October 16-22, 2014 Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event: King Tut’s “Real” Appearance
Researchers recently performed a “virtual autopsy” on King Tutankhamun, one of ancient Egypt’s most famous pharaohs. The researchers found that Tut had a clubfoot, a severe overbite (often called buck teeth), and a girlish body. The autopsy also confirmed earlier genetic findings that Tut’s parents were siblings. Marriage between royal family members was common in ancient Egypt as a way to keep the bloodline pure. However, the practice contributed to physical weakness and illnesses. Also confirmed were earlier discoveries that Tut had suffered from malaria and had broken a leg before he died. The badly broken leg showed no signs of healing and may have contributed to his death. The researchers also concluded that it is highly unlikely that Tut died in a chariot accident, as some scientists have recently suggested.
Objective:
Tutankhamun served as king of Egypt from about 1332 B.C. until his death around 1322 B.C. His reign was unimportant. But interest in Tut began in 1922, when the British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered his tomb, which had not been opened since ancient times. It is the only tomb of an ancient Egyptian king to be discovered almost completely undamaged. Tut became king at about the age of 9 and died about the age of 18. His father wanted the Egyptians to stop worshiping the chief sun god Amun and other traditional gods. Instead, he made Aten the only god of Egypt. About four years after becoming king, Tut restored Egypt’s old religion. Nevertheless, later rulers destroyed or removed all monuments built by or in honor of Tut and others who had accepted Aten as Egypt’s chief god. Partly because of these actions, little was known about Tut until Carter’s discovery. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore Tutankhamun and ancient Egypt.
Words to know:
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students what they know about ancient Egypt. (Students might say that ancient Egypt depended on the Nile River; the ancient Egyptians worshiped many gods and goddesses; the ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for their rulers; the ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics to write.)
2. Ask your students to debate, “Is it acceptable for archaeologists to dig up dead bodies, or should they let them rest in peace?” If students say that it is acceptable to dig up corpses, ask them how long should someone be dead (50 years? 100 years? 200 years? 500 years? 1,000 years?,etc.) before the grave could be excavated.”
3. In King Tut’s time, marriage between royal family members was acceptable, a practice that is taboo today. What do people do today that you think people in the future will look down on?
4. Ask your students to use World Book’s Timelines feature to view or add to the History of Ancient Egypt timeline. (Students may wish to use the “History” section of World Book’s “Ancient Egypt” article for help.)