Project-Based Learning Brings Mesopotamia to Life in Grade 5
Weeks of research, inquiry, and hands-on discovery culminated in lively museum presentations as Grade 5 students shared their study of Mesopotamia with lower school peers on Thursday, November 20. A series of project-based lessons helped bring ideas to life as students dove deep into “the first civilization.”
“Our Grade 5 historians have been traveling through time, connecting ancient ideas to life today,” said teacher Helen Santoro, who noted the driving question for the class, “How did we get here?” “This question keeps our learning focused, gives everything a purpose, and sparks curiosity along the way. ”
The year began with a study of the creation of the universe and the early human art found in the Lascaux caves. Shifting to Mesopotamia, students designed blueprints of early irrigation systems, built models of homes illustrating how permanent settlements shaped civilization, and analyzed the government systems and laws upheld by the citizens.
“Every project connects to the one before it,” Santoro explained. “They remember what they learn because they lived it, not just heard it.”
For their final project, students selected a Mesopotamian topic of interest, conducted additional research, synthesized notes into an outline, wrote a formal report, and constructed a 3D model representing their findings. Culminating presentations to their lower school peers were presented in a gallery walk format, which helped students practice skills such as projecting their voices, maintaining eye contact, adjusting their pacing, and answering questions with confidence.
The pride in their work was unmistakable as students guided visitors through their models and explained the connections they uncovered.
“I learned more about Zigguart's, which were religious temples from 3,000 to 500 B.C.E.,” said Henry Taubin ’33. “I used websites to research and then made a model out of Lego.”
“I wanted to see how farming and agriculture changed from Mesopotamia to now,” said Margot Villalong ’33, displaying a model of irrigation canals. “We still use similar techniques, but the Mesopotamians used animals to plow.
With Mesopotamia now complete, the class will continue its historical journey to the land of the pharaohs, Ancient Egypt.
“Students will see that a lot of what the ancient Egyptians created or believed was an extension of the ancient Mesopotamians,” shared Santoro, emphasizing the continued thread from past to present.