Ancient Egypt Lessons for Wisconsin Elementary Classrooms, Grades 1–6
Ancient Egypt Lessons for Wisconsin Elementary Classrooms, Grades 1–6
If your Wisconsin school has placed an ancient civilizations study somewhere in Grades 1–6, the Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle covers it with four ready units: pyramids and the Nile, mummies and tomb art, hieroglyphs, and Life Along the Nile for Grades 5–6. Wisconsin leaves the grade for this topic to districts, and the bundle was not written for the state, so confirm where your district puts it first.
See the Egypt bundleThe Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle costs $69.99 for four units. Three are for Grades 1–4: Ancient Egypt: Pyramids, Pharaohs & the Nile; Mummies & Tomb Art in Ancient Egypt; and Hieroglyphs: Writing in Ancient Egypt. The fourth, Life Along the Nile, is for Grades 5–6 and adds farming, society, beliefs and source work. It is not aligned to or approved under Wisconsin's social studies standards; you check that fit yourself.
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
Wisconsin hands the grade decision to your district
Wisconsin does not prescribe a social studies course for each grade. The Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies, adopted on May 29, 2018 and reviewed in 2025, are organized by grade bands: K–2, 3–5 and 6–8. Your district decides what is taught in which year, so an Egypt study might sit in Grade 2 in one district and Grade 5 in the next, and a teacher who moves districts can find the topic landing on a new grade. That creates a practical problem. Most ancient history material is written for one age. If you teach a combined 3–4 class, or if your district moved ancient civilizations into the 3–5 band and you now teach it to fifth graders, a Grade 2 packet will not hold them. There is also the reading load. Many Wisconsin classrooms include students served through the state's Bilingual and English Learner Program, which uses the WIDA ELD Standards Framework. A unit full of new words like pharaoh, papyrus and hieroglyph needs a word bank and a clear reading passage, or those students lose the thread in the first lesson.
Why it fits
How the four units handle a Wisconsin classroom
The Grades 1–4 units share one structure, and the Grades 5–6 unit raises the level, so you can match the unit to the grade your district chose.
- Each Grades 1–4 unit has an overview plus three sub-units with a step-by-step lesson plan.
- Every sub-unit worksheet is differentiated and comes with a reading passage and a word bank.
- Life Along the Nile adds source work for Grades 5–6, the upper end of the 3–5 band.
- Combined classes can run the Grades 1–4 units for younger students and Life Along the Nile for older ones.
- Project and source activities give each sub-unit a hands-on piece beyond the worksheet.
- Slides for every sub-unit mean you can teach from a projector without building a deck.
Getting started
A four-week Egypt study
A suggested pacing for a class in the Grades 1–4 range. Stretch it or shorten it to fit your district's calendar.
- Week 1: the Nile and the pyramidsStart with Ancient Egypt: Pyramids, Pharaohs & the Nile. Use the overview to introduce the whole unit, then teach the first sub-unit with its slides, reading passage and worksheet.
- Week 2: pharaohs and daily lifeFinish the remaining sub-units of the first unit. The project or source activity at the end of each one gives students something to show at the end of the week.
- Week 3: mummies and tomb artTeach Mummies & Tomb Art in Ancient Egypt. Keep the discussion factual and calm, and frame it around what Egyptians believed and how they expressed it in art.
- Week 4: hieroglyphsClose with Hieroglyphs: Writing in Ancient Egypt. Students compare their own writing with an ancient writing system, which makes a natural bridge back into literacy time.
- Grades 5–6: Life Along the NileIf you teach the older end, swap in Life Along the Nile for one or two of the weeks above. Its source work suits students who are ready to read evidence on their own.
What to buy
Egypt only, or a wider ancient world?
Buy the Ancient Egypt Unit Bundle at $69.99 (parts $99.96) if your district places an Egypt study in your grade. If your year covers several ancient cultures, the Ancient Civilizations Bundle at $99.99 (parts $199.92) adds the Stone Age, Greece, Rome, China and the Vikings to the three Grades 1–4 Egypt units. If your district expects a full year of history in Grades 1–4, the Elementary History Curriculum includes all 20 elementary history units for $169.99 instead of $499.80. Planning a medieval block next? The Medieval World for Kids Bundle is $69.99.
Honest limits
What to check before you order
The bundle was not written for Wisconsin. It contains no Wisconsin content and no standards codes, and it does not tell you which grade your district assigns to ancient history. Check the units against the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies and your district's scope. You supply any art materials for projects. Sharing with a grade-level team needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. If it is not a fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value; the store does not give cash refunds.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies?
No. It is not aligned to, endorsed by or approved under Wisconsin's standards, and it carries no codes. Because the state standards use grade bands and your district picks the topic for each grade, compare the units with your district's social studies scope, then decide which grade they fit.
Which units work for second graders?
The three Grades 1–4 units: pyramids and the Nile, mummies and tomb art, and hieroglyphs. Each has a reading passage with a word bank, which helps at this age. Life Along the Nile is written for Grades 5–6, so save it for older students or a strong reader who wants more.
Does this help English learners in my class?
Each Grades 1–4 worksheet is differentiated and comes with a word bank, and the slides give visual support. That is useful for many English learners, but the bundle is not built on the WIDA framework. Check with your district's EL staff about the supports your students need.
We homeschool in Wisconsin. Does this count toward social studies?
Social studies is one of the subjects Wisconsin lists for a home-based private educational program, along with reading, language arts, math, science and health, within at least 875 hours a year. Teaching these units is your choice of content. Check current law with DPI or a homeschool legal resource; this is not legal advice.
Can I teach it to Grades 1 through 6 at once?
That is what the split is for. Younger students work through the Grades 1–4 units while older ones take Life Along the Nile, and the whole group can share opening discussions and a final presentation at the end of the study. One teacher, one topic, two levels of reading.
When do I get the files?
Right after checkout. You receive a download link by email, and the files also appear in your customer account under Orders. Everything is digital, so you can print the worksheets you need or project the slides the same day you buy, with no shipping wait.
Bring the Nile into your classroom this term
Open the product page to see all four units and the structure of each one.
See the Egypt bundle