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Tina Robertson

5 Steps to Choosing Geography Living Books Your Children Will Love

March 23, 2017 | 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

To understand how to use a geography living books, you need to step back first and get to the nitty-gritty of what is geography and what is a living book. Both definitions need to intersect.Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Visualizing what geography is can have some kids (and moms) moaning because they may think it means just drawing or labeling maps (snore).

Contrary to what some people think, geography is not just a study of maps. That field is cartography.

5 Steps to Choosing Geography Living Books Your Children Will Love! Grab this 5 point checklist so that you choose books that are engaging and worthwhile to read. Click here to read it!

Geography is so much more, it’s about relationships.

The relationship can be people to places, animals to land, earth to air and people to plants to name a few.

Merging Geography with Living Books

Look at expanding the definition of geography to include:

  • the science of the earth.
  • learning about oceans and any area occupied by water.
  • exploring plant life.
  • investigating animal life.
  • studying what is on the earth, up above, and under the earth like the natural resources.
  • understanding people and how they use their natural resources while highlighting their culture.

Geography is learning about our home, which means geography is a bridge to all other fields of study.

It connects math to science, science to history, math to history, and people to the place they call home.

Next, identifying the features of a living book are equally important. Capturing the definition was Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator.

Many of her principles are valuable and I’ve implemented them in my many years of homeschooling.

And though I do follow more of a unit study method, many Charlotte Mason methods including the use of twaddle-free living books are part of my unit studies.

What is NOT a Living Book

Pulling the definition up close and analyzing (you know I like the details), it helps sometimes to understand what is not a living book.

Look at these things that are not traits of a living book:

  • A textbook.
  • A dry factual book.
  • Any book created for the sole purpose of meeting today’s educational standards.
  • A book that is dumbed-down meaning that it was intentionally simplified to appeal to more people.
  • It means an unabridged version, but not always. It’s  something I look at, however, when judging the value of a book.
  • It doesn’t always mean it’s a classic, but a lot of times it does.
  • And contrary to some popular beliefs, it’s not always a book where a child feels like he can escape to another place. A romance novel can do that, but that doesn’t mean one that exploits sexual fantasy is a good choice for reading.

The Power of Geography Living Books

Look at these things that are tell-tale signs of a living book.

  • Opposite a textbook is a book written by an author that is passionate about the subject. He either is knowledgeable about the subject because it could be his lifework or it’s personal experience.
  • Instead of presenting dry hard facts, a reader is drawn in through a story, which is always the best way of remembering any set of facts.
  • Instead of writing to meet national standards, a writer may unintentionally offend the politically correct view or standard. Not that we are looking for shock value in a book when we allow our kids to read books that do. But we are opening windows in their mind and stimulating their imagination. This can’t be done when all the thinking is done for a child. However, one common weave is the power to influence children in a positive way.
  • Too, it’s not that we don’t want to embrace the modern world, but older books were written at a time when stunning imagery engages the memory and makes the words memorable.

5-Point Checklist: Geography Living Books

Armed with these two sets of ideals, merging them is essential before you can evaluate if a book is a geography living book.

Look at this 5-point checklist, which gives you a beginning point.

ONE. It should be written in a narrative format.

Like history, which should be written in a narrative format about the people and places your child wants to learn about.

Geography should also be written by a good story-teller who unfolds his plot.

TWO. Emphasis is on the author’s knowledge and enthusiasm.

Instead of textbooks written based on a survey of monetary gain and approved by review committees because they meet standards, a geography living book is written based on enthusiasm, passion and  personal experiences.

Look for clues in the summary or passage.

For example, V.M. Hillyer wrote one of our favorite geography living books for young children, A Child’s Geography of the World and he states: “As I had been a traveler for many years, had visited most of the countries of the Globe, and in actual mileage had been five times the distance around the World, I thought I would write a geography myself.”

THREE. It should encourage your child to make good choices in life.

In addition, geography living books should encourage a child to think not only about the subject at hand, but to make good choices in his life.

Choosing excellence and goodness should become a practice. Is that a lot to ask for from a geography living book?

Look at this passage from the same book, “There is a saying that “Good fences make good neighbors,” but that depends on the neighbors.” Statements like this leads your child to make conclusions as to the type of person or neighbor he wants to be.

FOUR. Dry and boring repeated abstractions and stats are absent.

Learning dry and boring statistics and repeating abstractions instead of events are things that are absent in a geography living book.

Look again at another passage from A Child’s Geography of the World, “To me, as a child, geography was a bugbear of repellent names – Climate and Commerce, Manufactures and Industries, and products, products, PRODUCTS. Geography was a “stomach” geography; the “head” and “heart” were left out.”

How did geography become just a study of export, import, coloring flags and memorizing barley, rye and wheat as the crops produced by a country? (snooze)

FIVE. It lays a foundation of interest in the world around us and a thirst for knowledge.

