Conclude studies by putting lessons into practice
By:Sally Goldenberg
Auten Road Intermediate School sixth-graders Preston McHann and Billy Mayer ended their month-long study of Mesopotamia by assembling a "Code of Respect" for the school modeling the code after King Hammurabi’s code of laws.
But the difference between the ancient edicts of the Ammorite ruler and the present orders of the ARIS code lies in fairness, Preston and Billy said.
"Those laws were very barbaric," Preston said.
In contrast, the "Code of Respect" to which every sixth-grade social studies student contributed is not punitive, Billy added.
"King Hammurabi’s code had consequences," he said.
Preston and Billy’s display stood near the entrance of a room comprising exhibits explaining Mesopotamian culture. The makeshift museum, which included a kaleidoscopic display of the Babylonian Gardens and examples of Assyrian stone carvings, was on display in the school last Thursday and Friday.
Sixth-grade social studies teacher Jennifer Harmsen said she spends a month teaching her students about Mesopotamian culture, in part to rid them of the popular misconception that civilization began in Egypt.
"So many people think ancient civilizations began with the Egyptians and not very many people know about the Mesopotamians," she said.
Ms. Harmsen said she emphasized Mesopotamian inventions, such as irrigation, during the month of study, and directed students to create the museum as a culmination of their studies.
Courtney Gorman, a sixth-grader who helped create the gardens display, said she was unaware of the impact Mesopotamians had on modern life.
"They were the first to start a writing system," she said. "I thought a lot of it was the Egyptians."

