In preparation for our big field trip to the California Science Center for the Mummies of the World and Ecosystems exhibits, we did some experiments with mummy making of our own right here in room 27.
The first experiment was using a rose. We kept one rose moist for two weeks, while the other rose was buried in sand. Using your knowledge of how mummies are made, which would you expect to be better preserved? Here are the pictures:
That’s right! The rose buried in the sand was better preserved than the one that stayed moist.
Experiment #2 was using peaches. One peach went into the freezer for two days, then we took it out and left it side-by-side with another peach that had not been in the freezer. When we checked on them in two weeks, what do you think we found? Which peach was more mummy-like–the regular peach or the frozen and defrosted one?
That’s right! The peach that was put in the freezer and then defrosted was more mummy-like!
The third and final experiment was awesome! We cut open two lemons and rubbed salt inside of one but not the other. Which lemon do you think was better preserved–the one with salt or without? Take a look:
Isn’t that a thing of beauty? I mean, really, who but nature could make such beautiful mold??? Okay, it didn’t smell all that good, but look at those polka dots! You know this one didn’t have the salt to preserve it.
Both lemons side by side:
So that was it, our fantastic mummy-making adventures in room 27. Did it whet your appetite to go to the museum and see some real mummies?
YOUR TURN: What did you learn about mummies or ecosystems on our field trip? Which items did you most enjoy studying? Which activities did you most like doing?
One thing I forgot to mention, were the biomes. The most disgusting part was the meat-eating cockroaches.
Loved reading about your experiments!
Stephanie from San Diego!
I think the food thing is kinda discousting but it what you guys and girls are learning in class. Come to visit my blog @ http://alejandrafms61.edublogs.org
Hi Alejandra, we definitely didn’t eat the mummy food! It smelled pretty bad in here when we opened up the container with the moldy lemon…
Thats a good questin halocarlos. Ha:) But i think that you would get sick.
How did you guys come up with these ideas of he lemons cut in two and stuff?
Omar, the museum that we were going to gave us an activity guide to help get ready to go to the exhibit. These ideas were in there.
wow the science center was so cool, it’s the same the last time i went there with my sister.they still have the pick up a truck thing at the front.th mummies were so nice, i felt weird around them cause it’s like i can hear their dead soul talking to me. But the ecosystem was legit, the Rot room was gross with maggot and the pony in the glass with them was real(DAM).the cool one in the eco was the one outside (extreme zone) where i looked into the scop thing a saw the unterwater fish, then i looked closely and saw a tube below where we went downstair a saw the fish+sharks unterwater right in the tube. the desrert biome was rightoues, there a place called “the splash zone” where yuo can get wet, it’s also hot too, there was animals. Man the fleid trip was so cool, i want to go there again
wait, is it edible to eat <:)???
Carlos. How would a moldy lemon or a wrinkled-up peach be edible?
On our field trip to the California Science Center,I learned so many things about ecosystems in the Ecosystems exibit. I really liked that they had so many hands-on activities. One thing I learned is that a bumpy surface stirs up water better than a smooth surface. Another thing I learned is that Antarctica’s largest land animal is about the size of an ant. It is a little bigger though.
On November 17,2010 our class went to the Science Center so we could explore the mummies exhibit where I learned a lot of interesting facts.I learned Egyptians were not the only ones that preserved bodies,because Chile,Peru,and Germany also preserved bodies,but they did not wrap them in cloth or take out their internal organs.I also learned that climate played a big part in preserving dead bodies,especially if the climate was dry and hot.For example,one Peruvian woman was sitting cross-legged with a shawl wrapped around her.You could see her hair,tattoos,dried blood,and a little bit of her teeth.Animals and babies were preserved for many years also,besides adults.The mummy exhibit really taught me a lot of interesing things.
Today we went to the Science Center and I learned various things. First that mummies come from all over the world,and not just Egypt. I also learned that some mummies were crouched because the people who wrapped them thought they would be more comfortable. The people who wrapped them put sticks of wood in their bandages so that they cold sit up. Then we got to see the tattooed lady. She was sitting up and had oval ink marks on her chest. Next I learned about Micheal O. and his wife and his son. His wife had a disease called T.B. and she died but before she died she had three children but they all died soon. Their sun that was in the exhibit even died a year after he was born. Michael O. was a miller and he was mummified in a green suit. All in all I had a lot of fun at the Science Center and I learned a lot of interesting things about mummies.
At the California Science Center,I had learned more about mummies.Now I know that children become mummies,too.I learned that mummies sometimes still have hair on them.Most of the mummies lost their foot or toe.I think that mummies are at least 3000 years old.
The field trip was so amazing. At the California Science Center I saw a variety of different items and it was so fascinating learning many different facts. I loved the mummy exhibit and I would like to share with you of what I saw. At the exhibit I saw different bodies that were wrapped and turned into mummies. I saw a lady who died because of a disease who killed her. Because of her disease she also killed her son and her husband. They all died at a young age. As I was walking I spotted the most oldest infant baby mummy. It was very interesting to learn about this baby. There were also sculptures that artist made and one of them was a cat. There was many other items also in the exhibit and they were all very interesting. I loved this field trip and I enjoyed it.
