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History Resources

3 Fun History Sites for Homeschooled High School Teens

December 31, 2015 | 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

3 Free History Websites for Homeschooled High School Kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Earlier I shared 5 Free History Websites for Middle School Kids and today I am sharing 3 fun history sites to kick off the new year for your highschooler.

You know how easy it is to find activities for your kids in Kindergarten. And then it seems like when they hit the upper grades and especially highschool that learning is suppose to somehow get less — well– fun.

No way, if I have something to say about it. Look at these three websites below, which I rounded up for high school teens.

1. ARTIFACTS & ANALYSIS
artifacts

I am excited about finding this site because I had shared a post earlier, 7 Things to Try When a Homeschool History Curriculum Isn’t Coming Together (Hint: Try a Primary Source or Two) because studying the way people lived and the objects they used everyday is intriguing and engaging.

Leave boring behind when you study primary sources.

The information from the site: This site presents a strategy for incorporating historical artifacts and documents into the teaching of U.S. history. Designed as a companion to the Advanced Placement Program U.S. History course, it is also effective in any instructional setting that emphasizes analytical thinking and writing.

2. CRASH COURSE
crash

This next site is on YouTube and is called Crash Course. It is just what it says. Quick and fun crash course on many different topics.

Though it has all kinds of interesting topics, it has world history and American history that make learning history far from boring.

Tiny likes the fact that it is quick and I love the fact that it gives a sweeping overview and can introduce your teen to history topics he may not be aware of or just to be sure he has been introduced to major events.

3. ICIVICS
civics

This next site is a complete fit for teens, which generally don’t mind arguing. Let them use all their prowess on this site.

From the site:

Our educational resources empower teachers and prepare the next generation of students to become knowledgeable and engaged citizens.

Founded and led by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics provides students with the tools they need for active participation and democratic action, and teachers with the materials and support to achieve this. Our free resources include print-and-go lesson plans, award-winning games, and digital interactives.

The iCivics games place students in different civic roles and give them agency to address real-world problems and issues. They are rooted in clear learning objectives and integrated with lesson plans and support materials.

Mark these and grab them. And you know as I find them, I share them with you too.

Also, you’ll love these other ideas:

  • Middle Ages Hands-on History: Make a Codex Activity
  • 23 DIY: free History Guides – Ancient Civilizations to Modern History
  • Day 4. Ancient Greece (Hands-on Science) 3 EASY Activities

Hugs and love ya,

Be sure to follow my Middle and High School Pinterest Board for more tips you don’t want to miss!

Follow Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s board Homeschool Middle & High School on Pinterest.

6 CommentsFiled Under: Free Homeschool Resources, History Resources, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation Tagged With: american history, hands on history, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhighschool

5 Free History Websites for Homeschooled Middle School Kids

December 13, 2015 | 16 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

In putting together history unit studies, I know you too are on the prowl for free and fun history websites to enrich your homeschool unit studies.  Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Today, I have rounded up 5 free history websites for homeschooled middle school kids that are not only super helpful in bring history alive, but really informational.

5 Free History Websites for Homeschooled Middle School Kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
5 Free History Websites for Homeschooled Middle School Kids @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Interactive History Equals Hands On Homeschooling & Learning

Most of the sites can be used for your younger and older children too, it’s just that I am focusing on homeschooled middle school kids because some sites are too babyish.

1. EARLY AMERICA

This website has 8 short films about significant early American history moments. The movies are:

The Ben Franklin Story
The Life of George Washington
Declaring Independence
Paul Revere, Messenger of the Revolution
The Shot Heard Around The World
The Treason of Benedict Arnold
The Real Face of George Washington
Molly Pitcher, An American Heroine

From the website:

Of added interest for viewers, each film tells its story using scenes and portraits from our collection of Early American Images. Many of the images are primary source documents — engravings, woodcuts and drawings that date back to the early to mid-1800s.


2. TEACHING HISTORY (actually has something free for elementary, middle and high school kids)

From the website:

Teachinghistory.org is designed to help K–12 history teachers access resources and materials to improve U.S. history education in the classroom.

It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and has free activities for each grade level along with activities and ideas.

Not only will you be clicking in each grade level, but each grade level has several activities and topics that will keep you planning.

Also, grab the awesome free posters under Print Materials at the bottom left.

There is so much on this website too that you will need to space out your visits so that you have time to explore it all.


3. HISTORY GLOBE

Are you planning for an upcoming unit study about the Oregon Trail?

Take a virtual trip to learn about the Oregon Trail and the landmarks along the way.

Click on the various tabs at the top right side of the page. There is background information on each landmark. Great for geography too.

