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History Based

Ancient Rome (Hands-on History): Paint a Jester

May 18, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today in our Ancient Rome study we’re going to paint a jester. Also, look at my post Ancient Rome Lapbook for Kids and Fun Hands-on Ideas.

Fools, buffoons, jesters or court jesters were entertainers especially well-known during the Medieval period.

But what we didn’t know was that they had their beginning in several ancient civilizations.

One ancient civilization where they got their start was Rome.

We have been loving our art lessons using and learning about the jester fit into our ancient civilization hands-on series.

Fools, buffoons, jesters or court jesters were entertainers especially well-known during the Medieval period, but what we didn't know was that they had their beginning in several ancient civilizations. One ancient civilization where they got their start was Ancient Rome. Click here to grab some interesting facts and learn how to draw and paint a court jester!

Our hands-on lesson today started with understanding how the word buffoon developed. We use the word somewhat differently today.

Easy Hands-on Homeschool History

The book, The Unexpected Evolution of Language:Discover the Surprising Etymology of Everyday Words states that buffoon derives from a word that means to “puff out the cheeks.”

The word “Buffo” was used in the Roman theatre by those who appeared on the stage with their cheeks blown up. When they received a blow, they would make a great noise causing the audience to laugh.

It was fascinating to learn that Ancient Greeks, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome all had various forms of entertainers or the modern day clown.

Too, entertainers of earlier times went well beyond just costumes and masks. There were storytellers, joketellers, jugglers and acrobats.

Also, look at some of these living books about Ancient Rome.

Books About Ancient Rome for Kids

20 Ancient Rome Resources. Books, Pop Up, Coloring & Hands-on Figurines

Whether you're doing a unit study or want to dig deeper about Ancient Rome, you'll love adding a resource or two.

Image for Famous Men of Rome

Famous Men of Rome

The Romans were history's great men of action, making the study of Rome ideal for beginners of all ages, but especially for younger students, who are fascinated by the abundant action and drama of Roman history. In addition, an understanding of modern political history is impossible without a thorough understanding of Rome. There are thirty stories covering the history of Rome from its founding under Romulus to the last emperor in the West. Your children will see the rise and fall of a great civilization through the lives of Horatius, Camillus, Caesar, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, and many other larger-than-life figures. Rome is the model civilization, the mastery of which provides a foundation for all other history study.

Image for Ancient Rome for Kids through the Lives of its Heroes, Emperors, and Philosophers (History for Kids - Story Format)

Ancient Rome for Kids through the Lives of its Heroes, Emperors, and Philosophers (History for Kids - Story Format)

When I first discovered that my 8-year-old kid believed that the adventures of Odysseus were the actual history of ancient Greece, I panicked and bought him a stack of children's history books. I sat by his side as he started reading about the class structure of Athens and the economic underpinnings of the Greek polis. He yawned. He asked for candy... and then for the Disney Channel...Kids like stories. And when it comes to history, they learn from stories, not from dense paragraphs about the phases of the Bronze age, the location of trade routes, or the injustices of the social order here and there.This book follows the old-fashioned, story-based, traditional route of teaching history - through tales of heroes and kings, with no tribute paid to modern economic and social perspectives. Culture is memes. And that means historical figures, and anecdotes about them. To write this book, I went back to Tacitus, Livy, Suetonius, Cassius Dio, Valerius Maximus, Josephus, Eusebius, Theodoret, and other ancient sources of biographical anecdotes, and extracted from them the stories that will be most memorable to a modern kid

Image for Theras and His Town

Theras and His Town

Young Theras, born an Athenian, is taken to Sparta by a relative when his father is lost at war. He is forced to live like a Spartan, a brutal life with no pity for those who are not physically perfect and totally obedient to Spartan control. After enduring rigorous training and repeated cruel incidents, he escapes with a Perioikoi boy and heads for his beloved Athens. Here is the story of a hard and dangerous journey with Snedeker's amazing historical accuracy. 

