Project Passport: Ancient Egypt -- A Schoolhouse Crew Review

In late May I learned that Home School in the Woods would be having the Schoolhouse Review Crew review three of their world history products. 

I was delighted to receive a digital download of their product, Project Passport World History Study: Ancient Egypt.

In receiving this product, initially I was concerned because I had the misconception that this was a one-year curriculum product. As I said, I was wrong. This unit study is intended to be used over a six to twelve week period, depending upon how deeply you decide to dive in, how quickly your students work through tasks, and how many of the tasks you decide to have your students do. I was so glad to see that. I like to study Ancient Egypt in a sequence of studies over a year where I also cover Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and other ancient civilizations!

We received a digital download of Ancient Egypt, but the product is actually available as a CD. This product is a really cool product. You launch your experience from a "Start" page which is digitally connected to other sections of the program through links.

The concept for this unit study is that you are going on a trip to Ancient Egypt. After reading the introduction, you are told to pack for your trip, and you are told what to pack. This step involves the preparation for some projects, doing some copying and compiling to create the "Passport" and the "Luggage Folder". If you wish, at this time you can get the pre-work done for all the projects your kids will be doing.

As you work your way through the itinerary you begin by creating a passport and a “luggage” folder. With the student you create a “Scrapbook of Sights” and prepare a timeline that you illustrate with “Snapshot Moments”. There are also postcards your student can use with various “Wish you were here!” messages.

Your student will learn about the Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, how Egyptians dressed, Egyptian political structure, jobs in Egypt, and games they played. They learn agout mummies and emgalming, papyrus and hieroglyphs nd the Rosetta Stone.

As they work their way through the various lessons, they have the opportunity to enhance the experience by listening to audio dramas in the program recorded in mp3 format. They do some mapwork, some creative writing – and even write their own newspaper. They learn about Egyptian calendars and art. There is information about Egyptian religion and medicine and Science. The history of the Egyptian dynasties is covered. The history of kingdoms following kingdoms is dovetailed with information about famous Egyptian women. Then the information about Egypt is explained as it relates to the Bible.

The most exciting thing in Ancient Egypt, in my opinion, is the lapbook. It consolidates so much information. Lapbooks are so bright and creative. They give a great way for the student to learn while compiling the requested information, and then they give a great way to review the information as the student uses the lapbook to tell people about what they have been learning about Egypt. Unfortunately my son does not like lapbooks. I have not given up hope yet, though. I am hopeful that one day a switch will flip and he will come to appreciate lapbooking as much as I do.

Other members of the Review Crew also reviewed this product. To learn more about Project Passport: Ancient Egypt, or any of the other Project Passport unit studies, please click below.