Similar to any living book, a geography living book, no matter when it was written is one that is alive and relevant today.

The world changes; facts in an old book, which are not true today doesn’t mean the rest of it is useless.

Instead of viewing that as a roadblock, I view it as an opportunity to probe and investigate. Laying a foundation of interest in the world around us and a thirst for knowledge that a child wants to quench in his lifetime should be the goal of a living book.

Classics have an enduring quality that lasts generations. Think about classics that you read in your childhood or that your parent’s read. I couldn’t wait to share with my children classics like Heidi, Raggedy Ann & Andy and The Story of Ferdinand.

Further, we have an inborn need to communicate and converse with conviction through our words and our vocabulary.

For example, the book, Study Is A Hard Work, which I love, the author remarks, “Mental laziness and limited vocabulary are usually bedfellows in the same brain.”

Rich and colorful vocabulary found in older books adds meaning not only to a study of geography, but makes an impression in a child’s mind.

Encapsulating the definition of a geography living book helps me to not forget what my educational standards are as I continue to homeschool and I hope it helps you too.

More Homeschool Geography Activities

  • 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)
  • 18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids
  • 22 Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

Do you have any favorite geography living books?

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

6 CommentsFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Free Homeschool Resources, Geography Tagged With: geography, homeschool, homeschool subjects, homeschoolgeography, livingbooks

High School Elective:Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics

March 22, 2017 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

High School Elective. A Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics Homeschool High School Curriculum @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
I was given this product for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews,  it usually means that I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.


After just graduating high school, one of my most memorable adventures was staying with friends who lived in Belize. They had just purchased a house and planted trees, which produced the most delicious avocados and mangoes. When night came though, they would have to guard their new orchard as some of the Belizeans would jump the fence and raid their fruit. One local man justified the actions of his fellow countrymen by saying, “The fruit was for the whole of we.” Knowing the history of British influence on the dialect, we all understood the meaning of his reply. Whatever work you did in that country was to benefit the whole country. My friends and I got schooled that night about economics from one local view which was very different than what I learned about high school economics. Economics is about learning the history of what shaped people to think about their system of trading. So I was thrilled when I had the chance to teach my high school teen about economics using Principles and Precepts of Economics from Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum. 

When I learned that Principles and Precepts of Economics course is taught through history, I was hooked. Isn’t that what really affects how people from different countries view the economy? The past history and the present and future goals of a country shape today’s modern world. Look here at the scope and sequence of what each book covers so you can get an overview.

Understanding economics then at the high school level needs to begin with the ideas of the founding fathers and Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC) has done a solid job in presenting a foundation for a country’s trading system while presenting both good and bad ideas.

The course has three components: three soft-cover texts (chapters), three student activity books and a teacher resource book, which we put in a binder for ease of use.

The ease of use for PAC is one of its strongest features for a homeschooled home school teen | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Look at the 15 topics that come in each chapter (soft-cover text) so you can see the key teaching points and how Principles and Precepts of Economics unfolds.

 15 TOPICS STUDIED IN EACH SOFT BOUND (Chapter) TEXT BOOK.
Chapter 1

►Introduction to Economics
1. Defining Economics
2. An Economy Based on Biblical Principles
3. A Bad Experiment
4. Economics and the American Colonies
5. Tyranny of the Crown
►From Revolution to Prosperity
1. Liberty or Death!
2. War!
3. The Constitution and Bill of Rights
4. Land of Opportunity
5. Prosperity vs New Ideologies
►Modern Economic Issues in America
1. The Progressives
2. Change Comes
3. New Economies Part I
4. New Economies Part II
5. Return to Greatness

Chapter 2

►The Early Years – Seeds of Economic Liberty
1. Fleeing Tyranny in England
2. An Economy Based on Biblical Principles
3. A Bad Experiment
4. Economics and the American Colonies
5. Tyranny of the Crown
►From Revolution to Prosperity
1. Liberty or Death!
2. War!
3. The Constitution and Bill of Rights
4. Land of Opportunity
5. Prosperity vs. New Ideologies
►Modern Economic Issues in America
1. The Progressives
2. Change Comes
3. New Economics Part I
4. New Economics Part II
5. Return to Greatness

Chapter 3

►Family Economics
1. Budgets
2. Banking
3. Insurance
4. Investing
5. Government Considerations
►Starting a Small Business
1. Freedom vs. Punching a Clock
2. Personal Interest + Demand = Profit
3. Resources (Help Is Available)
4. Profit and Loss
5. Use It Wisely
►Education and Economic
1. Considerations
2. College
3. Trade Schools
4. Military Service
5. Other Options

As you can see the Chapter 2 book builds on the history of Chapter 1. The Chapter 3 book we really liked too because it gave practical value to learning economics. For example, Mr. Awesome and I had to make some decisions about a 401K in his upcoming job. After covering Chapter 3, Tiny knew what we were talking about because he really liked the sections about family economics and business ownership.

