Spring Saturday SAVY, Week 3, Beyond the Pyramids (K)
The junior Egyptologists had a busy final day of research. First, we studied mythology. I read the students the story of Ra and showed them illustrations of some of the gods and goddesses. We did virtual tours of the tombs of King Tut, Ramses I, Ramses II, and Queen Meresankh III. Students looked for paintings and carvings of gods and goddesses on the walls. They also spotted a lot of hieroglyphs.
Then, we learned about the mummification process using the book, Mummies Made in Egypt, by Aliki. Students had so many good questions about mummies! They learned that mummies were wrapped in shrouds of linen, not toilet paper, as Halloween festivities led them to believe. 🙂 Students designed a sarcophagus out of Play-Doh based on photographs of some at museums. Then, we turned our classroom into a museum, so the students could see what their peers designed.
Finally, we learned facts about the pyramids at Giza. Through illustrations, we learned how Egyptologists think the pyramids were built nearly 4000 years ago. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only wonder of the ancient world still standing! We also learned about the Valley of Kings, where many tombs of pharaohs are located. The students completed their final pyramid challenge and had two opportunities during the day to complete learning centers with their classmates.
The kindergarteners’ enthusiasm for learning made this class so enjoyable! I hope to see the students at SAVY in the future.