Our Stories

Sixth Grade Mounts Exhibition About Ancient Egypt

January 27, 2022 by Ronit Greenstein (Faculty and Staff)

Sixth grade mounted an outdoor exhibition about Ancient Egypt, and the students were thrilled to share their in-depth research, academic writing, and creative artifacts with parents. Visitors had the opportunity to examine fascinating artifacts such as scales used in the weighing of the heart ceremony, sphinxes, hieroglyphics, pyramids, assorted mummies and sarcophagi and more – and to hear from students about the history behind them. These knowledgeable docents provided insights into ancient Egyptian society and beliefs, and went in depth into the topics they explored such as the use of mathematical notation in Ancient Egypt, the evolution of writing and its impact on social mobility, the hidden history of the female pharaoh, the role of artisans, the impact of the three seasons in the Nile River region on the lives and livelihoods of peasants, the extent to which beliefs about the afterlife affected Egyptian society, and more. The outdoor expo follows an exhibit in the sixth grade wing that our student Egyptologists set up for Grades 2-8 and where they served as wonderful docents.

The academic exploration of ancient civilizations reflects Milton’s pedagogical approach in which students learn with breadth, depth and perspective by exploring topics across disciplines; clarifying their thinking and honing their communication skills through academic writing, related art projects, and presentations of their work; and employing choice within the curriculum to deepen students’ investment in their learning.

Multiple teachers in the middle school supported the students’ work in identifying, assessing, accessing, and citing sources (Victoria Rothenberg), creating their artifacts (Elana Cohen), and supporting their writing skills (Marissa Chattler and Terry Volk). Grade 6 Humanities teacher Fani Bettmann guided the entire process, creating the project to help our students find joy and a sense of discovery in their research and scholarship, and empowering them to be the experts on the topics they studied. Kol hakavod to the students and thank you to the teachers!

 

Sixth grade Egyptologists pose with the artifacts they created and their scholarly research ahead of the indoor expo for Milton students in Grades 2-8:

 

We were thrilled to welcome parents to the outdoor exhibit. See photos of our student docents sharing their scholarly research and exhibits: