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History Resources

7 Things to Try When a Homeschool History Curriculum Isn’t Coming Together (Hint: Try a Primary Source or Two)

November 3, 2015 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

7 Things to Try When a Homeschool History Curriculum Just Isn't Coming Together (hint try a primary source) @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Homeschool history is far from humdrum when the right hands-on learning tools are applied.

Primary sources have a way of not only stoking the imagination, but are crucial to understanding past events.

Primary sources have a way of taking events from just being imagined to reality because your child is reading , interacting and interpreting real objects created by people who lived during a specific time.

Today, in sharing 6 things to try when a homeschool history curriculum isn’t coming together, I want to give you a list of some items that make history real to your child.

1. Maps

Maps are probably one of the most obvious primary sources.

Beyond just showing a geographical location, maps also give tell-tale signs about the political thinking of a time period and they can give a glimpse into the natural resources that existed at a particular time period.

2. Photographs.

Photographs are one of my very favorite ways to learn history. When studying an old photo, it makes your child wonder who the people are in the photo? What kind of life did they lead? Photos provide many details as to the people or events of the time period.

When Homeschool History is Stagnant

It can also be one of the most mysterious piece of history evidence to explore because you question for what reasons were the photo taken? Was it staged by a creative photographer or was it a true depiction of the time period?

3. Political cartoons.

Political cartoons are really a great example of the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Whether through exaggeration or humor, they give a glimpse into past feelings about the political word.

4. Oral history.

A person’s eye witness account of an event is another fascinating topic that should be mulled over. What makes this part of history so fascinating is that not are people’s memory fallible, but everyone interprets events differently.

5. Films.

This is one primary source I would love to find more of to view.

7 Irresistible Incentives

Films from a time period are super helpful to sketch in our mind the way a place or event looked.

6. Ads.

Just like ads today, they have a purpose and method and produced with a specific purpose in mind. Whether it’s to influence you to buy a certain product or to change your mind the way you view a product, ads are worthy our study.

7. Songs and Music.

Songs and music have not only been part of history to invoke the present state of feeling among people during wartime, but it has been used as way to communicate ideas. Certain political organizations have used certain parts of music to broadcast the spirit and purpose of their organization.

Studying the songs and music of the past helps us to relate world events of the time.

Pitching the curriculum to study hands-on objects of the past is key to keeping history alive.

Have you tried one of the primary sources?

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

Check out these other articles:

How to Use a History Spine to Build Your Study of History

8 Ways to Teach Homeschool History Other Than Chronologically

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Teach Homeschool History Tagged With: hands-on, handsonhomeschooling, primarysources

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

13 Living History Books about Ancient Greece

October 26, 2015 | 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You’ll love these 13 living history books about Ancient Greece. Also, look at my post Fun Ancient Greece Homeschool Unit Study and Lapbook for more ideas.

Can you guess what our next unit study will be about?

13 Living History Books about Ancient Greece @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

This will be my third or is it fourth time to cover Ancient Greece, but I never get tired of history.

Too, a different child at a different grade level means more hands-on ideas and another lapbook. That equals total fun.

If you want to grab my first Ancient Greece Lapbook, you can get it here.

13 Living History Books about Ancient Greece

So today, I rounded up some Ancient Greece living books to kick off our unit study.

  • D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths
  • Archimedes and the Door of Science (Living History Library)
  • The Iliad for Boys and Girls
  • The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step into Reading)
  • King Midas and the Golden Touch

Kick Off An Ancient Greece Unit Study with Living Books

  • Pegasus
  • Life in a Greek Trading Port (Picture the Past)
  • Life in Ancient Athens (Picture the Past)
  • The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables
  • The Children’s Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy
  • Growing Up In Ancient Greece (Growing Up In series)
  • Famous Men of Greece (Greenleaf Press)
  • Ancient Greeks (Beginners)

These are all different grade levels, but some of the ones I enjoyed with my older boys too.

Other History Books:

  • 20 Awesome History Books for Kids
  • Ancient Civilization History Living Books
  • 8 World War II Historical Fiction Books for Middle School

6 CommentsFiled Under: History Based, History Resources

Winter Homeschooling Activities and Free Downloads. 5 Days of Look Alive. Day 5 – Free Teacher Guides Bliss

October 19, 2015 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

5 Days of Look Alive Winter Homeschooling. Day 5. Free Teacher Guides @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

If you missed any days, grab them below:

Day 1. Look to the Sea.

5 Days of Look Alive day 1

Day 2. Look to the Sky.

5 Days of Look Alive day 2

Day 3. Look to Pokemon.

5 Days of Look Alive day 3

Day 4.Look to Free Unit Studies

5 Days of Look Alive day 4

Moving on along through our series: Look Alive:Winter Homeschooling Ideas & Downloads, Day 5 is Look to Free Teacher Guides.

If there is anything that will get me pumped about homeschooling during the long cold winter days is the thought of planning.

I love to plan anytime of the year. These free teacher’s guides I rounded up are about a variety of subjects and have tidbits of cool facts in each one.

Some of them are from a museum and they talk about tours, but the rest of the pages have great background information on each topic.

Sometimes you don’t want to plan a unit study, you just want to cover something different for the day and these free guides are the perfect bite size pieces.

The first set of guides are at the Field Museum.

Look at a few of the subjects they have:

Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics.
George Washington Carver.
Plants of the World.
Maps: Finding Our Place in the World.
Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters.

There are four pages of great freebie awesomeness to look through and a variety of grades. Be sure to download what you want in case it ever goes away.

Then this next site, SunSentinel, is equally awesome and has so many freebies I can’t count them.

Look at a few of the things they have and take your time downloading the overflowing amount of freebies.

ARTS

Opera – It’s for Everyone! Grades 6-Adult
Degas in Bronze-Grades 6-Adult

CHARACTER EDUCATION 

Power of You – Grades 8-12
Your Character Your Choice! It’s Up to You

SCIENCE

Amazing Orchids-Grades 3-5
LegoLand, 4-5
STEAM – Grades 9-12

Then I love this whole page of resources to learn about the winter for the upper grades (6 to 12th). I always strive to maintain the fun and hands-on ideas even in the upper grade.

Look at at just a few of the things on this super page.

From the site:

Lesson Plans

Storm Clouds
Students in grades 6-12 use CERES cloud data and a weather map to explore cloud coverage during a winter storm.

Getting Physical: The Physics and Other Science Behind Winter Olympic Sports
Students in grades 6-12 research, write, and perform sportscasts that explain the physics behind their favorite sports in these cross-curricular activities.

Glacier National Park: “Hibernation-Migration Fascination”
Students in grades 7-12/ compare two different types of hibernation — the hibernation of bears and marmots.

ICS — Energy ( PDF, 901 KB, 21 pgs.)
In this module, students in grades 9-12 investigate how energy absorption and water affect temperature.

Physics and Biomechanics
A learning module for grades 11-12 that uses the sports of luge and figure skating to teach four basic mechanical concepts: linear kinematics, linear dynamics, projectile motion, and conservation of angular momentum.

Games & Activities

Don’t Be Too Flaky
Students measure the relative densities of water, ice, and snow. Data can be submitted to the website and displayed with data from around the world.

I hope you have enjoyed this 5 days series of winter homeschooling and now we have enough activities to keep us planning through the long cold winter days.

Are you ready for winter? Grab the other ideas below!

5 Days of Look Alive Winter Homeschooling. Day 1 Look to the Sea. @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured

Hugs and love ya,

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Free Homeschool Resources, Geography, Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Look Alive: Winter Homeschooling Ideas & Free Downloads Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling

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