Overview

This 50-minute lesson introduces Year 3 pupils to everyday life in Ancient Egypt, focusing on social hierarchy, gender roles, and the relevance of Tutankhamun. The lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for History (England, Key Stage 2, Years 3-4), developing understanding of ancient civilisations and encouraging historical enquiry and interpretation of evidence.

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National Curriculum Links

Key Stage 2 History - Pupils should:

• Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world – the nature of ancient civilisations such as Ancient Egypt (NC ref: 2a)
• Understand historical concepts such as social hierarchy and roles within societies
• Develop chronological understanding and knowledge of everyday life in past societies
• Use a range of sources to investigate and answer questions about the past

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Describe key features of everyday life in Ancient Egypt, including housing, food, work, and clothing.
2. Explain the social hierarchy of Ancient Egypt and identify roles within it.
3. Understand the differences between male and female roles in Ancient Egyptian society.
4. Recognise who Tutankhamun was and explain why he is relevant to learning about Ancient Egypt.

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Resources Needed

• Images/posters showing Ancient Egyptian daily life and social classes
• Large laminated hierarchy pyramid (social structure)
• Role cards (farmer, scribe, priest, queen, craftsman, slave, etc.)
• Fact cards about male/female roles
• Short video clip (2-3 minutes) about Tutankhamun (teacher overview)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pupil notebooks and pencils
• “Who Am I?” character cards for group activity

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Lesson Timeline

Time	Activity	Description & Notes
0-5m	Engage: Starter Discussion	Show images of Ancient Egyptian daily scenes. Ask: What do you notice? What might life have been like? Introduce today’s question: What was life like in Ancient Egypt?
5-15m	Explore: Introducing Social Hierarchy	Display social pyramid. Discuss each level’s role briefly (Pharaoh, nobles, priests, scribes, craftsmen, farmers, slaves). Use clear language and link roles to images.
15-25m	Explain: Male and Female Roles	Show fact cards: differences in roles, responsibilities, education, and rights. Highlight that men & women both contributed but had different duties. Discuss examples (e.g. female weavers, male farmers).
25-30m	Video & Introduction to Tutankhamun	Short video summary about Tutankhamun’s tomb discovery and importance, focusing on how his life fits into the social hierarchy and the wider understanding of Egyptian society.
30-45m	Activity: Role-play "Who Am I?"	Pupils draw a role card; in groups of 4-5, they take turns describing their character without saying the role. Others guess who they are based on knowledge of hierarchy and roles. This consolidates learning and promotes cooperation.
45-50m	Review & Reflect: Class Discussion & Mini Quiz	Reflect on key questions: What surprised you? How were men and women different? What did Tutankhamun teach us? Quick quiz: e.g. “Who worked as farmers?” “Who was highest in society?” Use hands up or mini whiteboards for answers.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation during discussions and role-play to assess understanding of hierarchy and gender roles.
• Summative (exit quiz): Pupils answer 3 short questions orally or written as exit-ticket to demonstrate key learning.
• Differentiation through support questions or challenge questions during role play and quiz.

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Differentiation & Inclusion

• Provide visual aids and role cards with simple text and pictures for SEND pupils.
• Mix ability groups for role-play so stronger learners support peers.
• Offer sentence starters for pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
• Additional challenge: Compare Ancient Egyptian gender roles to pupils’ experiences today in reflective discussion.

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Extension Ideas

• Pupils create a “Day in the Life” comic strip showing an ordinary boy or girl in Ancient Egypt based on learned roles.
• Introduce simple hieroglyphs used by scribes and practise writing names.
• Investigate other famous Egyptian figures (e.g. Cleopatra) to broaden historical understanding.

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Notes for Teachers

• Ensure explicit connections between hierarchy and everyday tasks children can relate to (e.g., school roles).
• Use enthusiastic storytelling for Tutankhamun; emphasise discovery’s mystery and excitement to engage curiosity.
• Keep language age-appropriate, actively involving pupils with questions to maintain engagement.
• The lesson balances factual knowledge with active participation to deepen historical empathy and understanding.

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This plan directly supports the National Curriculum’s goal to develop knowledge of ancient civilisations while encouraging pupils to think, discuss, and engage critically with the past.