Make a model Nile raft

First, look at the video which will show you how important the Nile was to the ancient Egyptians. Look at see how they made some of the earliest boats and what they used them for.

The ancient Egyptians moved goods along the Nile, even blocks for the pyramids. For this they used rafts. The ancient Egyptians made rafts with bundles of reeds they cut from the river banks.

Make a model of this. Get a bag of pet bedding from a pet shop. It has long strands of dried grass in it. Pull out a handful and tie the grass together in several places using cotton thread.

Make several bundles like this. Now put the bundles side by side and tie them together to make a raft.

Put the raft in a bowl of water. It should float. Now add pieces of Plasticine shaped to be like the blocks of stone used to make pyramids. How many pieces can you add before the raft goes under water?