Sumerian Scavenger Hunt

Sumer was a culture in southern Mesopotamia that appeared as early as the 5000 B.C. and by 3000 B.C. Sumerian city-states like Kish, Lagash, and UR. The world’s first civilization "Mesopotamia" means in Greek "the land between the rivers" because ancient Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the present-day Middle Eastern country of Iraq.

These rivers actually begin in eastern Turkey, flow southeast and come together in Iraq. They then empty into the Persian Gulf. The climate was hot and arid mixed with seasonal flooding which made it difficult and challenging for the farmers of the area. They learned to control the flooding rivers to produce crops such as barley, wheat, flax, sesame, and many different kinds of fruits and vegetables.

Let’s go on a scavenger hunt back in time - first go to label the map.


HSS.6.2.1. Locate and describe the major river systems and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement and early civilizations.
HSS.6.2.9. Trace the evolution of language and its written forms.