PICTURING THE STORY: NARRATIVE ARTS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL ESPECIALLY FOR EDUCATORS: FINANCE MINISTER MAYA Curriculum Connections: Social Studies (Associated Activity Sheets) Locate the country of Egypt on a modern political map. (Map It – Egypt) How do the modern borders compare to the borders of the region ruled by Akhenaton, Tutankhamun and the other 18th Dynasty pharaohs? Identify the areas of savanna, sahel, desert and rainforest on a map. (Map It – Egypt) Then add areas of population density. How do these areas correspond? What agricultural problems and possibilities exist today? View other reliefs from Maya’s tomb and describe their significance in Maya’s life story: Cairo, Egypt: Egyptian Museum Baltimore, MD: Walters Art Gallery (22.86) Hamburg, Germany: Museum for Arts and Crafts (1924.123) Toronto, Canada: Royal Ontario Museum (955.79.1) Berlin, Germany: Berlin Museum Read an account of the rediscovery of Maya’s tomb, ongoing excavations in Saqqara, or an interview with Geoffrey Martin, the archaeologist. Treasurer to Tutankhamen: Discovery and excavation of the tomb of Maya by Susan Cottman at Aegyptica Antika (http://home.earthlink.net/~nfrtry/pages/articles/martin.html); National Geographic, October 2002 Tomb Of Tutankhamun's Treasurer Reported Found. Special to The New York Times (NYT); National Desk, February 12, 1986 Recommended Children’s Books Ferris, Julie, Conrad Mason, and Sally Tagholm, eds. Everyday life in ancient Egypt. Illustrations by Inklink Firenze and Kevin Maddison. Boston: Kingfisher, 2007. Hinds, Kathryn. The City. (Life in Ancient Egypt series) New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Hodge, Susie. Ancient Egyptian Art. Des Plaines, IL: Heinemann Interactive Library, 2006. Malam, John. Ancient Egyptian Jobs. (People in the Past series) Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2003. McCall, Henrietta. Gods & Goddesses in the Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians. Illustrated by John James. Columbus, OH: Peter Bedrick Books, 2002. Morris, Neil. Everyday life in ancient Egypt. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2003. PICTURING THE STORY: NARRATIVE ARTS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL Recommended Children’s Books, Social Studies (con’t) Shuter, Jane. Ancient Egypt. Austin,TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2000. Tames, Richard. Ancient Egyptian Children. (People in the Past series) Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2003. Curriculum Connections: English Language Arts (Associated Activity Sheets) Describe the characters, scenery, and other images inspired by hearing the story. Read the story, then test your skills of understanding. (Reading for Meaning) Listen to the story, then test your listening skills. (Listening to Learn) Using Maya’s story as a model, write your own autobiography. Reinterpret Maya’s story as a play, including appropriate background information, (Playing the Parts) characters, setting, etc. Role-play an interview with Maya or one of the other people in his life, (Imaginary Interview) at different stages of the story. Role-play an imaginary interview with the artist that created the work of art. (Ask the Artist) Create a storyboard showing the main events of the story. (Storyboard: Scene by Scene) Compare the story with another animal story, from this or another culture. (Compare and Contrast) Curriculum Connections: Science (Associated Activity Sheets) Identify the areas of savanna, sahel, desert and rainforest on a map. (Map It – Egypt) Then add areas of population density. How do these areas correspond? What agricultural problems and possibilities exist today? What crops can be grown in the different regions of Africa? Research the technology of irrigation used in ancient Egypt, and the effect of the Aswan Dam on water used today along the Nile River. What scientific specialties contribute to examining, preserving, or understanding the objects discovered by archaeology? PICTURING THE STORY: NARRATIVE ARTS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL Curriculum Connections: Art/Art History (Associated Activity Sheets) Take a closer look at this object. (Examine the Elements) Compare the story and the object. (How do they Compare?) Draw a self portrait or a portrait of someone else using the ancient Egyptian’s proportions and conventions. See the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s materials: The Art of Ancient Egypt for information. Try carving a relief image and inscriptions in soap or plaster. What process do you need to follow? Compare the materials and types of carving tools available today (Compare and Contrast) with those used by the ancient Egyptians Watch video demonstrations of a modern sculptor using the chisel and mallet for sculpture work: http://www.expertvillage.com/video/91629_sculpture-tools-chisel-mallet.htm Create a storyboard demonstrating the creation of a limestone (Storyboard: Picture the Process) relief panel by members of sculpture workshop. Role-play an imaginary interview with a relief sculptor working on Maya’s tomb. (Ask the Artist) Create a storyboard demonstrating the artist’s creative process, from (Storyboard: Picture the Process) assembling materials to finished piece. Role-play an imaginary interview with an artist working on this artwork. (Ask the Artist) Explore other works from this culture and time period. HOW TO READ A MUSEUM LABEL: Culture Egyptian, 18th Dynasty (1550–1295 BCE) Title or name of work of art, date Standing Figure of the Finance Minister Maya , ca. 1330 BCE Limestone Materials used by artist R.T. Miller Fund, 42.55 Identification number for object in museum source of money or gift .