Choose the region that you would like to investigate. You can pick Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, or China. Write down the name of the civilization you selected in the answer space. Then, make a research plan by identifying three to four basic categories that you’re going to investigate. Write down the categories you want to research. Some examples include geographic features, economy, leaders, religions, social structure, language, writing, architecture, innovations, and government. As you select your categories, keep in mind that they should lead to connecting the ancient past with the present. For example, if you select the category geographic features, you may ask these questions: Why were waterways such as the Indus, the Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile, and the Huang He Rivers important in the past? How are they important now? Are historical or current borders the same? Are they different? Or if you select religion, you might consider the following questions: How important was religion in ancient civilizations? What did people believe and practice? How important are these religions in modern society?