First Few Weeks of Middle Ages Lesson Plans

I like having my science lesson plans (quick note style) on here that I am posting my Middle Ages lesson plans as well--at least for the first few weeks.  I find that I don't lose my computer as easily as my scribbler.  Quite helpful.

Middle Ages Day One:

• Go to Julie's house and have a medieval feast and give the kids tunics and necklaces with color/animal heraldic symbolism and import.  (I'll post pics of how this went later.)

Day Two:

• Go over the 7 Knightly Virtues and putting on the Whole Armor of God (doesn't really need to be capitalized but thought it added a little something).  This website is my reference: http://chivalrytoday.com/knightly-virtues/.  Make an official pledge sheet to be signed that has a promise to live up to the chivalric code and keep on the armor of God--print on each child's heraldic color with a pic of their animal.

Day Three:

• Read A Street Through Time, Medieval Warfare, pgs 7 - 11 in Story of the Middle Ages (not to be confused with Story of the World of which I'm not a big fan), and pg. 8 of the Atlas of the Medieval World (pretty sure it is my favorite reference book I've ever purchased).  
• start timeline; notebook version (550 Slav People; 589 China Reunited)
• color map of Roman Empire split

Day Four:

• Read Story of the Middle Ages pgs. 11-16, carefully look over map on page 16 and Atlas of the Medieval World pg. 10, The Byzantine Empire pgs. 1-26.
• Show kids pics of Kami's mosaic bird (my sister Kami used to make mosaic art using little pieces of foil.  I literally couldn't watch her painstakingly spread out the foil--I can't handle detail oriented stuff like that.  I did, however, let her unwrap my Easter candy so I wouldn't wreck the foil.  I'm a nice sister like that.)
• start mosaic project
• draw picture on plain paper
• pick out cardstock
• draw pic on cardstock
• pick paint sample colors
• glue on paint samples to make mosaic

Day Five:

• Read The Byzantine Empire pgs. 27 - end.
• read any books I can find on Byzantine architecture (do any of you know of any good books??  I'm having a hard time finding one)/Hagia Sophia
• Read Iggy Peck, Architect
• on graph paper, design a building
• Talk about Attila the Hun

Day Six:

• look at Atlas of the Medieval World pgs. 8-9
• Read:
• Story of the Middle Ages pgs. 19 - 29
• The Elephant from Baghdad
• 10 Kings/Queens Who Changed the World, "Charlemagne"
• "The Song of Roland," pg 35 in Favorite Medieval Tales (maybe read as bedtime story)
• Add to timeline
• Fall of Rome
• creation of Holy Roman Empire
• Byzantine Empire

Day Seven:

• Read:
• Atlas of the Medieval World pgs. 12-13, 16-17, 18-19
• Muhammad by Demi
• Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns
• I am Muslim
• Facts About Islam
• book about domes, if I can find one
• Watch video about approved Islamic foods
• Cook Arabic/Muslim foods; start with dates

Day Eight:

• Read:
• The Genius of Islam
• Watch youtube video, Paradise Found: Islamic Architecture and Arts
• Take a treat to our librarians

Day Nine:

• Color Islamic coloring pages while watching Aladdin

Day Ten:

• Read: 
• The Saxons pgs. 8 - 36
• "Finn Macoul" and "Beowulf" in Favorite Medieval Tales
• go over map--where are the Picts, Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Franks, Visigoths locate
• Color it in on an outline map and make a matching chart 

Day Eleven:

• Read: 
• The Saxons, pgs. 38 - end
• Saint Patrick
• The Man Who Loved Books
• Brendan the Navigator
• Put dates on the timeline

Day Twelve:

• Read:
• Unsolved History pg. 15
• Saint George and the Dragon
• Young Guinevere
• Arthur: High King of Britain, first chapter
• start writing our own King Arthur story/play
• elements of a King Arthur legend:
• magic, quest, fair maiden/hag, monster, justice, honor, chivalry

Day Thirteen:

• Read one story from Stories of Knights and Castles
• Finish writing story/play--practice and get it ready to film

Day Fourteen/Fifteen: finish up, catch up anything we missed, add anything to timeline, work on Arthur

New Art Supplies

Have any of you ever felt like buying the supplies is the easy part of so much of homeschooling?  I can buy the art supplies, no problem.  But then, what to do with them?  I don't know how to create any form of art and I loathe trying.  Seriously, I was the kid in elementary school getting frustrated whenever there was an art or coloring assignment.  Except maps--I love coloring maps because everything is so precise.

I continue to buy the art supplies and let me kids play around with them but every now and again I wish I had the capacity to really teach them something about creating art.

On the bright side, they sure do love their new easels!

First Field Trip 2013: Welding/Metal-Working

 Our first field trip was to a metal-working shop.  It was awesome.  Our host is a jack-of-all-trades and his workshop is a trove of treasures.  He was also extremely pleasant and authentically enjoyed the children.  According to my friend, Julie, who set up the field trip, he's a fantastic primary teacher.

 Emeline was the first child who tried welding.  She wasn't scared at all and kept trying to get a second turn.

Emeline, Cowen, and Eli all tried welding.  I tried to make sure Harriet kept her eyes closed and tried to ignore the risk of bodily harm as she ran up and down the pipes on the floor.  She never fell.

Really, this was interesting stuff and if you know a person who works with metal, I highly recommend you take your kids to visit.


DSCN7802 from Andrea Young on Vimeo.

DSCN7801 from Andrea Young on Vimeo.

Finding and Making Pet Rocks or First Day of School!

And so it begins.  The school year, I mean.