Unit 1: Integrated Pyramid Project

Overview | English | Math | Reading | Science | Social Studies | Technology | Rubric

Overview
You are a pyramid designer in ancient Egypt.  You know that pyramid robbers plundered most Egyptian pyramids.  You are to design a pyramid for a great pharaoh that will be safe from pyramid robbers for no less than 10 centuries.  You must use factual information that you learned.  Although the Egyptians made several types of pyramids, your pyramid must be a square-based, pointed pyramid.  You will receive instructions as to which teacher to turn your pyramid in to.

You are to create a 3 dimensional model of the pyramid.  The height of your pyramid MUST BE 13.1 CM.  (Remember… the height of your pyramid is NOT the same as the height of the triangular face.)  Students cut out the base and four triangles made of foam board at school. You may use these as templates and trace them onto ANY kind of board.  You are to turn in ONLY the pyramid, no scenery, landscaping, etc.  (Remember each teacher will have approximately 25 pyramids in her class so the size of the support is important for storage reasons.)

English
You will write and present an original myth.  You must also draw an important scene from your myth to show to the class as you present your myth to the class. Checkpoint one will be a blueprint of the student’s myth.  Checkpoint two will be the rough draft.

Math
You will record the dimensions (length, width, and height) of your pyramid.  Find the area of each face of your pyramid (including the base).  Then compute the total surface area.  Include the formula used to calculate the areas and all calculations (steps).  All numbers should be written in standard form (Arabic form) rounded to the nearest tenth, and Egyptian form rounded to the nearest whole number.  Label the appropriate units of measure in hieroglyphics and metrics. Checkpoint  #1 is a “Number System “ creation  and presentation. Checkpoint  #2 is your pyramid data calculations.

Reading
You are to create a rough draft of a sales brochure for the pyramid.  Your brochure (or pamphlet) must have a cover design.  It must have your name, date, and class period on the cover.  One of the pages of the brochure will contain a map with the location of your pyramid.  You must include drawings and brief explanations of your traps.  You will also be required to write a persuasive sales pitch. Checkpoint #1 is the front cover design and map. Checkpoint #2 is the persuasive sales pitch and sketches of three traps.

Science
You must create three traps that utilize simple machines or combinations of simple machines.  All three traps MUST BE LABELED in the pyramid.  For example, where you would put trap 1 you would put a sticker indicating “Trap 1”.  One of the traps must be a “working” trap and turned in to Ms. Haschke with a base not bigger than 8 ½” by 6”.  It must be clearly labeled with your name, date, etc. In addition, you will create templates for a scale model of a pyramid using the Pythagorean Theorem.  The 10 calculations will be modeled in class.  The pyramid computations will be turned in on a 4” by 6” card on the bottom of the pyramid.  Use the “Making a Scale Model of the Great Pyramids of Giza” packet to assist you in completing the necessary calculations.  Checkpoint 1: Series of pyramid calculations on an index card, checkpoint 2: Pyramid Templates.

Social Studies
For the Social Studies portion of this project, you will need to compose a warning to potential pyramid robbers that will be prominently displayed on a side of your finished pyramid.  These warnings must be written in ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Greek and English.  Please provide a copy of your message in modern English to make it easier for grading purposes.  (Caution: You might think of several kinds of warnings but remember that the content must be appropriate for school.)  Your warning will be graded for originality, cleverness, neatness and use of color. Checkpoint #1 will be creation of a decoder in order to create a warning sign for pyramids our students create.  Checkpoint #2 the creation of a warning signs in two different languages using, hieroglyphics and Latin/Greek to ward off trespassers. 

Technology
You are to create a brochure for your pyramid.  The brochure will contain your name, class period, and date.  You will insert two graphics into your brochure.  The first graphic will be a map of your city and the second graphic will be a logo for your “construction firm” made in checkpoint #1.  The information part of the brochure will include a brief explanation of your traps, a cost breakdown of your pyramid and your sales pitch.  Your brochure will be graded based on your design style and your inclusion of the necessary information and graphics.

OTHER INFORMATION

1. Your pyramid must open; thus, if you built your model using a box, the box would open to reveal the scene inside (remember it must be a pyramid).  You might want to have one entire side lift off.  There could be a window that opens to look inside the pyramid.  When we look inside, we should see a “snapshot” of an Egyptian pyramid.  This should include the traps and three items that would be found in an Egyptian pyramid.  These items could be food, canopic jars, statues, the Book of the Dead, a mummy, jewels, and so on. 
2. You may use clip art, photocopies or other pre-made pictures, but part of the project must be original.
3. Neatness counts.
4. Be creative, but also be accurate. 
5. Parents may help, but this is to be a learning experience for the student.
6. Follow all directions.
7. Make sure your name is on all parts of the project.

PYRAMID PROJECT RUBRIC – 6K

Math: (with appropriate units)        
Length                                                                    __________                            2 points
                  Width                                                   __________                            2 points
                  Height                                                  __________                            2 points
                  Area of each face                                 __________                            1 point
                              Face one                                  __________                            1 point
                              Face two                                  __________                            1 point
                              Face three                                __________                            1 point
                              Face four                                  __________                            1 point
                              Face five                                  __________                            1 point
                  Total Surface Area                               __________                            4 points
                  Labels in hieroglyphics                         __________                            4 points

Technology:
                  Digital map of the city                           __________                            4 points
                  Digital logo                                           __________                            3 points
                  Layout design                                      __________                             3 points
Science:
                  Location of 3 traps identified                 __________                            3 point
                  Calculations on the bottom
                  of the pyramid                                     __________                             4 point
                  Use of at least 3 simple machines          __________                            3 points
                  (screw, lever, pulley, gears, inclined plane)
                  Functional trap                                     __________                            10 points
                 
English:
                  Grammar, spelling, and punctuation       __________                            2 points
                  Illustration                                             __________                            2 points
                  Presentation                                          __________                            3 points
                  Written myth                                         __________                            3 points

Reading:
                  Rough draft/cover design                      __________                            2 points
                  Rough draft/sales pitch                         __________                            3 points
                  Rough draft/sketch of traps                   __________                            2 points
                  Rough draft/map                                   __________                            3 points

Social Studies:
                  Hieroglyphics and translation                 __________                            5 points
                  Three objects in the pyramid                 __________                            5 points

Model:
                  Construction/Quality of model               __________                            20 points

TOTAL GRADE FOR PYRAMID:                   _______________________________