Let me back up first though because Chapter 1 is a fast and surprisingly comprehensive overview of world history including some religious views and some about the background of the Bible.

This was unexpected by us at first because I’ve used curriculum from PAC before and prefer to add in our own worldview. It is easily done by this curriculum.

Too, we understood the context in which those ideas were being introduced. For example, to understand capitalism is to view it through the eyes of the founding fathers. It was based on individual liberty and belief in inalienable rights bestowed by a Creator.

Through the course it was clear that principles, precepts and different theories were going to be introduced. At this age, I’m wanting to be sure Tiny is introduced to other worldviews.

Chapter 1 covers from Ancient history, including Rome to the Awakening to the Middle Ages. As each world power is introduced, vocabulary words and ideologies are explained.

The layout of the book is what makes the books so easy for a middle or high school student to do independently.

Look below at one 2 page layout.

Self-teaching is promoted because everything the student needs to learn is right on the page without researching a lot of external resources.Vocabulary words are clearly defined through simple, but not busy illustrations which makes the teaching points or message memorable.

Another feature Tiny really enjoyed was the use of video throughout the book.

If you don’t know what QR codes are, I know your teen probably does. That was another unexpected very useful interactive tool we liked.

How to Easily Teach High School Economics

You can download the free QR reader scanner here at iTunes. Note this one is for an iPhone. You can also get one for an iPad which we already had downloaded.

Look at these easy directions below.

High School Elective. A Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics Homeschool High using QR codes | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Find the QR code links in the books, use your device to scan the code (tell your teen to clean his screen for the fifteenth time, okay, okay) and then wait for the video to load on your device.This video was one learning about different types of business structures and it was my business-minded teen’s very favorite.

10 Things You Should Know About Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum

Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC) may be a good fit for your family:

►If your high school student prefers to work independently.
►If your middle school student is ready for high school level work.
►If, like me, you need to keep up with high school credit then this is one-half credit (.5) or semester long program.
►If you have a middle school or high school teen that loves history, then he’ll appreciate covering economics from a history slant.
►If you want to use this as an elective or a required course in social studies.
►If you don’t want to use an online high school. Simply choose which subjects you want your child to do and form your syllabus. Grade and track your child’s grades.
►If your teen gets easily overwhelmed with all the clutter in digital only formats, then the clean and simple black and white illustrations keeps the points being taught straightforward and challenging but clear.
►If you want something affordable and prefer to use consumable products.
►If your teen prefers activities like fill in the blank, matching concepts, marking answers true and false and circling the correct answer.
►If you want to still feed your teen’s mind with character building concepts, he’ll savor the tiny nuggets of motivational sayings or Life Principles at the end of each section.

I do have to let you know about a part I didn’t agree with. Understand too that I realize at the high school senior level parents vary about how much control they want over their young adult’s content.

I still very much feel it’s my job to shape my child’s thinking and I’ve always preferred secular resources so that I can instill my own Biblical content.

One the other hand, I’ve never objected to my teens being exposed to conflicting thoughts and views because my job is to prepare my teens for other views. But I want views to stay as that, just opinions or perspectives.

The authors write on the left side column of the page:

Evolution, as it is taught today, has itself evolved since Darwin published his tome; but the book inspired collectivists to promote their theories. While the intention of this course is not to delve deeply into scientific matters, we need to examine the evolution perspective so you can see its impact on public policy, including economics and politics. (Chapter 1, page 43. Bold emphasis mine.)

Then on the right side column of the same page the authors write:

Evolution’s counterpart, creationism, or intelligent design, was (and is today) ridiculed by collectivists as unscientific, and thus unworthy of inclusion in modern science text and classrooms. However the success of capitalism is a strong argument in support of economics based on individual liberty and belief in inalienable rights bestowed by a Creator.

In reality, both evolution and creationism are unprovable, from a purely scientific standpoint. Science observation and experimentation are necessary parts of the scientific method, neither evolution or creationism can be proved scientifically. If creationism is true, nobody alive today was around to watch it happen, and if evolution is true, no one can live millions of years to observe it happening. Likewise if God created everything in the distant past, we cannot recreate that in the lab. Neither can one recreate evolution in science labs. (Chapter 1, page 43. Bold emphasis mine.)

Whether I agree or not if evolution or creationism cannot be proved scientifically, I would have preferred that the second paragraph on the second column above not be included.

I feel this would have been more in line with the authors’ intention of not delving deeply into scientific matters because I want to be the one helping my teen determine our scientific standpoint.

Overall it was an excellent course for the number of lessons covered and that part didn’t hold us back from covering the rest of the very useful and practical information.

Too, I think you’ll love how all of their courses are useful and practical to use. We’ve had an overall positive experience using them. Look at my post where we used Paradigm Accelerated World History Curriculum.

