Imagine a building so big it can be seen from far across the desert — built without trucks, cranes, or machines! The pyramids were giant stone tombs built for the pharaohs. Egyptians believed a pharaoh needed a safe home for the afterlife, the life they thought came after death.
The biggest of all is the Great Pyramid of Giza, built for Pharaoh Khufu about 4,500 years ago. It is made of more than 2 million stone blocks! Some blocks weigh as much as an elephant. For almost 4,000 years, it was the tallest building on Earth.
Thousands of workers cut the stones, floated them down the Nile on boats, and dragged them up ramps on wooden sleds. Scientists found that workers poured water on the sand to make the sleds slide more easily. Clever!
1. What were the pyramids built for?
2. Who was the Great Pyramid built for?
3. How did workers move the heavy stone blocks?
Number these steps 1 to 4 in the order workers built a pyramid.
| Step | Order (1–4) |
|---|---|
| Drag the blocks up ramps on sleds | |
| Cut big stone blocks from the quarry | |
| Place the shiny capstone on the very top | |
| Float the blocks down the Nile on boats |
1. Pyramids were giant stone for pharaohs.
2. The Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh .
3. The Great Pyramid stands at in Egypt.
4. It is made of more than 2 million stone .
5. Workers dragged stones up on wooden sleds.
You need: blocks, LEGO bricks, or sugar cubes.
Build a pyramid with a wide, square bottom. Make each layer smaller than the one below it. Count how many blocks you used. Now imagine using 2 MILLION blocks, each as heavy as an elephant!
1. How many blocks did your pyramid use? Was it easy or hard to build?
2. Why do you think the pyramids are still standing after 4,500 years?
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| Why pyramids were built | YES / NOT YET |
| How workers moved the stones | YES / NOT YET |