Join us for a full-day workshop in partnership with Birmingham Rep Theatre, where you'll learn about Ancient Egypt.
In the morning, your group will take part in our 'Life and Death in Ancient Egypt' workshop at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
During this workshop, you will learn all about how people lived and died in Ancient Egypt, from Pharaohs, to farmers.
Together, we will become Archaeologists and examine artefacts to try and piece together what everyday life might have looked like for ordinary people, from work to leisure and fashion.
Pupils will get the chance to make their own Egyptian jewellery, which they can wear to our funerary procession, where we will help a recently deceased Pharaoh on their journey to the afterlife. Together, we will use objects like canopic jars to explain why mummification was a significant part of Ancient Egyptian culture.
We will also learn about what mummified remains can teach us about how people lived and died by studying x-rays to try and solve the mystery behind the early demise of a man who lived thousands of years ago.
Please note: Although children will not be participating in the removal of organs from our example mummy, we will be discussing this part of the mummification process. Pupils who might find this distressing will be able to opt during this discussion.
In the afternoon, head over to Birmingham Rep Theatre to enhance your experience with an additional hour and a half workshop delivered by a Drama Practitioner from the theatre.
Students will creatively respond to the themes introduced in their first workshop and explore ideas of Ancient Egyptian burial rituals and the role of Pharoes through a mixture of games and performance. Plus, an exciting opportunity to 'meet' Howard Carter and learn more about how he discovered the famous tomb of King Tutankhamun. The workshop is designed to complement the session delivered by the museum Learning Officer creating a unique, immersive day and is a perfect way to engage multiple styles of learning.
Curriculum links
Perfect for KS2 curriculum
History:
- How Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
- Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
- Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’.
- Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.
Objectives:
- To learn about the importance of Archaeology and Conservation, and how it helps us to unpack what life and death was like in Ancient Egypt.
- To gain an understanding of what everyday life was like in Ancient Egypt.
- To compare the life of a Pharaoh to that of ordinary people in Ancient Egypt.
- To understand funerary practices in Ancient Egypt.
Drama / History
- Drama as a Tool for Understanding History:
Drama can be used as a method to bring history to life. For example, students may enact historical events such as battles, protests, or key political moments. This helps students engage with history in a personal and immersive way. - Historical Role-Play:
Drama can give students the opportunity to step into the shoes of historical figures, experiencing their thoughts, feelings, and decisions. - Debate and Discussion:
Drama in history can open the door to discussions and debates. For instance, after performing a scene about a historical event, students can discuss the various perspectives and opinions that were held at the time, examining how different people were affected.
Image gallery
This workshop is perfect for those in Key Stage 2 studying Ancient Egypt.
It is available on Thursdays.
Itinerary
- 10am - 12noon - Workshop 1 at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
- 12noon - 12.45pm - Lunch at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
- 12.45pm - 1pm - Walk to Birmingham Rep Theatre, this takes about 8 minutes (there are no roads to cross.) A map of the route is shown at the bottom of this page.
- 1pm - 2.30pm - Workshop 2 at Birmingham Rep Theatre.
Price
The morning workshop at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery costs £5.50 per pupil, this is payable to Birmingham Museums Trust. An additional cost of £210 +VAT will be charged for the afternoon session, this payable directly to Birmingham Rep Theatre.
Booking Information
This whole day is coordinated by the Birmingham Museums school booking team.