How to Make a Book About Ancient Egypt for Kids

The area around the Nile River drew settlers because it was a lush, fertile valley.

Making a book about ancient Egypt for kids would be a wonderful weekend project for the whole family. There's so much to share on the topic with children of all ages.



Many cultures developed in Egypt over the centuries. The earliest occurred in 5500 B.C. when small tribes living along the Nile River began to form into a cohesive people group. Their tribe was noted for its construction of stone tools, jewelry and ceramics. Over the course of time they began to develop agricultural knowledge, growing the crops their families required in order to sustain life.

Things You'll Need

• Reference material on Ancient Egypt
• Sheets of 8 1/2-by11-inch paper
• Word processing or desktop publishing computer program
• Computer printer
• Three-ring binders (optional)
• Hole punch

Instructions

How to Make a Book About Ancient Egypt for Kids

1. 

   School-age children enjoy learning more when information is presented in an entertaining fashion.

   Make an outline of the material you would like to cover in your book. Ancient Egypt is an interesting and yet extensive category. Literally millions of pages have been written on this subject. When teaching children about Ancient Egypt, you must narrow your focus.

   As you begin your outline, take into account the age group your book is being prepared for. Ages 8 through 12 require elementary language. Therefore a book on Egyptian Hieroglyphics would not be appropriate. Choose a topic that might be interesting to that age group, such as the Pyramids. Then proceed with your outline of the material you'd like to present in your book.

2. 

   Over the centuries, many have speculated about who built the ancient Pyramids of Egypt.

   Write your content. Begin with an overall view of the topics your book will cover, then move on to specifics. You might start with a chapter on the oldest surviving pyramid, which is Djoser, constructed in 2630 B.C. This pyramid was designed by the architect Imhotep, and it is thought to be the world's oldest structure constructed of dressed masonry.

   Your second chapter might be on the topic of why pyramids were originally constructed or how they were built. Include information about the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

3. 

   Adding photos is a must!

   Insert photos. Once you have completed the writing of your book for kids on ancient Egypt, add some photos. These should include graphics and pictures that illuminate and enhance your content. By using the "Text Wrap" feature on your word processor, you can insert a photo right in the middle of text or at the sides and the text will wrap around the photo, giving it a professional touch.

4. 

   Adding to text or resizing photos can change the page numbers.

   Add your Table of Contents and page numbers. Each chapter should have a number and/or title to identify it in the Table of Contents.

   Chapter titles should begin about one-third from the top of the page. Page numbers should go at the bottom and can be centered or flushed right. Before printing a copy of your book, go back and make sure the information in your Table of Contents coincides with the book itself.

5. 

   Collating your book on a copy machine can save time and labor.

   Make copies of the book. Be sure to print out one copy and proofread everything well before making your copies. Once you are satisfied that everything is correct, it's time to print out the book. Depending upon how many copies you need, you may want to take the original copy to a print shop and make the others on a copy machine. This can save printer ink.

   If using a copy machine, the entire book can be collated so that each set of papers represents one book. This can save time and work.

6. 

   A three-ring binder gives you a hard cover for your book title.

   Bind your book. There are several choices for binding which are relatively easy and inexpensive. Browsing through a large office supply store may give you some ideas.

   Spiral binding is attractive and popular. It requires a machine that will punch a row of 10 or 12 holes in the left-hand side of the paper. This can be done at the office supply store for a minimal cost per book. Otherwise, you will need to purchase the punch and the binder covers.

   Another good choice is three-ring binding. three-ring binders come in thicknesses from 1/2 inch which would work well on a book of 20-30 pages. All you need for this are the binders and a three-hole punch. On the front of the binders, you can attach labels with the book title on them.

Tips & Warnings

• Check at a local office supply store. They may be able to make all your copies, collate the pages of your book and bind them for one low cost.

• Don't go in too many directions with your topics. Stay focused on one particular subject.

References

• The British Museum: Ancient Egypt
• Matrix Bookstore: Pyramids
• Ancient Egypt for Kids: Home

Resources

• History for Kids: Egypt