Then don’t forget to use the coupon code below for such a well-laid out course.

Follow Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum.
Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Join their Mailing List

How to purchase it.

►Product Name: Principles and Precepts of Economics. Full course kit which includes texts, activities and teacher’s resource kit.
►Website: Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum – Principles and Precepts of Economics.
►Suitable for grades:
7th to High School.
►Formats:
Print version, audio enhanced and digital download.
►Worldview:
Secular friendly and easy to implement your own worldview.
►Cost: $59.55 print version.

Also, check out 14 Fun and (maybe Frugal) Homeschool High School Electives, Successful Entrepreneur-3 Best Homeschooled Teen Resources and Homeschool High School–How to Log Hours for High School.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

2 CommentsFiled Under: Graduate a Homeschooler, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Sponsored Posts, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: entrepreneur, high school, high school electives, middleschool, teachingmultiplechildren, teens

Free Homeschool Academic Year Calendar {2017 to 2018}

March 19, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Free Homeschool Academic Year Calendar {2017 to 2018}. One of three pretty choices. Begin building your free 7 Step Homeschool Planner. Create your own UNIQUE planner. Click here to download your free academic year calendar @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Today I have the second color choice, which I named Explore for the homeschool academic year calendar for the 2017 to 2018 school year ready.

Just as a reminder, I keep the choices for this academic year calendar form on Step 2 each year and I normally try to give you 3 smokin’ hot choices. I think I’ll be ready for the new school year when you start preparing your planner!

step-2-of-the-7-step-free-homeschool-planner-tinas-dynamic-homeschool-plus
Curriculum Pages for Planner

Don’t forget this is JUST a calendar for you to glance at the school year and make a few notes at the bottom.

I also make a planning your school calendar which gives you room to plan your school year.

It is found always on Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You.

step-5a-of-the-7-step-free-homeschool-planner-tinas-dynamic-homeschool-plusLook below at the picture (sample from previous year) below so you can see the fine, but huge difference between just calendars like the one I have today and an actual planning form with a calendar and room to plan your year.

This is a PLANNING calendar from Step 5a. So you want to get BOTH types of calendars.

rp_Year-Around-Schedule-Sample-5.13.2013.png

Also, this calendar today is not for writing appointments because you can grab a huge 2 page spread for noting appointments on Step 2. Choose Calendar/Appointment Keepers. The current 2 page appointment keepers are kept there.

Look at a picture below of a 2 page spread calendar, which gives you room to write appointments.

step-2-of-the-7-step-free-homeschool-planner-tinas-dynamic-homeschool-plus

2017 to 2018 Academic Year Glamorous 2 Pages at a Glance @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I hope these pictures makes it more clear that the calendar I have today is just that. It is perfect for glancing at the year and for reference in your planner.

Save it and print as many as necessary when you print your planner.

I always have two or more spread throughout my planner. I put one close to my lesson planning section, one close to the front of my planner and sometimes I even put one in the back so I don’t have to hunt very long for it.

7 Step Free Homeschool Planner – NOT another like it because YOU created it!

Grab your free copy below!

Grab your free 2017 to 2018 Academic Year Homeschool Calendar here which I named Explore here.

if you want to begin building your FREE 7 Step Curriculum Planner, start here.

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 2. My FREE Organizing Printables {Any topic}, Curriculum Planner, Homeschool Planner, Tina's 7 Step DIY Customized Curriculum Planner Tagged With: freecalendars, homeschool curriculum planner, lesson planner, lessonplanning, planner, student planner

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

March 15, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

It’s possible to create a world unit study with a few great books. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more free unit studies.

The best way to learn about other parts of the world is through a book.

A book tells stories full of suspense, adventure and discovery.

Events that happened in a geographical area, at a certain time, or as they unfolded through the life of characters in history engage kids.

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

{Warning: Picture overload. This post has tons of pictures so you’ll be scrolling. These books are so beautiful and worth every penny so I want you to see lots of pictures!}

I was given these books for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

  • The books are
  • Cleopatra Queen of Egypt,
  • Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer,
  • Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War,
  • Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and
  • John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

Look at the list below and then look at the unit study ideas below as I break down each book.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

I can’t wait to show you 5 best books to create an around the world unit study easily through stories by Candlewick Press.

Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks)

The story of Cleopatra’s life has captured the imagination of countless writers and artists for centuries. As one of history’s most enduring figures, much lore has obscured the real woman behind the myth. Was she a beautiful and heartless schemer who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted? Or was Cleopatra a tragic victim of her own heart? This next volume in the acclaimed Notebook series offers a fascinating look into the world of one of Egypt’s most notorious leaders. Featuring a fictional journal that invites us into Cleopatra’s inner world, this is an exquisite guide bursting with gorgeous illustrations and packed with fun interactive extras such as flaps featuring historical facts and pop-culture references. This is a riveting volume rife with battles, passion, and even murderous intrigue — an exclusive look into the legendary queen’s dramatic life.

