Running head: ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MUMMIFCATION: MODULE FOR ELEMENTARY LEARNERS 1

Ancient Egyptian Mummification: Module for Elementary Learners

Melissa Perlman

EDU624 eLearning Design for Diverse Environments

Professor Kathy Milhauser

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Ancient Egyptian Mummification Module: Introduction

It is important that students connect to history because so much can be learned from the past.

Ancient cultures had traditions that are not typically in practice today, but there is much to be learned

from the people of yesterday. This e-module provides students the opportunity to explore the process of

mummification to further delve into nuanced aspects of Ancient Egyptian culture. Mummification ties

into and introduces spirituality, class hierarchy, ancient architecture, and links ancient times to the future

by way of archaeological finds. This subject matter also allows students to connect with abstract concepts

in which they can compare and contrast traditions of the past to the present. The purpose of this document

is to give a detailed overview of the contents of this e-module in an organized fashion.

Module Categories and Sub-Categories

I. All About the Afterlife
a. Polytheism and spiritual/religious thought regarding the afterlife and how this
leads to the process of mummification will introduce the module.
b. Deities and their roles in the afterlife will be discussed as well as requirements
for successfully making it to the afterlife.
II. Mummification Unwrapped
a. The physical purpose of mummification will be discussed and a formal definition
of mummification will be clarified. The role and training of the embalmer will
also be discussed.
b. There will be a step-by-step process of mummification exemplified by key terms
and definitions.
III. Pyramids and Their Link to the Afterlife
a. Purpose/significance of the pyramids in the burial process will be discussed at
length.
b. The significance of hieroglyphics and artifacts within the tomb will also be
highlighted.
IV. Mummification and Social Structure
a. Social status within Ancient Egypt (classes) will be outlined so the existence of
hierarchies, even in ancient times, can be noted.
b. Upper-class/royalty and lower-class burial processes will be contrasted so that
differences are made apparent.
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V. Famous Finds
a. The importance of King (Tut) Tutankhamun’s Tomb and other significant
archaeological finds will be discussed in chronological order.
b. The historical and cultural benefit of these finds will be emphasized.

Learning Objectives

After completing this online module, students should be able to meet the following objectives:

1) Successfully identify the religious beliefs revolving around the afterlife of Ancient Egyptians

while being able to identify deities by name, visual representation, and purpose/role in the

journey to the afterlife. Good deeds versus bad deeds will be understood in regards to the

Ancient Egyptian concept of “Judgement”.

2) Successfully define and identify the overall purpose of mummification. Gain a comprehensive

understanding of the steps behind the mummification process while being able to define and

recognize the use of certain objects during said process.

3) Successfully comprehend the role of the pyramids in the afterlife and have an understanding of

the significance of artifacts which were placed in the tomb and corresponding importance of

hieroglyphics within the tomb.

4) Successfully identify aspects of Ancient Egyptian social hierarchies. Have the ability to

recognize differences in the mummification process and how it differs between higher and lower

social classes.

5) Successfully demonstrate a newfound knowledge regarding famous archaeological finds, with an

emphasis on the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb. There should be a clear understanding of

historical and cultural significance behind finds.

Activities

Horton (2012) recognizes three types of activities which, when embedded within e-

modules, allow for maximum learner benefit. He has coined “Absorb,” “Do,” and

“Connect” activities. According to Horton (2012), educators must, “Specify the learning
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activities to accomplish each objective. Determine what knowledge the learner must

absorb, what the learner must do with the knowledge, and how the learner will connect

the knowledge to work and life” (p.66). This online module will introduce information

for absorption. Absorption will consist of narration, embedded short video presentations,

and hyperlinks to external self-guided readings. Absorb activities which will be followed

by interactive activities and section assessments which abide by the “Do” and “Connect”

principles (Horton, 2012). The list of activities and assessments are as follows:

I. An interactive activity will be a slideshow in which students will be able to click

through and see a visual of deities within the Ancient Egyptian religion. A specific

focus will be on the gods of the afterlife and the roles of said gods.

a. Assessment will be matching pictures with deity names and roles in the

journey to the afterlife.

II. An interactive activity will take the form of a step-by-step hands-on virtual

mummification activity. In this activity, terminologies will be defined that play an

integral part of the embalming process while the learner acts as the virtual

embalmer.

a. Assessment will be a quiz in which students will need to arrange the steps

of the mummification process in the proper order and students will have to

define key terms.

III. An interactive activity will be a hands-on build your own virtual pyramid where

learners can act as an ancient builder while creating their own structure.

a. Assessment will be a fill-in-the-blank quiz where definitions of artifacts within a

tomb are given. The learner will have to put the word in the right section so that

the sentence makes sense.

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IV. An interactive activity will be a virtual day-in-the-life of a pharaoh followed by a virtual day as a

peasant so that the learner can understand the vast differences between social classes.

a. Assessment will be a quiz in which the learner has to drag and drop social class groups in an or-

ganized fashion. There will be a short writing sample where the learner must discuss differences between

rich versus poor and the impact class has on mummification/burial process.

V. Interactive activity video or virtual tour of King Tut's Tomb and/or a virtual museum tour with

Ancient Egyptian mummies and artifacts will be explored.

a. Assessment will be a quiz about famous archaeological mummy finds with an emphasis on the

importance of King Tut’s tomb and uncovered artifacts.

Learner Analysis

The design of this module is meant to appeal to a younger audience and to help spark a further

interest in Ancient Egyptian culture while gaining a better understanding of mummification. The module

itself is going to be aesthetically pleasing and entertaining so that learners can remain engaged. This is

important because the intended audience for this e-module will be elementary students ages 9-11 or

grades Fourth to Fifth, synonymously. The student population would likely be an even ratio of male to

female students, so the subject material is neither overly masculine nor feminine in nature. Students will

not be advanced technology users, so the navigation will be basic and user-friendly. Assessments will be

accessible directly within the module and activities will be hyperlinked directly to the activity

sources/sites.

Environmental Analysis

This module is going to be set-up to be user-friendly. Assessments will likely take place directly

in the module on the specific assessment page following each of the five categories of the lesson. Buttons

will be used to that students can move forward and back in the module with ease as opposed to having to

use a menu button. Activities, virtual presentations, guided tours, etc. will be linked within the platform

with an active hyperlink so that students can click and be directed right to their activity. This module will
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be emailed with a link for students to have direct access from their homes. Students will be part of an

online elementary program, so there will be no on-site lecturing taking place. Therefore, students

accessing this course will need a well-functioning computer with updated versions of Windows and

Adobe Flash player. This will be a module which helps to get students interested in history, more

specifically ancient cultures. It will also allow for a segue into an in-depth Ancient Egypt curriculum.

Conclusion

When elementary students engage in their schoolwork predominately online, it is important that

they are able to easily access course materials and assessments. History, at times, can be viewed as a

bland subject, so it is important that self-guided activities and interactive games keep students engaged. It

can be easy to lose interest in a home-setting, so the module is meant to introduce history in a way that

has an exciting buildup. Having a clear understanding of the environment in which this module will be

held and what age group the lesson will be directed towards allows for a greater understanding of how

content will be introduced. Aside from content comprehension, keeping students engaged and motivated

to move forward are the main goals for this module.

References
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Horton, W. (2012). E-Learning by design. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.