Three-dimensional projects offer students who like to work with their hands a great way to apply themselves to their work. If students appear interested in this sort of a project, give them information and pictures relating to the "ziggurat," a Sumerian step-pyramid used for religious purposes. They may want to build a scale model of one of these ancient temples. Or, if they really like to get dirty, suggest that they make sandbox models of the terrain in Mesopotamia, including the mountains to the East and the two great rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris.
Some students' artistic leanings are to the two-dimensional world of painting and drawing. Suggest to these students that they make representations of Sumerian gods, such as Enlil and Ishtar, or famous heroes, such as Gilgamesh or Enkidu. They can pretend to be architectural artists and paint a ziggurat or make maps of Mesopotamia that include all the famous cities as well as locations of crucial resources and enemies in the surrounding area.
Students who prefer writing may be more interested in reading and thinking about some of the historic figures and original ideas that came out of Sumeria. Recommend to these students that they read a translation of the "Epic of Gilgamesh," which is short and comprehensible for this age group, and consider writing a summary of it for the class. Or, they can investigate the major gods of the Sumerians and write lengthy descriptions of each.
Role play is perfect for students who like to express themselves verbally in class. Give them copies of scenes from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" or the "Enuma Elish," the Sumerian creation story, and tell them to turn them into scripts and act them out in front of the class. Ensure that they take the project seriously by requiring that they adhere to a written script.
There are great opportunities for teamwork here. Pairs of students can draw characters and accompany the drawings with written descriptions. Writers can create scripts for actors to use. Researchers can explain their findings to other students who will build representational models.