Sixth Graders Bring Ancient Egypt to Life

Sixth graders at Robert Moses Middle School recently stepped into the role of ancient embalmers as part of their unit on Ancient Egypt. To deepen their understanding of how Egyptians preserved their dead, students conducted a hands-on mummification lab using oranges.

After carefully removing the inside of the orange and leaving only the peel, students prepared their “body” for preservation. They thoroughly dried the hollowed fruit and filled it with a mixture of salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves, ingredients meant to represent natron, the natural salt used by ancient Egyptians to dehydrate bodies during mummification.

Once packed, the oranges were wrapped in gauze to simulate linen bandages and placed inside small boxes, where they will remain sealed for more than a month. Students will later unbox their creations to reveal their fully mummified oranges and analyze the results.

As part of the project, students documented each step of the process and explained how their actions connected to authentic Egyptian mummification practices. The engaging activity helped students build a deeper appreciation for ancient cultural traditions while developing observational and analytical skills.