Ancient History, Week 8

Ancient Egyptians: Mummies

I was a little nervous about teaching the process of mummification to Tessa. The details really are quite gruesome...a level of gruesomeness that Tessa had not been exposed to before. Though she did wince and cover her eyes on more than one occasion, she embraced the knowledge and has been fascinated with all things mummy ever since.


Monday

• Read Usborne: Ancient World by Fiona Chandler (pages 12-13).
• Completed corresponding Blue House School ancient world worksheets.

Tuesday

• Looked up and defined HO dictionary word for Lesson 6, Main Lesson Part 1.
• Read Mummies by Kremena Spengler.
• Read Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki.
• Completed draw and color.

Wednesday

• Read Road to Reading: Mummies by Edith Kunhardt.

Thursday

• Read I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert by Eve Bunting.
• Read "Mummies" (page 12) and "Scarabs" (page 21) from Modern Rhymes About Ancient Times: Ancient Egypt by Susan Altman.
• Completed Lift the Lid on Mummies by Jacqueline Dineen.

I have mixed feelings about Lift the Lid on Mummies. Tessa absolutely adores the set, but I feel a little cheated for the price. I knew there were some cardboard pieces in it, but I really think the bottoms of the canopic jars should be made of resin like the lids. The gauze provided to cover the mummy is a little short as well. Just three or four more inches would have made a big difference. Besides placing the internal organs in their appropriate canopic jars and tucking the amulets within the mummy's bandages, Tessa could do little else. The cutting and paper piecing is too intricate for early elementary students. Having said that, Tessa did learn a few things and greatly enjoyed the activity in whole. 

Our completed mummy, canopic jars and cat coffin. Tessa and I stuck the amulet stickers onto cardboard remnants left over from the canopic jars and then I cut around them so she can play with them again and again. 

Friday

• Listened to Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning audiobook by Mary Pope Osborne.

Other Resources of Interest

• The Mummy Maker online game - BBC

* HO = History Odyssey