Lesson 5

🏛️ Land of the Pharaohs

Let's start: 🚀

The civilization we call ancient Egypt flourished about 5000 years ago, when the rule of the Pharaohs began. They made Egypt a rich and powerful nation, admired throughout the ancient world. They also ordered the building of great temples and elaborate tombs for themselves. The Egyptians believed that all Pharaohs were god-kings. Ancient Egyptians used picture writing called Hieroglyphs for inscription in the tombs and temples. Paper was made from thinly sliced papyrus stems. The following tale in pictures describes a child's wonder as he visits Egypt for the first time.

Let's share: 🧩

Rearrange the letters to form meaningful words and write them in the given spaces:

1. PU
2. YOB
3. RIAP
4. AIDNI
5. MODLES
6. GALIBEN
7. DRADNATS

Circle the last letters of each word that you have formed. Now write the circled letters in the given boxes to form a new word.

💡 Note that the word you have formed is the name of a structure which looks similar to the triangular shape of the word puzzle.

Page 46

---

Let's Read: 📖

Our Journey Begins in Cairo! 🌍

• Location: Cairo, Egypt.
• Arrival: "So, finally we are in Cairo." 👋

Heading to Giza! 🏜️

• Destination: "We are going to Giza, Ishan; to see the three great pyramids." 🔺

What is a Pyramid? 🤔

"What's a pyramid, Ma?"

Ma explains: "A pyramid is a huge, triangular, monument. The burial ground of the Pharaohs." 👑

Who is a Pharaoh? 🤴

"And who is a Pharaoh?"

Ma explains: "A Pharaoh is an Egyptian King. The Pharaohs lived around five thousand years ago." 📜

Excitement and Wishes! ✨

• Ishan's thoughts: "We are going to see so many interesting things. I wish father had come with us." 😊

---

The prize I won at the singing competition entitled only two for a sponsored tour of Egypt. Your father wanted you and me to come.✈️

What's that, Ma? 😲

🤔

That's the Sphinx, Ishan. It's a rock statue with a human head and a lion's body. 🗿🦁

The Sphinx represents intelligence and strength. It guards the pyramids. 🛡️

It's going to be quite a long walk in the sun. ☀️ Wait here. I will go and fetch a couple of sandwiches and water from the car. 🥪💧

Ishan! 😱

---

🗿 The Talking Sphinx and Ishan's Journey 🗿

Is this real? Ishan can't believe his ears!

Sphinx: Ishan, Ishan!

Ishan: 😲 Ma, the Sphinx is talking to me!

📌 Meanwhile, Ishan's mother was already gone, leaving him alone with the ancient wonder.

Ishan: How do you know my name?

Sphinx: 💡 I know many things. I know you are Ishan from Raiganj. You study in Class VI. Do you want to know the history of this place?

Ishan: 😒 I don't like studying history. I can't remember dry facts.

Sphinx: ✨ I will show you something you will never forget. Close your eyes and open them again.

Ishan closes his eyes, a sense of wonder and anticipation filling him.

---

---

🌊 A Journey to Ancient Egypt!

The adventure begins with a voice guiding Ishan:

"Ishan, Egypt is the gift of the river Nile. You are now standing by the Nile. Now close your eyes and open them again."

The Rise of a Great Civilization 👑

Around five thousand years ago, a remarkable civilization blossomed in Egypt. It was primarily led by the powerful Pharaohs.

• The kings were known for being wise.
• The soldiers of Egypt were notably brave.

Ancient Egypt was also a land of:

• 💰 Prosperity
• 🎉 Festivals

A Quest for Knowledge 🗣️

Ishan, eager to learn more, poses a question:

"O Sphinx, tell me about the pyramids."

---

Page 50

---

🏛️ Ancient Egypt: Pyramids, Mummies, and Pharaohs

The Pyramids: Eternal Resting Places

The pyramids were grand funerary edifices built for the pharaohs. Among them, Pharaoh Khufu's pyramid stands as the biggest. 👑

🧪 The Art of Mummification

Before burial, the bodies of royal persons had to undergo a special process called mummification.

The Egyptian priests discovered a method to preserve dead bodies permanently. They utilized spices, chemicals, and oils in this intricate process. 💡

This is how they created a mummy! ⏳

💖 Queen Nefertiti: The Beautiful Monarch

Look, that's Queen Nefertiti! She is often considered perhaps the most beautiful queen of Egypt.

🤴 King Tutankhamun and His Legacy

This is King Tutankhamun, who tragically died in his teens. His body, like other royals, was also preserved as a mummy.

🧐 Historical Fact: That's Howard Carter, the renowned archaeologist who made the incredible discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922! ⛏️

(A young observer remarks:) "I see you have not moved from the spot since I left you."

(Image label: Tutankhamun)

---

Page 51

---

🏛️ Exploring Ancient Egypt! 🏜️

Ma: We are going to see a lot of amazing things yet, the pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu and the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Ishan: Ma, Khufu's pyramid is the largest in Egypt 📏 and Tutankhamun was a teen emperor! 👑

Ma: I'm immensely surprised that Pharaohs and Egyptian history is so well known to you, Ishan! 🤔 Are you beginning to like history?