Click on Trail Tour to get started.


4. SHOW ME THE FUTURE

As homeschoolers we always voice our worry over whether or not our homeschooled kids will be ready for the “real world”.

Well, let them take a practice run at it with this free online game.

From the website:

Mapping Your Future’s Show Me the Future is a financial literacy and life skills game, designed to help 12-20 year olds prepare for their futures.  The game helps players understand:

  • the cost of living;
  • budgeting, which is vital to financial freedom;
  • the difference between wants and needs;
  • the importance of financial planning;
  • the need to set career goals; and
  • the value of higher education.

I haven’t tried this one with Tiny yet, but it looks great as well. It is one I have marked for some “real life” learning.


5. MISSION US

This is an awesome website too with interactive stories.

It has 4 missions.

Mission 1 is for Crown or Colony, Mission 2 is Flight to Freedom – Will You Find a Path to Freedom, Mission 3 is a Cheyenne Odyssey – Can You Help Your Tribe Survive Life on the Plains and Mission 4 is City of Immigrants, How Will You Start a New Life in America?

You’ll love the educator’s guides and your middle school kid will love the interactive games. The Think Fast part is super fun!

Mark these and keep them to add to your next unit study.

Also, look at:

  •  What You Must Know to Teach High School Unit Studies,
  •  How to Teach History in 14 Lessons (From Daunting to Doable)
  • and 10 Early American History Events that Happened in Fall for Homeschool Middle or High School.

Hugs and love ya,

16 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history resources, homeschoolhistory, middleschool

Snack Like They Did In Ancient Greece – Make Baklava (Delicious)

November 11, 2015 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Make delicious baklava when studying about Ancient Greece @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Moving on to our next hands-on activity for our newest unit study which is Ancient Greece, we decided to look for something “delicious” to do.

We also have the book, TOOLS OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS: A Kid’s Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Greece (Build It Yourself), which is fantastic for hands-on ideas.

Tiny was reading about what the Greeks snacked on and some of the foods are still with us today.

Learning that the Ancient Greeks rolled out pastry real thin and made Spanakopita (spinach pie) or Baklava, we decided to try out a new recipe.

Deciding that Baklava sounded better to make because it would give us a sugar high, we opted to make it.

Baklava is a dessert made with phyllo, walnuts and honey.

I will warn you though that if you are a foodie blogger you might cringe at our substitutions and make do ingredients.

Living here in Ecuador some ingredients like phyllo dough are not even obtainable.

I read in one place on the internet when we were looking for a simple recipe that you shouldn’t even make it if you don’t have phyllo pasty dough. I am sure I am doing some awful foodie injustice.

Good thing I am not a foodie blogger because I would be fired from the hall of foodie fame deliciousness because we did substitute and make do with what we had.

Did I mention it came out super good and we had a ton of fun in the process?

Check out the ingredient list:

■phyllo pastry dough OR make it like we did. I used this easy recipe from Living in the Pie Life
■I had about 2 cups of walnuts at the house, but we could have easily used more.■About a teaspoon of cinnamon.
■We had some local honey – a small jar.
■Couple of sticks of butter melted.
■3/4 cup of sugar.
■vanilla extract to taste.

1 Baklava  2 Baklava

We made a well for our dough and added in all the ingredients.

We were so focused on getting this dough “right” that we forgot a few pictures.

But it came out perfect for us. We allowed the dough to “rest” and while it rested, we crushed the walnuts in a ziploc bag.

Then Tiny mixed the cinnamon in with the walnuts in a bowl and set it aside.

We also melted butter in a bowl and set it aside.

3 Baklava  4 Baklava

Our dough was less than perfect, but Tiny was pleased with it and so he started rolling it out.

We buttered every layer and that gave it tons of that light feeling and sweet layers. Butter fixes everything.

5 Baklava  6 Baklava

So he rolled out one piece of the dough and brushed with butter. Then he spread some of the walnut and cinnamon mixture on top.

He did that for a couple of layers. After that I cut through and made the diagonal slits.

7 Baklava  8 Baklava

While it was baking, we warmed some local organic honey and vanilla in a sauce pot.

After our baklava was baked, we let it cool down just a minute.

9 Baklava 10 Baklava

Then Tiny spooned the delicious honey sauce over the baklava and allowed the sauce to soak through.

Tiny shocked himself because  our make do baklava was absolutely delicious with crusty and sweet layers.

It was a fun way to read some about what the Ancient Greeks ate and try a dessert too.

