Wax tablet

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/wax-tablet

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the writing implement?Stylus, typically made of metal, bone, or ivory
2. What is the primary historical period?Antiquity (Greco-Roman world) through the Middle Ages
3. How do you erase writing on a wax tablet?The stylus has a flat side that can scrape the wax smooth, wiping away the old writing so the tablet can be used again.
4. Why were wax tablets used in schools?Teachers used them so students could practice writing and do math, then erase and try again, making learning easier and cheaper.

Tabula Cerata: Latin term for a wax tablet, emphasizing its composition of wax.
Diptych: A pair of hinged writing tablets, forming a protective unit for the wax surface.
Codex Ceratus: A book formed by binding multiple wax tablets (diptychs) together.
Shorthand: Abbreviated writing systems designed for speed and brevity.