Miss Fay and Miss Hovey’s sixth grade students learn about ancient Egypt in creative and engaging ways, through hands-on and interactive labs, field trips and historical events.
This week students began to learn about the Egyptian’s mummification and burial process by mummifying apples. “Putting the apples in salt and baking soda will help us remove the moisture, which was exactly the same process as the Egyptian mummification process; to remove the moisture from the body,” shared Miss Fay. “Students will observe the apple over the next couple of weeks and watch it mummify. Students also fashioned a Rosetta Stone out of play-doh as an engaging means to learn about ancient Egypt. Students practiced their mummy expertise, participating in different activity stations.
In October, sixth graders traveled to the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles to see real-life artifacts and mummies preserved from Egypt. “Our field trip in October was intended to give students a deeper understanding of the Egyptian pharaohs, views of the afterlife, and mummification process,” added Miss Fay. “Students got to see actual artifacts that were found inside King Tut’s tomb. We were able to see this exhibit before we started our Egypt unit, so it got our students excited to learn more about Egyptian culture. After seeing the exhibit, students were very curious about the Egyptian culture, especially in regards to the afterlife and religious beliefs.”
In the coming weeks, students will decipher hieroglyphics and learn their meanings. However, it is the ideals behind the mummification process that gives Miss Fay an opportunity to focus on the Biblical worldview of the Egyptians’ beliefs. “The mummification process is how the Egyptians prepared their dead for the afterlife,” said Miss Fay.
“The whole purpose of the mummification process was to ensure that their loved ones would be welcomed into the afterlife, and honored once they got there. The Egyptians were so consumed with the afterlife, that they believed their earthly life was just their trial run before the real deal.”
This unit affords the class opportunities to contemplate the differences between what the Egyptians believed and what Christians believe, as well as the unique hope that Jesus offers.
Miss Fay added, “Talking about the mummification process provides me with a great opportunity to show my students how to think about things Biblically.
For example, as believers, we are also called to think about eternal things and long for a life after death. However, unlike the Egyptian’s belief, we believe that we are incapable of earning our way to heaven. No amount of mummification could prepare us for heaven; only by the work of Jesus are we able to enter eternal life.”