Week 7: Hieroglyphics

This week, I only had the 3rd and 4th graders, since we had a field trip during the younger kids' art time. So I took the opportunity to do something more challenging that I might not attempt with younger kids.

I had the kids translate their name into Egyptian hieroglyphics and then make a golden cartouche. There are many websites out there that have good alphabet charts. Here is one really good one:

http://johnmactaggart.com

I spent a lot of time talking about how this alphabet is really a phonic alphabet and that each child's name is really made up of sounds, that might not be the same as the letters. For example, my name "Dennis" is drawn with only one N symbol. I gave each child a handout that showed each sound and the pictogram. Some letters, like many vowels, have several different pictures based on if it is a long or short vowel. Also, letters like J and G share similar pictures.

I was very impressed with the ability of the kids to figure out how to translate their names.

The second step was to draw, in pencil, the pictograms onto a paper cartouche handout I gave them. They then transfered this to a piece of gold foil paper and colored it with multi-colored sharpie pens. All that was left was to cut it out, paste it onto some blue paper and then maybe add some glitter glue.