Let's follow Meri, a made-up boy living in ancient Egypt 4,000 years ago. Meri wakes at sunrise in his mud-brick house. Breakfast is bread and dates. Then it's chore time: he fetches water and feeds the goats. Most kids like Meri did not go to school — only a few boys trained to be scribes did.
In the afternoon, Meri swims in a safe spot in the Nile and plays ball with his friends. His sister Nefret helps their mother bake bread and weave cloth. At night, the family eats fish and vegetables together and tells stories under the stars.
Your day is different: you go to school, read books, and maybe watch shows. But some things match: chores, playing with friends, family dinners, and bedtime stories. Kids have been kids for thousands of years!
1. What chores did Meri do?
2. Who got to go to school in ancient Egypt?
3. Name two things about Meri's day that are like YOUR day.
Fill in the table. Compare your day to an Egyptian kid's day.
| Part of the day | Me today / Meri then |
|---|---|
| Breakfast: Meri ate bread and dates. I eat... | |
| Chores: Meri fetched water. My chore is... | |
| Play: Meri played ball and swam. I play... | |
| Learning: Meri mostly worked. I learn by... |
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
1. Would you like to live one day as an Egyptian kid? What would be fun? What would be hard?
2. What is one thing from YOUR life you wish you could show Meri?
Draw two pictures: your day (left) and an Egyptian kid's day (right).
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| What an Egyptian kid's day was like | YES / NOT YET |
| What is the same and different about my day | YES / NOT YET |