Cherysh Does: Once Upon A Time

Crumbs, it has taken me so long to get these photos off the iPad, get all projects finished and generally get around to posting this.... Which I suppose is good, because it means we have been busy learning...? Right? :)

Here we are, completing the Old Kingdom in our SOTW History studies, and I have to thank the Activity Book they put out and Pinterest as some of the sources for the ideas!

Firstly we made a salt dough map of the Nile River and canals... who knew it would take so long to dry!!

Mixing the dough.... or rather, fighting over who gets to mix the dough!

The Nile, with canals... finger holes that I was told were wells, but I suspect the match some of the gaps around the edge... Seb likes Salt dough....

After three weeks drying, we finally get to paint it!

Note the rich dark soil along the edges of the canals and river.

Ta-Dah!

We also watched some amazing DVDs about Ancient Egypt. I did try to get them to read books, and they did read some, but never as much as Mummy would like! But we learned that the 'Black Land' was very valuable in Ancient Egypt. Your property was valued more if it was guaranteed to flood! Desert comes from the Egyptian word for 'Red Land', which was much less valuable.

While we waited for the dough to dry, we made some other Egyptian crafts. Below, we are making some 'reed' boats.

Notice our 'papyrus' drying in the background?

Seb gets a bit carried away sometimes... :)

It floats! Hooray!

And can carry passengers...

Percy doesn't float... Hello science lesson! ;)

The next day I had some work to get done, so I said 'Bet you can't build me a Lego pyramid....'

It turns out they could.... and no deception was spotted! Then I had some more work to do, so I left them some spare time. I came back and they had built pyramids, sphinxes, rivers (with canals, shadufs, hippos and boats!) team supervisors with whips to keep the workers in line, temples and fields. I was so impressed! Always good to know they have been listening! If only every lesson went that well....!

The next logical step is to learn the art of mummification, right? Yes, that is a Bratz doll - I hate Bratz dolls, but I figured $6 is a good price to bury!

We collected everything we needed...

And after the organs were removed and put in canopic jars (kids a bit disappointed they couldn't actually do that....) the body was dried.....

.... and at the appropriate time, cleaned with wine, then oils and spices.

We added 'protective amulets' - I love Zoe's one that says 'Stay Safe'!

Et voilà. RIP Brat. Zoe is building a coffin now....

Speaking of our girl, she decided Egyptian makeup (which was expected as a right, even by pyramid builders, who striked over a lack or make up supplies!) was 'pretty cool'!