Reading Level:
W

Word Count:
1,679  

Page Count:
24  

Text Summary
Mummies is a factual text that discusses the history of preserving bodies and discusses in detail the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification. This book explains the importance of human and animal mummies in the ancient world. The tomb of the King Tutankhamen is also discussed. 

Vocabulary
afterlife
akh
amulets
arrested
ba
canopic jars
cremated
decomposing
embalmers
embalming hook
hieroglyphs
immortality
incision
instilled
ka
mummified
natron
papier-mâché
resin
sacred
shabtis
shriveled
talismans
tempted

Reproducible Worksheets
Worksheet 1 - Reading comprehension
Worksheet 2 - Adjectives, adverbs, and multiple definitions 

Lesson Objectives

Comprehension
Students will demonstrate the ability to find specific facts and details in passages from the text, as well as combining information from different sources. 

Word Work

Adjectives and Adverbs
Students will demonstrate the ability to present adjectives and adverbs corresponding to nouns and verbs. They will also explore the complexities of words with multiple common definitions. 

Visual Literacy
Students will demonstrate the ability to present and fill out tables that make connections between the pharaohs' lives and their own. 

Before Reading

Introduce
Explain that the story they'll read is about mummies and ancient Egypt. Say that it's based on true facts and is therefore a non fiction story. 

Remind the class that part of the value of studying mummies is learning how people lived in ancient Egypt. Have them underline any details that gives clues about the lives of the ancient Egyptians. 

Elicit Prior Knowledge and Build Background
Ask students if they have ever read anything about the pyramids, or even if they have visited pyramids. Discuss what it would be like to have been alive during the time that they were built. 

Skim and Scan
Have students turn to the contents page. Tell them that a contents page shows where they might find information on a particular subject within the book. 

Have students find the word resin on page 9.
Ask: Where might we find the meaning of this word? 

Have students find the glossary by looking up the page number in the contents page.
Ask them to find the word and read the meaning from the glossary. 

Have students read through the rest of the words and meanings in the glossary.
Ask: Are there any words here you are unsure of?
Discuss any questions students bring up. 

During Reading

Set the Purpose
Introduce the worksheet. Explain to students what the worksheet requires them to do.

Say: You will need to read the text "Mummies" and then fill in the spaces on this worksheet. You will need to make comparisons with your own favorite things as you read. It may be easiest to read a chapter and fill in the area relating to that chapter as you go.

Hand out the books and have students read quietly at their own pace. 

After Reading

Building Comprehension
Go over the process for making a mummy. Have students discuss each step as you go over the details carefully. 

To check for understanding and review vocabulary at any time after reading, you might ask:

• How did the ancient Egyptians preserve bodies?
• Where did they bury their dead?
• Why did they make mummies?
• Who is the most famous mummy in the world?
• Are the Egyptians the only ones who made mummies? 

Word Work
Adjectives and Adverbs
Explain to students that adjectives are words describing nouns. They add to the meanings of people, places, or things by modifying their function or appearance. 

Explain to students that adverbs are words describing verbs. They change some part of an action and typically end in the suffix -ly. 

Multiple Definitions
Explain that some words, like bright, have more than one meaning. These meanings are usually related in some way, although their usage might be slightly or extremely different. 

Learning through Visual Devices
Order and Timelines
Ask students to write down all the steps that a mummy goes through from death to the afterlife. Have them describe in their own words what is necessary for each step. The table on page 11 is useful but does not contain all the steps or cover the entire process. 

Writing Link
Take time to compare any details of the ancient ways with the modern ones.
Have students choose one topic from the story to research further. They may need to visit the library or use the Internet. Write up their findings in a format similar to the story. 

Assessment

• Review students' completed comprehension worksheets to assess whether they understood the reading.
• Have students write sentences or paragraphs using selected words from the vocabulary list or word work lists to demonstrate their understanding of word meanings.
• Assess students' knowledge of adverbs, adjectives, and vocabulary.