12 Baklava

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

 

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: ancient civilizations, Ancient Greece, hands on history, hands-on activities, history

Ancient Greece Unit Study. Hands-on Activity 1. Refraction and Ancient Greece and their Contributions Pull Tab Book

October 29, 2015 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Ancient Greece Unit Study refraction activity and Ancient Greeks Pull Tab book @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Today, we did an easy science activity to begin our Ancient Greece Unit Study.

I have the book Classical Kids: An Activity Guide to Life in Ancient Greece and Rome (Hands-On History)

and so Tiny quickly opened it to find something he wanted to try.

He was reading about Ancient Greeks studying refraction.

We did this when the boys were little, but as is the case when you have younger children, they don’t remember what you did with the older kids.

This just means double fun for me because I get to do easy science activities again.

As the book brought out refraction is the way rays of light change when they pass from one thing to another that’s made of different material. That is what it means to have materials made of different density.

So this activity was super easy but cool and I love the fact that all 3 things were found in my house.

Ancient Greeks Studies Refraction – Easy Hands-on Activity 1

Here is the really short list of what you need:

Refraction Activity 1

■Pie or cake pan (dark coated, not glass or clear)
■Coin
■Pitcher of water

The activity is really easy. Tiny rounded up Mr. Awesome 2015 to help us.

Mr. Awesome placed the coin right next to the side.

While Tiny stood a distance away, so that the coin is hidden by the side.

Refraction Activity 2

Then Mr. Awesome poured the water slowly into the container.

Refraction Activity 2

As Mr. Awesome poured the water, it appeared to move to the center of the pan.

Of course the coin doesn’t move, it’s just that the light rays were distorted or bent as they passed through the water.

A bit of easy and quick science was enough to pique Tiny’s interest for the unit study.

Since that is the activity he chose to do first, we focused on reading about some Greeks and what they were famous for.

I created a giant pull tab book which is Famous Greeks and their Contributions.

Ancient Greece Giant Pull Tab @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Though there are many famous Greeks to focus on, I used the ones below and listed a bit of information about them.

It’s pretty easy to find information on the internet, but I am listing a few facts here for you too.

Aesop – storyteller; author of Aesop’s fables

Eratosthenes – geographer; first to describe the world as a globe

Euclid – mathematician; “Father of Geometry”

Aristotle – philosopher; student of Plato; tutor of Alexander the Great.

Archimedes – mathematician and inventor; calculated value of Pi; invented the lever; Archimedes Screw

For the giant pull tab book, just cut out all the pieces and write about each Greek on the box provided.

Ancient Greece Pull Tab 2 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I have instructions on the minibook, but you will form a pocket with the two pieces and place the pull tab book inside.

Ancient Greece Giant Pull Tab @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I hope you like the first “little” giant pull tab book I have for our new unit study.

I have a sweet surprise for my email readers because I always hold something back for them and this Ancient Greece Lapbook is part of my email reader’s subscribers only.

I would love for you to follow me and give me the opportunity to help you along in your homeschool journey.

I would love for you to follow me and give me the opportunity to help you along in your homeschool journey.

This is a Subscriber’s Only Freebie because I luv my followers.

subscribe to my blog posts

Important: IF you are already an email reader, please read this below instead of emailing me right away.

Though I love your emails, it can take a while for me to answer you.

1.) The private link to the subscriber’s only page was sent to you immediately when you joined my blog.

2.) Also, the link is sent to you at the bottom of EVERY newsletter. If you have been getting my blog posts, then check at the very bottom of one of my recent newsletters for the link.

Remember, if you are following along with us, do the minibooks and then just place in a ziploc bag until the end or close to the end of the unit study.

I normally show you a layout we do for our lapbook toward the end of the unit study.

I can’t wait to share the rest of our hands-on activities and the minibooks.

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources, Lapbook, Science Based Tagged With: ancient civilizations, Ancient Greece, hands on history, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling

Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts – Great Big List of Ancient Greece Freebies

October 28, 2015 | 12 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I always try to kick off our unit studies with some hands-on ideas and I love rounding up great freebies and organizing them here for us.

Great Big List of Ancient Greece Freebies

Ancient Greece Big List of Freebies, Hands-On Ideas and Resources @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

This way you and I both can plod along and choose some of them to do or create our own.

So today, to kick off our newest unit study, Ancient Greece, I couldn’t resist the saying Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes or Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts to use for my great big list of Ancient Greece freebies to share with you.

greek-mythology-kids

Corny I know, but I love the saying.

