2nd Grade Class Visits the Boy Pharaoh–King Tut

The following is a journal-style entry by Lori Cunyus, second grade teacher at Regents Academy.

Regents Academy 2nd grade students and parents recently travelled to Houston to visit the archaeological find of the century– King Tut’s tomb!

Several children had trouble sleeping the night before their trip. Others awoke early and wanted to know if it was time to leave. Excitement was in the air as students travelled to the Museum of Fine Arts early last Thursday morning.

Mrs. Cunyus’ 2nd grade class has been studying Ancient Egypt and all were eager to see all of the golden objects, the enormous statuary, the mysterious Pharaoh mummy and other amazing treasures straight from the history books. Everyone found something to fascinate; diminutive statues that were supposed to gain purpose as servants in the after-life, the stone toilet seat, a single mustachioed likeness of a royal, the box that once contained a royal cat mummy, the long escalator to the museum’s 2nd floor– or maybe it was the golden glittering gift shop where everyone found something to take home as a memento of the day.

“At first I was scared,” admitted one second grader, whose thoughts were echoed by a few others who wondered if the much-discussed mummy was real. One student decided to skirt the room where the boy Pharaoh (an exact replica) was on display for all to see. Students gazed in wonder at the golden finger and toe tip covers and the large, flat, gold sandals that covered the boys’ small kingly feet. The exhibit presented theories about his wounded knee and whether it caused his early demise. Nearby several other museum guests smiled at the children as they excitedly discussed the legendary “curse of King Tut”.

Museum docent, James told the group that the exhibit would travel from Houston to Australia and then head back to Cairo, Egypt. There are no plans to take this world treasure back on tour. This was likely the only chance these young people will ever have to see the most famous archaeological find in the world–Howard Carter’s 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

Back in class the students wrote in their journals, documenting their thoughts and experiences. Additionally, Mrs. Cunyus’ second grade class has made mummies and sarcophagi, Egyptian paddle dolls, falcon crests, and other artistic projects relating to their studies. Soon they will decorate their own golden falcon breast plates with jewels and hieroglyphics.

And so the 2nd grade adventure continues at Regents Academy.