Our Journey Westward » History

Middle Ages Study

Cindy — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:00:53 +0000

While Mahaya (9th grade) stays busy with Romans, Reformers and Revolutionaries, Caleb (6th grade) and I chose to enjoy a shorter, simpler unit study about the Middle Ages.

His “spine” curriculum was the Middle Ages lapbook from In the Hands of a Child. Since Caleb really hates handwriting, I tried the “Type It In” version where he was able to use a computer to type his writings into the mini-books and then print them out. It was nice to use for a change, but I still prefer the write-in version. (The typing didn’t always line up with the lines, the folds didn’t always work with the typing space, and you had to print immediately or all typing would be lost.)

I like to staple additional worksheets we complete on one side of our lapbooks. You’ll notice the map from Japan in the lower right photo. Under the map are other papers such as a research assignment comparing knights to samurai and a labeled diagram of a knight’s armor.

We added in several creative lessons, too. In one of those (below), Caleb had set up a feudal system and was distributing (and redistributing) M&M’s to see how the feudal system worked.

Be sure to check out these freebies for the M&M feudal system activity and LOTS more:

This 15 page unit for 6th graders supplied several great ideas and quiz questions for everything Middle Ages.

This 41page unit for 8th graders has a great lesson on comparing knights to samurai, as well as LOTS of other meaty lesson ideas.

A very visual Armor of God lesson fit in perfectly.

We played Medieval Alliance, a game I reviewed for The Curriculum Choice last summer. {I love when fun and learning walk alongside each other!}

Caleb enjoyed some online fun, too.

Lego Online Castle Adventure

Create Your Own Online Coat of Arms

And we enjoyed books galore! Some we read together, some were assigned, some were history mysteries to solve, and some were books on CD…what a great way to learn! (Sorry, these are in no particular order.)

Armor of God Object Lesson

Cindy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:01:44 +0000

On Fridays, I attempt to plan a simple object lesson to go along with Bible study. Since we have been studying knights of the Middle Ages lately, I thought a lesson on the Armor of God made a nice tie-in.

The lesson is quick, but powerful.

Materials:

two oranges
a glass bowl large enough for two oranges to be completely submerged
water
Bible

Read Ephesians 6:10-17

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Talk about what each piece of armor stands for and how it helps us stand against the devil.

Ask your children to pretend to put on each piece of armor as you discuss how that particular piece might help them throughout their day.

Place both oranges in the bowl with their “armor” on. (In other words, keep the skin on both oranges.) Talk about how the oranges are floating, or “standing firm” in the water.

Little by little, begin peeling away some of the “armor” (skin) of one of the oranges. You might peel off a chunk and say something like, “Uh oh, this orange forgot to put on his belt of truth. When someone says something ugly about him today, he might believe it. If he believes that lie, instead of the truth that he’s wonderfully made, he might not stand as firm in the water.” Place the orange back in the water and notice that, although it doesn’t sink completely, it begins dipping further in the water than the orange still wearing all its armor.

Continue on this way, peeling back a little at a time, talking about a new piece of armor the orange forgot to put on, talking about how that might affect his day, and then placing the orange in the water to see it sink more and more each time.

By the time you remove all of the armor, the orange will completely sink. It is not able to “stand” at all.

Challenge your children to think purposefully each day about putting on each piece of armor. Maybe you could even pretend to put on each piece together every morning. When I purposefully try to put on my own armor, I know I’m able to stand more firmly against the devil’s wily schemes. I bet kids can, too!

I {heart} History Revealed

Cindy — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:23:42 +0000

(Understanding the challenges of creating an accurate flat map when the world is round. Balloon mapping activity, Chapter 1, Romans, Reformers and Revolutionaries.)

Aaahhh! We’ve been back into Diana Waring’s History Revealed curriculum for about a month and history just “feels” right again! We used Ancient Civilizations and the Bible last year and LOVED it.

{See those posts below:}

Anyway, I got sidetracked with glittery (and less expensive) things this year. We literally bumped and plodded through history daily feeling both overwhelmed and disjointed. I made a simple little comment on this post about one resource I wish I had and cyber friend, Melissa, offered Romans, Reformers and Revolutionaries to me at a discounted price! The happy dance started with me and moved on through my daughter as soon as she found out we would be back into her beloved curriculum. We’ve finally found something that “fits” and I was silly to try anything else.

In fairness, I ought to mention that this curriculum isn’t for everyone! We are a unit study, project-based, literature-based lovin’ family. I had to sit down with one close friend to walk her through the curriculum and how to go about it without feeling overwhelmed or spending an entire year on one chapter. There’s a lot of possibility in each chapter and you have to have the guts to pick and choose from the many, many ideas and activities.

