This interactive feature from PBS allows students to navigate the variables of physical geography and how these simple elements have shaped the course of global history. For instance, natural impediments such as mountain ranges or bodies of water created isolated civilizations. He argued that continents which were easily traversible, such as Europe encouraged trade among different people and stimulated development.

This interactive feature from PBS allows students to navigate around the Earth via continents and climate zones. It also highlights the place where Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel started his quest, Papua New Guinea. See what each area has to offer in terms of location, vegetation, wildlife and climate. This is an easy way to see why some areas prospered and others were left behind, victims of the hand of cards they had been dealt.

The focus of this lesson is on the use of hieroglyphs as a form of communication, record keeping, and as a means for preserving and passing down history. Students will learn basic information about the alphabet, common Egyptian words, and how to read hieroglyphic messages. Students will also practice using hieroglyphs to create messages of their own.

In this lesson, students view podcasting as a form of communication. Students will read and discuss podcasting, listen to a podcast, and work collaboratively to produce their own podcast.

This lesson focuses on the concept of the afterlife and the importance of pleasing the gods and goddesses, the significance of tombs and tomb building, and the burial customs and traditions of the ancient Egyptians. After learning about all of these concepts, students will design a tomb, create a model of it, and complete a short written assignment explaining the design and contents of the tomb.

This lesson focuses on the importance of geographic features and the abundance of natural resources that helped ancient Egypt become the world's first superpower. Students will learn about the geography and resources available to the ancient Egyptians and create a multimedia tour that demonstrates this learning to others.