Image for Tools of the Ancient Romans: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Rome (Build It Yourself)

Tools of the Ancient Romans: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Rome (Build It Yourself)

Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view.

Image for Detectives in Togas

Detectives in Togas

In these two delightful history-mysteries, seven boys in Ancient Rome solve strange crimes . . . thanks to some help from their cranky teacher, a little bit of logic, and a lot of amusing misadventure.

Image for The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome: A Handbook for Time Travelers (The Thrifty Guides)

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome: A Handbook for Time Travelers (The Thrifty Guides)

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome contains information vital to the sensible time traveler:   • Where can I find a decent hotel room in ancient Rome for under five sesterces a day? Is horse parking included?   • What do I do if I’m attacked by barbarians?   • What are my legal options if I’m fed to the lions at the Colosseum? All this is answered and more. There is handy advice on finding the best picnicking spots to watch Julius Caesar’s assassination at the Roman Forum in 44 BC, as well as helpful real estate tips to profit from the great Roman fire of AD 64. There are even useful recommendations on which famous historical figures to meet for lunch, and a few nifty pointers on how to avoid being poisoned, beheaded, or torn apart by an angry mob.

Image for Time Traveler

Time Traveler

Takes readers back in time to illustrate the exciting happenings of daily life

Image for The Bronze Bow: A Newbery Award Winner

The Bronze Bow: A Newbery Award Winner

Daniel bar Jamin will stop at nothing to seek revenge for his father's death at the hands of the Roman Empire.After Daniel bar Jamin's father is crucified by the Roman Empire, Daniel wants nothing more than to rid his land of Israel of Roman control once and for all. Yet when David meets Jesus of Nazareth, a traveling carpenter with a gentle message of love and forgiveness, David starts to realize that the hate festering in his heart might be his true enemy after all.

Image for Eyewitness Ancient Rome: Discover One of History's Greatest Civilizations

Eyewitness Ancient Rome: Discover One of History's Greatest Civilizations

From Roman emperors and gods and goddesses to soldiers and gladiators, step into the exciting world of ancient Rome.Who were Rome's most famous emperors? What was everyday life like for a soldier in the Roman army? How did the citizens of ancient Rome live? Did gladiators really fight to the death in the mighty Colosseum? Find out the answers to all these questions, and many more, in Eyewitness: Ancient Rome.

Image for SuperToob: Ancient Rome

SuperToob: Ancient Rome

Use these fun figurines for art study, for a sensory bin for younger kids or for art inspiration.

Image for Life in Ancient Rome Coloring Book (Dover Ancient History Coloring Books)

Life in Ancient Rome Coloring Book (Dover Ancient History Coloring Books)

At the peak of its power, the Roman Empire stretched thousands of miles in all directions: north to what today is England, westward to Spain, to Armenia in the east, and Egypt in the south. The growth, development, and cultural achievements of that magnificent civilization are brought to life by the artist John Green in this exciting and fact-filled coloring book.

Image for The Romans Pop-Up: Pop-up Book to Make Yourself

The Romans Pop-Up: Pop-up Book to Make Yourself

There are 6 scenes to make in this book - combining the pleasure of seeing them pop up with interesting information and ideas. There are a number of mini popups as well. Close the book and they fold away. Open it and they popup again. These vivid, colorful three-dimensional scenes help to bring Ancient Civilisations to life in a way which no other kind of book can. Scenes: The City of Rome, The Forum, The Roman House, The Army of Rome, Entertainment, Ostia - the Port of Rome.

