This Jackdaw is the appropriate reading level for upper elementary, middle school and high school students reading below grade level. It contains the same, ready-to-use, hands-on historical documents as the original, upper-level Jackdaw; most of the documents are actual-size replicas. The fully reproducible Broadsheets provide historical background for understanding the documents.

From man’s early attempts at communication by painting on cave walls to the variety of alphabets in use throughout the world today, the key points of the development of writing — which parallel the development of civilization — are presented in this Jackdaw’s broadsheets and hands-on documents. Students will find the map of language and alphabet development especially informative and intriguing. Historian: Carol Donoughue, adapted by Muriel L. Dubois. The contents of this Jackdaw feature:

• Cavemen and Picture Writing
• The Sumerians
• The Egyptians
• The First Alphabet
• The Romans
• Medieval Manuscripts
• Handwriting Since the Invention of Printing

• Map showing the places in which various languages developed, including a chart of the development of our alphabet and a table showing the evolution of various scripts.
• Sumerian “medical” tablet.
• The Rosetta Stone from Egypt.
• Details from the tomb of Thethi, an Egyptian courtier.
• A Greek letter on papyrus.
• Malpas diploma, awarded to a Roman soldier.
• Page from the Luttrell Psalter.
• Pages from Martin Billingsley’s The Pen’s Excellencies, 1618.
• Page from Joseph Webb’s Webb’s Useful Penmanship, 1796.
• Page from John Langton’s A New Copy Book..., 1727.
• Page from Edward Daniel Riches’s Copy Book, 1840.