Primary Topic Shop is a team of two people. Richard is a primary teacher and Christa is a graphic designer and photojournalist. Between them, they have the unique ability to create original material for their units. It doesn't hurt they are both very interested in the subject matter! In fact, Richard and Christa lived in Egypt where Richard worked at a British School. Now they live in Scotland and are researching UK history.
Primary Topic Shop is a team of two people. Richard is a primary teacher and Christa is a graphic designer and photojournalist. Between them, they have the unique ability to create original material for their units. It doesn't hurt they are both very interested in the subject matter! In fact, Richard and Christa lived in Egypt where Richard worked at a British School. Now they live in Scotland and are researching UK history.
This free lesson covers the papyrus plant, uses of papyrus, papyrus paper, and making papyrus paper. There is a reading response activity and a making papyrus activity. This lesson is being offered free for as a sample of the Ancient Egypt bundle, but it can be used alone as a lesson. If you like this free resource, please take a look at the rest of the Ancient Egypt bundle. Thanks!
Pages: 5 (including answer sheet)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
1 Reading Response Worksheet
1 Making Papyrus Activity
Answer Sheet
All photos, illustrations and text by Christa Galloway.
The Ancient Romans were people from Rome and the Roman Empire. The city of Rome was founded in what is now Italy in the eighth century BCE. It grew to rule in Europe, Britain, Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East until the fifth century CE.
This resource is an introduction to our Ancient Romans topic.
Contents:
2 Information Pages
Cryptic Word Search
Answer Sheet
This free resource is a great introduction to the Aztecs. The reading pages cover who the Aztecs were, where they were, the time period of the Aztec Empire, population, language, what they ate and includes a map of the empire. For reading comprehension, there is a true or false activity and a differentiated cryptic wordsearch with a fill in the blanks activity.
If you find this resource useful, please check out our other Aztec resources!
Pages: 8 (including 3 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
True or False Worksheet
Cryptic Wordsearch with a Fill In The Blank Activity
3 Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
This introduction to the Ancient China Resource Bundle explores the five Ancient Chinese dynasties; the Xin, Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties. There is a brief about dynasties and the Mandate of Heaven, followed by a short reading passage about each dynasty. Vocabulary words are highlighted in the text and vocabulary word definitions are included, along with a synonym wordsearch. There are differentiated comprehension questions and two activities.
Pages: 14 (including 4 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Information Handouts
Vocabulary Page
Synonym Wordsearch
Multiple Choice Worksheet
Comprehension Questions Worksheet
Timeline Activity
Fact File Activity
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
This resource introduces the Ancient Greek topic with brief reading passages about city-states, religion, language, the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic time periods and the legacy of Ancient Greece.
Pages: 4 (including 1 answer sheet)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
Cryptic Crossword
This resource is a free introduction to our Ancient Greece bundle.
Please take a moment to view our terms of use.
This set of 21 digital task cards will teach students about the papyrus plant in Ancient Egypt. There are reading passages as well as true or false, fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice and matching activities.
Click here to try a playable preview.
These cards make a great add-on to our printable Ancient Egyptian Papyrus resource.
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The Egypt Today lesson covers facts about Egypt today including geography, size, population, currency, capital city, language and landforms. The lesson gives context to the Ancient Egypt unit, showing how the country has changed over more than 4000 years. The map activity is a fun way for students to understand where Egypt is in relation to other North African countries and the Mediterranean Sea using a globe or an atlas as a reference.
Pages: 6 (including two answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
Multiple Choice
Map Activity
Answer Sheets
A crossword and a 24-question quiz provide and excellent review of topics including pyramids, temples, hieroglyphs, the Rosetta stone, gods and goddesses, papyrus, the Nile, farming, Egypt today, pharoahs, mummification and tombs.
This review is a nice conclusion to the Primary Topic Shop Ancient Egypt Unit. Reference websites and answer sheets are also included.
Pages: 8
Contents:
Crossword
Quiz
List of Reference Websites
Answer Sheets
All photos, illustrations and text are original by the author. This is part of a complete unit on Ancient Egypt.
The Xin, Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasties are examined in this introduction to the Ancient China Resource Bundle. There is a brief introduction about dynasties and the Mandate of Heaven, followed by a short reading passage about each dynasty. Vocabulary words are highlighted in the text and vocabulary word definitions are included, along with a synonym wordsearch. There are differentiated comprehension questions and two activities.
Pages: 14 (including 4 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Information Handouts
Vocabulary Page
Synonym Wordsearch
Multiple Choice Worksheet
Comprehension Questions Worksheet
Timeline Activity
Fact File Activity
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
The Farming lesson covers Ancient Egyptian crops, animals, tools, water, harvest and farming seasons. It includes a fill in the blanks activity.
Pages: 6 (including 2 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
1 Fill In The Blanks Activity
1 Unscramble Activity
1 Fact File Activity
Answer Sheets
This printable PDF includes an information handout, differentiated comprehension worksheets, and an art activity. The information consists of a brief passage on the life of St. Patrick, the early celebrations, as well as symbolism and colors associated with the holiday.
