Hill School’s fourth grade students study ancient civilizations beginning with Mesopotamia. Imagine discovering the tablet in 1849 in Ashurbanipal Nineveh that gave us the account of Gilgamesh. This finding led to the discovery of cuneiform writing and the early evolution of written language. Cuneiform tablets were originally baked clay lids to keep track of the contents of the jars for trade.
The study of Mesopotamia is reinforced across the curriculum in reading, history, and art. In reading, students read Gilgamesh, which is considered one of the oldest and greatest surviving works of early Mesopotamian literature. The book tells the story of Gilgamesh, the fifth king of Uruk circa 2700 B.C., who learns the value of family and friends. In history, the cuneiform tablet offers insight to a society that existed thousands of years ago. The art program supports the study of this time period by having the students create their own cuneiform tablet using the same characters that were used by the Sumerians in ancient times. Students are encouraged to be creative and modern in what they write on their tablets. 
The fourth graders writings include: “I love ponies”, “Do you like pancakes?”, “What does the fox say?”, and “ I love art.”