Marco Polo: History's Great Adventurer (Historical Notebooks)

Immerse yourself in this interactive introduction to one of the greatest explorers ever known.Travel along the Silk Road to medieval China with Marco Polo as your guide. Meet the warlord Kublai Khan and sail through pirate-infested seas in search of riches beyond measure. Including booklets, foldouts, and maps, as well as excerpts from The Travels of Marco Polo, this beautifully illustrated volume illuminates the adventures of history’s greatest storyteller.

Archie's War

Marcia Williams captures the Great War through a child’s eyes with a fascinating fictional scrapbook including real mementos of the day.Meet ten-year-old Archie, his family, and best friend in a scrapbook Archie has made himself, full of comic strips and plenty of other memorabilia. The year is 1914, and as the Great War begins, Archie’s scrapbook reflects the war’s impact on his life and on those who write back from the front. Marcia Williams retains her humor and energy as she employs a new collage style to present an intimate and compelling view of the
First World War and its era.

Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air

Ready to relive some of the most daring voyages of all time? Unfold these spectacular cross sections and explore fourteen historic journeys, with the help of dramatic storytelling and sidebars that highlight key concepts, places, and technology. Presented in a larger format to make these exciting journeys even more accessible and engaging.Back matter includes an index, a glossary, and sources.

John Muir: Candlewick Biographies: America's First Environmentalist

John Muir loved the land. Born in 1838, he was a writer, a scholar, an inventor, a shepherd, a farmer, and an explorer. But above all, he was a naturalist. John Muir was particularly devoted to the high cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoia trees that, through his careful influence, were set aside as Yosemite, one of the first national parks in America. Here is the life story of the man who, moved by a commitment to wilderness everywhere, founded the Sierra Club in 1892, a conservation group that carries on his crucial work to this day. Back matter includes an epilogue, a bibliography, and information about the Sierra Club.

The first book Cleopatra Queen of Egypt is for ages 8-12 .

It is for grades 3 -7 which makes it a useful book for teaching multiple ages.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

That is one huge advantage that attracted me to these books.

Strive for a middle age when choosing books.

Why? Because you can create a unit study for multiple ages without being so time intensive when planning.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving up or down from a middle point to plan age appropriate activities.

That is less stressful at a middle grade level.

Starting off your adventure, your kids can read about Ancient Egypt.

Then learn about Ancient Rome through the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

I also pulled out a game I had created when we studied Ancient Egypt before.

Look here for the Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History).

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

What I appreciated most about the book was that it had both positive and negative things to say about the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Whether true or not, many things we’ll never know about her.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

But your kids can learn about life during that time through the pull out maps in the book and lift flaps.

Other topics in the book that you want to cover are Roman numbers for math, Cleopatra’s relatives which were Greek-speaking aristocrats, Egyptian religion, Julius Caesar, Egyptian hairstyles, Egyptian jewelry, festivals and temples.

How to Teach About World Cultures Through Children’s Books

Also, learning about how the Egyptians were accustomed to female pharaohs wielding power, but the Greeks and Romans were not gives your kids a glimpse into the government.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Look at some of these hands-on ideas while learning about Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. They round out a world unit study.

Grab this free Ancient Lapbook and unit study here.

We studied Greece numerous times and here is a second lapbook for Ancient Greece.

To understand the background of Ancient Egypt also download this free Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt lapbook.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Grab this free Ancient Rome lapbook and make this fun easy Roman helmet and shield.

Just to be sure you have more than enough hands-on history activities to bring the reading of this book alive.

Here are several more Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations you don’t want to miss. This post gives you more ideas for other civilizations in this world unit study.

Then on to the next adventure with the book Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

The reason I chose this book is that when you look at the table of contents, it has a mix of 14 different adventurers from Pytheas the Greek to Tenzing Norgay.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

And Edmund Hillary who scaled Mount Everest in 1953 to Umberto Nobile who flies across the Arctic in 1928.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Some kids get bored covering history and geography in a chronological order and need some breathing room to skip to other areas of the world about topics that intrigue them.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

How to Use Children’s Books to Teach History Units

The beauty of this book is that through the courageous and thrilling trips of the explorers, your child can learn about many different places.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Just some ideas to take away from this book are to learn about how Apollo II rockets in space, Leif Ericksson reaches the coast of America and how John Cook maps the Pacific Ocean.

This book too is for ages 8-12.

And through the colorful maps, detailed drawings and double spread pull out page, it was hard for Tiny to put this one down.

Not only can you can bring this book alive by studying the different parts of a ship, your child can learn how explorers found their way using different navigational tools.

From ancient to modern places, your kids have their choice of where to start. Here are some hands-on activities to pique their interest.

