Mummies tell the story: linking learning through art.

Each year our sixth grade studies ancient Egyptian history and culture. They are awed by mummies, hieroglyphs, pyramids, and the many myths and stories of the gods and pharaohs.

Lessons and activities in social studies, English, reading, math, and art are deeply entwined, with art as the central focus. Teachers of all these subjects sit down to discuss and plan goals, objectives, and motivational strategies for the units throughout the year.

Introducing Ancient Egypt 

We began with research, none of which the students found dry or laborious. Books and articles flowing with pictures of daily life in ancient Egypt stimulated questions and sparked curiosities about dynasties from nearly 5,000 years ago.

The children eagerly memorized the hieroglyphic alphabet so they could send each other secret messages. They also enjoyed making cartouches of their names. We played a game at the end of class that required a student to draw an Egyptian scene or lines of hieroglyphs on the chalkboard or easel. Teams of classmates then tried to guess what secrets the hieroglyphs or pictures revealed.

Projects to Treasure

We used clay to make Egyptian amulets and other jewelry and artifacts. Students made plaster masks using wig heads as forms to personify famous personalities such as Ramses, Cleopatra, and King Tutankhamen. We transformed cardboard boxes into tomb paintings by cutting them apart and painting them.

In math classes students had a problem solving/drawing lesson. They drew pyramids to scale to develop models for 4' (1.2 m) papier-mache, sandcoated replicas that allowed a viewer to open them and peer inside. Equipped with a flashlight, the curious tomb visitor could see the tomb walls adorned with paintings and twenty-five golden hand-painted sarcophagi surrounded by tiny golden artifacts.

Making A Sarcophagus 

To begin the sarcophagus project, I showed students a video about mummification. This poignant film placea me learner in a state of reflection about life, the everlasting quest for knowledge about death, and the possibility or beliefs of an afterlife.

After a stimulating discussion, everyone was eager to get out their pencils and draw. Each student drew the front of a symmetrically designed sarcophagus. The sarcophagi could reflect their interests and personalities but they didn't have to. Students used books to study the clothing, headdresses, and Egyptian motifs in order to create their individual designs.

We used oak tag (heavyweight) and a variety of media to color and add details to the front of the sarcophagi. After outlining all the details, we used acrylic paint, colored pencils, and fine point markers to color them in.

Next, we made two exact tracings of the contour of the "front" of the sarcophagus on cardboard. The depth of this coffin was created by using the cardboard that I had precut into strips of 2 1/2-3" wide (6-7.5 cm). The students "softened" the strips by hand so they could bend around corners and hug the contours of the head and shoulders of the sarcophagus. Sometimes two or more strips were needed to complete the contour, depending on the length of the strips and the dimensions of the sarcophagus.

We used a dry mount procedure using rubber cement to anchor the strips to the edges of the cardboard patterns. The strips served as the sides of the three-dimensional coffin. We coated the edges to be glued together very generously with the rubber cement, then we allowed both pieces to dry completely so the rubber cement was very tacky.

When top, bottom, and sides were secured, we reinforced the edges with masking tape. Students covered the sarcophagi with two to three layers of papier-mache making sure the edges and corners were neat and smooth.

Papier-Mache Mummies

While the sarcophagi were drying, the students began making the mummy that is housed inside the sarcophagus. We used crumbled tissue paper or newspaper covered by a layer of tin foil. Since it is malleable and maintains a form, the foil allows you to shape the figure with greater detail--head, neck, shoulders, and arms crossed over the chest area. Be careful not to squeeze your mummy too tightly. There should be some definition.

I prepared the plaster gauze by cutting it into 1/2 x 4" (1 x 10 cm) mini mummy-sized bandages. The students could do this as a preburial, premummification process, or you may prepare them for your class the speedy way!

They dipped the plaster gauze in warm water and wrapped it around their mummies in a criss-cross ("X") style. Some students printed hieroglyphs onto the mummy with a fine point marker after the plaster dried.

Decorating the Sarcophagi

We then went back to our dried papier-mache sarcophagi that were ready for painting, decorating, and cutting. We painted the sides and the bottom gold. This could be done with gold spray paint, or a luminous metallic gold tempera or acrylic paint that gives a precious gilded look suitable for royalty! Then we glued the front on, using the rubber cement dry-mount technique. We glazed the whole thing with several layers of acrylic polymer or artists' clear coat in aerosol spray form.

Treasures for the Afterlife

We used the band saw in the woodshop to cut open our sarcophagus. The elaborate, ornate body-shaped box opened to reveal its contents...the wrapped mummy! Some students spray painted tiny trinkets from gumball machines to be the golden possessions and tomb artifacts that ensured their mummy's rich afterlife.

Building Pyramids

We used huge sheets of cardboard to make a large 4' (1.3 m) pyramid for each of our sixth grade interdisciplinary teams. They painted it to look like stone then sprinkled it with sand to give it texture. We cut away one side after the papier-mache process to keep it from warping. After removing the side, the tomb wall paintings and our own valley of the kings was revealed. The collective group of sarcophagi from the class adorned the floor of the tomb.

Bringing Ancient Egypt to Life

For closure of the unit, the students and teachers came in costume in imitation and honor of Egyptian celebrities, gods, and commoners. We ate customary foods, made handmade paper, played board games, enjoyed skits, poems, math games, and other activities such as traditional outdoor games that Egyptian children played.

Every year our district has a parent involvement program held in the evening. Featuring Egypt Day at this program enabled parents and people in the community to participate and become an integral part of our learning process.

As we continue to build on this process of learning, the Egypt unit is a shining example of the strength of the interdisciplinary approach. Art is a cornerstone in this learning process. Children learn by doing. The entire learning journey was enjoyed by all, and like the artifacts and wonders we studied, the enriching memories will stand for ages.

Louise Harvilla is an art teacher at Highlands Middle School in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania.