque, or a decorative fountain that can serve as a starting point for discussion.

Why do artists make art for the public for free?

Explain that while the artist is often paid by the city or a group, the 'gift' is for the people who live there. It's a way to share a message or a feeling with thousands of people every day.

How can active learning help students understand community art?

Active learning turns students into 'civic designers.' When they have to decide what message their community needs to hear and how to show it visually, they are practicing real-world citizenship. This process helps them understand that art has the power to change how a neighborhood feels and how people interact with each other.

How do I handle controversial monuments or statues?

Focus on the idea that 'art tells a story from a certain time.' Use it as an opportunity to discuss how our values can change and how communities decide together what stories they want to tell today.

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