  • Make a simple and easy compass.
  • Make a quadrant using this free template.
  • Do a Viking Lapbook.
5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)
  • Free unit study and lapbook about the Arctic.
  • Appreciate the exploration of Christopher Columbus by 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 5 For Middle and High School.
  • Add in studying some science and learn about the Ocean with this free unit study.

Awesome Literature to Teach World History

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving on to understand about China and the Silk Road through the eyes of Marco Polo, we loved reading Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer.

Like the Cleopatra Queen of Egypt book, this one too has beautiful bright fold outs with background information about medieval China.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Additionally, look at my Free Marco Polo Unit Study, Lapbook, and Hands-on Ideas.

One reason I chose this book is because it can be hard to find resources that don’t just focus on Medieval Europe  without including what’s happening in the rest of the world during that time.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Topics like the Maya city of Chichen Itza (by the way, we went there on our honey moon, okay, okay) the Soninke Empire of West Africa and the Silk Road are equally engaging and important.

Yes it was fascinating to read about the discoveries along the way but other topics like understanding the geography also helps your child to appreciate the rugged terrain.

Including deserts, mountains and the silk making process make for fascinating topics while studying about Marco Polo.

Learning about deserts, your child can create desert sand art, make a hygrometer and make a sand clock.

Picture Books Brings Learning to Life

Also, I have a huge Marco Polo unit study where your child can make a mythological map, an interactive extend a timeline book, terracotta warriors, an artful mosaic and salt dough map.

My next choice is Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

This book is full of comic strips with a collage or scrapbook style.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Although war is not a comical matter, I’ve always struggled with teaching my boys about wars and this book gives a picture of what life would have been like in World War I in an entertaining way.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Through letters, drawings and through collages articles from that time period, your kids can appreciate the emotion of the time period.

Also, because it is about World War I, your kids can read about snippets going on in other parts of the world along with an easy timeline.

How rationing begins and how life is never the same again is a message that is gently weaved through the newspaper headlines, letters and diary like quotes throughout the book.

One of the best things I didn’t realize about this book is that some of the things are actual mementos of the time period. This is one period that Tiny and I are wanting to focus more on.

Be sure to grab my free World War II lapbook and learn to make ration cakes as a follow up to this book.

The last book John Muir America’s First Environmentalist is the perfect book for an outdoors adventure.

From Muir’s birthplace in Scotland to Florida and California, John Muir was the ultimate nature adventurer.

Sketching natural journals while learning about the local flora and fauna your child can love nature and appreciate it through his fascinating life.

How to Use Picture Books to Merge Academic Subjects

Learning about Yosemite National Park and Muir’s love to preserve the wilderness, this book has us researching for hours about songbirds, Sequoia, Canada and the Aurora Borealis.

Look at this free spring unit study about John Muir where we did several hands-on activities.

One we did was to learn how ice affects mountains.

If you’re looking to use one book with all of your children to learn about far away places from the comfort of your chair, you’ll swoon over the choices.

We easily have several more unit studies planned.

What do you think? Ready to put together your own world unit study?

How to purchase them.

►Product Names: Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer, Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War, Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.
►Website: Candlewick Press.
►Suitable for Ages:  8 to 12 or grades 3 – 7.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities). When you use picture books for multiple ages of children they have a way of bringing homeschool unit studies to life. If you are looking to cover geography and history, grab these books and the easy and fun hands-on homeschool ideas @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Do Unit Studies, Geography, History Resources, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Lapbooks, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Science Tagged With: geography, hands on history, hands-on activities, handson, highschoolgeography, history, history resources, historyspine, middleschool, unit studies

Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History)

March 11, 2017 | 2 Comments
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I created a free Ancient Egypt Mehen printable board game to go with our Ancient Civilizations – Egypt Unit Study.

We have been reading through the book Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks) and I whipped back out the Ancient Egypt Mehen printable board game I made when we studied Ancient Egypt the third time. 

Look on my page history games for more fun ideas.

Grab this free and fun printable board game when studying Ancient Egypt. It's Mehen or the snake game for hands on history. Get it over @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Then, I realized something just awful which is I hadn’t shared the free printable Mehen board game here with you.

First, look at some of these books about Ancient Egypt.

17 Ancient Egypt Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these books to your home library and use them for a day of learning or for unit studies.

The Egypt Game

The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she’s not sure they have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard, Melanie and April decide it’s the perfect spot for the Egypt Game. Before long there are six Egyptians, and they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code. Everyone thinks it’s just a game until strange things start happening. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?

Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics)

These stories include the great myths - of Amen-Ra, who created all the creatures in the world; of Isis, seaching the waters for her dead husband Osiris; of the Bennu Bird and the Book of Thoth. But there are also tales told for pleasure about magic, treasure and adventure - even the first ever Cinderella story.

