 |
Stay
informed with our
email
newsletters.
Click
here to give feedback on our pages for educators.
Museum
Educator-led Programs
Pre & Post Visit Resources
The
Spirit of Ancient Iran
Grades 6 - 8
Scroll
down the page to find items on the menu below or click on a link
to jump to an item.
Program Description and
Frameworks
Program Outline
Key Terms and Concepts
Classroom Activities
Suggested Print and Web Resources
Go
to Wit & Wine Gallery
Click
here for printable version of all resources listed above
Program Description and Frameworks
Get in touch with the complex and lively spirit of ancient Iran
through its fascinating ceramic vessels. Students uncover information
about ancient art, trade, and society by experimenting with models,
consulting maps, and using close observation skills. Compare the
ancient with the modern, and discover the unexpected: a great sense
of humor.
Location: Wit & Wine
Gallery Length: One hour
Grades: 6 - 8
Massachusetts
MA
History and Social Science, World Geography WA.1 - WA.3, 7.7-7.10
| WA.1 |
On
a map of the world, locate Western Asia, or the Middle East.
On a map of the Middle East, locate the Black Sea, Mediterranean
Sea, Caspian Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Peninsula,
and the Persian Gulf. (G) |
| WA.2 |
Use
a map key to locate countries and major cities in the Middle
East. (G, E) |
| WA.3 |
Explain
how the following five factors have influenced settlement
and the economies of major Middle Eastern countries. (G, E)
A. absolute and relative locations
B. climate
C. major physical characteristics
D. major natural resources
E. population size |
| 7.7 |
On a historical
map, locate the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and identify Sumer,
Babylon, and Assyria as successive civilizations and empires
in this region, and explain why the region is sometimes called
"the Fertile Crescent." On a modern map of western Asia, identify
the modern countries in the region (Iraq, Iran, and Turkey).
(H, G, E) |
| 7.8 |
Identify
polytheism (the belief that there are many gods) as the religious
belief of the people in Mesopotamian civilizations. (H) |
| 7.9 |
Describe
how irrigation, metalsmithing, slavery, the domestication of
animals, and inventions such as the wheel, the sail, and the
plow contributed to the growth of Mesopotamian civilizations.
(H, E) |
| 7.10 |
Describe
the important achievements of Mesopotamian civilization. (H,
C, E)
a.
its system of writing (and its importance in record keeping
and tax collection)
b.
monumental architecture (the ziggurat) art (large relief
sculpture, mosaics, and cylinder seals)
|
Grade
7 Concepts and Skills 1, 2, 5, 6
| 1 |
Compare
information shown on modern and historical maps of the same
region. (G) |
| 2 |
Use
correctly the words or abbreviations for identifying time periods
or dates in historical narratives (decade, age, era, century,
millennium, AD/CE, BC/BCE, c., and circa). Identify in BC/BCE
dates the higher number as indicating the older year (that is,
3000 BC/BCE is earlier than 2000 BC/BCE). (H) |
| 5 |
Identify
multiple causes and effects when explaining historical events.
(H) |
| 6 |
Describe
ways of interpreting archaeological evidence from societies
leaving no written records. (H) |
Arts: Visual Art Strand; Standards 6.3, 8.2
| 6.3 |
Interpret
the meanings of artistic works by explaining how the subject
matter and/or form reflect the events, ideas, religions, and
customs of people living at a particular time in history. |
| 8.2 |
Identify
characteristic features of the visual arts of world civilizations
such as styles of ancient Egypt and Africa, China, Mesopotamia,
Greece, Rome, and the Medieval Period in Europe. |
New York
Social Science: World History Standards 1,3
| 1 |
Students
know the social and economic characteristics such as customs,
traditions, child-rearing practices, ways of making a living,
education and socialization practices, gender roles, foods,
and religious and spiritual beliefs that distinguish different
cultures and civilizations.
Students
interpret and analyze documents and artifacts related to significant
events in world history. |
| 3 |
Investigate
the roles and contributions of individuals and groups in relation
to key social, political, cultural and religious practices throughout
world history.
Students interpret and analyze documents and artifacts related
to significant events in world history. |
Visual
Arts Standards 3, 4
| 3 |
Students will reflect upon, interpret, and evaluate works
of art, using the language of criticism. Students will analyze
the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment
and explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental
dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways
in which a variety of ideas, themes and concepts are expressed
through the visual arts with ways they are expressed in other
disciplines. |
| 4 |
Students will explore art and artifacts from various
historical periods and world cultures to discover the roles
that art plays in the lives of people of a given time and place
and to understand how the given time and place influence the
visual characteristics of the artwork. Students will explore
art to understand the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions
of human society. |
Program Outline
Introduction
A
brief introduction to the exhibit and ancient Iranian culture.
