Teacher pack
Discover Writing and
Numbers systems in the
Egyptian Sculpture Gallery
About the supplementary schools programme
There is a natural affinity between supplementary schools and the British
Museum’s collection, which spans the history of the world’s cultures.
The overarching objective of the supplementary schools programme is to provide
teachers, students and their families with the opportunity to have the best
experience of the British Museum. The focus is on creating stepping stones to
empower them to become independent museum visitors.
In addition to learning resources, the programme also provides supplementary
schools with exclusive ticket offers to temporary exhibitions and activity weekends,
as well as teacher training opportunities. Please get in touch if you would like to be
added to our mailing list.
We hope you enjoy exploring the Museum through the theme of numeracy and
please come and visit us again soon.
Sian Hunter Dodsworth
Supplementary schools programmes coordinator
shunterdodsworth@britishmuseum.org
How to use this resource
This numeracy resource has been developed in collaboration with supplementary
school teachers and students. It is a self-led trail and is designed to be used
without the support of British Museum staff. It can be used across a range of ages
(though 11–16 years are suggested) and it explores a range of objects from across
the Museum. The resource aims to encourage cross-cultural links, conversations
and an appreciation of real life maths.
The maths topics in the resource explore ideas from across the GCSE syllabus.
There are currently three numeracy resource activities in this series:
 Discover time and distance in the Clocks and Watches Gallery
 Discover writing and number systems in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery
 Discover pattern, symmetry and tessellation in the Islamic world Gallery
Each activity is divided into two parts:
 Part 1 supports students with a general exploration of the gallery
 Part 2 (optional) connects objects from the collection to mathematical
concepts
These activities are designed to be flexible so that groups can use them in any
order.
We welcome feedback and suggestions on how to improve this resource, or
suggestions for future resources. If you have any comments, email Sian at
shunterdodsworth@britishmuseum.org
About this session
This session takes place in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery (Room 4). Students will
develop their understanding of the mathematical concepts of writing and number
systems through group work and object observation.
This session is in two parts:
 Part 1 begins with a general exploration of the gallery
 Part 2 (optional) connects an object from the gallery to a mathematical concept
Students will work through the activity sheets that accompany this teacher pack.
Print a sheet of each part for each student. The session should last between 30
and 60 minutes.
Supplementary schools’ numeracy resource
Teacher pack
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Session outline
Part 1 – Get exploring! (15–25 minutes)
 The session takes place in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery and begins with a
discussion about symbols and their significance in ancient Egypt.
 Task 1: Students explore the gallery and select a sculpture that they like and
copy it – using their body to make its shape.
 Task 2: Students explore and find two different hieroglyphic symbols on the
sculptures and draw them.
Part 1 – Answers
There are no right or wrong answers in Part 1. Students are encouraged to
express their own opinions and creativity as individuals and as part of a group.
Part 2 – Maths skills (15–25 minutes)
 All students are asked to find the Rosetta Stone in the gallery. They must then
read the background information about the object on their activity sheet.
Encourage the students to imagine that they are translators of the ancient
Egyptian language.
 Find an area inside or outside the gallery for the whole group to work through the
maths questions based on this object. Students can work independently, in pairs
or in small groups to work out the answers.
Part 2 – Answers
Task 1
a) KING
b) MUMMY
Task 2
a) 1342, 3244
b)
Key numeracy themes:
decoding, reading and writing numbers
Key vocabulary includes:
sculpture, hieroglyphics, language, translate, decode, number system, decimal
Preparing for your session
 No specific preparation is required for this session but see the web links below if
you would like background information on the activity’s key themes.
 Location: Egyptian Sculpture Gallery (Room 4) on Level 0. Include extra time to
find the gallery when planning your session at the Museum.
Supplementary schools’ numeracy resource
Teacher pack
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Further background information
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian civilisation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Wvw6BivVI
Ancient Egyptian number system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoevycJ1bbY
The Rosetta Stone
British Museum Explore page:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aes/t/the_rosetta
_stone.aspx
British Museum and BBC Radio 4 series A History of the World in 100 objects:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/awwjbIoORUaQXm9LmiTz8A
The Rosetta Stone – Ancient Mysteries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iVkW_nToCc
Following on from your session
 Ask students to write their own messages in hieroglyphs and share them with
other students who must try and to decode them.
 Ask students to practise writing ancient Egyptian numbers and work out simple
calculations.
Supplementary schools’ numeracy resource
Teacher pack
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