Apple Mummies
Grades: Intermediate
Summary: If you aren't into mummifying chickens, here is an alternative.
In addition to mummifying a chicken, I have had my children each do an apple. We begin with each child bringing their own apple, cool whip, and Tupperware type container which will hold the apple but not be too large. They also bring a quarter which will help cover the cost of the "natron".
I begin by washing each apple and weighing it on the gram scale the science teacher has. We then rank each apple by weight and put it on a graph. Then we core the apple (teacher does it) and re-weigh each one.
Then I have the following materials ready to be mixed:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup all-fabric dry powdered bleach whose main ingredient is
sodium carbonate
1/4 cup salt (regular or Kosher)
Mix it all together. Basically bury the apple in the container, making sure there is "natron" under the apple, inside it and all around it. Cover tightly. Check a couple of apples every few days. It can take up to two weeks for the apples to mummify. The first time I did it, it took about three weeks for we were having a lot of damp weather and it just did not help dry things out.
This "natron" could also be used with the chicken as it will break down the fats and oils in the bird more than plain salt will.
Submitted by: Linda Sallee lsallee@email-removed
Be sure to check out the "Chicken Mummies" lesson.