During this discussion, students view modern and ancient maps,
and share what they know about modern-day Iran, ancient life
in the Middle East, and their initial impressions of the ancient
Iranian vessels in the exhibit.
Student Research
Students
work in groups and use close observation skills, research
skills, and hands-on experimentation to explore questions
about the vessels and the clues they can provide about ancient
Iranian life. Each group will explore a different question
or topic, investigating how the vessels were made, used, and
considering the story behind different artistic motifs.
During
the course of these investigations, students will gather evidence
about trade, art, social customs, the natural environment
and resources, and domesticated animals.
Discussion
Student groups share what they have discovered with the rest
of the class
Conclusion
The summary discussion addresses these questions: How would
you characterize ancient Iranian artwork? What can we tell
about ancient Iranians from their vessels? What was surprising?
What do we have in common with them?
Concepts
Covered
- Archaeologists
learn about the past by studying objects called artifacts.
- There are
many different ways to learn about an artifact. To learn about
the objects in Wit & Wine, various techniques were used: close
observation and comparison with other objects; reading the published
research of other archaeologists; chemical testing and other laboratory
testing; reading written records from the past; making models
and experimenting with them.
- Studying
artifacts provides clues about how people lived in the past, including
information about religion, writing, government, architecture,
art, agriculture, technology and more. " While some aspects of
ancient life may seem foreign to us, there are also many similarities
between ancient cultures and our own.
- While ancient
artifacts often paint a very serious picture, these vessels reveal
another side of ancient life; ancient people enjoyed life and
art, had fun, had social lives and concerns, and had a sense of
humor.
- Many different
ancient civilizations had contact with one another and influenced
each other through trade.
- While a
majority of Iranians today follow the religion of Islam, Iran's
cultural and ethnic identity is largely Persian (unlike other
Islamic countries in the Middle East). Islam did not exist during
ancient times.
- While ancient
Iran shared many things in common with other areas of the ancient
Near East like the Mesopotamian civilizations, its geography,
natural resources, and culture were unique in many ways.
Key Terms Used During the Program
Archaeologist
|
a
person who uses careful methods to find remains of objects,
buildings, and graves, and studies them to learn about how people
lived in the past.
|
Artifact
|
an object made and used by people in the past.
|
| BCE |
an abbreviation meaning "Before the Common Era," used in place
of BC. While the dates remain the same as they would in the
BC/AD system, the BCE label does not tie the dating system to
one specific religion, as BC ("Before Christ") does.
|
| Burnish |
using a smooth stone or bone to polish unfired ceramics, producing
a shiny, finished surface. |
| CE |
an abbreviation meaning "Common Era;" used in place of AD. While
the dates remain the same as they would in the BC/AD system,
the CE label does not tie the dating system to one specific
religion, as AD ("Anno Domini" or "Year of Our Lord") does.
|
| Civilization |
a group of people who live together in one place permanently
and have developed a way of doing things like growing food and
keeping order.
|
| Culture |
the shared beliefs, customs, values, behaviors, and artifacts
that people in a society use to interact with one another and
that are passed down from generation to generation.
|
| Cuneiform |
writing made up of wedge-shaped parts; versions of cuneiform
were used in many ancient Near Eastern civilizations including
those within ancient Mesopotamia and Persia.
|
| Cylinder Seal |
a cylinder with a carved design or inscription, which creates
a raised mark when pressed into wet clay. Seals were pressed
into vessels, clay envelopes, storeroom door-latches, etc. to
leave a signature and to prevent tampering. Click
here to view a cylinder seal in the Smith College
Museum collection.
|
| Farsi |
the Persian word for the Persian language.
|
| Government |
a person, group of people, and/or a system of laws that organizes
a civilization.
|
| Mesopotamia |
an ancient region of the Near East between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers, which was home to many early civilizations like Sumer,
Babylonia, and Assyria; the region is a part of modern-day Iraq.
|
| Patron |
a person who commissions an artist or craftsperson to create
a piece of art in return for payment.
|
Persia
|
the name of Iran from ancient times until 1939. Persian culture
is very much alive in Iran today.
|
Potter's Wheel
|
a tool for molding clay into pottery by hand, consisting of
a rotating horizontal disc that holds and turns the clay between
the potter's hands. A potter's wheel can be turned either manually
(usually with a foot pedal) or using electricity.
|
| Religion |
a system of beliefs that offers explanations for unanswered
questions about how the world was created, why things happen,
and what happens to people after death.
|
| Republic |
a system of government in which citizens elect representatives
who then create the laws and govern the people.
|
| Residue |
particles left inside a container from the contents it once
held.
|
| Silk Road |
an ancient trade route that connected Europe, the Middle East
(including Iran), and China. Originally this trade route was
used to transport silk from China into the western world.
|
| Slip |
clay diluted with water that can be applied like paint before
firing to create different shades and colors.
|
| Thermoluminescence (TL) |
a laboratory technique used to date some vessels in Wit & Wine.
