Curated OER
The Ancient Middle East
Math and history collide in this presentation, which displays ancient Babylonian numbers and math amidst a discussion about the earliest empires of the known world. Images of maps, ancient relics, and migration patterns establish the...
Curated OER
Writing Exercise: Ancient Sumer
When summer is over, it's time to get started on Sumer! Get your scholars writing about Ancient Sumer civilizations in this exercise, which features five short-answer prompts. Writers will describe Fertile Crescent Geography, compare and...
Curated OER
Ancient Mesopotamia
In this geography instructional activity, high schoolers read about ancient Mesopotamia and respond to five short answer questions that follow. They identify what part of the country was the heart of Mesopotamia. Then students compare...
Curated OER
Cuneiform Numbers Worksheet 1
In this cuneiform numbers worksheet, students practice writing numbers in cuneiform. This one-page worksheet contains approximately 40 problems.
Curated OER
Ancient Mesopotamia
Students locate ancient Mesopotamia on a map. They examine the religion, government and the development of writing. They write and draw pictographs and cuneiform writing. They create a class book based on their investigations.
Curated OER
Papyrus
Students study what papyrus was and what it was used for. Students explore how papyrus was made, and the two writing systems hieroglyphics and cuneiform.
University of Chicago
University of Chicago Library: Teaching the Middle East: Writing: Before Islam
Learning module considers the writing systems and literature of ancient Mesopotamia before the arrival of Christianity or Islam.
Other
Archives & Museum Informatics: The Digital Hammurabi Project
This article describes the Digital Hammurabi Project at The Johns Hopkins University. Its purpose is to advance scanning technology in order to produce high-quality 3-D images of cuneiform tablets, and to store these in a digital library...
Other
St. Lawrence University: Cuneiform Numbers
This site shows the numbers written in cuneiform It shows from one to fifty on this page with a link to a page with larger numbers. There are also fractions shown on this page.
National Center for Families Learning
Ncfl: Wonderopolis: Who Invented Cuneiform?
Have you ever wondered about the ancient script called Cuneiform? Watch a short video, read grade-level text, and take an interactive quiz about this early form of writing.
Other
Ancient Scripts: Writing Systems
History and definition of writing, plus extensive information on the types, families, and regions of written languages. For each language, you'll find information on when and where it was used, the people who used it, and what it looked...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Enheduanna
Brief biography of ancient writer Enheduanna.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The Cuneiform Writing System in Ancient Mesopotamia
In this lesson plan, middle schoolers will consider "The Cuneiform Writing System in Ancient Mesopotamia: Emergence and Evolution." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Other
The British Museum: Mesopotamia
This beautifully crafted site on Mesopotamia has selected information on Assyrian palaces and warfare, Babylonian astronomers, trade and transport and Sumer, Royal Tombs of Ur and Ziggurats.
Other
World History Project: Cuneiform
Read a brief history of cuneiform, the most widely used and historically significant writing system of the ancient Middle East. Also learn about how cuneiform spread from one ancient culture to another.
Other
Classics Technology Center: Ancient Mesopotamia
This site from the Classics Technology Center provides materials concerning ancient Mesopotamia collected through teacher collaboration. Focuses on geography, religion, economics, clothing, and achievements. Also includes classroom...
University of Chicago
Ancient Mesopotamia: Math and Measurement: Cuneiform [Pdf]
In this instructional activity learners create and post a chart of the cuneiform symbols for numerals and create their own charts. Then students use the cuneiform numerals to answer questions.
Other
Mesopotamian Civilization: The Land Between the Rivers
This detailed article on the Sumerians provides information on Sumerian writing, myth, education, city-states, and artifacts. Part of a larger world history website, "The Land Between the Rivers," is an excellent introduction to the...
World History Encyclopedia
World History Encyclopedia: Alphabet
Reference material on the history of the alphabet beginning with a system of representation of sounds as in Egyptian hieroglyphs and then cuneiform. Illustrations and links to related content.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Art History: Cuneiform and the Invention of Writing
Article discussing early forms of writing in the Ancient Near East. Includes links to additional information.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: An Overview of Babylonian Mathematics
Information and examples of how the base 60 number system of the Babylonians worked in calculating problems similar to those we face today. Has a section comparing Pythagoras's theorem to Babylonian math.
Other
History World International: Sumeria
A detailed account of the history and culture of Sumeria at this site from History World International. Includes section on language, writing, world view and religion.
Library of Congress
Loc: Global Gateway: Cuneiform Tablets
View clay tablets, cones, and brick fragments inscribed using the ancient Sumerian pictographic writing system known as cuneiform and read about the ancient writing system.
New York University
Institute for the Study of the Ancient World: Before Pythagoras
Exhibition of cuneiform tablets dating from 1900 B.C. demonstrates the mathematical knowledge of the ancient Mesopotamians.