Unwrapping Ancient Egypt: 3 Engaging Activities to Teach the Mummification Process
Let’s be honest: Is there any topic in social studies that grabs a student’s attention quite like mummification? The moment you mention “removing the brain through the nose,” you have the entire room captivated. It is the perfect blend of history, science, and just enough “gross factor” to keep even your most reluctant learners on the edge of their seats. But how do we move past the shock value and actually teach the deep cultural significance behind these rituals? How do we ensure they understand why the Ancient Egyptians went to such great lengths to preserve the body? If you are getting ready to dive into your Ancient Egypt unit, here are three of my favorite strategies to bring the mummification process to life in your classroom! 1. The Classic “Apple Mummification” Experiment If you have a week to spare for a science crossover, this is a must-do. It’s a fantastic visual representation of how desiccation (drying out) works. How it works: The students will be amazed to see how the “Natron” mixture preserves the apple slice, keeping it relatively fresh compared to the rotten control slice. It’s a powerful, hands-on way to demonstrate the science behind the history. 2. Canopic Jar “Design Challenge” To help students understand the religious aspect of preserving specific organs, I love having them design their own Canopic Jars. We talk about the four sons of Horus and which organ went into which jar (Imsety for the liver, Hapy for the lungs, etc.). Then, I challenge students to design a modern-day Canopic Jar. This creative twist helps them connect the concept of protection and preservation to their own lives. 3. The “Mummification Steps” Gallery Walk This is my absolute favorite strategy for the “meat and potatoes” of the lesson. Sometimes you need a resource that is rigorous, reading-focused, and gets students moving. I recently started using this Ancient Egypt Mummification Process Gallery Walk, and it is a total lifesaver for this unit. Here is why I love it: It breaks down the complex, 70-day process into 7 clear, manageable stations. Students walk around the room and investigate each step, from the Announcement of Death to the Opening of the Mouth ceremony. It covers all the key vocabulary—like Natron, Canopic Jars, and Resin—but in a way that is accessible for middle schoolers. They aren’t just memorizing gross facts; they are analyzing the purpose behind each step using a structured recording sheet. Plus, it is completely no-prep. You just print the 7 stations, hang them up, and let the students explore. It turns a standard reading lesson into an interactive museum exhibit right in your classroom. You can grab this Mummification Process Gallery Walk here! Bringing the Afterlife to Life Whether you are drying apples, designing jars, or walking through history, the goal is to help students see that mummification wasn’t just about death—it was about a deep love for life and a hope for eternity. Do you have a favorite “gross” history fact you love teaching? Let me know in the comments!
Athens vs. Sparta: 3 Engaging Activities to Bring Ancient Greece to Life
If there is one unit that students seem to consistently love, it’s Ancient Greece. Maybe it’s the mythology, maybe it’s the Olympics, or maybe it’s just the idea of Spartans looking cool in movies. But when we get to the nitty-gritty of comparing city-states—specifically Athens and Sparta—I sometimes find myself hitting a wall. How do we move beyond a simple Venn Diagram? How do we get students to actually feel the difference between a society valued for its mind (Athens) and one valued for its muscle (Sparta)? Over the years, I’ve tried to spice up this specific lesson to get my students out of their seats and thinking critically. If you are looking for ways to shake up your Ancient Greece unit, here are three of my favorite strategies for teaching Athens vs. Sparta! 1. The “Real Estate Agent” Pitch I love an activity that blends creative writing with historical facts. For this one, I divide the class in half. One half represents the “Athens Chamber of Commerce,” and the other half represents the “Spartan Recruitment Office.” Their goal? Create a brochure or a 60-second “elevator pitch” to convince a neutral Greek citizen to move to their city-state. It’s a fun, quick way to check if they understand the cultural values of each city-state, and the presentations are usually hilarious. 2. The Structured “Sides of the Room” Debate Debates can be chaotic in middle school if they aren’t structured, so I keep this one physical and simple. I place a sign that says “Athens” on one wall and “Sparta” on the other. I read a statement, and students have to physically walk to the side of the room that they think the statement describes. Statements might include: Once they are on their chosen side, I call on one or two students to explain why they moved there. This gets the blood flowing and works as a fantastic formative assessment—you can instantly see who is grasping the concepts and who is following the crowd! 3. The Ultimate Comparison Gallery Walk This is my absolute favorite strategy because it combines movement with deep content analysis. Sometimes you just need a resource that is ready to go, rigorous, and keeps students accountable. I recently started using this Athens vs. Sparta Comparison Gallery Walk, and it has been a game-changer for this unit. Here is why I love it: It literally transforms the classroom into a museum. Instead of a lecture where eyes might glaze over, students rotate through 6 different “stations” that cover the core differences: Government, Education, Economy, Military, Values, and Social Classes. It is incredibly low-prep—you just tape the stations to the wall and hand out the recording sheet. I really appreciate how it breaks down complex topics like “Direct Democracy vs. Oligarchy” or “International Trade vs. Isolated Farming” into chunks that students can actually digest as they walk around. By the time they finish the rotation, they have a full recording sheet of evidence they can use to write a comparison essay or jump into that debate I mentioned earlier. It hits all those Reading History standards while keeping the kids moving. You can grab the Athens vs. Sparta Gallery Walk activity here! Keeping History Alive Whether you are pitching real estate, debating across the room, or doing a deep-dive gallery walk, the goal is the same: help students see these city-states not just as dots on a map, but as real places where real people lived. Do you have a favorite way to teach Ancient Greece? Let me know in the comments—I am always looking to add to my toolbox!