History of the House Cat

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the place of cats in society throughout history.

• Students will be able to state facts about cats as pets.

• Students understand why cats have been important companions for humans.

Suggested Grades:

3rd Grade - 4th Grade - 5th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

Cats have lived with people for more than five thousand years! In ancient Egypt, people were fascinated with cats. They tamed wild cats from Africa and brought them into their homes. You can see cats in a lot of artwork from ancient Egypt. Cats were even considered to have special powers, and the Egyptians worshipped gods that had the bodies of cats. When Egyptian cat owners lost a pet, they would shave their eyebrows as a sign that they were sad over the loss of their cat.

About three thousand years ago, European and Middle Eastern traders brought cats back with them from their trading journeys. The Greeks and Romans valued cats because they kept rats and mice from bringing diseases into people's living areas. Because of this, cats were considered guardians of homes. In Asia, cats were kept to protect silkworm cocoons from rats and mice. Silkworms created valuable silk that was bought and sold in Asia, and it was an important part of life on that continent.

Continued...