Researching real people helps students to gain a more concrete understanding of the culture, lives and diverse perspectives of people who lived in ancient times. It helps them go beyond simply memorizing dates and names to acquire a more substantial, empathetic and realistic view of the period. In this activity, students will create a poster of a chosen person that highlights key events and accomplishments.
Teachers can assign students a specific person or they may give students a choice from a list. Teachers may wish to provide resources, such as books or the online encyclopedia Britannica, for students to read about their person. Giving students a graphic organizer to fill in as they read is helpful to pick out the most important facts and details.
These posters can be printed out, laminated, and hung around the room as a visual reminder of notable people from the time of ancient India. Students can also present their posters to their classmates, sharing their knowledge about their person, thus combining research, writing and public speaking skills into one powerful assignment.
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Due Date:
Objective: Research a person from ancient India. Create a poster that includes important details and engaging imagery.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, major accomplishments
Select prominent individuals from Indian history who made a substantial contribution to the politics, culture, or society of their era. Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya, Gautama Buddha, Aryabhata, and others are among the examples. Students can also examine some other personalities that they find more interesting and relevant.
Help the students examine and research the backgrounds of significant historical figures in ancient India. Students can find out more about their origins, background and upbringing, life and experiences, and significant contributions towards society by looking into their lifestyles and gathering information from credible sources.
Students should be asked to list and evaluate the historical figure's most significant accomplishments and contributions. Talk about the effects their contributions had on the larger historical story or on ancient Indian society. Ask the students to discuss why these figures were so famous and what sort of image did they have in the minds of the public.
Students can also draw comparisons of two significant historical figures. Ask the students to select any two historical figures either both from ancient India or one from ancient India and another from a different ancient civilization. Making these comparisons will help the students reflect on different aspects, cultures, and traditions of different civilizations.
Students should be asked to think about the historical figure's contributions and behaviors in the long run. What impact did their legacy have on later generations and how did it affect the development of Indian history? Ask the students to identify how these figures are viewed today and their relevance to modern society.
The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya. One of the first significant centralized empires in ancient India was founded as a result of his conquests and administrative reforms.
Ashoka, sometimes referred to as Ashoka the Great, is renowned for his attempts to propagate the values of compassion, tolerance, and non-violence throughout his kingdom as well as for his conversion to Buddhism. Ashoka was the grandson of Maurya who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire.
Buddhism, or the teachings of Gautama Buddha, placed a strong emphasis on the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths. He revealed the importance of knowledge and how mankind can use it to succeed and pursue a certain way of living.