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Egypt, a country full of charm and mystery. It is a historical museum set on the Nile River, a melting pot of great civilizations from ancient times to the present. The polytheistic religious system, temples and tombs nestled in the yellow sand, colourful hieroglyphics and murals, all of these make people curious and awed by the culture and history of Egypt.
After completing the English social studies course on "Egypt," Grade 7 pupils performed a wonderful drama show, leading the entire school's teachers and pupils to learn about this ancient country.
At the beginning of the drama, the performers presented the crown and sceptre to the pharaoh. In ancient Egypt, these two items were the most symbolic decorations of the pharaoh's royal status. Unfortunately, no physical pharaoh's crown has been found in archaeological excavations to date. However, the pupils used a lot of historical literature research and reference, combined with their own thinking and understanding, to recreate the symbolic sceptre and red and white double crown.
The absolute authority of monarchy brought about a harsh slave system dictatorship which was realistically portrayed in the drama. The actors on stage were dressed in ancient slave clothes, working hard, while the rulers enjoyed supreme power from above. By studying the characteristics, evolution and influence of slavery, the pupils gained a deeper understanding of the economic structure, production methods, social classes and many other aspects of ancient society. "Taking history as a mirror, one can know the rise and fall." They hope to use drama as a means of expression to let more people understand and learn about this period of history, and to generate deeper attention and thinking about similar issues in modern society, such as labour exploitation and social class differentiation.
The plot of the story gradually reached its climax as the deceased pharaoh entered the afterlife court, where he was judged using the feather of Ma'at on his head. The dim and mysterious scene, along with various gods, made all the audience feel as if they had crossed time and space and were immersed in that distant mythological world. The pupils in the audience couldn't help but ask, "Can a person's entire life really be judged by just one feather?" This is exactly what grade 7 pupils wanted to make the audience think about. Perhaps, there should be more criteria for evaluating the value of a person's life?
Elaborately crafted props, carefully polished lines, and vivid performances conveyed the pupils' exploration and discoveries in the classroom and books to every audience member. The appropriate "blank spaces" also left more room for everyone to think.
In English Social Studies, while language learning and various humanities and historical knowledge are the focus of mastery, what the pupils discover more is the connection between the past and present behind the knowledge: how should we deal with similar social problems that occur today? How should we think about the philosophy of "life and death"? What changes have occurred in the value of life with the changing times? The most precious part of the course is the internalization of knowledge that brings about contemplation and the externalization that brings about feedback and growth. The skills of thinking and analysing problems, expressing one's ideas and opinions, and harvesting growth from feedback can help pupils better adapt and respond to challenges in their future lives and careers, and become better thinkers and communicators.
