Ancient Egypt was an early example of a massive civilization spanning thousands of years. Sal explains this history in an overview.

Learn about visual and performing artists. They often use their creativity to raise their voices and share lessons, stories, and important ideas with the world. In this episode of The Creative Corner, two artists from Richmond, Virginia help us explore how art sparks crucial conversations. Public artist Hamilton Glass shares how (and why) he gathered a group of artists to paint murals with a message all across the city after some challenging current events, and musician Victor Haskins talks about storytelling as human nature — and why sound and performance tell stories so well. Then you’re invited to share your own voice through a poster project!

Learn about art and the five senses. A lot of art is made to be seen — but what if you could touch, hear, and even smell works of art? In this episode, host Lauren Paullin shows you how to mix paints that smell like pastries and transform sounds into sketches. You'll also learn about a fascinating condition called synesthesia, which links multiple senses together in the brain so that some people can taste music, hear color, and smell words! Developed for students in grades 4- adults.

Student teams use their knowledge about ancient Egypt to design playgrounds for Egyptian children. This involves brainstorming ideas on paper, building models with LEGO® bricks or other materials, and explaining their ideas to the class in five-minute presentations.

Who were the ancient Egyptians? Explore objects from ancient Egypt to discover how the Egyptians lived and what they believed in this Interactive Exploration featuring works of art from the VMFA's collection.

This resource consists of background information on Egyptian geography and climate, Egyptian life and society, role of the pharaoh, the purposes of ancient art, the role of scribes, hieroglyphics, the afterlife and mummification, Nubia (Egypt's southern neighbor), comparisons/contrasts to art from other parts of Africa, and a discussion on the legacy of Egyptian art (Egyptomania).

Woven throughout the informational narrative are several different types of looking, thinking and learning activities, all of which call on students' observation and critical thinking skills as they closely examine selected art and artifacts. Reflection questions that encourage deep thinking are featured, along with clickable popups on images that further explain Egyptian art and society. Activities like "Look At This," "What's the Story," "Be the Scribe," will bring student engagement, reflection, and critical and creative thinking to any ancient Egypt lesson!

Who were the Hittites, and why was iron so important to them? Sal covers the history of the Hittite Empire, a civilization in Asia Minor that was among the first peoples to master ironworking. Iron tools, weapons, and chariots gave the Hittites a decisive advantage in combat, and it enabled them to conquer and hold territory.

This art history video discussion looks at a "House Altar" depicting Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Three of their Daughters, limestone, New Kingdom, Amarna period, 18th dynasty, c.1350 BCE (Agyptisches Museum/Neues Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin).

The Ancient Egyptians used a naturally-occurring salt from the banks of the Nile River, called natron, to mummify their dead. Natron is made up primarily of sodium carbonate (a very efficient, but relatively expensive, dehydrating material), with about 17% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). This activity explains how to create your own fish mummy using common baking soda!

This art history video discussion examines the "Rosetta Stone", 196 B.C.E., granite (British Museum, London).

This art history video discussion looks at "The Seated Scribe"‚ c. 2620-2500 B.C.E., c. 4th Dynasty, Old Kingdom, painted limestone with rock crystal, magnesite, and copper/arsenic inlay for the eyes and wood for the nipples, found in Saqqara (Musee du Louvre, Paris).

This art history video discussion looks at Thutmose's "Model Bust of Queen Nefertiti", New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, c. 1340 BCE, limestone and plaster (Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection/Neues Museum, Berlin).