Help prepare kids and teens to get the most out of this exciting exhibit! These educational resources introduce students to skills that archaeologists use in the field, and to ancient Egyptian geography and culture.

  • Photo: Research team member excavates a red granite statue

    The Scientific Method in Undersea Archaeology

    Just as archaeologists believe Cleopatra's Alexandria was flooded, current theory says that during the Ice Age, the Black Sea was an isolated freshwater lake surrounded by farmland that was eventually flooded. This lesson asks students to analyze the scientific method used in studies of the Black Sea. Students will diagram the steps the scientists took to test one of their hypotheses concerning the flooding, and will outline two other hypotheses and the steps taken to test them. They will conclude by writing a research plan for future studies.

  • Photo: Camel in front of pyramids

    Ancient Egypt: Stories and Myths

    Students will examine stories and myths about ancient Egypt through time. First they will learn about the famous modern Egyptian myth about the "curse of the mummy." Then they will investigate ancient Egyptian culture and belief systems, including the influences of geography on the beliefs and customs of the time. They will then explore myths and stories from ancient Egypt. Finally, they will read about and discuss the influences of ancient Egypt and geography on modern Egyptian culture.

  • Photo: A mummified arm

    Where Can You Find a Good Mummy?

    This lesson will introduce students to the places where mummies have been found and the reasons why some cultures mummified their dead. Students will read an article and a Web page about mummies from Egypt and other parts of the world, and they will answer questions about what they have read. They will conclude by writing questions they might ask if they were archaeologists looking for additional mummies.

  • Photo: Statue of Egyptian Pharaoh Ti

    Ancient Worlds Workshop: Egypt

    In this lesson, students will explore the ancient civilization of Egypt. They will learn about the geography of Egypt, and read about daily life in ancient Egypt. Students will conclude by writing letters describing one aspect of life in ancient Egypt that they find interesting.

  • Picture of King Tut&#x27;s mother for story on DNA study that revealed Tutankhamun had malaria

    Unwrapping Mummies

    You are a famous archaeologist who specializes in ancient mummies. You've been asked to study two very different mummies: one from an Egyptian tomb and another from the Andes Mountains in Peru. Use the clues provided by each mummy to decipher who they were, how they died, and what their cultures were like.

  • Photo: Egyptian hieroglyphics

    The Mystery of the Scroll: Ancient Egyptian Culture and Geography

    How have the Egyptians thrived in a land of sand and water for thousands of years? What do the place where people chose to live and the way in which they structure their society around it say about those people? In this lesson students will explore how geographical features, both physical and cultural, of a place can give us insights into the lives of the people who have settled there, with Egypt as the primary example.

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    Mummies: Honoring the Dead

    This lesson will have students think about how their own cultures honor the dead and how some ancient cultures, including the Egyptians, honored their dead through mummification. Students will look at pictures of mummies and write or draw pictures about an imaginary trip to the "mummy room" of a museum.

From National Geographic Magazine

  • Photo: Workers at dawn

    Egyptian Afterlife

    New evidence shows that, human sacrifice helped populate the royal city of the dead.

  • Photo: Desert ruins

    The Black Pharaohs


  • Photo: Egyptian tomb at night

    The King Herself

    What motivated Hatshepsut to rule ancient Egypt as a man while her stepson stood in the shadows? Her mummy, and her true story, come to light.


  • Photo: Underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio

    Franck Goddio

    Franck Goddio explains his drive to keep searching for elements of Cleopatra's life.

  • Photo: Zahi Hawass

    Zahi Hawass

    Zahi is looking for that missing piece of Egypt’s story—the tomb of Cleopatra.

Cleopatra in the News