Ancient Egypt Study
Have you seen the documentary “Secrets of Saqqara Tomb” on Netflix yet? We don’t often sit down to watch TV as a family but when we do, documentaries are usually a safe bet to interest us all. This documentary did not disappoint! It sparked a whole lot of questions and curiosity over here. So naturally, we ran with it and dove right into Ancient Egypt research. Our first stop was our local library. We found plenty of resources. Below are some of our favorites:
BOOK LIST:
Our personal favorite: Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris by Dugald Steer
Magic Tree House Research Guide: Mummies and Pyramids by Mary Pope Osborne and Will Osborne
My Weird School Fast Facts: Mummies, Myths, and Mysteries by Dan Gutman
Weird But True Ancient Egypt by Sarah Flynn-Wassner
Our book selections covered so much information it is difficult to summarize it all. The kids have been particularly interested in the pyramids, mummies as well as everyday life for Ancient Egyptians. We also used the interactive educational website Nearpod to extend our learning. The lesson came from the Nearpod library. We were able to extend our understanding by reading, answering questions, and witnessing the pyramids of Giza and an actual tomb using 3-D virtual reality shots. We also watched videos about mummification and the creation of pyramids. Every bit of it was so engaging!
Sarcophagus
Ancient Egyptian art is undeniably beautiful. We are drawn to the intricate detail added to the tombs and sarcophagus. For one of our extension projects, we created our own sarcophagus artwork. Using a basic plastic face mask, we mixed a batch of paper mache (watered down Elmers glue and newspaper) to cover the mask. We originally planned to paper mache the mask then pop that off and add the paper mache to the box. It did not pop off as easily as expected so we ended up gluing it down mask and all. The box is just a copy paper box lid. I had also planned to use an exacto knife to cut the sides off but the kids liked how it created a frame around the project so we left it as is. We used gold spray paint to cover the entire project. Once dried, the kids used acrylic paint and paint markers to add the facial features, designs and hieroglyphics. They created names and a storyline for their creations and drew inspiration from Ancient Egyptians they read about.
Creative Writing
Stories of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian Gods were definitely a highlight of our study as well. The kids can easily recall random facts about King Tut, Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Ra, and so on. After creating our sarcophaguses we decided to record the ancient stories of the deceased. Their creations were given a name, a backstory and legacy to continue through the ages. I loved hearing the interpreted style from our books come alive in their unique creations.
If you are interested in a unique way to research specific pharaohs or Gods, our biography jar activity would be a great addition! Check out all of the details here!
Cat Mummies
After learning about the significance of cats in the Ancient Egyptian culture, Owen wanted to add a cat mummy to accompany his sarcophagus for companionship in the afterlife. We used toilet paper rolls and paint to create our cat statues. We bent the sides of one end of the toilet paper tubes to create the head and ear shape. We then painted the entire roll black. After drying, the kids used paint markers to decorate. The gold really stands out on the black paint.
Preservation
When learning about mummification, we learned about the process of preserving the body. We were easily able to make a connection to our previous study on decomposition (check that experiment out here). This easily led to a new science experiment. I came across an apple mummification experiment and knew we had to add this to our activities. We began by reviewing our pumpkin decomposition experiment and the steps of the scientific method. We discussed that preservation would prevent decomposition from occurring. I set out baking soda, salt, sugar, and vinegar. We talked about some uses for each item. We cut up an apple and covered each piece in one of the listed ingredients. We made sure the apple piece was covered before placing it in a mason jar. Since we are studying Ancient Egypt these were referred to as our canopic jars. We added an additional serving of each ingredient to the jar just to ensure the apple pieces we covered. Referencing the decomposition activity again, we decided we would get the quickest results leaving the lids off the jars and keeping them at room temperature. Using the information from our books, the kids created the artwork for our canopic jars. They created a baboon, human, jackal and falcon jar in reference to what the Egyptians did. We added the labels and set the jars on a table in the hallway so they wouldn’t be disturbed. The artwork was a nice touch to the table decor as well. In our nature journals we dedicated a page to record our hypothesis and observations (you can check out how our nature journals began here). We left the jars for approximately two weeks, checking in on them every day or two. The baking soda and sugar were the first to eliminate but the kids claimed they needed more time to make a definite determination between the vinegar and salt. When salt was determined as the best preservative, we looked into the Egyptians’ use of natron.
Senet
Senet is thought to be the oldest board game. It was a popular game played by the Ancient Egyptians. Senet boards and game pieces have been found intact tucked away in ancient tombs. Illustrations of the game have been discovered in Egyptian artwork as well. The play of the game has been debated with some variation to the rules. The game has been recreated and is still played today. I had plans on creating our own Senet board with cardboard and loose parts. With the book Egyptology by Dugald Steer on hand, we didn’t have to. A game board, rules and pieces are all included within the pages of the book. We were lucky that our secondhand copy included all of the pieces. If you aren’t able to locate a copy of this book, you can find a printable version of the gameboard here. I was planning on letting the kids decorate popsicle sticks for the sticks you toss and using loose parts for the cones and spools. Creating the game could be a fun project in itself.
We learned a lot about the Ancient Egyptian culture through our study. We will be on the lookout for museum exhibits near us soon. We would love to see your Egyptian studies as well! Please come back to share in the comments or tag us on Instagram, @playbeyondthelines!
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