Victoria's 6th Graders Mummify Chickens!

The sixth grade curriculum includes the study of ancient civilizations. Victoria’s sixth grade teachers like to include projects/assignments that not only help students master learning objectives, but also make the content memorable. The following is one such example!

The Ancient Egyptians were famous for their embalming methods and mummification – that is, the treatment and preservation of bodies. Our sixth grade students worked in small groups to mummify chickens using similar methods of the Ancient Egyptians.

1. They bought fresh chickens from the grocery store and removed the innards. The chickens were then thoroughly washed and dried.
2. Next, students covered the chickens with a mixture of salt and baking soda and placed them in a large zip lock bag. This mixture was changed daily for the first few days, then every two or three days after that, and then weekly.
3. After about 45 days, the chickens can be removed from their bags. They will be washed and dried again, rubbed with oil and sprinkled with spices, such as rosemary. They will then be wrapped with strips of cloth and coated with lacquer.
4. To complete the process, students will decorate a 'sarcophagus' (or coffin) and a ‘cartouche’ (name plate) for their mummified chicken.

Thank you to our Victoria teachers for helping to make learning fun!