Rhode Island Elementary Ancient Civilizations: Egypt Units for Grades 1–6
Rhode Island Elementary Ancient Civilizations: Egypt Units for Grades 1–6
Yes, there is a ready Egypt study for Rhode Island elementary classes: the Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle ($69.99) has three units for Grades 1–4 on pyramids and the Nile, mummies and tomb art, and hieroglyphs, plus Life Along the Nile for Grades 5–6. It is not written for the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards, so you decide where in your year an ancient world block belongs.
Open the Egypt bundleThe Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle costs $69.99 and gives a Rhode Island elementary teacher four complete Egypt units: Pyramids, Pharaohs & the Nile; Mummies & Tomb Art; and Hieroglyphs for Grades 1–4, plus Life Along the Nile for Grades 5–6 with farming, society, beliefs and source work. It suits a global communities block, an enrichment study or a combined class. It contains no Rhode Island content and is not aligned to the state's standards.
The resources
Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle, Grades 1–6
4 resources in one download: $69.99 instead of $99.96 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle | Pyramids, Pharaohs, Mummies, Hieroglyphs & Life Along the Nile | 4 Units | Grades 1–6
Ancient Civilizations Bundle | Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, Vikings & Stone Age | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Elementary History Curriculum | All 20 History Units | Grades 1–4
Medieval World for Kids Bundle | Knights, Castles, Medieval Towns, Vikings & Old Trades | 4 Units | Grades 1–4
The real problem
Where ancient Egypt fits in a Rhode Island elementary year
Rhode Island's Revised Social Studies Standards, endorsed in February 2023, give each elementary grade a clear focus. Grade 1 is Living and Working Together in Local Communities. Grade 2 widens to Global Communities. Grade 3 turns to the Regions of the United States, Grade 4 to Rhode Island itself, with Indigenous communities, the state's formation and state and local government, and Grade 5 to United States History from pre-European contact to Reconstruction. Ancient history arrives formally in Grade 6, which covers Ancient to Medieval World History and Geography. So where does a unit on pharaohs and the Nile go before sixth grade? Usually in one of three places. A second grade teacher studying communities around the world can use Egypt as a deep look at one place and time. A teacher with a strong class can run it as an enrichment block or a spring study. And a sixth grade teacher can open the ancient world with Life Along the Nile, which is written for Grades 5–6. The hard part is not finding pictures of pyramids; it is building leveled reading, a worksheet, a project and slides for every lesson. That is what the bundle already has.
Why it fits
How the four units fit Rhode Island classrooms
Match the unit to the grade, and use the younger units where they serve your own plan.
- Pyramids, Pharaohs & the Nile gives second graders one global community to study in real depth.
- Each Grades 1–4 unit has three sub-units with a plan, worksheet, activity, key and slides.
- Worksheets with reading passages and word banks help mixed readers, including English learners, follow along.
- Hieroglyphs: Writing in Ancient Egypt makes a strong hands-on block for a spring enrichment study.
- Life Along the Nile, for Grades 5–6, offers a sixth grade start on ancient world history.
- Combined Grade 4–6 classes can study Egypt together, each grade using its own unit.
Getting started
A sample four-week Egypt block
This pacing is a suggestion. Stretch or shorten it to suit your schedule and your district's curriculum map.
- Week 1: the river and the landStart with Pyramids, Pharaohs & the Nile. Show where Egypt is on a map before any reading, so students see why the river shaped farming, towns and power.
- Week 2: mummies and tomb artTeach Mummies & Tomb Art in Ancient Egypt. Keep the focus on beliefs and art, and use the source activity to talk about how we know what we know.
- Week 3: writing with picturesHieroglyphs: Writing in Ancient Egypt lets students compare picture writing with the alphabet. Its project activity works well as a display at the end of the block.
- Week 4 for older studentsGrades 5–6 move on to Life Along the Nile, with farming, society, beliefs and source work, which leads straight into the Grade 6 ancient to medieval world.
- Close by comparing with todayEnd with a short discussion that compares life along the Nile with your students' own community. That ties the block back to the local and global community themes.
What to buy
Just Egypt, or a wider ancient world
Buy the Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle ($69.99, parts $99.96) if Egypt is the study you want. If you want Greece, Rome, China, the Stone Age and the Vikings too, the Ancient Civilizations Bundle ($99.99, parts $199.92) has eight Grades 1–4 units, including the three younger Egypt units but not Life Along the Nile. A Grades 1–4 teacher who wants every elementary history unit can take the Elementary History Curriculum ($169.99 for 20 units, parts $499.80). For a medieval block instead, the Medieval World for Kids Bundle ($69.99) covers knights, towns, Vikings and old trades.
Honest limits
What this bundle does not cover
The units are not written for Rhode Island and contain no Rhode Island history, no state standards codes and no material on the state's Indigenous communities or government. They have not been reviewed or approved by RIDE or any district. Compare them with the Revised Rhode Island Social Studies Standards and your district map before you plan, especially in Grades 3–5, where the state focus lies elsewhere. Printing and any art or craft supplies are yours. If your grade team wants to share the files, message Teach Lessons first. Not a fit? Exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value, not cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this aligned to the Rhode Island Social Studies Standards?
No. The bundle was not written for Rhode Island and is not aligned to, endorsed by or approved by RIDE. The Revised Rhode Island Social Studies Standards, endorsed in February 2023, place ancient to medieval world history in Grade 6. In earlier grades, you decide whether an Egypt study fits your plan, for example within global communities in Grade 2. Check with your district map.
Which grade should use which unit?
The three units on pyramids and the Nile, mummies and tomb art, and hieroglyphs are written for Grades 1–4. Life Along the Nile is written for Grades 5–6 and includes farming, society, beliefs and source work. A sixth grade teacher would usually start there; younger classes use the other three.
How long does the Egypt block take?
That depends on how often you teach social studies. Each Grades 1–4 unit has an overview and three sub-units, so one sub-unit a week gives about three weeks per unit. Many teachers pick one or two units for a shorter block and keep the rest for enrichment.
Does it work for English learners?
The worksheets come with reading passages and word banks and are differentiated, which helps students at different reading levels. They are not written around the WIDA ELD Standards that RIDE lists among its resources, so plan language supports with your EL teacher as you normally would.
Can several teachers in our school use it?
The licence is for use in your own teaching. If your grade team or school wants to use the files, send Teach Lessons a short message before buying. Posting the files online or sharing them outside your school is not allowed. A two-line note naming your school and how many teachers is enough to start.
What if Egypt does not fit our year after all?
Check your district map and the grade focus first, because that settles most questions. If you buy and the bundle is not a fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value. It is store credit, not a cash refund.
Your Egypt study, ready to print
Open the product page, check the four units against your grade and district map, and have the first lesson ready this week.
Open the Egypt bundle