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KS2 History: How the pyramids were built

These short films explore the KS2 History topic, ancient Egypt.

They show a reconstruction of the life journey of a young Egyptian boy who is recruited from his family and sent to help build the pyramids and the many tasks he has to undertake to fulfill his work.

The clips explore the advanced mathematics and geometry used to build the pyramids with the aid of Egyptian artefacts and how the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians influenced the position and construction of the pyramids.

These clips are from the BBC Primary History series, Pyramid - In the Name of the King, and Pyramid - The Great Pyramid of Khufu.

They will be relevant for teaching History at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and at second level in Scotland.

Please note, these clips contain a dramatised reconstruction of people building the pyramids, including some scenes of the working conditions they faced. Teacher review is advised prior to showing to your class.

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How were the mighty pyramids built? This reconstruction shows how a young Egyptian boy is recruited to leave his family and work on an incredible project.

Building the pyramids - part 1 of 5

In this reconstruction, Nakht and Deba take a boat up the River Nile with other slave workers to start work on the building of the pyramid.

Building the pyramids - part 2 of 5

This reconstruction shows the young enslaved workers an army of haulers dragging blocks of stone into position as the building of the pyramid begins.

Building the pyramids - part 3 of 5

This clip presents an explanation of the kind of tools the ancient Egyptians used in fashioning stone blocks for the pyramids as the workers get a first glimpse of the huge project they are working on.

Building the pyramids - part 4 of 5

A video reconstruction describing how the final touches were added to the Great Pyramid of Khufu.

Building the pyramids - part 5 of 5

The ancient Egyptians believed in a God of the Sun who could be reborn in the afterlife. They also believed the position of the stars pointed the way to the afterlife.

Ancient Egyptian beliefs and the construction of the pyramids

To build the pyramids, the ancient Egyptians had to use incredible precision and exact measurements. In this clip, Miranda Krestovnikoff explains how they did this.

Building the pyramids accurately - part 1 of 2

The Egyptians needed to be precise in their calculations to build the pyramids. Miranda Krestovnikoff uses the example of the 'bent pyramid' in Egypt to show what happens when those calculations go wrong.

Building the pyramids accurately - part 2 of 2
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Where next?

This animated series of short films offers an introduction to some key themes of the primary history curriculum.

Explain This...

Bitesize

Use these Bitesize resources to set homework, independent study tasks or to consolidate learning for your pupils.

Bitesize

Newsround

The latest news stories from Newsround to share in the classroom.

Newsround
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