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books)

For more than 3,000 years, Egypt was a great civilization that thrived along the banks of the Nile River. But when its cities crumbled to dust, Egypt’s culture and the secrets of its hieroglyphic writings were also lost. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt explains how archaeologists have pieced together their discoveries to slowly reveal the history of Egypt’s people, its pharaohs, and its golden days.

The Buildings of Ancient Egypt

Uses archeological evidence to describe the construction, decoration, and furnishings of ancient Egyptian tombs, pyramids, and homes

Science in Ancient Egypt (Science of the Past)

Discusses the achievements of the ancient Egyptians in science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, agriculture, and technology.

Great Ancient Egypt Projects: You Can Build Yourself

From reed boats, papyrus, and amulets, to pyramids, pharaohs, and mummies, Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself explores the fascinating lives of ancient Egyptians through more than25 hands-on building projects and activities. Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself gives readers today a chance to experience how the ancient Egyptians lived, cooked, worked, worshipped, entertained themselves, and interacted with their neighbors through building projects that use common household supplies.Detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and templates for creating each project are combined with historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and trivia for the real-life models of each project. Together they give kids a first-hand look at daily life in ancient Egypt.

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (Dover Children's Classics)

Chebron, the young son of an Egyptian high priest, and Amuba, a young slave in the boy's household, are close friends; but their lives are greatly altered when Chebron accidentally kills a cat, an animal held sacred by the ancient Egyptians. Forced to flee for their safety, the boys and their companions begin a long and dangerous journey. A thrilling adventure story, this is also a tale packed with historical facts. Among other fascinating details, young readers learn about the Egyptian religion and geography, how the Nile was used for irrigation, and how the Egyptians made war and were prepared for burial. A captivating book that accurately describes life in a once magnificent civilization, this volume will especially appeal to youngsters fascinated by the life and customs of ancient Egypt.

A History of Ancient Egypt: From the First Farmers to the Great Pyramid (A History of Ancient Egypt, 1)

The ancient world comes to life in the first volume in a two book series on the history of Egypt, spanning the first farmers to the construction of the pyramids. Famed archaeologist John Romer draws on a lifetime of research to tell one history's greatest stories; how, over more than a thousand years, a society of farmers created a rich, vivid world where one of the most astounding of all human-made landmarks, the Great Pyramid, was built. Immersing the reader in the Egypt of the past, Romer examines and challenges the long-held theories about what archaeological finds mean and what stories they tell about how the Egyptians lived. More than just an account of one of the most fascinating periods of history, this engrossing book asks readers to take a step back and question what they've learned about Egypt in the past. Fans of Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra and history buffs will be captivated by this re-telling of Egyptian history, written by one of the top Egyptologists in the world.

Boy of the Pyramids

The pictured wall of an Egyptian tomb supplied the inspiration for this unusual story, which takes place during the building of the Great Pyramid of Khufu more than 4,000 years ago. Kaffe and Sari, an Egyptian noble's son and a slave girl from the nomadic Sand People of the Sinai region, help solve a troublesome mystery and trap its culprit. All told against a colorfully detailed backdrop of ancient Egypt.

The Golden Goblet

Ranofer wants only one thing in the world: to be a master goldsmith like his beloved father was. But how can he when he is all but imprisoned by his evil half brother, Gebu? Ranofer knows the only way he can escape Gebu's abuse is by changing his destiny. But can a poor boy with no skills survive on the cutthroat streets of ancient Thebes? Then Ranofer finds a priceless golden goblet in Gebu's room and he knows his luck−and his destiny−are about to change.

Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs

In 1802, Jean-Francois Champollion was eleven years old. That year, he vowed to be the first person to read Egypt’s ancient hieroglyphs. Champollion’s dream was to sail up the Nile in Egypt and uncover the secrets of the past, and he dedicated the next twenty years to the challenge.James Rumford introduces the remarkable man who deciphered the ancient Egyptian script and fulfilled a lifelong dream in the process. Stunning watercolors bring Champollion’s adventure to life in a story that challenges the mind and touches the heart.

The Egyptian Cinderella

This Egyptian spin on the classic Cinderella tale was initially recorded in the first century by a Roman historian and is retold here by folklorist Shirley Climo.

Poor Rhodopis! She has nothing—no mother or father, and no friends. She is a slave, from the far-off country of Greece. Only the beautiful rose-red slippers her master gives her can make Rhodopis smile.

So when a falcon swoops down and snatches one of the slippers away, Rhodopis is heartbroken. For how is she to know that the slipper will land in the lap of the great Pharaoh himself? And who would ever guess that the Pharaoh has promised to find the slipper’s owner and make her queen of all Egypt?