Image for Attack at the Arena

Attack at the Arena

Patrick and Beth learn that Mr. Whittaker’s fancy ring can be seen inside the Imagination Station but not outside of the machine. A mysterious letter leads the cousins to fifth-century Rome in search of a special cup that belongs to a monk. If found, the cup could keep the mysterious Albert out of prison.At the Roman Colosseum, Emperor Honorius is hosting a gladiator battle in celebration of a war victory. Beth attends the event as the emperor’s slave; Patrick attends as a monk’s apprentice but is taken prisoner and sent to fight in the arena. During their adventure, the cousins meet Telemachus (a true historical figure), a monk who believes that fighting is wrong. Telemachus is willing to risk everything―even his life―to stop the killing. When the cousins return with the cup, they find that a third letter has been sent with more information about Albert’s fate.

Image for Growing Up In Ancient Rome

Growing Up In Ancient Rome

Describes daily life in ancient Rome, discussing family life, entertainment, schools, religion, and other aspects.

Image for The Story of the Romans: A History of Ancient Rome for Young Readers - its Legends, Military and Culture as a Republic and Empire

The Story of the Romans: A History of Ancient Rome for Young Readers - its Legends, Military and Culture as a Republic and Empire

Image for Who Were the Romans? (Starting Point History)

Who Were the Romans? (Starting Point History)

This series consists of simple illustrated guides to answer children's questions about history and invite comparisons with life today. This particular title deals with the Romans.

Image for In the Daily Life of the Ancient Romans (Gods & Goddesses Of...)

In the Daily Life of the Ancient Romans (Gods & Goddesses Of...)

This exciting new series explores ancient life by examining the traditions and religious beliefs of each culture. Through photographs, illustrations, and cut-away, detailed diagrams, each book considers the way religious beliefs affected everything from food, drink, and entertainment to rituals surrounding birth and death

Image for Science in Ancient Rome (Science of the Past)

Science in Ancient Rome (Science of the Past)

Describes how the Romans put to use and expanded the scientific achievements of earlier civilizations.

Image for Roman Empire: Rise & The Fall. Explore The History, Mythology, Legends, Epic Battles & Lives Of The Emperors, Legions, Heroes, Gladiators & More

Roman Empire: Rise & The Fall. Explore The History, Mythology, Legends, Epic Battles & Lives Of The Emperors, Legions, Heroes, Gladiators & More

The Roman Empire may have fallen thousands of years ago, but the lessons and the legacy left behind lives on to this day

From a tiny settlement on the banks of the Tiber River, Rome grew into a colossal, unstoppable force. At its peak, The Empire dominated the world from Europe, West Asia, North Africa, and many more territories.

Never again would the world see such an influential power.

In this epic narrative, History Brought Alive presents an intriguing dive into Roman History, Legends, Facts, Myths and much more. Covering thousands of years the study of Roman history is vast and complex. Much like the Ancient Romans themselves, in order to study them, we need to follow structure and have an open mind.

Image for See Inside Ancient Rome

See Inside Ancient Rome

Visit the world of ancient Rome, from bustling streets and the busy port to steaming baths and gruesome games. This book reveals how the Romans really lived.

More Ancient Rome Activities for Kids

  • How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids
  • Rome Fun Mosaic is a wonderful way to depict the profile of a Roman Soldier.
  • How to Make an Easy Roman Helmet & Shield & A Set of Printable Wings
  • (Colosseum Craft)
  • How to Make an Ancient Rome-Inspired DIY Clown Collar No Sew.

True, some of the forerunners of modern day clowns and jesters are grim looking.

I don’t know how some things in history can from grin to grim. But history has a way of twisting the beginning of things.

Jesters sometimes reminds me of the nightmares of my childhood.

But once we started reading how faces painted early on were because of poor stage lighting, it made more sense to us.

Look at some of these other fascinating links about clowns, buffoons and jesters. The History and Psychology of Clowns Being Scary and History of Clowns.

Also, you’ll love the hands-on history ideas we love at Home School in the Woods.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: ancient civilizations, Ancient Rome, art, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history resources, historycostumes, homeschoolhistory

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

March 11, 2017 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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.

Image for The Egypt Game

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?

Image for Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics)

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.

Image for The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books)

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.

