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Classroom Companion

"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

Article Summary: For 75 years, Nubian kings ruled over ancient Egypt, reunifying the country and
building an empire. Until recently, theirs was a chapter of history lost in the shadows.

Online Feature: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-02/black-pharaohs/draper-text.html


The online feature includes a full article, photo gallery, quiz, Stones, Bones, ‘n Things blog entry, and
more.

Related Materials from National Geographic

Lesson Plans page 1 | Interactive Features page 2 | Magazine Articles page 4


Maps page 4 | News Articles page 5 | Photos page 5 | Videos page 6

Lesson Plans

Grades K-2

Egyptian Symbols and Figures: Hieroglyphs


http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=348
This lesson, one of a multi-part unit from EDSITEment, introduces students to the writing, art, and
religious beliefs of ancient Egypt through hieroglyphs, one of the oldest writing systems in the world, and
through tomb paintings.

King Tut's Treasures


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/06/gk2/kingtut.html
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore what artifacts tell us about a culture. They briefly consider
what modern "artifacts" reveal about human culture.

Grades 3-5

Ancient Worlds Workshop: Egypt


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/10/g35/tgancient.html
In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students explore the ancient civilization of Egypt. They learn about Egypt's
geography and read about daily life in ancient Egypt.

Egypt's Pyramids: Monuments with a Message


http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=418
In this lesson, from EDSITEment, students determine the purpose for the pyramids in ancient Egypt.
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Classroom Companion
"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

Mummies and the Desert


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g35/desert.html
This Xpeditions lesson relates the mummification process to climate. Students will begin by finding out
what Egypt's climate is like. They will then get a glimpse of how Egyptians mummified their dead and see
how mummies could be created naturally.

Grades 6-8

Making a Mummy the Natural Way


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g68/naturalway.html
This Xpeditions lesson has students examine the relationship between climate and the mummification
process in ancient Egypt and other parts of the world.

The Mystery of the Scroll: Ancient Egyptian Culture and Geography


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g68/kingtut.html
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore how geographical features, both physical and cultural, of a
place can give us insights into the lives of the people who have settled there, with Egypt as the primary
example.

Grades 9-12

The Science of Mummies


http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=244
In this lesson, from Science NetLinks, students explore how technological advances can lead to advances
in scientific knowledge. They focus specifically on how new technologies are advancing the study of
mummies.

Interactive Features

Ancient Egypt
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html
This resource, from the British Museum, presents information about ancient Egyptian geography,
mummification, the pyramids, Egyptian writing, and much more.

Art of the Ancient World: Nubian Collection


http://www.mfa.org/collections/sub.asp?key=20&subkey=22
This resource, which is part of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, provides information and links to the
collection of Art of the Ancient World: Nubian Collection at the museum. The Museum's collection of
Nubian art ranks as the best outside Sudan.

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Information correct as of January 2008. This document can be copied and distributed for educational purposes only.
Classroom Companion
"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

Panorama d'Egypte et de Nubie


http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?parent_id=108761&word
This collection of images, from the book of the same title and presented by The New York Public Library
Digital Gallery, depicts a variety of Egyptian landscapes.

Sabaka
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/people_n2/ppersons1_n2/sabaka.html
This resource from HyperHistory Online is a brief biography of Egyptian Pharaoh Sabaka. His founding of
the 25th dynasty and revival of ancient customs are discussed briefly.

Secrets of the Pharaohs: Digging Deeper


http://www.pbs.org/wnet/pharaohs/digging.html
This PBS resource focuses on ancient Egypt. Users can view multimedia presentations that allow them to
explore Tut's tomb, visit Khufu's Pyramid, and learn how mummies were made.

Secrets of the Pharaohs: Secrets and Science


http://www.pbs.org/wnet/pharaohs/secrets.html
This resource, from PBS, features a presentation on the new scientific techniques being used to study
ancient Egypt. The presentation covers mass spectrometry, extraction of mummy DNA, disease in ancient
Egyptians, and the limits of the new techniques.

Sudan
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_sudan.html
Read information about the geography, history, culture and economy of Sudan in this National Geographic
resource.

The Ancient Egypt Site


http://www.ancient-egypt.org/
The Ancient Egypt Site is a Web site dedicated to Egyptology and the culture and history of ancient Egypt.
Users can learn about over 3,000 years of Egyptian history, monuments and other Egyptian sites, the
ancient Egyptian language, and much more.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs


http://www.kingtut.org/about_the_exhibition/the_story_of_king_tut
This resource, from the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs Exhibit Web site, features
information about the King Tut exhibit touring the U.S. in 2005-2007.

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Information correct as of January 2008. This document can be copied and distributed for educational purposes only.
Classroom Companion
"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

Magazine Articles

Abydos: Egyptian Afterlife


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0504/feature7/index.html
This National Geographic Magazine feature focuses on Abydos, Egypt. There is an excerpt from an article
about the burial of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, along with links to photos, a map, and more.

