Good morning teachers! Summer is winding down and I’m sure that you are starting to plan for the following school year. Last year I did a blog post about my recommendations for what to show in the classroom during the school year. This year, I will do the same but this will be a general list of what can be shown in the classroom from Sixth Grade to high school and even college. Also, if appropriate you can show these documentaries in science, agricultural, English, or art classroom. I have published over 200 documentary reviews, so if you disagree with this list then you can check out my other reviews and make other picks.
If I pick a documentary series, then pick an episode to show in the classroom. Welcome to Part 2 of suggested titles for the Ancient World! ANCIENT EGYPT Engineering Ancient Egypt - YouTube Bettany Hughes explores the Great Pyramids as well as the construction projects of Ramses II and how they were used to make sure the pharaohs’ weren't forgotten. Hughes starts the series with the Great Pyramid, how the pyramids were built and how ordinary Egyptians came together to build the Great Pyramid. Then she explores Pharaoh Ramses and his desire to keep building. Egypt's Lost Queens: YouTube Professor Joanne Fletcher explores four of Egypt's forgotten queens. Their stories were hidden over the years and now Fletcher brings them into the light, including one Queen that you've never heard of: Arsinoe. She tells the story from the perspective of a mother, a consort, a diplomat, and a politician. Fletcher travels to the places where these women lived and shows what they did for Egypt. Immortal Egypt: Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Joann Fletcher explores the history of Ancient Egypt over four episodes. She explores the height of Egypt's power, what caused Egypt to decline. She takes us to Egypt's beginnings and weaves a tale of glory followed by despair. She shows off grand monuments and the smallest finds. This is an excellent documentary series to show while students are studying Ancient Egypt. Cleopatra's Lost Tomb - YouTube Kathleen Martinez has a theory as to where Cleopatra was buried. She leads an expedition to find Cleopatra's lost tomb. She uses her skills as an attorney to test out her theory. She leads an expedition to the Taposiris Magna temple site. This site was previously excavated but never undergone a thorough examination. Now Martinez is discovering new things that are shedding light on the Taposiris Magna site. Ancient Egyptian Afterlife - Episode 1 Episode 2 In 1906 a group of Egyptologists discovered an intact tomb. Was this the tomb of a king and queen? The objects appeared ordinary. No, it was the tomb of an ordinary couple and their names were Kha and Merit. They were a working-class couple and their tomb gave insight into the lives of ordinary Egyptians. Joanne Fletcher explores the lives of two ordinary Egyptians: Kha and Merit, over two episodes. ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME The Minoans - YouTube Bettany Hughes explores the Minoan Civilization and its mysterious collapse. She narrates a tale of the archeologists who discovered the site to the discoveries that are being made. Each discovery tells us a bit more about the story of the Minoans. She discusses the Minoan kings. It is a fascinating look on a precursor to the Greeks. This is one civilization that isn't covered in a school classroom when I was in school. Athens: The Truth about Democracy - YouTube Bettany Hughes visits ancient Athens and explores the foundation of democracy. Athens was a radical place because for the first time that the people acted as political agents. The archeology demonstrates that the people took some thoughtful and complex steps to protect their democracy. Hughes presents Athens warts and all. This episode is a good foundation for studying Ancient Greece. Meet the Romans with Mary Beard - Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Mary Beard is back and this time she is introducing the world to the Romans. She explores the lives of everyday Romans. Both the living and the dead are explored, from the poorest to the richest. Beard seeks out the ordinary voices. They were determined that they would be remembered. Their tombstones did not just leave behind the birth and dates of the Roman, but their thoughts and feelings. How did ordinary Romans think? Tune into this documentary to find out. Lost World of Pompeii - YouTube Scientists, archeologists, and other experts are scanning Pompeii to help unlock its secrets and to help preserve it for the future. Pompeii is falling apart due to the tourists and another eruption from Vesivuius could bury the city again. It is a look at what technology the experts are using to help preserve Pompeii in the future. They talk about what could happen to Pompeii in the future. Time Team: Rooting for Romans - YouTube Time Team is back looking for Roman ruins. They are in the woods in Cambridgeshire. The forest may seem to be the enemy of the archeologists. However, with a lidar-generated scan, Tony was able to show a picture of something in the ground in the woods. Is it a Roman Villa? Or is it a Roman Ironworks? The trees will be a problem for geophysics. A second problem is that they are digging in a national preserve. Time Team will be risking bug bites to dig the site. What will they find in three days? Tune into this episode to find out. ANCIENT CHINA The Only Empress of China - YouTube Wu Zetian is one of the most controversial rulers of China. She was a concubine who rose to become Empress of China. She was the only woman who ruled China. She led China for 50 years. The Chinese officials under her were scathing in their criticism. However, historians and archeologists are uncovering evidence that challenges that assertion. The Legendary First Emperor of China - YouTube Qin Shi Huangdi was the first Emperor of China. He unified the Chinese people. He built an empire that lasted thousands of years. He left behind a legendary tomb. This documentary explores the man and the legend. It will be a challenge to separate fact from fiction but Professor Jeffrey Reigel takes on that challenge. How did Qin create an empire? How could such a person exist? Why is he such a legendary man? Confucius - YouTube This docu-drama tells the story of Confucius. His ideas were radical and only adopted after his death by the Emperors. His teachings were the foundation of Chinese education for 2,000 years. He taught obedience, meritocracy, and morality. Rituals and etiquette were tools to unite the people. His ideas still govern everything in China. This documentary is the story of Confucius and his legacy. Diva Mummy - YouTube While ordinary people fought in battles, the aristocrats celebrated and grew wealthy. There was a Han aristocrat named Lady Dai. Lady Dai would not ordinarily make history. However, when her tomb was opened the discovery sent shockwaves through the archeological community. Her mummy was the best-preserved mummy in the world. She was known as the perfect mummy. Her lifelike mummy leaves the Egyptian efforts in the dust. Bettany Hughes’s Genius of the Ancient World: Confucius (Available on Amazon) Bettany Hughes travels to China and explores the story of Confucius. She starts with the origins of Confucius. Confucius was a philosopher who systemically applied philosophy to the social, political, and ethical areas of life. He grew up in a world of chaos and looked to bring some organization to that chaos. He was a great teacher who taught the Chinese elite. Unfortunately, he did not live to see his ideas come to fruition.
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The purpose of this blog is to share information on what can be used in a classroom, private school, or home school setting as well as serve as a portfolio of my personal and professional work. The reviews are my opinions and should be treated as such. I just want to provide a tool for teachers to select documentaries for their classrooms. |