SOTW - Chapter 3 The First Writing

The discovery of the first writings is a very interesting subject. One can only image what the explorers must have thought when they saw it for the first time.

Here is a nice site about how writings came to be.

HERE (as in the picture above) is  a short lesson that explains to you how to make a 'coutouche' with your name written in it, it explains how the sounds work and there is also some art activities.

Here is another site about the writings and an online typewriter. You can type out your name and print it out. Look towards the bottom in this link for the 'typewriter' Here is a screenshot of my name as per the 'typewriter'.

Even though this study is very interesting I have to admit I became very frustrated in my search for hieroglyphic alphabets. I managed to find several on the internet, but there were some difference between the symbols in some letters. Therefore I really am not sure which are the true and correct alphabet.

We used what we could find. The kids used the above typewriter to make some coutouches of their names. They used oil pastels on sugar paper.

Matthew's name

Makayla's name

Some fantastic documentary films by BBC about the discovery of the Rosetta Stone and the Hieroglyphics can be seen below. The films are quite long, but it is told in a story format. It is very interesting how they started to dig deeper into the meanings of these symbols. It is really worth looking at it. My children were hooked from the get go and also finished the second film in one sitting.

The first video here below is about the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. I suggest that you watch the films in this order as I placed it here. The film story is based on the same characters and one basically continue from the other one. 

In the second film it continues to show how they discovered the aphabet and how they were able to read what was written. The second film could also be watched as a stand alone film if you do not wish to watch the first one. 

We managed to find these films at our local library, I was lucky to find them on Youtube and be able to share with you. This is really a must watch. 

Happy learning and discovering.

Blessings

Maryna