🎯 Learning Objectives & Success Criteria

I Can Statements:

• I can identify key characteristics of Sumerian civilization

• I can explain the importance of Sumerian inventions

• I can describe how geography influenced Sumerian society

Success Criteria:

✓ I can name at least 3 Sumerian inventions

✓ I can explain why Mesopotamia was called "the cradle of civilization"

✓ I can describe the role of ziggurats in Sumerian society

✓ I can identify how the Tigris and Euphrates rivers helped the Sumerians

📖 Reading Passage: The Sumerians

Around 3500 BCE, the world's first civilization emerged in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq. The Sumerians built the first cities, including Ur, Uruk, and Babylon. They developed many inventions that we still use today, such as the wheel, writing (called cuneiform), and the sailboat.

Sumerian society was organized around city-states, each ruled by a king. At the center of each city stood a massive temple called a ziggurat, which served as both a religious center and a symbol of the city's power. The Sumerians were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped many gods.

The fertile soil between the rivers allowed Sumerians to grow surplus crops through irrigation. This extra food meant not everyone had to farm, so people could specialize in other jobs like crafting, trading, or governing. This specialization helped their civilization flourish.

📚 Multiple Choice Questions

✏️ Short Answer Questions

The Sumerians lived in _____________ around 3500 BCE. Their writing system was called _____________.