Back in Egypt, at Last


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0212/resources_geo3.html
This National Geographic Magazine resource focuses on the recovery of the gilded wood base of an ancient
coffin by Cairo's Egyptian Museum. The coffin base had disappeared from the museum in 1931.

King Tut
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0506/feature1/index.html
This National Geographic Magazine feature focuses on King Tut. There is an excerpt from a June 2005
article about how scientists used modern technology including CT scans in an attempt to reveal more
about the mysterious boy king's life and death.

The Nuba: Still Standing


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0302/feature3/index.html
This National Geographic Magazine feature focuses on Sudan's Nuba people, who are suffering as a result
of the country's civil war. There is an excerpt from an article about the history of this indigenous group,
along with links to photos, a map, audio, video, and more.

Maps

Egypt Satellite Map


http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/index.html
National Geographic’s Map Machine: Zoom in for a satellite view of Egypt.

Map of Sudan from Xpeditions Atlas


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html?Parent=africa&Rootmap=sudan&Mode=d
This resource, found in the Xpeditions Atlas, is a printable map of Sudan. The maps available in the atlas
allow the user to choose basic or detailed view, turn borders on or off, and save the map as a .pdf or .gif
file.

Map of Egypt: People and Places


http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/maps/map_country_egypt.html
This National Geographic resource gives fast facts about Egypt.

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Information correct as of January 2008. This document can be copied and distributed for educational purposes only.
Classroom Companion
"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

News Articles

"Antibiotic" Beer Gave Ancient Africans Health Buzz


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/05/0516_050516_ancientbeer.html
In this National Geographic News article, read about a study of ancient Nubian bones that found evidence
of the presence of the antibiotic tetracycline, believed to have come from a beer they brewed.

Egyptian "Female King" Gets Royal Treatment


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0410_060410_egyptian.html
In this National Geographic News article, read about Egypt's King Hatshepsut, who guided Egypt through
20 years of peace, prosperity and artistic expression. "King" Hatshepsut was actually a woman.

Exodus From Drying Sahara Gave Rise to Pharaohs, Study Says


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060720-sahara.html
In this National Geographic News article, read about how climate change in the eastern Sahara may have
given rise to Egyptian pharaonic civilization.

Hamza El Din, Father of Nubian Music, Dies


http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic/view/page.basic/article/content.article/hamza_obit
In this National Geographic World Music news article, read about the life and death of Egyptian musician
Hamza El Din. El Din's 1971 album, "Escalay: The Water Wheel," is generally agreed to be the most
popular recording of traditional Egypt.

Mummy's Return to Egypt Spotlights Smuggling


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0304_040304_mummyantiquities.html
In this National Geographic News article, read about the return of the mummy of Ramses I to Egypt. The
repatriation served to highlight Egypt's ongoing struggle to restore exported antiquities and its lost
cultural heritage.

Rare Nubian King Statues Uncovered in Sudan


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0227_030227_sudankings.html
In this National Geographic News article, read about Nubian statues discovered in Sudan. The ancient
civilization of Nubia flourished during the same period as that of ancient Egypt.

Photos

Pharaohs of the Sun


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0104/feature2/zoom1.html
This National Geographic Magazine photo gallery presents five photographs related to the archaeology of
Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten's tomb.

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Information correct as of January 2008. This document can be copied and distributed for educational purposes only.
Classroom Companion
"Black Pharaohs"
February 2008 National Geographic

Photo Gallery: The Great Pyramid


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/egyptjournal/photogalleries/pyramid/
This National Geographic Magazine photo gallery focuses on the three Pyramids of Giza, including the
famed tomb of Pharaoh Khufu. Users can view images of tourism to the ancient Egyptian site.

Photo Gallery: Saqqara and Memphis


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/egyptjournal/photogalleries/saqqara/
This National Geographic Magazine photo gallery focuses on pyramids in Saqqara and Memphis, Egypt.
Users can view images of pyramid architecture as well as modern-day Egyptians.

Photo Gallery: The Valley of the Kings


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/egyptjournal/photogalleries/valley/
This National Geographic Magazine photo gallery focuses on ancient tombs near Luxor, Egypt. Users can
view images of the burial sites of Sefi I, Amenhotep III and Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut.

Videos

Video: Photographer Kenneth Garrett Discusses Ancient Egypt


http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0104/feature2/multimedia.html
Go back in time as photographer Kenneth Garrett discusses images from the land of the Pharaohs in this
series of nine short videos from National Geographic.

About the National Geographic Magazine Community


www.ngsednet.org/ngm

The National Geographic Magazine Community, part of National Geographic's Education Network (EdNet),
is a place for educators of all kinds to get teaching materials, discuss teaching methods and issues raised
by the magazine's articles, and subscribe to National Geographic magazine at a special rate.

Take advantage of all these resources (and get more Classroom Companions like this one) at
www.ngsednet.org/ngm.

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