For me, that’s what I love. I love having really good information to start with and then activity & project ideas that reach into every subject and every learning style. Top that with a list of the best of the best literature/non-fiction suggestions and it fits us like a glove. Joy.

I’ve made one or two other changes this year in our curriculum plan, too. You might like to see the most current list here.

Renaissance Festival

Cindy — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:14:45 +0000

I’ve wanted to attend the Ohio Renaissance Festival for years. Since this is our last medieval history cycle with Mahayla (boo hoo), visiting the festival was now or never. What a fun experience! (A little gypsy-like at times, but fun nonetheless.)

We attended on their special school/homeschool day. While I didn’t like dealing with the loads of middle and high school students who were forced by their teachers to unload from the yellow school bus (it was very obvious from their behavior that many of them didn’t want to be there – shameful!), it seemed as if “adult” weekends could’ve given us even more fits.

In spite of the “real” teacher in me coming out a few times to rebuke some of the unsupervised public school kids, we still enjoyed the sights, sounds and performances.

My children and hubby were trained as medieval warriors. I think they're ready to go to battle!

This one's really ready for war. I think his tactic is to make the enemy melt from the sweetness on his face.

Sword fighting was one of Caleb's two favorite things to see.

Leonardo DaVinci (at 39) told us all about himself and his inventions/art.

William Shakespeare shared about his life as a playwright.

Queen Elizabeth shared about her life before and after becoming queen.

Or wait, maybe this was Queen Elizabeth?

Craftsmen were sharing their trades (and selling their wares - quite expensively.)

Musicians made beautiful music.

A little lesson in Renaissance art fit in perfectly.

We even found pirates!

This one had to be rescued!

Everyone's favorite - a real jousting session!

And as we were leaving, we found Excalibur. I wonder where King Arthur was?

An Interview with Diana Waring

Cindy — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:00:58 +0000

How lucky am I? As part of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s 1st ever Blog Hop, I have the honor of hosting an interview with Diana Waring!

Many of you will remember how I went on an on about her History Revealed: Ancient Civilizations and the Bible curriculum last year. Sorry, but it was truly THAT good! For those of you who missed all the rave, my posts are referenced below for you.

But on to Diana…Do you know who Diana Waring is? She’s a veteran homeschooler, author of the (wonderful) History Revealed series published by Answers in Genesis, and author of two very encouraging books: Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling
and Reaping the Harvest: The Bounty of Abundant-Life Homeschooling. She believes “the key to education is relationship” and this idea drips from every one of her publications. She encourages joyful school time through meaningful activities and real discussions that lead to abundant homeschooling (and a life) that honors our Lord. Whether you read one of her books, use her curriculum or hear her speak, you will feel the excitement and passion she has for lifelong learning.

Now on to the interview!

What’s your favorite era in history? Would you want to live during that time?

Thank you for asking! This is one of those questions that always makes me smile, because my favorite era in history tends to be the one I am currently studying! In this case, however, I have just finished months of researching and writing about WWI and WWII—which is definitely NOT my favorite era in history.

To answer your question, though, I would have to say that for myself, I find it easy to romanticize a time period and overlook the difficulties and challenges people living during that era faced. For instance, I’ve often dreamed of what it would have been like to be one of the women who followed Jesus, supporting His ministry, hearing His teaching. Can you imagine hearing the Sermon on the Mount in person? Wow! However, I must say that I’m really thankful to not live under Roman occupation! And what an incredible gift it is to have antibiotics, frozen food, cheap books, and store-bought clothing readily available!! This is what I have realized about every time period in every place on earth—there have been and are amazing blessings and stunning challenges for each of us throughout history.

Why should we teach our children about history?

When I began homeschooling my children in the mid-1980s, there was a lot of fear of “what the world was coming to,” the nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the U.S., and the explosive events occurring in the Middle East. I had Christian friends who were choosing to not have children because they were so concerned about what was happening in the world. And, to top it off, I come from a long line of worriers. . .first class worriers! So, it was with much fear and trembling that I set off on the journey of parenting and homeschooling.

In 1992, as we settled into our new home in South Dakota, I began reading a book on world history to my kids, A Child’s History of the World, by Edward Hillyer. He was an engaging and interesting writer, but as I entered the chapter on ancient Egypt, I began to wonder why he wasn’t mentioning anything about Joseph, Moses or the Exodus. It was through my digging and researching that I began to get more and more perspective on the connection between events described in the Bible and what was taking place in these ancient cultures. It was so astonishing to begin to see the panorama, and to begin to recognize God’s heart for these different places and people, that one day I realized that God had been utterly faithful and perfectly on-time throughout each era I had studied. In pondering that, my own fears for the present were suddenly seen in light of God’s faithfulness in history. He truly is the same, yesterday, today and forever. So why was I so worried???

