Sixth-grade students in Denise Graham’s class show some of the items they created and displayed in their own museum of ancient Egypt. Denise Graham’s sixth-grade students at Park Avenue Elementary School in the Amityville Public School District culminated their studies of Egypt with a unique project that allowed the students to creatively express what they had learned, and then share their knowledge with other students and staff members.

To begin their studies, students visited the Egypt Room at the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport. Graham required them to research and prepare a creative project. While some students chose to construct pyramids, others created board games modeled after Egyptian recreational customs or wrote and illustrated magazines depicting ancient Egyptian fashion. For the presentation of their projects, students collectively put their work on display in their own little museum, having been inspired by the Vanderbilt trip and a Q & A with the curator. Graham created mock job applications and conducted interviews of those students who wished to work as tour guides for the many student and staff visitors of their Egyptian museum.

Students at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School visited the museum of ancient Egypt created by Denise Graham’s sixth-grade classes. “None of this would have been possible without the wonderful work of the students, the cooperation and assistance given by my colleagues, and the support of our building administrators,” stated Graham.