10/7/10. Science Teacher Ms. Elizabeth Pritchard took her Human Anatomy and Physiology classes to a new level yesterday with a video conference presentation of a Mummy Autopsy.
Presented by frequent Discovery Channel Archeologist Dr. Tiffani Young from Vanderbilt University, Messmer High's Distance Learning Lab was buzzing with the opportunity.
Along with schools from other cities, our students were not only witnesses but were able to interact with the presenter and other students through questions and comments.
Senior DeVonte Gladney described the experience: "The archeologist finds hundreds of mummies every year, usually in South America. The mummies are natural mummies, unlike those we are used to hearing about from Eygpt. A natural mummy is one that wasn't intentionally mummified but instead lasts and is preserved because of the environment where it was buried. An icy climate usually preserves human bodies the best."
Gladney continued: "[During the autopsy the archeologist] realized the mummy (from Peru) was a teen, 16-19 years old. He was probably a warrior based on the weapons she found buried beside the body. She also found a big puncture wound within the bones...and very dark brown spots she said was blood."
Ms. Pritchard, along with Technology Assistant Sr. Barbara Goertz, provided a great learning-through-technology experience for the Science students.
