Walk like an Egyptian

Head into the CCGS Library this month and be transported back in time to the land of the Pharaohs.

Year 7 History students have been investigating the ancient society of Egypt and the library foyer has been transformed into an incredible museum displaying historical artefacts, all handmade by students.

Remote learning

Students had laid down all the fundamental skills, like investigative questioning and communication of historical concepts, before switching to remote learning. 

Ms Belinda Ho, Head of Department said, “Our team worked together to determine which aspects of the curriculum we felt would be the most engaging for students working at home. We felt the project-based unit of Ancient Egyptian religion, death and burial would allow students to really shine in different ways and help them develop skills in investigation and analysis.”

Students were appointed as museum curators tasked with investigating Tutankhamun’s tomb and selecting, organising and creating artefacts for display. 

“We wanted them to lean into their sense of independence and creativity. It was important to give that sense of student agency so they could research a specific artefact and choose something to display in their museum. This was about truly immersing themselves in Ancient Egyptian times and pursuing their interests,” said Ms Ho

Students made the artefacts at home giving families a wonderful opportunity to connect, collaborate and work together to research and create.

Back on campus

"When students returned to the campus, they worked as a team to organise a re-enactment of a sacred burial ceremony that involved the whole class. After weeks of working apart, it was great to have everyone come back together and share what they had discovered and created.”

Students took on different roles including a priest from the Temple of Anubis and professional mourners, dancers and musicians. In class, students mummified a fish, made spells and created additional artefacts for the final burial.

The challenges posed by the pandemic created an opportunity for students to go deeper into this historical investigation, making an authentic and experiential connection with the past.

"This type of project-based learning allowed students to go at their own pace and grow more confident in their ability to communicate their understanding. It also gave all learners the opportunity to access the topic and achieve,” said Ms Ho.

Discover more about our rich learning environment by exploring Senior School.