Maker Project

Grade 4 Early Societies Chess Project

In class we have been examining various early societies from 3000 BCE to 1500 CE. In groups
of three, you will complete a two part research project on an early society of your choice. Part
One of the project requires your group to research an early society and present your findings in
a creative way (e.g poster, pamphlet, Prezi, Google Slides). In the second part of the
project,your group will use your research to design and create chess pieces using a 3D printer
that represent the social organization of your chosen society. You should include a short
explanation of what each chess piece represents and why you chose to represent it in that way.

You may choose from one of the following early societies. If you prefer to complete the project
on an early society that is not listed below, please have it approved by the teacher before you
begin your project.

Mesopotamia Ancient Egypt Ancient Rome

Ancient Greece Ancient China The Indus Valley

The Aztecs The Mayans The Incas

Part One
In your project, you are to address the following questions/topics.
When did your early society exist?
Describe the location of your early society. What were the physical features of the
environment that affected the everyday life of the citizens?
Describe what the daily life was like. Choose two of the following topics to focus on:
Shelter/ Buildings
Family Roles
Education
Recreation
Religion
Written language
Clothing
How was your early society governed (democracy, city states, etc.)?
Describe the social organization of your early society.

Part Two
Your group will use Tinkercad to design six different chess pieces (king, queen, rook, bishop,
knight, pawn) that represent the social organization of your chosen society. Consider your
research during the design process. Chess pieces can be people or artefacts that represent a
social class. Each group member will be responsible for designing two chess pieces, however
your group should work together to brainstorm what each chess piece should look like and what
it should represent. Be sure to include a short description and explanation of each chess piece
in your project.

Each group will present their project to the class. You may choose to wear costumes
appropriate to your topic or bring additional props during your groups presentation.
 Curriculum Expectations

Grade 4 Social Studies, Heritage and Identity: Early Societies, 3000 BCE- 1500 CE

Overall Expectations

A3. demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of a few early societies (3000

BCE-1500 CE), each from a different region and era and representing a different culture,
with reference to their political and social organization, daily life, and relationships with
the environment and with each other

Specific Expectations

A3.2 demonstrate the ability to extract information on daily life in early societies from
visual evidence
A3.3 describe significant aspects of daily life in two or more early societies
A3.7 describe how two or more early societies were governed
A3.8 describe the social organization of some different early societies

ISTE Standards for Students

Knowledge Constructor
Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge,
produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and
others.

Innovative Designer
Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by
creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

Creative Communicator
Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using
the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
 Assessment

Before handing in their completed projects, students will be required to complete the
Self-Assessment Success Criteria Checklist. If all of the criteria can be checked off, projects
should receive either a level 3 or a level 4 on the rubric. The teacher will evaluate each project
using the rubric shown below. In most cases, all group members should receive the same grade
on the first three sections of the rubric. Students may be assessed individually for these
sections if necessary.

Self-Assessment Success Criteria Checklist

Part One:
We chose an early society that existed between 3000 BCE and 1500 CE that was
confirmed with the teacher.
We have included all required information (i.e. included information on all of the topics).
We presented our project in a creative way (e.g poster, pamphlet, google slides, prezi,
etc.) that is neat and easy to follow.
Part Two:
We used Tinkercad to design six chess pieces
We each designed two of the six chess pieces
We used our research to design chess pieces that represent the social organization of
the early society that we chose.
All six chess pieces have been printed.
We included a description and explanation for each chess piece
Overall:
All written information is in our own words
We each contributed equally to the project.
We worked well as a group and listened to each others ideas.
We tried our best.
 Rubric
Criteria Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Coverage of -Included all - Included all the - Information -Information has

the Topic required required relates to the topic little or nothing to
information about information; but not all of the do with the main
the topic in detail however the required topic
-Information about audience may need information is -Difficult for
the topic increases more information to provided audience to
the audiences understand fully -The audience understand
understanding needs more
information to
understand

Chess Piece - Included all six - Included all six - Missing one to -Missing over half
Design chess pieces and chess pieces and three chess pieces of the chess pieces
explanations explanations and explanations and explanations
-Chess pieces -Chess pieces -Chess pieces -Chess pieces do
represent social represent social representation of not represent the
organization organization well social organization social organization
exceptionally well is somewhat
and are well unclear
thought out

Presentation -Presentation of -Presentation of -Presentation of -Presentation of

information is information is information is information is not
exceptionally creative somewhat organized in a
creative (e.g. wore -Text is easy to attractive format
costumes, creative read and -Some of the text is -Text is taken
format, excellent mostly in your own easy to read and in directly from the
use of images) words your own words internet
-Text is
reader-friendly
and in your own
words

Peer -Class time was -Was on task for -Needed some -Rarely stayed on
Collaboration used productively most of the class encouragement to task
and Use of -Always listened, time provided use time -Rarely listened,
Time shared ideas and -Usually listened, productively shared ideas or
worked well with shared ideas and -Often listened and worked well with
group members worked well with shared ideas, but group members
group members had some difficulty
working well with
 group members
Comments: Total:

*Part Two of this culminating activity was inspired by the Ancient Societies design challenge
found on Makers Empire Blog post on the Top Ten History Focused 3D Design Lesson Plans
(https://www.makersempire.com/blog/top-10-history-focused-3d-design-challenges/)