Ishan: Yes. 😊

Ishan: Thank you, Sphinx! 🗿

✨ END ✨

Page 52

---

📚 Word Nest:

• entitled: to give somebody the right to have something
• sponsored: the act of paying the cost of a particular event or programme by a person or company
• flourished: developed
• funerary: related to the religious ceremony of burying or burning a dead body
• edifice: a large impressive building
• immensely: extremely

Let's do: 👇

🧩 Activity 1

Tick (✓) the correct alternative:

1. Ishan and his mother visited (Giza/Luxor/Alexandria) to see the pyramids.
2. A pyramid is a huge (rectangular/cylindrical/triangular) monument.
3. River (Nile/Bhagirathi/Volga) flows through Egypt.
4. The teen emperor of Egypt was (Khufu/Cephran/Tutenkhamun).

✍️ Activity 2

Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

1. The Pharaohs lived __________.
2. Sphinx is a rock statue __________.
3. Ishan's mother went to fetch __________ from the car.
4. The Egyptian priests preserved the dead bodies by using __________.

---

---

📝 Activity 3

Answer the following question:

• Why do you think that at the end of the day Ishan tells his mother that he likes history?

📊 Activity 4

Fill in the chart with information from the text:

Who	What	When
The Sphinx
	saw the river Nile
Royal persons		before burial
	dug Tutankhamun's tomb

❓ Activity 5

Answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Why was Ishan's father not able to accompany him to Egypt?
2. What does the Sphinx represent?
3. What is the biggest pyramid of Egypt?
4. Why was Ishan's mother surprised when she returned to her son?

💡 Let's Learn

Read the following sentences:

1. A pyramid is a huge, triangular monument.
2. Spices, chemicals and oils were used by them.

---

In sentence 1, we find that a singular noun requires a singular verb. While in sentence 2, we see that when two or more nouns are joined by “and”, a plural verb is used. Thus, a verb must agree with its subject in Number and Person.

Let's Do! ✏️

Activity 6(a) – Fill in the Blanks!

Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs:

1. The girl ______ playing alone.
2. A carpenter and a blacksmith ______ in our street.
3. The king ______ very powerful.
4. The sisters and brothers ______ running in the field.

Let's Learn! 💡

Read the following sentences:

• 🐎 The horse and carriage is waiting at the door.
• 🍞 Bread and butter is his daily food.

📌 Key Rule 1: We see that in the above sentences, when two nouns joined by 'and' refer to a single idea, the verb required is singular.

Read the following sentences:

• 💰 Gold, as well as, silver is costly.
• 👭 Kavita, with her friends, was present at the show.

📌 Key Rule 2: We see that in the above sentences, when a singular noun or pronoun is joined to another noun or pronoun by 'with', 'as well as', 'besides', 'together with' etc., the verb used is singular.

---

Page 55

---

Read the following sentences:💡

• We enquired if either of the actors was ready.
• Neither of the two plans was approved.
• Each of the girls was given a prize.

📌 We see in the above sentences that ‘either’, ‘neither’, ‘each’, ‘everyone’, etc. must be followed by a singular verb.

Let's do:✍️

Activity 6(b)

Fill in the blanks with verbs in agreement with their subjects:

1. Curry and rice _______ my favourite dish.
2. No news _______ good news.
3. Everyone _______ present today in the class.
4. Neither his father nor his mother _______ alive.

Activity 6(c)

Using the Help Box fill in the blanks with suitable adverbs. The type of adverb you need to use is indicated in the brackets:

1. The book is _______ written. (Manner)
2. I cannot find my pet dog _______ . (Place)
3. You shall _______ see a film. (Time)
4. The soldiers fought _______ . (Manner)

Help Box: well, bravely, here, soon, early

---

📝 Activity 7

Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:

• monument :
• mummy :
• civilisation :
• spot :

🗣️ Let's Talk:

Imagine you are Ishan. You have returned home with your mother after your visit to Egypt. Share your experience with your father who was unable to accompany you.

✍️ Let's Do:

💡 Activity 8(a)

Imagine one day you are walking back home from school. Suddenly you see something which was not there before—a strange door in an old familiar building. As you touch the door it slowly opens inviting you to a different world. Write in about sixty words a paragraph on your sudden visit to such a strange place, using the following hints:

• name of the place—description of the place
• sights and sounds—what interested you the most
• your feelings

---

🌟 Activity 8(b) 🌟

✍️ Using the information given below, write a paragraph in about sixty words on the river Nile, the longest river of the world:

Feature	Details
Name of the river	The Nile
Location	Africa
Length	6,650 km
Flows into	The Mediterranean Sea
Why so important to the ancient Egyptians	Provided water, food, transportation, and excellent soil
Cities near the river	Cairo, Port Said, Alexandria

---

🤝 Let's work together:

💡 Get together in groups and form a pyramid with cardboard pieces.

• 📌 Take four triangular pieces of cardboard.
• ⬆️ Hold them vertically with their top pointed ends meeting at a single point.
• 🔗 Fix the four sides with adhesive or cellotape.
• ⏹️ Fix the pyramid on a square cardboard base.
• 🎨 Now, paint the pyramid.
• 🗣️ Show the model pyramid to the class and tell the class what you have found most striking about pyramids.