(image attribution: Woojr)

Free Printables

Greek Vase Patterns

Story about Achilles Free download
Ancient Greece Map
The Birth of the Ancient Games and Map
Geography of Ancient Greece
Nice Greek Coloring Page and Greek Mythology Worksheets

Free Greek and Latin Root Activities
Ancient Greece Writing Activities
Finish the Greek Patterns
Ancient Greek Art Notebooking Pages
Mythology Teacher. Cool. Several free downloads, check out the Trojan War Find It, a pictorial search and check out the printable Trojan War Game and the reader’s theater script.

Lesson Plans & Studies

Reflections of Ancient Greece Lesson Plan with Vocabulary
Ancient Greece Unit Study
Why Study Greek Mythology?
Going Greek
Pandora’s Box

Bearing the Torch – Ancient Greece 19 page .pdf.
Alex from Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece Across the Curriculum
Ancient Greek Unit Study

Mythology Lesson on Hercules
Medicine in Ancient Greece
Greek Mythology & Activities
80 page .pdf super nice
Secrets of the Parthenon
Parthenon

Geometry and Pi
Ancient Greece Unit Study and Lapbook
Studying Greek Mythology – from The Kennedy Adventures
Ancient Greece Unit Study – from Alicia Hutchinson
Child’s Geography about Greece – 52 page download from Knowledge Quest. Nice.

Odysseus story on line and download the 42 page pdf.
Spartan timeline

Also, look at the fun and easy coloring pages!

Here is what the 20 page download contains. I put a few key words to explain each picture on the page. This way you can use the coloring pages as title pages too.

Page 3: Ancient Egypt Court,
Page 4: Ancient Egypt Spinning,
Page 5: Ancient Egypt Life of the Royals,
Page 6: Ancient Egypt Battles,
Page 7: Ancient Egypt The Nile,
Page 8: Life Along the River – The Nile,
Page 9: Metal Workers & Crafts of Ancient Egypt,
Page 10: Egyptian Hieroglyphics,
Page 11: Egyptian Queen Cleopatra,
Page 12: Aztecs Floating Gardens,
Page 13: Aztecs,
Page 14: Aztec Life,
Page 15: Mayans,
Page 16: Ancient Greece Wedding,
Page 17: Ancient Greek Galley,
Page 18: Ancient Greece Crafts,
Page 19: Ancient Greece Bank,
Page 20: Athens,
Page 21: Spartan Warrior and
Page 22: The Vikings.

  • 00. Ancient Civilization History 20 Coloring Pages

    00. Ancient Civilization History 20 Coloring Pages

    $3.50
    Add to cart

Clay Map of Greece – from Susan Evans
Greek Art for Kids
– from Susan Evans
Foil Masks – from Susan Evans

trojan-horse-craft

(image attribution: DLTK’s Crafts for Kids)

Trojan Horse Craft
Another printable Trojan Horse Craft
Basket Weaving
– from Susan Evans
Mysterious Cracking Pots – from Susan Evans

Ancient Greece Activities
– from Layered Soul. You just have to check out their Homer rap video tube. Fun.
Ancient Greece Activities – List of various activities from Adventures in Mommydom
Greek Feast
Make a tree mobile of the gods
Ancient Greece Activities – Design a Greek pot

Greece Olympic Lesson Ideas for Kids – from Teach Beside Me
Paper Mache Greek Vessels
Make Greek Honey Pie and Greek Myths
Easy Medusa Craft
Greek Mythology Cubes

Ancient Greece Activities – from Creekside Learning

build-edible-temple-350x440

salt dough map

Make a labyrinth Craft
Build an Edible Ancient Temple
Make Greek Worrying Beads

(image attribution: The Homeschool Den)

Make a salt dough map

Crafts and Activities

Media

Ancient Greece Videos for Kids
Music and Creativity in Ancient Greece
Who were the Ancient Greeks? Super helpful and covers a wide range of topics.
Ancient Arcade – match the god to the symbol
Ancient Athens

All About Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece – learn about the Acropolis, daily life, festivals, geography and more
The Battle of Thermopylae

Books

13 Living History Books about Ancient Greece
Books About Ancient Greece – from Triumphant Learning
10 books to hook your kids on mythology – from Adventures in Mommydom

(image attribution: Homeschool Commons)

study-ancient-greece

Free e-books

Free e-books to study Ancient Greece
Aesop’s Fables

I hope you enjoy this super list of Ancient Greece activities to get your unit study started.

Do you want some other creative ways to homeschool?

Also, you may like these other activities:

  • Hands-On History: The Rosetta Stone and Breaking The Code
  • 9 EASY and Fun Hands-on Ancient Greece Kids Activities
  • 20 Ancient Civilization History Coloring Pages

Hugs and love ya,

12 CommentsFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: ancient civilizations, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling

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