Pages: 6 including 2 answer sheets
Contents
1 Information Handout
1 Comprehension Questions
1 Multiple Choice
1 Art Activity
2 Answer Sheets
There are many icons associated with the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt that represent different religious values. Even Egyptians who couldn’t read hieroglyphs, understood the meaning of many symbols. Today, we sometimes use symbols instead of words to send a message that can be understood by everyone.
With these activities, your students can play archaeologist, finding symbols on a photo of a real obelisk and they can play detective, finding the symbols around them.
Pages: 8 (including 2 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Pages
1 Draw the Symbol Activity
1 Symbol Detective Activity
1 Symbol Interpreter Activity
1 Find the Symbol Activity
Answer Sheets
All photos, illustrations and text are by Christa Galloway, Primary Topic Shop. This is part of a complete unit on Ancient Egypt.
The Viking Sagas lesson covers a brief history of sagas and examples of a legendary saga, and a historical saga. It includes a write your own saga activity.
Pages: 8 (including 2 answer sheets)
Contents:
Information Pages
Comprehension Questions
Write Your Own Saga Activities
Color Puzzle
Creation Saga Drawing
Answer Sheets
All photos, illustrations and text are original by Christa Galloway, Primary Topic Shop.
Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec Empire. What began as a humble settlement of reed huts and a makeshift temple grew to become one of the biggest cities of the time. This resource covers the legend of Tenochtitlan, chinampas, transportation, the city centre, Templo Mayor, living in the city and the end of Tenochtitlan. This PDF includes information handouts, activities and differentiated reading response worksheets.
Pages: 12 (including 4 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
Reading Response Worksheet
Multiple Choice Worksheet
Vocabulary Matching Activity
Design a City District Activity
Coordinate Challenge
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
Ancient Greece was made up of independent city-states that shared a language and a religion but had different laws, governments and currency. This resource has reading passages about city-states, types of governments in Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta. The information is followed up with worksheets and activities.
Pages: 10 (including 3 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
Comprehension Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
Polis Expert Activity
Compare Athens and Sparta Activity
Make Your Own Polis Activity
Answer Sheets
The Romans were great at improving the technologies of other cultures. While they were not the first people to use cement, an aqueduct or a road, they advanced these inventions with their own innovations. Explore seven Roman inventions and innovations, including aqueducts, cement, the Julian calendar, the pilum, roads, Roman numerals and sewers with illustrated handouts, accompanied by worksheets and activities.
Pages: 13 (including 5 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Information Handouts
Comprehension Questions
Multiple Choice
Who Am I? Activity
Roman Roads Math
Aqueduct Angles
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
The Nile lesson covers geographical facts and the importance of the Nile for fertile land, food, transportation and building materials in Ancient Egypt. There is also a map, a true or false activity and a drawing activity.
Pages: 8 (including 3 answer sheets)
Contents:
2 Information Handouts
1 True or False Activity
1 Crossword
1 Draw The Nile Activity
Answer Sheets
All photos, illustrations and text are original by the Christa Galloway, Primary Topic Shop.
In this lesson, students learn about Ancient Greek Art. The illustrated information pages cover sculpture, painting, architecture, theatre and pottery with a mini bio of Lysippos (personal sculptor to Alexander the Great) and Euripides (well-known Ancient Greek playwright). Activities include comprehension worksheets, research and writing activities, art activities, and a theater production activity.
Pages: 30 (including 2 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Illustrated Information Pages
Comprehension Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
Fact File Activity
Blog Post Activity
Make a Fresco Activity
Black-Figure Pottery Activity
Red-Figure Drawing Activity
Theatre Activity (Myth of the Gorgon’s Head)
Answer Sheets
Immerse your students in the everyday lives of the first civilization in the world. Three reading pages cover aspects of Sumerian life including city life, the life of a farmer, social classes, home life, food, clothing and leisure time. Worksheets and activities reinforce the information. Also included are two printable versions of the Royal Game of Ur, possibly the oldest board game in the world. This is a fun, quick game to understand and play, similar to backgammon.
Pages: 16 (including 2 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Information Handouts
Vocabulary Page
True or False Worksheet
Multiple Choice Worksheet
Compare and Contrast Activity
Writing Challenge
Printable Royal Game of Ur (differentiated versions)
Royal Game of Ur Instructions (differentiated versions)
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use
The Epic of Gilgamesh, written over 4,000 years ago, is often referred to as one of the earliest pieces of writing in human history. It tells the story of the heroic adventures of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk in Mesopotamia. The epic poem was written in cuneiform, one of the earliest writing systems, on clay tablets. This resource includes reading pages, vocabulary, worksheets, and two writing activities.
Pages: 14 (including 5 answer sheets)
Contents:
3 Information Handouts
Vocabulary Page
Synonym Vocabulary Worksheet
True or False Worksheet
Comprehension Questions Worksheet
Character Arc Activity
Writing Challenge
Answer Sheets
Terms of Use