Image for The Buildings of Ancient Egypt

The Buildings of Ancient Egypt

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

Image for Science in Ancient Egypt (Science of the Past)

Science in Ancient Egypt (Science of the Past)

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

Image for Great Ancient Egypt Projects: You Can Build Yourself

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Image for Boy of the Pyramids

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.

Image for The Golden Goblet

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.

Image for Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs

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.

Image for The Egyptian Cinderella

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?

Image for Augustus Caesar's World

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.

Image for The Lost Queen of Egypt: The Tomb of Nefertiti

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.

Image for Pyramid

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.

Image for Pharaoh's Boat

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.

Image for The Winged Cat

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!

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

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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

Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

December 22, 2016 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re learning about pioneer living or westward expansion, you’ll love this cloth dyeing hands-on history activity. Also, look at my BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook.

I wanted to focus on a science activity that pioneers living during that time would do, which is cloth dyeing.

Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

Pioneer living and cloth dyeing go hand in hand though I’m sure pioneers of that time weren’t too concerned about many different colors in their clothes.

They normally just had a few pieces of clothing.

However, when they did want color, they knew a lot about nature and how to get the colors they wanted.

Pioneer Living | Hands-on History

Pioneers and Native Americans living on the frontier knew about insects, flowers and vegetables that could be cooked up and used for color.

This method of dyeing cloths has been used from ancient civilizations down to modern times.

In our Ancient Civilization unit study (studying Pirates) we learned about how Phoenicians used a shellfish, called a Murex to make purple dye.

The name Phoenician comes from a Greek word that means purple men. Purple has come to symbolize wealth, royalty and high office.

Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

Also, though when we lived in South America, we learned about natural dyeing when we took a family field trip to a family owned weaving and dyeing business.

It is always a fascinating project to learn about and we thought we would try it again with some things we had in our refrigerator and one or two things we bought (I can’t stand beets – yuck) to experiment with.

Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

Look at what we gathered up.

  • Walnuts. Since we’ve done this before, we wanted to experiment with a different color than black from the opened hull. So we added whole walnuts to some cracked hulls and got a really pretty golden color.
  • Kale. This was the first time for this and we loved the lighter color and wonder what we could have added to make it brighter or maybe boiled it longer.
  • Onion skins. We used a red onion because we had them and it made an orange-ish color.
  • Beets. We loved the lighter color.
  • Blackberries. We added salt and vinegar to it to get a more vibrant color.
  • Old or new diaper. Clean of course (wink). We used an old one to cut up into blocks for fabric swatches.
Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

Then we added water to four pots or pans and brought it to a boil.

After it boiled, we turned the burner down and let it simmer for about an hour on real low.

More Pioneer Living Crafts

  • National Prairie Day Easy Popsicle Stick Wagon Craft
  • Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids
  • 7 Educational Movies for Kids About Westward Expansion
  • Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities
  • No Sew Pioneer Rag Doll For Kids Westward Expansion Activity
  • 10 Westward Expansion History Fun Coloring Pages
Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

We’re thinking, the longer it simmers, the darker the color after we read about how Native Americans did it.

Then we soaked the cotton fabric in the solution overnight.

There is no limit to natural materials you can use to explore and have fun with. We really had a lot of fun with this.

Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)

And, we found inspiration from this post on Pioneer Thinking: Making Natural Dyes from Plants, which categorizes colors by natural material to use. It is a great post to get some ideas and tips from.

Too, you may want to check out my post that goes great with this unit study, which is How To Make An Easy Ink pot & Quill Pen with Berry Ink.

I think all of your kids will love this activity and especially if you let them pick out the flowers, nuts and vegetables they want to use and do some color mixing too.

This is such a great open ended exploration activity to include all ages.