Hi Miss Nichols. At the field trip, I learned that not all mummies are from Egypt. One mummy from Peru was tattooed and historians didn’t know people got tattooed at her time. Also her form, the way she was buried was common. From a teenage mummy, I learned that people died very young because there were no medicines. Something that interested me the most was that historian know when someone died by what’s inside them. For example one mummy had berries in its stomach and they knew that it died in summer time when berries are ripe. All in all this field trip was a great learning experience.
At the California Science Center,I learned many things in the ecosystem . The first thing I learned is that it’s very hard for barnicals to capture food. I feel it’s hard because there was an activity where there’s a big clear box,and there is a glove and you have to try to catch shooting balls. I also learned that i s hard for birds to catch food. I know this because there was an activity where there is a pole with a shape at the end that’s supposed to be your beak.Any way you had to try to get the ball back going over little bumps. There is lots of fun activities and if this sounds cool you should visit the California Science Center. Please reply atmissnichols.edublogs.org
I went to the science center & saw a awesome sight! Infants to adults, rats to howler monkeys, all MUMMIFIED!Did you know there are different types of mummies? It all depends in where the mummy was preserved. There was a bog mummy, and bog mummies have black, rubbery-like bones because of the soil there. I also saw two infants who weren’t even born yet. One looked like it was crying, and the other was hanging its head low. We also saw a tattooed woman. The tattoos were circles with a dot in the middle of it. I noticed that most of the mummies looked like they were crying, frightened, or no emotion at all. It was all very upsetting. Anyway, I also saw a whole family mummified, a mother (?Veronica? age:38), a father (?Michael? age:41), & a child (?Johannes? age:1). It appeared to look like Veronica had a deadly disease at that time and passed it to her husband and child. Even though it was very sad, I think we have found a cure for that disease because of them. Last, but not least, we saw mummified falcons, rats, a howler monkey, fish, UFO (undignified funny-looking object), & dogs. Well, I hope I said enough to satisfy you, & sorry if I did spelling mistakes.
Team Princeton went on a field trip to the California Science Center. There we learned about mummies and the ecosystem. I liked the ecosystem more than the mummies because there is more to do at the ecosystem part of the museum. In the ecosystem area we played the games, touched the freezing ice, settled in the hot desert, looked eye to eye with the fish, built a dam, and got to see the world in a smaller point of view. The one i liked the most is looking eye to eye with the fish and touching the freezing cold ice. But looking at the fish made me think. . . What happens if so much plastic bags were used and they all ended in the ocean. . . Would only see turtles die or almost half the population?
Then we went downstairs to see the whole aquarium we could either walk around, sit and look at a huge tank, or do both. Me and my friends did both we explored the whole under water area. I thought it was amazing! As we walked I kept noticing how pretty the water is without pollution!
Today I visited the California Science Center. In the Science Center I saw some real mummy’s. When we got in I saw a baby that is wrapped and animals, that look very creepy. I saw some real mummy’s. Some mummy’s are very weird looking, but they are very old. Close to the end I saw a family of three people it was a mom I don’t remember her name, a baby son which I think his name is Joseph, and the father’s name is Micheal. I learned that mummy’s can be found all over the world not just in one place, and some are very fragile. I learned that people are not the only ones that can be wrapped. there could be animals. That is what I learned on the trip.
We did see some crazy mummies. The exhibit was pretty cool, many mummies were scary and a dog with only it’s bone. I also learned that people aren’t the only ones who get to be a mummy. I saw a family of mummies and how their life was. The things that I looked at were pretty exciting and the tattoo lady and the mother that died with two of her children in her arms. The gross part is they’re all dead and legs are chopped off so are heads, body parts and they’re all dried and you could see some of their bones. There was a video about how animals died dried out and trust me that video was disgusting. So that’s what I did in the California Science Center.
At the California Science Center,I learned a lot about mummies. I did not know that after the mummies die, they still keep some of their hair. Sometimes I would see men and women both in braided hair. I also learned that even some animals get mummified!I saw a mummified alligator, cat,a squirrel, and even a rat! Even tough I enjoyed everything, my favorite part was when I got to see a pharaoh that was mummified! I didn’t know that there was also symbols and pictures inside of the coffin!I also got to feel some different types of materials that people would use to mummify the mummies. My favorite type of material that they use is the leather because it is so smooth. Overall,I had an amazing field trip, and I can’t wait to go on another one!
