Ancient Egyptian Creations

Overview

This 45-minute lesson deepens understanding of Ancient Egyptian art by engaging students in the creation of their own cartouche-style name plaques using hieroglyphics and design principles previously learned. It reinforces concepts from prior lessons, integrates history with art, and develops fine motor and design skills.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Identify and use Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to represent their name
• Apply hatching and cross-hatching techniques within their artwork
• Design an authentic cartouche inspired by Ancient Egyptian art style
• Demonstrate understanding of symbolism and visual storytelling in Egyptian art
• Reflect on the cultural significance of personal names in Ancient Egypt

(Aligned with the UK National Curriculum for Art and Design, Key Stage 2: developing techniques, using drawing and painting to share ideas, and understanding art history)

---

Curriculum Links

Art and Design (KS2 - Years 3 & 4)

• Use sketchbooks to collect, record and evaluate ideas
• Improve mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing and shading
• Know about great artists and the historical and cultural development of their art forms

History (KS2 - Years 3 & 4)

• Understand key aspects of ancient civilisations, including Ancient Egypt
• Use historical sources to explore significance of names and symbols

---

Resources

• Pencils, coloured pencils, black fine liners
• Erasers and rulers
• Ivory or cream coloured card stock (A5 size) for plaques
• Printed chart of common Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and their meanings
• Examples of Egyptian cartouches and artefacts (printed or projected)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sheets for sketching and planning designs

---

Lesson Structure

Starter (5 minutes)

• Recap previous lessons: wall paintings, motifs, Nile significance, and hatching techniques.
• Show images of Ancient Egyptian cartouches and explain purpose: they enclosed names in protective symbolism.
• Discuss significance of names and writing in ancient cultures, highlighting the importance of identity and protection.

Main Activity

Step 1: Plan Your Cartouche (10 minutes)

• Pupils choose their own name or a simple word to write using hieroglyphics from the provided chart.
• Sketch rough layouts on scrap paper, deciding on placement, hierarchy of hieroglyphs, and decorative motifs (using hatching and cross-hatching).
• Teacher circulates providing support and encouraging creative use of symbols.

Step 2: Create Cartouche on Card (20 minutes)

• Transfer the design neatly onto the card stock in pencil. Outline with black fine liner.
• Add decorative borders inspired by Egyptian motifs such as lotus flowers, scarabs, or geometric patterns.
• Shade and texture areas with hatching/cross-hatching technique to give dimension.
• Optional: colour parts with coloured pencils using traditional Egyptian colour scheme (reds, golds, blues, greens).

Plenary (10 minutes)

• Each pupil presents their cartouche explaining the hieroglyphs and design choices.
• Encourage peer feedback focusing on creativity and accuracy of symbols.
• Reflect on how art can tell personal and cultural stories, linking to Ancient Egyptian beliefs about names and protection.

---

Assessment

• Informal observation of engagement and understanding during discussions and activities.
• Evaluate final cartouches for effort in design complexity, hieroglyph accuracy, and use of shading techniques.
• Use pupil reflections during presentations as evidence of understanding symbolic meaning.

---

Differentiation

• Provide simpler hieroglyph charts and templates for pupils who need extra support in planning.
• Challenge more able pupils to incorporate additional Egyptian motifs or experiment with colour blending.
• Pair less confident artists with peers during the planning phase to scaffold ideas.

---

Extension Opportunities

• Create a class display titled “Our Ancient Egyptian Names” to celebrate student work and learning journey.
• Integrate a short drama activity where pupils write and perform simple dialogues using their Egyptian names and stories behind them.

---

Teacher Notes

• Encourage tactile engagement to deepen connection with the material, e.g., handling replica artefact images or textures.
• Emphasise cultural respect and curiosity about Ancient Egyptian civilisation, avoiding stereotypes.
• Consider cross-curricular links with literacy and history for follow-up activities around hieroglyphic storytelling.

---

This lesson brings together artistic practise and historical context for a memorable and creative final session, supporting key stage 2 aims in art mastery and cultural appreciation.