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TEACHER’S EDITION – GRADE 8 ARGUMENTATIVE TASK
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARTIFACTS
PART 1: QUESTIONS
You will receive scores for each question, and the questions will help you prepare for your essay. Use
your answer sheet to write your responses.
1. Writers choose specific text structures to organize their work. Which text structure is used
throughout BOTH articles?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Cause and effect
Compare and contrast
Problem/solution
Sequence of events
The correct answer is D (Sequence of events). The Great Sphinx details a theory surrounding the
conception of the statue in 2,600 BC, continues with its construction chronologically through several
restoration attempts, and concludes with the current restoration and maintenance efforts. The
Mummy’s Curse opens in 1917 at the beginning of Carter and Carnarvon’s dig, continues with their 1922
find and subsequent excavation of the tomb, to Carnarvon’s death. The article goes on to mention deaths
of other team members by 1934 and concludes with a 2002 analysis of more team member deaths.
Constructed response questions are aligned to one of the following rubrics:
Use Evidence
Interpret & Integrate Information
Evaluate Information/Sources
Below, each constructed response question includes the rubric as well as a sample answer.
2. Both sources provide factual information about the discovery of an ancient Egyptian artifact.
Which source would be more relevant to a student researching the historical contributions of
the discovery? Provide the source number or title and give two pieces of information from the
source to support your explanation.
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Sufficient
Evidence
Evaluate Information/Sources Rubric
Rubric: The response gives sufficient evidence of the ability to evaluate the credibility,
completeness, relevancy, and/or accuracy of the information and sources.
Sample Answer: (Note: Either source is an acceptable answer as long as students provide
supporting evidence.) The Mummy’s Curse would be a more relevant article to a student
researching the historical contributions of the discovery than The Great Sphinx. The
Mummy’s Curse provides information on the thousands of artifacts discovered within the
tomb, which “offered great insights into ancient culture.” In fact, there were so many objects
buried with King Tut, it took archaeologists “ten years to empty out [the] tomb.”
OR
The Great Sphinx is a more relevant article to a student researching the historical
contributions of the discovery than The Mummy’s Curse. The Great Sphinx helps us
understand information about ancient Egypt, such as the fact that their “economy ran on
human sweat.” It also provides information about past and current efforts at renovation.
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Limited
Evidence
0
No
Evidence
Rubric: The response gives limited evidence of the ability to evaluate the credibility,
completeness, relevancy, and/or accuracy of the information and sources.
Sample Answer: (Note: Either source is an acceptable answer as long as students provide
supporting evidence.) The Mummy’s Curse is a more relevant article than The Great Sphinx
because the artifacts discovered in King Tut’s tomb are significant historical contributions.
OR
The Great Sphinx is a more relevant article to a student researching the historical
contributions of the discovery than The Mummy’s Curse. The Great Sphinx helps us
understand information about ancient Egypt, such as the fact that their “economy ran on
human sweat.”
Rubric: A response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to evaluate the
credibility, completeness, relevancy, and/or accuracy of the information and sources.
Sample Answer: The Mummy’s Curse is a more relevant article than The Great Sphinx.
OR
The Great Sphinx is a more relevant article to a student researching the historical
contributions of the discovery than The Mummy’s Curse.
3. According to The Great Sphinx, what are two threats to this ancient artifact? Use evidence from
Source #1 to support your answer.
Use Evidence Rubric
Rubric: The response gives sufficient evidence of the ability to cite evidence to support
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opinions and ideas.
Sufficient Sample Answer: There are several threats to The Great Sphinx, one of which is erosion. After
Evidence several failed restoration attempts, the structure was finally saved from its sandy grave.
Although vandalism was once a threat, today’s biggest threats to the structure are erosion,
smog, sewage, and an expanding city.
1
Limited
Evidence
0
No
Evidence
Rubric: The response gives limited evidence of the ability to cite evidence to support opinions
and ideas.
Sample Answer: The maintenance of The Great Sphinx is difficult due to the erosion.
Rubric: A response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to cite evidence to
support opinions and ideas.
Sample Answer: The greatest threat surrounding The Great Sphinx is all the people.
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PART 2: ESSAY
You will now review your notes and sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit your writing. You may
use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how
your writing will be scored; then begin your work.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Your social studies class is creating a display which showcases Egyptian artifacts. Your assignment is
to use the research sources to write an article that argues whether the Great Sphinx OR King
Tutankhamun’s tomb is a better discovery. In the essay, you should take a side about which
discovery is better. Your essay will be read by students, teachers, and parents.
Make sure you establish an argumentative claim and support your claim from the sources you have
read. Develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the
sources. Be sure to reference the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly
from the sources.
HOW YOUR ESSAY WILL BE SCORED
Organization/purpose – How well did you state your claim, address opposing claims, and maintain
your claim with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did your ideas
thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective transitions? How effective was your
introduction and your conclusion?
Evidence/elaboration – How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from the
sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas in your own
words using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose? How well did you
reference the sources you used by title or number?
Conventions – How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and
spelling?
Now begin work on your argumentative essay. Manage your time carefully so that you can:
plan your multi-paragraph essay;
write your multi-paragraph essay; and
revise and edit the final draft of your multi-paragraph essay.
For Part 2, you are being asked to write a multi-paragraph argumentative essay, so please be as
thorough as possible.
Remember to check your notes and your prewriting/planning as you write and then revise and edit your
argumentative essay.
Students should clearly take a position and argue, using evidence from both texts, which artifact (The
Great Sphinx or King Tut’s tomb) was a better discovery.
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Possible evidence from The Great Sphinx:
Historians suggest that a pharaoh named Khafre ordered the construction of the Sphinx (but this
is only a theory).
No one really knows the purpose for the Sphinx, but details are clear on how it was constructed.
Historians estimate that a million hours of labor were required to carve the Sphinx from 20,000
tons of limestone. That translates into, approximately, a three-year project by 100 carvers,
supported by an enormous number of workers who ran forges to make new tools, sharpened old
tools, and performed other tasks.
Restoring the Sphinx is an on-going endeavor.
Vandalism was once a risk to the structure.
Erosion, smog, sewage, and an expanding city pose as the structure’s biggest risks today.
Possible evidence from A Mummy’s Curse:
In 1917, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon began their search for the tomb of King
Tutankhamun.
After 5 years of searching, by chance, the team finally found the steps to the tomb.
Upon entering the tomb, they found a great number of treasures.
In the Burial Chamber, they found a nine-foot tall golden shrine.
The graphics detail:
o Four golden shrines weighing 3000 pounds
o A 22-pound, solid gold burial mask (which is considered one of the most famous
Egyptian artifacts ever discovered)
o 5,220 objects, including a gold coffin which housed King Tut, were discovered
o It took 10 years to empty the tomb by archeologists
o King Tut was returned to his final resting place by archeologists
A link to an annotated paper for this topic is available on the Teacher’s Data Report.
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