That was one of the major watershed events of my life. Seeing God’s faithfulness throughout history changed my outlook so completely, it brought such hope, faith and perseverance to my personal trials, that I began to share with others the extraordinary benefit of studying history with an eye to God’s works, His ways, and His Word. Honestly, that is one of the most compelling reasons I know to not only study history, but to dig into it together, sharing, discussing and considering it as a family.

Do you have any advice for parents who are homeschooling teens?

Yes! Enjoy them. That is simple to say, but more challenging to do.

As homeschoolers, we have invested SO much time, energy, and prayer into our kids, along with experiencing large doses of frustration and pulling-our-hair-out episodes. We have tried our best to care for them, protect them, lead them, teach them, guide them, nurture them. We have tried to teach them to get up in the morning, make their beds, brush their teeth, speak kindly to others, be respectful, work hard, be diligent, finish well, and take out the trash. We want them to love God, love us, love their siblings, and wait for the right person to marry. We have high hopes and tired bodies.

And then our little ones become teenagers. They have their own ideas, they are finding their own identities, they need their own space, they like weird clothes, they eat the leftovers without asking, and they growl at you on the way to hibernating in their cave. They want to talk to you at 11:30 p.m., just as you are wearily going to bed, and their ongoing middle-of-the-night conversations take hours.

It’s hard to not become exasperated. It’s difficult to find perspective. It was for us, anyway. We wondered what on earth had happened to our sweet, helpful kids. . . And, of course, as a homeschool mom, I assumed that I had done everything WRONG!! Fortunately for me, my husband began to recognize that they were going through that transition time from childhood to adulthood, which includes dramatic mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual changes. It was like watching a chrysalis as the butterfly begins to emerge—though the process is agonizingly longer.

So, again, my advice would be to enjoy them. Laugh together (reading funny books out loud helps!), play together, listen to them, encourage them. Set appropriate boundaries about appropriate issues, but do so with tremendous grace and kindness and love, remembering you were once in their shoes. And pray without ceasing.

Thank you so much, Diana, for sharing your refreshing wisdom (and time)! What a pleasure it will be to meet you in person someday!

And guess what? There’s a giveaway!

Just because you stopped by to learn more about Diana, I have a giveaway for you! One person will win a one-year digital subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine AND one person will win a digital copy of the Schoolhouse Planner.

All you have to do is comment on this post for a chance to win. You can earn another chance to win if you “like” and leave a comment on my Facebook page.

You only have until Saturday, October 1st to enter. Hurry!

Rules: Must be 18 or older to enter and provide a valid email address. TOS employees, contractors, product reviewers, and Crew members are not eligible to enter. Winners will be notified via email within two days of the close of the contest.

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Be sure to visit the entire TOS Blog Hop!

Each blog taking part has a giveaway to offer! During the duration of the Blog Hop, there will be daily giveaways on the Homeschooling With Heart Blog, too! Oh, and everyone who stops by will receive a free Ana Lyze 9-Pack Bundle!

No related posts.

Cleopatra Exhibit

Cindy — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:22:16 +0000

Every once in a while, blogging has nice perks. As a blogger in the Greater Cincinnati area, my children and I were invited to tour the traveling exhibit, Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt, at the Cincinnati Museum Center. We just so happened to be finishing up Ancient Greek history and moving into Ancient Roman history. Can you believe the perfect timing? (Thank you, Lord!)

If you live in the area and have children upper elementary and older, it’s a super exhibit! Two archaeologists have unearthed amazing artifacts that have been buried under land and sea for nearly 2,000 years in the area of Alexandria where Cleopatra once ruled. On the self-guided tour, you’re supplied with a listening device that acts as a “tour guide” as you press numbers relating to the displays. The listening device allows each person to go through the exhibit at their own pace, listening to a new bit of info (1-3 minutes worth) only when ready. So, those who want to take more time to read signs, observe artifacts, or view a short film aren’t hindered by the rest of the tour group.

The artifacts are outstanding! At the same time, remembering that the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans were idol worshipers, there are a lot of artifacts relating to idols and idol worship. This is all part of the history. As uncomfortable as it made me to view a giant statue which people of the time bowed to in worship, it only served to strengthen my trust in the Lord knowing that He would never be found buried and partly eroded at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea!

It wasn’t all idols, though! There were beautiful examples of hieroglyphics, ancient jewels, Egyptian, Greek and Roman coins, architecture, Egyptian canopic jars and much more. There were also short films highlighting the archaeological digs, legends of the time, and how Cleopatra has been immortalized throughout history.