All minerals accumulate low levels of radiation over time. The
older an object is, the more radiation its minerals will have
accumulated. When heated above 350 degrees Celcius, the minerals
release all radiation. Assuming that a piece of glass or clay
was heated to this temperature when it was fired, measuring
the amount of radiation in a clay pot can allow scientists to
calculate the approximate time period in which it was fired.
|
| Ziggurat |
a temple tower used in the religions of the ancient Near East,
shaped somewhat like a step-pyramid. |
Activities: Before and After Your Visit
Language Arts: Write Like an Ancient Persian
Students
discover some of the many English words like magic, lemon, and
mummy that have their origin in Persian by translating them from
ancient Persian cuneiform. Click
here for the translation key. You can also use this
page to download the ancient Persian cuneiform font to your own
computer for free. Once you have added this to your font folder,
you'll be able to type in cuneiform in a word document. Click
here for worksheet
Language Arts: Iranian Poetry
Try your hand at writing a poem using traditional Iranian verse forms. Two types of poems, the rubaiyat and the ghazal are outlined below. The rubaiyat is more concise, while the ghazal is longer and more challenging.
Rubaiyat
A rubai is a short, four-line poem with the rhyme scheme AABA
(only the third line does not rhyme.) Each line should have ten
syllables. For an extra challenge, try using the traditional meter,
iambic pentameter:
da DAH da DAH da DAH da DAH da DAH,
A rubai can stand alone, or several can be connected together
(AABA, BBCB, CCDC) to create a rubaiyat. Click
here for an example.
Ghazal
A ghazal (pronounced "guzzle") is often written about love or
religion. To be a ghazal, the poem should have 3 - 15 couplets
(two lines that go together as a stanza). The second line in each
stanza should end in a period, making each stanza separate from
the others. Skip a line between each couplet. The last words of
the first and second lines should rhyme, and the second line of
every couplet should also rhyme with that first rhyme. Traditional
Iranian Ghazals have lines of equal length, with the same rhythm
or meter, but Ghazals in English tend to be more flexible. Traditionally,
the poet's pen name appears somewhere in the last couplet. Click
here for an example.
(You can choose between the full poem or an excerpt).
Visual Arts: Clay Imposters
During their visit to Wit & Wine, students will take a close look
at clay vessels cleverly designed to resemble basketry, metalwork,
tapestries, and even a wineskin (a small leather sack filled with
wine and used like a canteen). As a highly malleable material,
clay was to the ancient world what plastic is to the modern. Challenge
students to create a clay vessel or sculpture that really mimics
another object or material. For example, if a student makes a
clay kiwi, they would consider how to make the surface texture
look like a real, fuzzy kiwi.
To help students develop techniques for creating their desired
effects, conduct a class brainstorming session. Ask each student
to write their name and the subject of their piece at the top
of a sheet of blank paper. Have students exchange papers several
times, writing suggestions for techniques on their classmates'
papers. For example, if a student picks an orange as the subject,
one student might suggest burnishing the surface to create a polished
look like waxy orange peel. Another student might suggest ways
to create the bumps and pores of the peel.
Social Studies & Visual Arts: Make a Cylinder Seal
Insure that
the ancient Near East will leave a lasting impression with students--
create your own cylinder seals! Click
here for complete directions.
Social Studies: Unearthing Our Culture: USA c. 2005
The vessels
in Wit & Wine are artifacts that are thousands of years old, and
they can reveal clues about ancient Iranian life. Ask students
to imagine they are archaeologists in the year 6,000 CE who find
some remains from the civilization USA c. 2005. They can pick
one item from the following list for their remains: videogames
(with the system to play them), a shopping mall, your school,
a football stadium, a car dealership, or a grocery store.
Students will then describe the discovery of their remains in
a creative writing exercise, written from their perspective as
archaeologists in the year 6,000 CE. In their piece, students
should write at least three paragraphs, and accomplish these three
goals:
(a) describe
what the remains look like
(b) explain what they think the purpose or function of the remains
were in USA (c. 2005)
(c) explain what they can tell about the civilization of USA
(c. 2005) based on the artifacts they have found.
Remember,
you are from the year 6,000 CE and may have never seen these things
before!
Social Studies: Persia Today
As a class,
create an issue of a class newspaper about Iran. The paper could
focus on Iran today or ancient Iran, depending on the focus of
your curriculum. Include all the typical newspaper sections like
arts & entertainment, sports & leisure, food, science and technology,
editorials, cartoons, and economics as well as current events.
Each student should write one news article and one article for
one of the other sections. The web links at the end of these resources
are a great place for students to research these topics. If you
know of an Iranian or Iranian-American student or family in your
area, include an interview with them in the paper. If appropriate,
integrate technology into the project by making it an online Persiazine,
or a televised newscast for your school.
