History Ancient Egyptusually ages 5–7

Hieroglyphs and Papyrus

Know that the ancient Egyptians used a special writing system called hieroglyphs — pictures and symbols that stood for sounds and words — and that they wrote on a paper-like material called papyrus, which was made from a plant that grew along the Nile

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Describe hieroglyphs as a writing system that uses pictures and symbols
Explain that papyrus was a material like paper made from a river plant
Understand that only specially trained people called scribes could read and write hieroglyphs

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Try this together

If your child sees hieroglyphs on a museum artefact, can they tell you what they are and explain that the Egyptians wrote on a special paper called papyrus?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Vocabulary: ancient egyptages 5–9Understanding hieroglyphs and papyrus requires these exact terms

Knowing all lettersages 4–6Understanding that letters are symbols representing sounds provides a framework for grasping how hieroglyphs encode language differently

Everyday Life in Ancient Egyptages 5–7Scribes are a special job — helps to know about daily life first

Hieroglyphs and Papyrusthis skill · ages 5–7

Unlocks

Scribes and the Rosetta Stoneages 7–9Rosetta Stone and Champollion builds on basic hieroglyphs and scribes

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Discovering Tutankhamun's Tombages 5–7 Egypt, the Nile, and the Desertages 5–7 Egyptian Gods and the Afterlifeages 5–7 Everyday Life in Ancient Egyptages 5–7

All Ancient Egypt skills →