The Primary 5 children have made a fantastic start to the new term and have displayed great enthusiasm and curiosity as they delve into the fascinating world of Ancient Egypt. This week the Primary 5 classes took part in Museum on the Move workshops facilitated by NI Museum. During this virtual experience, the workshop shed light on the Ancient Egyptians' appreciation for life, showcasing their extraordinary efforts to prepare for the afterlife. Through a guided investigation of a ceramic canopic jar and a selection of replicas of objects often found in Ancient Egyptian burials, the children were able to discover more about the mummification process and learn why it was so successful. As a follow-up, the children participated in a range of activities over the week to enhance their understanding of the Ancient Egyptian topic and recorded their findings and observational drawings in their investigation case books. During art sessions the Primary 5 children were introduced to the Egyptian hieroglyphics and had lots of fun experimenting with crafting their own name cartouches. The children also created their own canopic jars usings modelling materials. Exploring an Egyptian world in Minecraft, the children used their knowledge to maximise the potential of the River Nile. They built bridges to connect both sides of the river, created irrigation canals to channel the water and made boats for transportation. In World Around Us, the P5 year group were introduced to the terms BC and AD. They worked together as a class to organise and sequence important historical events. They then focused in specifically on significant periods during the years of the Ancient Egyptians. The children also participated in the mummification of a tomato where they had hands-on insight into the intricate steps involved in this ancient preservation technique. They used their observation skills to study and describe the changes that occurred over a number of weeks and appreciated the importance of carrying out a fair test, using a control tomato.