Augustus Caesar's World

In her unique approach, Foster weaves a story of the world around her central character; rather than focusing exclusively on geo-political events, as most textbooks do, she includes stories of scientific discovery and invention, music, literature, art, and religion. Her keen intuition for stories will especially delight and amuse youthful readers. In Augustus Caesar's World, Foster traces the seven major civilizations of Rome, Greece, Israel, Egypt, China, India, and Persia from 4500 B.C. to the time of Augustus Caesar in 44 B.C. and culminating in 14 A.D. Within this timeframe readers will learn not only the stories of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Marc Antony, but also the historian Livy and how Virgil came to write the Aeneid. Foster will then take her readers all over the world to learn what was happening at this same time in China, Persia, India and so on. Foster's detailed pen and ink drawings are fresh and appealing, and her illustrated timelines give a clear sense of chronology, enriching the engaging text.

The Lost Queen of Egypt: The Tomb of Nefertiti

For professor of Egyptology Henry Markham, this would be the crowning glory of his career: an intact tomb of Nefertiti, the great royal wife of Akhenaten and the heretic pharaoh of eighteenth dynasty Egypt, whose bust of exquisite beauty resides in the Berlin Museum, which he had searched for the last ten years. He had an unspoken passion for her only excelled by his young assistant, Steven Sinclair, whose visions and dreams of her haunted him, much to the annoyance of Helen Carter, the freelance journalist on-site who, with her business partner Mike Mitcham, the digs photographer, saw Nefertiti as a rival for his affections. Thanks to a gambling debt, Mike finds himself the proud owner of a large luxury mobile home that four Mossad agents are interested in, along with Emil Brogini, who did a drug deal with two Mossad rogue agents since deceased. The arrival of Henry's estranged sister, Millicent, with her friend Jane Evesham, a gifted clairvoyant, does nothing to improve his temper, especially when Jane tells him they are in great danger. Can the danger come from four renegade Mossad agents or Emil Bratislav Brogini, Mr. Big in Cairo, into every racket going? Jane discovers that Helen has a latent gift of clairvoyance which, with their combined powers in a séance, sends them back to the eighteenth dynasty with Nefertiti, Akhenaten, and danger around every corner as they try to discover who is trying to kill them all using a large band of Libyan bandits. They survive ambushes, assassin's knives, and chariot chases, finally getting back to their own time with Nefertiti.

Pyramid

Pyramid is a strong resource for readers looking to expand their knowledge of ancient Egyptian civilization, history, and architecture.

Award-winning author-illustrator David Macaulay explores the philosophy of life and death in ancient Egypt through richly detailed black-and-white illustrations and clear, concise text.

Though created with middle grade readers in mind, all with interest in the topic will enjoy this impressive look at what many consider to be one of the most awesome of humankind's creations.

Pharaoh's Boat

With poetic language and striking illustrations, Weitzman tells the story of how one of the greatest boats of ancient Egypt came to be built and built again.In the shadow of the Great Pyramid at Giza, the most skilled shipwrights in all of Egypt are building an enormous vessel that will transport Cheops, the mighty pharaoh, across the winding waterway and into a new world. Pharaoh's boat will be a wonder to behold, and well prepared for the voyage ahead. But no one, not even the Egyptian king himself, could have imagined just where the journey of Pharaoh's boat would ultimately lead.

The Winged Cat

Merit is a servant girl in the temple of cat goddesses. In a rage, Waha, the High Priest, kills a sacred car, and Merit sees him do it.But when Merit reports the evil deed to Pharaoh, Waha denies that he is guilty.

Hands-on Ancient Egypt

Though the ancient Egyptians had many games, Mehen, the snake game was popular.

(Pic. attribution)

The game was called snake because the stone board represented a coiled serpent with its head in the middle.

This could easily be made with clay too and it would probably look a little more ancient, but it would be easy enough to make if you wanted to go all out for a unit study about Ancient Egypt.

So we read up on a few rules we found and I created a game board.

We had some crafting jewels in the house and we grabbed them to use as tokens.

I wasn’t sure how this game would go over with the kids so I let the pros check it out.

Too, we all agreed it was a nice break to our day and it was  pretty inexpensive to make because I printed it off on cardstock.

I wanted it on letter size paper in case we wanted to store it in our lapbook or notebook. I put a few final touches on it and overall we had a great last few days as we took off time and played games.

Also, I love using ALL of the fun interactive lapbooks and history craft ideas by Home School in the Woods. I know you will too.

Plus, your kids will love the book Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks) with all of it’s lift flaps and pull out maps.

Also, remember to look at our first time we studied Ancient Egypt here with this big homeschool unit study.

You’ll love these other links:

  • Ancient Egypt Narmer Crown Dough Activity
  • How to Make Smokin’ Hot Egyptian Pillars Out of Cardboard
  • Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator

GRAB THE FREE ANCIENT EGYPT PRINTABLE BOARD GAME BELOW

Now, how to grab the free game. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

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2 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Ancient Civilizations, Free Homeschool Resources, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: ancient civilizations, ancientegypt, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources

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