Researching and Drafting Your Newscast In this activity, you’ll analyze different parts of Mesopotamian society and culture. Then you’ll use the information you found to create a fair and balanced newscast.

Select one topic from the following list. Make sure that it’s a topic that you’re comfortable presenting to a larger audience. If you’re working in a group, make sure that each member of your group selects one topic from this list.

Mesopotamia Topics

an economic/business report
the unrest of the pastoral tribes
lifestyles of settled and nomadic people
any kind of legal battle (For example, you can create a fictional case and cite how Hammurabi’s Code affected the outcome.)
religious festivals or new temple construction
new construction projects such as canals or ships
a fictitious interview with a king or a priest
a fictitious interview with a nomads, which might cover hunting, grazing rights, or trade
the weather and agriculture
Part A
Now that you’ve selected your topic, you can start researching it. Make sure you select reliable sources. Look at these websites to get started with your research:

Mesopotamia: Warfare
Mesopotamia: Wall Relief
Mesopotamia: Geography
Gilgamesh and the Cedar Forest (Story)
Mesopotamia: Animals
Mesopotamia: Geography and Climate
Ancient Civilization: Mesopotamia
Ancient Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia: Images

Use at least one of these sources to help you write your newscast. Then, conduct some additional Internet research on your own. Read more about researching websites. Find at least two additional sources to support your newscast. Note your topic and the sources you will use in the answer area below.