The exhibit takes you through the life of Cleopatra, one major event at a time. So, in one area, you learn about her culture, then move into a section highlighting her relationship with Julius Caesar. Mark Antony and all the tumultuous events surrounding their relationship and the political situations are covered in the next area. Finally, you learn how her life ended and how her legend lives on. With Cleopatra’s life revolving around selfish gain, power, scandal and affairs, the exhibit is not suited for younger ears and eyes. I was fine with my 5th grader taking part, but we talked about the sticky issues later.

The entire tour only took us a little more than an hour. At $23 for adults and $15 for children, it’s pretty costly for the time spent. However, hoemschoolers can save $4.00 per ticket using the code found HERE. And, for a small additional fee (you’d have to call to find out exact prices), you can get an all-museum pass and spend the rest of the day visiting the:

Children’s Museum with a ball factory, water play area, indoor treehouse and dramatic play areas
Cincinnati History Museum that takes you on a WONDERFUL tour of history from WWII back through the time of the Native Americans
Museum of Natural History and Science that has some really good points BUT is VERY evolutionary at the same time
Union Terminal which is what the entire building used to be – an old-fashioned train station

We had a great day and are very thankful for the invitation! Let me know if you have a chance to visit the exhibit. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

Ancient Greece

Cindy — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:00:45 +0000

As much as we’ve been enjoying Ancient Civilizations and the Bible this year, we (especially Caleb – 5th grade) needed a little break from the typical plan of study – and lapbooking was the answer!

I found a FREE and truly WONDERFUL lapbook on Homeschool Share written by Jodi Small on the topic of Ancient Greece. Because I was in a hurry on planning day, I didn’t take the time to copy everything on pretty colored paper.

Ancient History Helps

Cindy — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:15:58 +0000

We’re more than half-way through our study of ancient history using Ancient Civilizations and the Bible by Diana Waring. As we’ve gotten to know the curriculum, I’ve found a few things to be extremely useful in helping my children “see” and understand the material. By no means are they necessary in order to complete the program, but they’ve proven to make the difference in understanding, especially for my 5th grader.

A visual Bible timeline has helped us make connections between what was going on in the Bible during the growth of major world civilizations discussed in the text. This one is not exactly like the one below, but looks very similar.

We were lucky enough to stumble upon all the Unfolding History: Ancient World History wall timelines at a curriculum sale a few years ago. I’m not sure if these are still available, but I did find a store that seems to carry them. They have been helpful in visually placing certain people and events with certain civilizations, and in helping us see that several civilizations were growing at once.

A world map is very important for putting civilizations and travels in perspective. This one is about the same size as ours and I’ve found the large size to be of great value.

And finally, since mapping is a large part of each unit, I’ve found this book great for giving my children the physical and political viewpoints necessary for completing the assignments. Not just any atlas includes specific Bible/ancient history maps right in one easy-to-find place, but this one has included everything we’ve need so far for mapping research – and the maps are in color.

We’re still loving history this year. I’m wondering if any of you have experience with the next book in the series, Romans, Reformers and Revolutionaries? I have to be honest, the curriculum is more expensive than what I usually spend (especially considering that I usually design my own history units!) I’m feeling the urge to design my own again next year to save money. Please share your thoughts!

Ancient Israel

Cindy — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:00:26 +0000

The history of Ancient Israel is now under our belts! I have to admit that I swerved from the textbook a tad during this unit to add several hands-on ideas that I simply couldn’t pass up from Old Testament Days. This unit study guide is perfect for active learning!

Below you’ll find a mixture of ideas that came from Diana Waring’s suggestions in Ancient Civilizations and the Bible and the additional ideas from Old Testament Days.

Maps of the wilderness camp around the Tabernacle were drawn.

Unleavened bread (that's already been nibbled on) was yummy!

Personalized seals were made from Sculpey clay.

Salt-dough maps of the Promised Land were fun to make and paint!

Here's another salt-dough map and some fun oil lamps made from Sculpey clay.

Both kiddos had a research paper to write. Mahayla's was on the topic of ancient trade routes and the key location of Israel. Caleb's report was about Israel's neighbors, the Phoenicians.

Favorite Games

Cindy — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:18 +0000

During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule. The question that always follows is, “Which games are your top picks for each subject?” So, for the record, I’m posting some of my favorites for various subjects. Since this is the Christmas gift season, some of these games might be good choices for secretly educational gifts!

You’re gonna think I’ve gone widget crazy!!!! However, this was the simplest and easiest way to put together a post with photos rather than just writing a long and boring list.

I would love to hear about some of your favorite games! We’re always up for something new!