Math: Persian Numerals
Add a new
element to your existing math exercises- Persian numerals! Click
here for numerals from 0 - 9 in Persian and Arabic
script.
Engineering:
The Ultimate Vessel
Students
will come away from Wit & Wine with the sense that ancient Iranian
vessels were meant to be enjoyed while they were used. Challenge
students to design a vessel to hold and pour their favorite beverage.
The one condition is that it should be entertaining as well as
functional. Encourage wacky, creative approaches. Ask them to
draw and label a diagram of their design and list the materials
they would use if they were to actually build a prototype.
Suggested Web and Print Resources
All print
resources listed are available through the Central/Western Massachusetts
Library System.
Use the Berkshire
Athenaeum's on-line catalogue to search for these print
resources in Western Massachusetts.
Print Materials For Students
Moloney,
Norah. The Young Oxford Book of Archaeology.
NY: Oxford University Press, c. 1997.
A very thorough and well-illustrated introduction to archaeology
for middle school students. Includes sections on specific finds
from different times and locations, as well as an overview of
the importance of archaeology and the methods of the profession.
Persians: Masters of Empire.
Editors of Time-Life Books. VA: Time-Life Books, c. 1995.
This book covers the history and culture of ancient Persian
civilizations and the artifacts and ruins left behind. It includes
a bibliography and colored maps of ancient Persia.
Ramen, Fred. Iran. New York:
Rosen Pub. Group, 2002.
A history of Iran written for a middle school audience that
includes lots of information with photos, illustrations, and color
maps.
Print Materials For Educators
Curtis, John.
Ancient Persia. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University, 1990.
This book traces the art, history and archaeology of Iran from
6,000 BCE to the early Islamic Period of the 7th century CE. Illustrated
with images from the British Museum Collection.
Loveday, Helen. Iran. Hong
Kong: Odyssey Publications,1999.
A guidebook written by a Farsi-fluent archaeologist. Covers
history, culture and geography. Includes an overview of pre-Islamic
and Islamic Iran, and an introduction to Iranian art and architecture.
Web Materials for Students
Culture
of Iran
This site covers topics like codes of behavior, Iranian calendar
systems, ceremonies and celebrations, religions, Iranian art history,
money, gender, and cuisine.
The Farhangsara Organization
This website was created by Farhangsara, a non-profit organization
dedicated to promoting the rich cultural history of Iran. It includes
great visuals, video and audio clips, and provides information
on Iranian history, geography, language, arts, science, technology
and inventions, and food (including recipes).
Frank H. McClung Museum's Wit & Wine Page
The University of Tennessee's McClung Museum created this page
when Wit & Wine was exhibited there in 2002. Images of the vessels
and a detailed teacher's guide focusing on the changing styles
of Iranian pottery through time.
Iran Chamber Society
This site includes extensive sections on Iranian art and culture,
language and literature, current news stories and the history
of Iran. The "travel guide" section focuses on contemporary life
in Iran, including ethnic groups, laws and government (including
the full constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran), geography,
past and present pictures of provinces, currency (including images
of actual currency), biographies, weather, sports, the arts, media,
and food.
Web Materials for Educators
Arthur
M. Sackler Foundation
A web site about the doctor and avid art collector Arthur M.
Sackler, whose collection is showcased in Wit & Wine. It includes
a shop with books, catalogues and other items featuring objects
from his collections, as well as links to collections at institutions
that he has supported like the Metropolitan, Harvard University,
and the Smithsonian.
Culture of Iran
This site covers topics like codes of behavior, Iranian calendar
systems, ceremonies and celebrations, religions, Iranian art history,
money, gender, and cuisine.
The
Farhangsara Organization
This website was created by Farhangsara, a non-profit organization
dedicated to promoting the rich cultural history of Iran. It includes
great visuals, video and audio clips, and provides information
on Iranian history, geography, language, arts, science, technology,
inventions, and food (including recipes).
Frank
H. McClung Museum's Wit & Wine Page
The University of Tennessee's McClung Museum created this page
when Wit & Wine was exhibited there in 2002. Includes images of
the vessels and a detailed teacher's guide focusing on the changing
styles of Iranian pottery through time.
Iran
Chamber Society
This site includes extensive sections on Iranian art and culture,
language and literature, current news stories, the history of
Iran. The "travel guide" section focuses on contemporary life
in Iran, including ethnic groups, laws and government (including
the full constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran), geography,
biographies, weather, sports, the arts, media, and food.
PBS:
Global Connections in the Middle East
This informative and clearly-organized site includes a timeline
of Middle Eastern history starting from 1900. It also allows you
to pick questions or themes to explore. (Does include lesson plans,
though they are at the high school level).
 The
Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent Federal
grant- making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation
of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities
supports the Berkshire Museum.
<
Back to School and Youth Groups Main Page
|
