Make Your Own Mummy

Mummies aren't found in ice only. The Egyptians made mummification an art. Your students can, too. They can watch the process work on a plain old apple.

What You Need

* an apple

* a paring knife

* a plastic margarine tub with a lid

* a marking pen

* labels

* a plant mister full of water

* table salt

What to Do

1. Slice the apple into four equal sections with the paring knife.

2. Put an apple slice in the tub number 1. Put the lid on tightly, and label the tub Dry, No Salt.

3. Put an apple slice in tub number 2, and spray both the inside of the tub and the apple slice with five shots of water. Put the lid on tightly, and label the tub Wet, No Salt.

4. Roll a third apple slice in salt, and put it in tub number 3. Put the lid on tightly, and label the tub Dry, With Salt.

5. Roll a fourth apple slice in salt, and put it in tub number 4. Spray both the inside of the tub and the apple slice with five shots of water. Put the lid on tightly, and label the tub Wet, With Salt.

6. In your notebook, write what you predict will happen over time to each of the four apple slices.

What Happens?

Leave the apple slices in their tubs for about a week. Then check the four slices every day for the next several weeks. Describe in your notebook the condition of each slice every day. Compare your predictions with your recorded results. Do your predictions and results differ? If so, how? What can you say about the effect of dry and wet conditions on the apple slices?