Hands-on History. Cloth dyeing has been used since ancient civilization through to frontier living @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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4 CommentsFiled Under: Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources, Science Based Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory

Hands-on History: Make Maple Snow Candy – Pioneer Activity

November 11, 2016 | 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We have done a lot of hands-on history pioneer activities while studying the pioneer period in history and we never get tired of doing them to kick off a homeschool unit study. Today, we’re making maple snow candy. Also, look at my page BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook for more ideas.

A lot of the hands-on history activities come from a book we love, which is Heading West: Life with the Pioneers, 21 Activities (For Kids series).

Studying about pioneer life in Texas and reading about the Alamo, Tiny grabbed another easy hands-on idea from that book.

He made maple snow candy.

Pioneer Activity - Make maple snow candy when learning about pioneer life. Check out how to make it @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Now you know a good part of Texas never has snow, but we wouldn’t let a thing like that hold us back.

Because Tiny could do this without me and because it was easy and I think because it was sweet, he didn’t mind doing it.

I do have a few more hands-on history ideas planned for him to do as he studies the Alamo, but making maple snow candy was easy and fun today.

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Look at what you need and you probably get tired of me saying it, but hands-on history is always better when you have all the ingredients on hand. And we did.

Make Maple Snow Candy

  • cookie sheet – we used a disposable pan we had
  • pure maple syrup anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1 cup.
  • snow (of course vanilla ice cream works too). I was worried about wasting a good container of vanilla ice cream, but this is in the name of education, right?
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Tiny spread the “snow” or ice cream on the pan and put it back in the freezer to harden and get cold.

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Next, depending on how much candy you want, you need to boil about a one-fourth of a cup to 1 cup of syrup.

After it comes to a boil, let it boil 3 or 4 minutes for soft and chewy candy and about 6 minutes for brittle candy.

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Stir it every few minutes. Then carefully dribble the syrup in a thin line over your snow. It should harden instantly.

Tiny really didn’t follow any making candy kitchen rules so I’m not sure it turned out how he wanted it too, but he enjoyed making it.

And like I said, I liked the fact I didn’t have to do too much with it.

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But activities like these always gives your kids a glimpse of life in the past. Hope you try this easy hands-on history.

More Pioneer Living Crafts

  • Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)
  • National Prairie Day Easy Popsicle Stick Wagon Craft
  • Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids
  • 7 Educational Movies for Kids About Westward Expansion
  • Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities
  • No Sew Pioneer Rag Doll For Kids Westward Expansion Activity
  • 10 Westward Expansion History Fun Coloring Pages

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Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

8 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history resources, Texas, texasunit, The Alamo

Homeschool History Copywork William B. Travis Quote

November 9, 2016 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have the first activity to go with our Texas theme which is homeschool history copywork, a William B. Travis quote.

Copywork is a valuable skill way beyond the elementary years and I have continued copywork for my boys all the way through middle and high school.

Even at the middle and high school years, it’s still important to model writing that stirs the emotions. So copywork is not just for struggling writers.

Homeschool History Quote by William B. Travis for studying Texas or The Alamo Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

The value of copywork goes beyond just copying the words, but it is memory work, learning history through sayings from people of the past and comprehending important events from the past.

In other words, if I can tie in memory work, history and language arts to a topic, it makes our unit study more complete and appealing.

For an older kid, copywork shouldn’t take the place of a well-researched essay, but it can be a segue to it. For my boys, copywork can be a brainstorming session and every good writer wants an abundance of brainstorming ideas.

As long as you don’t make copywork babyish, teens normally end up still enjoying it.

Using a cursive font for older kids is another way to have them practice and read cursive.

Today, Tiny read The Travis Letter – “Victory or Death” and then did some easy copywork.

Grab this first activity for our newest homeschool history unit study – The Alamo below.

HOW TO GET THE FREE WILLIAM B. TRAVIS COPYWORK

Now, how to grab the freebie.  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) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

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

Also, grab Homeschool History The Alamo – 17 Free Resources.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Geography Based, History Based Tagged With: copywork, freecopywork, freeprintables, Texas, The Alamo

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