At the California Science Center yesterday at the mummies exhibit, I learned that the Greek mummies had to get all of their body parts out and then put sticks into them. I also learned that there were mummies were made all around the world. Plus, I learned about a baby that was born earlier that King Tuntankhamen that died because of some terrible diseases. There was also a mom,dad,and two babies that died of heat,thirst,or starvation. The last thing I learned was people mummified all sorts of objects and animals like dogs,baby alligators,fish,rabbits,and possibly for the Greeks,sticks. I learned a lot at the Science Center
Today I visited the Science Center. I learn a lot of things in the mummy exhibit. I learn that mummies come from all over the world, not just Egypt. Also that some mummies were made by nature. For example, a woman was found and made in the desert. I learn that in other parts of the world they took all the organs not like Egypt were they left only the heart. Some mummies were stuff with clay or wood. Other mummies were in different positions like sitting or laying down. They say they were like that because the people alive thought they would be more comfortable in a certain position. All in all,going to the Science Center gave me the opportunity to learn more about mummies.
On my trip to the Science Center, I learned and saw many things. My favorite exhibit was the Ecosystems exhibit. I liked it because there was things to touch and experiment with. I liked the ocean exhibit because you could touch marine animals and play with water. I also liked when we played with sand to make rivers, dams, canals, and bridges. There was also a big ice wall. I liked it because we could touch it and put our hands on the coldness. My trip to the Science Center was a fun educational experiance.
Hello, my name is Michael and I went to the Science Center and learned a lot of things about mummies. There were mummies from all over the world which i only thought mummies were from Egypt but i was wrong. There are animals that were mummified and they were mummified by Egypt and by natural causes as well. I did not know that animals could be mummified as well as humans. Children can also be mummified and also new born babies with big heads.I also learned about a natural way to mummify people and that is bog that is a special mud. There was a women with two children that were mummified and a tattooed women that was mummified. I learned so much from the exhibits of mummies but it was in the science center.
On November 17,2010, we went to the California Science Center and saw real mummies! It was so cool!! I saw a hyena’s mummified body! Any random girl like me might say it was nasty, but I thought it was pure awesome! I also saw human mummies from Egypt, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Hungary, and much more places throughout the world!!! You might have seen a pharaoh’s mummy case from Egypt in YOUR lame old history book, but I got to see one with my own little beady eyes. There was also something very nasty to me: a naked male mummy showing all dried up body parts. Okay, maybe I was a little immature, but it was still disgusting. At least it was natural, right? At the mummy exhibit I saw a mummy family. They were from Hungary. I felt so sad and wondered how they died and how they were mummified. All three (mother, father, son) of them had their regular clothes on!! How amazing! I felt very sad when I saw a female mummy carrying her mummy baby. I wonder how they died…..it must of been in a very sad way. I looked in awe when I saw the “tattooed woman mummy”. She had marks near her breast bones. Her hair (it was actually there) was so brown, wavy, and just beautiful. I wish the mummy exhibit was in the California Science Center forever. At least I learned one thing: mummies all have their own story.
In the California Science Center I saw mummies and many more things involved.Some mummies had a story behind their death.Like in one section of the mummy exibit there was a family of mummies, the mother,father,and son.They all died because of a diease passed on by the mother it was called tb.These mummies came from Norway. I also saw mummified animals like a rat.All in all in the mummy exhibit they’re is a lot to learn about the backround life of mummies all over the world.
I loved yesterday’s field trip. I learned of all the interesting objects Egyptians used to wrap the mummies. I also looked at a few mummies. I learned about how some of them died. I also learned who they were and what their history was. I thought some of the exhibits were really gross. Many people probably thought that too. This is what I learned and did yesterday.
At the Mummy Exhibit, I learned MANY things. I learned that humans weren’t the only ones mummified, animals were too! Some items, like strawberries can mummify themselves. Isn’t that cool?!?! I also learned that most tombs were robbed by treasure hunters. I had a great time at the museum. It was lots of fun!
We learned about the many different types of biomes today,
but we couldn’t see it all in just one day.
We deserts, and forests too,
and we saw many things we already knew.
I saw many things that I would enjoy,
but the best thing was this cute squishy toy.
What we saw in the Science was cool, that’s right,
but what we saw in history was outa sight.
There was a mummy all nasty and gross,
but I like this awesome gold tablet the most.
With all these mummies, we were scared,
but people touched a lot, yeah they were dared.
There was also a book for the dead,
which will give me nightmares when I’m in bed.
Now my great song is already done,
but now we could have some great, awesome fun.
Today, I learned about mummies in the California Science Center. I learned a lot, such as mummies are made pretty much everywhere (not just in Egypt) and you also don’t have to specially embalm a mummy- you can toss the body into some nutritious mud or let it dry in the desert. Another thing I learned was that hair can still survive being dead just as long as the skin stays on the mummy’s head. The Mummies of the World exhibit was very interesting.
the one lemon that was left in a freezer looks like it was thrown everywhere and got beat with a hammer.when miss nichols opened that plastic bib which had the lemons in it, it smelled like an army of skunks let us have it.
Actually, on the contrary, the smell didn’t bother me. I must be mutant, I’m guessing. I even touched the moldy lemon. It felt… normal.
Oh, so that’s your fingerprint on there…