TEACHER INSTRUCTION PAGE (delete this slide)

3-2-1 Reading Summary

Student Activity: In this printable activity, students complete a 3-2-1 Graphic Organizer to summarize what they learned.

It also includes pages for vocabulary, reading the article and taking notes, short answer questions, multiple choice
questions, and a discussion worksheet for open-ended prompts.

How to share with students: These pages are sized for printing or can be assigned digitally using an LMS (like Google
Classroom), where students can work on their own slide decks via “Make a Copy for Each Student.” Each slide is set up with
text boxes for students to type in.

Please Note: Because Diffit resources can vary in length, be sure to check the formatting on each slide.

Suggested Lesson Flow:

1. Students record what they notice and what they wonder about the image.
2. Complete the 3-2-1 Graphic Organizer
3. Students read and take notes.
4. Students answer the questions and explain their thinking.
5. Students write answers to the short answer questions.
6. Have students complete the Open Ended Questions and discuss with partners or groups.

Feel free to edit, remix, and use this resource however works best for you and your students! Find editing tips here!

Learn More: Please reach out with any questions or feedback. You can also learn more on our FAQ page, or get more
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TEACHER INSTRUCTION PAGE (delete this slide)

Image Analysis: Notice & Wonder
Instructions: Look at the image and write down 2-3 things you notice (key details, main ideas,
themes) and then write down 2-3 things you wonder (questions you have because of the image,
things you are curious about when you look at the image.)

What
do you
notice?

What
do you
wonder?

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3-2-1 What I Learned
Instructions: After reading, complete this 3-2-1 chart using all of the vocabulary words.
Key Vocabulary
complex monuments exaggeration tradition archaeologist

A group of buildings or A structure or A statement that makes A custom or belief that A scientist who studies
structures that are object that is built something seem bigger has been passed down the past by digging up
connected and used for or more important than from generation to and examining ancient
to honor a person, it really is. objects and structures.
a particular purpose. generation.
event, or idea.

3 Things I Learned…
From the reading I learned… Another thing I learned… One more thing I learned…

2 Drawings or Pictures to Represent the Reading…

1 Question I have is…

After reading, one question I have is…

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3-2-1 What I Learned
Instructions: After reading, complete this 3-2-1 chart using all of the vocabulary words.
Key Vocabulary
Dynasties advisor stacked levels angle

A sequence of rulers A person who gives To arrange things in A flat surface or The space between
from the same family. advice, especially to a a pile, one on top of platform at a particular two lines or
person in a position of another. height, especially one surfaces that meet
authority. of a series. at a point.

3 Things I Learned…
From the reading I learned… Another thing I learned… One more thing I learned…

2 Drawings or Pictures to Represent the Reading…

1 Question I have is…

After reading, one question I have is…

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Read & Take Notes
Instructions: Read the passage below. Take notes in the space provided. Take Notes Here

## The Amazing Step Pyramid of Djoser

**A**

The pyramids are super famous buildings from ancient Egypt. People today are
still really interested in them! These huge, impressive structures were built to
honor the Egyptian kings. Even though other countries like China and Mexico
also built pyramids, the Egyptian pyramids are the most famous. People have
been trying to figure out how the pyramids were built for a long time. But one
thing is for sure: the first pyramid in Egypt was built for King Djoser at a place
called Saqqara. It was designed by a really smart architect!

**B**

Djoser was the first king of the Third Dynasty of Egypt. He was also the first
king to build things out of stone. Before Djoser, tombs were made of dried mud
bricks. These tombs had underground tunnels where the dead people were
buried. But for some reason, Djoser's advisor, whose name was Imhotep,
decided to build a taller, more impressive tomb for the king. He stacked stone
blocks on top of each other, making them smaller as he went up. This created
the shape we know today as the Step Pyramid. Djoser is thought to have been
king for 19 years, but some people think he ruled for much longer because he
built so many amazing things.

**C**

Over the last 100 years, people have studied the Step Pyramid really closely.
They've learned that it was built in many different stages. A historian named
Marc Van de Mieroop wrote about this. He said, "The builders tried lots of
different things, especially when they were building

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Read & Take Notes
Instructions: Read the passage below. Take notes in the space provided. Take Notes Here

the pyramid in the middle of the complex. They had several plans before
they finally built the first Step Pyramid in history. They stacked six levels
on top of each other... The builders had to be really careful because the
pyramid was so heavy. They placed the stones at an angle so the
pyramid wouldn't fall apart."

**D**

When the Step Pyramid was finished, it was 62 meters tall! It was the
tallest building of its time. The whole complex where it was built was
like a small city. It had a temple, courtyards, special rooms for prayers,
and places for the priests to live. The whole complex covered 16
hectares, which is like a really big park! It was surrounded by a wall that
was 10.5 meters high. The wall had 13 fake doors cut into it, but only
one real entrance on the southeast corner. The whole wall was
surrounded by a big ditch that was 750 meters long and 40 meters wide.
The fake doors and the ditch were there to keep unwanted visitors away.
If someone wanted to get in, they had to know exactly where the real
entrance was. Djoser was so proud of his pyramid that he broke tradition
and had Imhotep's name carved on it too!

