What are Mummies?
Why did Ancient Egyptians preserve their bodies?
How does the mummification process work?
What is forensic science?
How can scientists use ancient DNA to develop modern medicine?
In
Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, we discover how and why the Ancient Egyptians adopted mummification rituals and how mummies, though thousands of years old, influence modern medical science. The educator guide presents teachers with a wealth of supplemental information on the film themes and curriculum-based, reproducible activities for use in the classroom. Students can individually practice the mummification process by making apple mummies. As a group, have your class document observed changes that occur through the mummification of a chicken. To understand the science in its cultural context, students can also create funeral masks. The juxtaposition of ancient Egyptian medical practice—as documented in the Ebers Papyrus—with modern high-tech diagnostic techniques also provides a rich learning opportunity. Students will compare and contrast the medicinal uses of natural substances as used in Ancient Egypt and as used today. Finally, a simple extraction activity reveals the biochemical secrets of DNA. All of these activities have been designed to respond to the National Science Education Standards.
Learning outcomes:
Students will understand how and why ancient Egyptians preserved human bodies after death.
Students will understand Ancient Egyptian medical practices and how modern medicine—especially our understanding of DNA—enables us to diagnose and understand medical mysteries.
Download the Educator Guide.
