At-Home Activities: Desert Adventures - Finding Lost Cities and Treasure

February 1-2

Workshop Class Activities

Craft – Mummy Death Mask
Key Points – Archaeological Dig
Collaborative – Cracked Pot
Language Arts – Hieroglyphics
Math/Logic – Ancient Egyptian Math
Prepare for Adventure – Healthy Food
Big Activity – Date Candy
Movement – Egyptian Tug-of-war

At-Home Activities

See a suggested week schedule at https://www.celebrationeducation.com/single-post/free-curriculum

Materials

• various fiction and non-fiction books that relate to deserts

• notebook or lined paper

• chart of tomb explorers (included)

• a deck of cards

• sidewalk chalk

• beanbag

• heavy rock or brick

Reading

Various fiction and non-fiction books that relate to deserts

Writing

Copywork

“Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.” Mark Twain
“A book has got smell. A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt.” - Ray Bradbury

Language arts lesson

Pyramid poetry follows this format:

Noun

Adjective, adjective

Verb, verb, verb

Summary statement

Here’s an example:

Cat

Clever, agile

Perching, stalking, pouncing

One day he'll get his prey.

Writing Activity

Write pyramid poetry about Egypt.

________

noun

________, ________

adjective adjective

________, ________, ________

verb verb verb

____________________________

summary statement

Journaling

The current president of the United States is… I think he/she is...

Math

Math Concept

Some believe that there is magic guarding the ancient tombs and that anyone that disturbs them will suffer the mummy's curse. It it real? Lord Carnarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team who was present at the tomb's opening, died on April 5, 1923 after a mosquito bite became infected. This was 4 months and 7 days after the opening of the tomb. There were a number of other mysterious deaths associated with those who visited the tomb. This isn’t really enough data to prove whether the curse is real. We need more information.

Math Project

Use the chart of tomb explorers to figure out how long each of these explorers lived after working in the tomb in 1922. Given this additional information, do you believe that the mummy’s curse is real?

Math Concept

Games give people opportunities to explore fundamental number concepts, computation, and strategies.

Math Project

Play the ancient Egyptian game of Senet: http://www.playonlinedicegames.com/senet

Mental math

Play this game with another person. Use a deck of cards with the face cards removed. Aces = 1. Deal out half the cards to each player with the cards facing down in a pile. Both players take the card on the top of their pile and lay it face up in the middle. The first player to call out the product of the two cards wins both cards. If it is a draw the cards are left on the table. Turn 2 more cards over and whichever player wins, picks up all the cards in the middle. The winner is the player with the most cards once all the card have been used. You could also use addition or subtraction. If you are just introducing multiplication to your students you could remove the cards that are beyond their ability at the moment, such as 7, 8 or 9.

Math games

Beanbag Multiplication: Draw a large 5x5 chalk grid on a sidewalk. Mark the numbers 1 through 5 along the top and down the left side. Toss a beanbag at the grid. Wherever the bag lands, that's the equation you solve. For example, if the bag lands on the axis point between 3 and 5, then you multiply 3 x 5 and call “15.” Use higher numbers if you are ready for them.

Projects

Research and Report

How do you think the Egyptians were able to move so many large stones? Research the common theories. Which do you like best? Come up with a theory of your own. How do you think the pyramids were made? Write down and describe your own theory. Demonstrate your theory by using a heavy rock or brick as a a load. Make a scale model of your theory.

Themed Fireworks Project

Mummy cases were intended to "speak" visually about the deceased person. Important facts about the person, as well as the belief system were drawn on these cases. Use a small gift box to make a personal case about yourself.

6-week project

Edit your written report rough draft from last week to create a final draft.
Practice your oral report.
Finish your display.
Invite family and friends to see you present your report next week.

Outings

See mummies in a museum.

Other Ideas

Use Egyptian hieroglyphics to write a letter to someone. Can they figure out what it says?
Prepare a healthy meal for your family.
Try some other Egyptian food: ◦ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_cuisine ◦ http://mideastfood.about.com/od/middleeasternfood101/a/ancientegypt.htm ◦ http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html ◦ http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/diet.htm ◦ http://www.perankhgroup.com/Food%20and%20Drinks%20in%20Ancient%20Egypt.htm ◦ http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/ancient-egyptian-food.html
Experiment with desiccants: http://www.newtonsapple.tv/TeacherGuide.php?id=1422
How were the pyramids made? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CpjMxXG52s
Make scale models of three of the pyramids. Go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid/geometry/model.html for a tutorial on the scale. How do the pyramids’ sizes compare to one another?
Make a Shaduf.
Write a verse about Egypt: http://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/Tombs.html
Make some sandpaper art: http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/egypt/sand_paper_art.htm
Make a pyramid out of Legos.
See the real pyramids at http://www.guardians.net/egypt/egol1.htm
Turn a room into an Egyptian tomb.
Make an Egyptian costume: http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/egyptian_crafts.html
Make a mummy out of fruit.
Explore the food pyramid: http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables/category/2-food-groups-and-healthy-eating-learning-sheets
Make pharaoh jewelry or decorate a sarcophagus.
Do you know the riddle of the sphinx? - this is a true riddle that's over 3000 years old! Question: What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening? Think hard and see what you and your friends come up with. Answer: A human walks on four legs in the morning - that is, as a crawling baby; on two legs in the afternoon - as a child and as an adult; and on three legs in the evening - using a cane as an old person!
Ancient Egyptians played a board game called Mehen. Archaeologists have found the game boards, but today nobody knows how the game was played. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehen_(game)
Play some math games: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/field-day-math
Make a special newscast, documentary, or radio talk show about a pharaoh's life. You may conduct a mock interview of him or her.
Send a flat traveler to Egypt.
Plant an Egyptian garden with onions, dill, leeks, radishes, and lettuce.
Dry some grapes to make raisins.