**E**

The king's burial chamber, where his body was buried, was dug under
the base of the pyramid. It was surrounded by a huge maze of tunnels
with rooms off them to keep robbers away. One of the most mysterious
things found inside the pyramid was a huge number of stone containers.
Over 40,000 of these containers, in all different shapes and sizes, were
found in storage rooms under the pyramid. They had the names of kings
from the First and Second Dynasties of Egypt on them, and they were
made of different kinds of stone. No one really knows why these
containers were placed in Djoser's tomb or

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Read & Take Notes
Instructions: Read the passage below. Take notes in the space provided. Take Notes Here

what they were supposed to represent. An archaeologist named

Jean-Philippe Lauer, who dug up most of the pyramid and complex,
thinks they were originally stored somewhere else and then Djoser
buried them in his pyramid to honor the kings who came before
him. But some other historians think the containers were thrown
into the tunnels to keep grave robbers from reaching the king's
burial chamber.

**F**

Even though the pyramid had lots of secret tunnels and was
designed to be really hard to get into, ancient robbers still found a
way in! They stole Djoser's treasures and even his body. The
archaeologists only found a few of his valuables that the thieves
missed. But even though the robbers took a lot, there was still
enough left in the pyramid and complex to amaze the
archaeologists who dug it up.

**G**

An Egyptologist named Miroslav Verner wrote, "There are very few

monuments in human history that are as important as the Step
Pyramid in Saqqara... It's not an exaggeration to say that this
pyramid complex is a really important step in the history of building
with stone in Egypt and all over the world." The Step Pyramid was
a totally new way of building, and it became the model that all the
other great pyramid builders in Egypt followed.

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Answer and Explain
Instructions: For each question, answer the question and then explain why you picked the
answer you did using specific evidence from the text.

Question:
1. What was special about King Djoser's tomb compared to tombs built before his
time?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) It was built out of stone instead of mud bricks.

B) It was built underground.

C) It had a secret entrance.

D) It was decorated with gold.

Question: 2. What was the purpose of the fake doors and the ditch surrounding the Step Pyramid
complex?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) To make the pyramid look more impressive.

B) To keep the priests safe.

C) To prevent unwanted visitors from entering.

D) To store the king's treasures.

Question:
3. What did the archaeologists find in the storage rooms under the Step Pyramid?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) The king's body.

B) Gold and jewels.

C) Thousands of stone containers.

D) A map of the pyramid.

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Answer and Explain
Instructions: For each question, answer the question and then explain why you picked the
answer you did using specific evidence from the text.

Question: 4. What was the name of the historian who wrote about the different stages of building the Step
Pyramid?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) Marc Van de Mieroop

B) Jean-Philippe Lauer

C) Miroslav Verner

D) Imhotep

Question: 5. What was the main reason for building the Step Pyramid?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) To store the king's treasures.

B) To honor the king.

C) To keep the priests safe.

D) To protect the king's body from robbers.

Question:
6. What did the builders do to make sure the Step Pyramid wouldn't fall apart?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) They used special glue to hold the stones together.

B) They built the pyramid in stages.

C) They used a special type of stone.

D) They placed the stones at an angle.

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Answer and Explain
Instructions: For each question, answer the question and then explain why you picked the
answer you did using specific evidence from the text.

Question:
7. What was the name of the advisor who helped King Djoser build the Step
Pyramid?

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?
A) Marc Van de Mieroop

B) Jean-Philippe Lauer

C) Miroslav Verner

D) Imhotep

Question:

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?

Question:

Pick the Answer Explain: Why did you pick that

answer?

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Short Answer Questions
1. Why was the Step Pyramid considered a really important step in the history of
Question building with stone?

2. What was the name of the architect who designed the Step Pyramid?
Question

3. What did the builders do to make sure the Step Pyramid wouldn't fall apart?
Question

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Reflect and Discuss
Instructions: Respond to the following question using the reading and your own knowledge
and experiences. Be as thorough as possible.

1. Imagine you are a young person living in ancient Egypt. What would it be like to work on
building the Step Pyramid? What challenges would you face? What would you be proud of?

Write Your Response Here. Be sure to use what you learned in the reading and your own
knowledge and experiences to answer the question thoroughly.

Instructions: When instructed, you will share your responses with your group. Take notes
on their responses in the boxes below. Be sure to write their names at the top of each box.

Student #1: ______________________ Student #2: __________________________

Student #3: ______________________ Student #4: __________________________

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Reflect and Discuss
Instructions: Respond to the following question using the reading and your own knowledge
and experiences. Be as thorough as possible.

2. The text says that Djoser was proud of his pyramid and even had his advisor's name carved
on it. What are some things you are proud of? How do you show your pride in your
accomplishments?

Write Your Response Here. Be sure to use what you learned in the reading and your own
knowledge and experiences to answer the question thoroughly.

Instructions: When instructed, you will share your responses with your group. Take notes
on their responses in the boxes below. Be sure to write their names at the top of each box.

Student #1: ______________________ Student #2: __________________________

Student #3: ______________________ Student #4: __________________________

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Reflect and Discuss
Instructions: Respond to the following question using the reading and your own knowledge
and experiences. Be as thorough as possible.

3. The Step Pyramid was built to honor King Djoser. What are some ways people honor others
today? How do you show respect for the people in your life?

Write Your Response Here. Be sure to use what you learned in the reading and your own
knowledge and experiences to answer the question thoroughly.

Instructions: When instructed, you will share your responses with your group. Take notes
on their responses in the boxes below. Be sure to write their names at the top of each box.

Student #1: ______________________ Student #2: __________________________

Student #3: ______________________ Student #4: __________________________

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