• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

  • HOME
  • How to
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • Elementary
    • Middle School
    • High School
      • Science 
  • Planner
  • Lapbooks
    • Trioramas
    • History Games
    • LEGO
  • Shop
  • GET STARTED NOW!
    • Learning Styles
  • 7 Step Planner
    • DIY Best Student Planner
    • Free & Easy DIY Home Management Binder
  • Unit Studies
    • Creation to Ancients
    • Middle Ages to Reform
    • Exploring to Revolution
    • World Wars to Today
    • Science
    • Free Art Curriculum Grades 1 – 8
  • Curriculum
    • More Unit Studies
    • Geography
    • Writing PreK to 12th
    • Geronimo Stilton
  • BootCamp
    • Resources
      • Dynamic Subscriber Freebies
      • Exclusive Subscribers Library
      • Ultimate Unit Study Planner

ancient civilizations

Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

February 25, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have a free Ancient China lapbook with some hands-on history ideas. Also, you’ll love my other Homeschool Lapbook Ideas on my page.

I’m sharing my complete lapbook Ancient China lapbook along with some hands-on history ideas.

I had a few minibooks already, so I incorporated them into this unit.

And learning about ancient civilizations makes for interesting segues into your history day.

Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

When you focus on an ancient civilization like Ancient China in depth it makes history much livelier.

Besides whom wants to just color maps.

When learning about the culture, flora and fauna and history of the people, children can connect with history.

Ancient China Books for Kids

Also, I used living books as much as possible so kids can learn about history in a story form.

In addition, we use reference books to help us locate geographical features and learn other things about an area.

12 Ancient China Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these books to your home library about Ancient China. Also, use them for a homeschool unit study.

Zheng He, The Great Chinese Explorer: A Bilingual Story of Adventure and Discovery

In the West, legendary explorers like Christopher Columbus, Ernest Shackleton and Sir Edmund Hillary are a recognized part of our history. But in China, that legend belongs to the great explorer Zheng He (1371–1433), who lived during China's renowned Ming Dynasty. Zheng He, the Great Chinese Explorer is a bilingual (English and Chinese) tale of his adventures.

When he was a child, Zheng He dreamed of foreign lands, his imagination was inspired by the travels of his father and grandfather and the wonderful items they brought back from trading trips to the West. A simple but exotic porcelain vase in cobalt, a color not found in China at the time, drove Zheng He to discover the origins of this unique color—and become one of the most famous explorers in China's history.

Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

Eighty years before Columbus, China sent ships to explore the world.The Chinese discovered many marvelous things, but one discovery stood out above the others: the chee-lin.This chee-lin was just a giraffe, but to the Chinese it was an omen of good fortune so rare that it had appeared only once before—at the birth of Confucius.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

A Time Magazine 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time selection!​A Reader’s Digest Best Children’s Book of All Time​!This stunning fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore is a companion novel to Starry River of the Sky and the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award finalist When the Sea Turned to SilverIn the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.

Science and Scientists (True Stories From Ancient China)

Ancient China has a long history of scientific excellence. Learn more about some of China’s greatest scientific wonders and the scientists who studied them. Features stories about astronomy, seismology, mathematics, calendar-making, and geography.

The Warlord's Beads (Warlord's Series)

Clever Chuan devises a simple way for his father to quickly and accurately count all the warlord's treasure.

The Five Chinese Brothers (Paperstar)

The classic picture book about five clever brothers, each with a different extraordinary ability, has been in print for almost 80 years."An original nonsense tale told with...spirit and gusto." -- The Horn Book

The Great Wall Of China (Aladdin Picture Books)

Angela FIsher's The Great Wall is an "awe-inspiring, impressive, black and gray illustrations set the tone for this history of the building of the Great Wall of China." (School Library Journal)

The Story about Ping

No one can deny the appeal of the book's hero, Ping, the spirited little duck who lives on a boat on the Yangtze River. Ping's misadventures one night while exploring the world around his home form the basis of this timeless classic, which is brought to life by Kurt Wiese's warm and poignant illustrations.

In the Forbidden City (We All Live in the Forbidden City)

Serving as the seat of imperial power for six centuries, the Forbidden City is one of China's most famous and enigmatic landmarks. Accompanied by a mischievous cat, readers will tour this colossal architectural structure, discovering the secrets hidden inside the palace walls. They will encounter the people who have walked through its halls and gardens, including emperors, empresses, and rebel leaders, and hear exciting tales about the power struggles and intrigues of everyday life.This large format book conveys the grandeur of the Forbidden City through highly detailed line drawings of its buildings, gardens, and courtyards with numerous fold-out spreads. Each page is populated by a large variety of characters and peppered with entertaining anecdotes. Every book includes a plastic magnifying glass for looking at the drawings more closely."Readers receive a lavish tour of the Forbidden City, once home to Chinese emperors and now a museum, courtesy of Chiu and the Design and Cultural Studies Workshop, which he founded. Delicate line drawings highlight the architectural intricacies of the nearly 178-acre complex (several foldout spreads emphasize its size) while Chiu examines the Ming and Qing dynasties in thorough detail, along with major events in the palace's history. (In one foldout scene, 24 emperors offer pithy, even brusque notes on their reigns — "I was entirely unaccomplished," says Emperor Longqing.) A magnifying glass is wisely included to help readers appreciate the wealth of visual detail." — Publishers Weekly

The Emperor Who Built The Great Wall

DID YOU KNOW that China was named after its first emperor – the brilliant, all-powerful emperor who built The Great Wall? In this book, discover why he started building the Wall, how he made China the biggest country on earth, and what treasures he hid in his secret tomb. Find out how he became one of the most important people in the history of China. Read all about the first emperor’s fascinating life in The Emperor Who Built The Great Wall.The simple language and beautiful illustrations make this book a wonderful reader or bedtime story. It is suitable for all ages, but children aged six to twelve years will especially enjoy reading this book.~ About the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA… Series ~China has a long history, but its many stories are often too complex for children. In this series, Jillian Lin retells China’s best historical tales so they are easy and fun to read. Children will embark on a journey through time where they will get a glimpse inside the colorful lives of famous Chinese figures. Beautiful illustrations, gripping stories, and fascinating facts make these books wonderful readers or bedtime stories for ages six and above. Other titles in this series include:The King Without A Throne (Confucius)The Mountain Man Of Music (Zhu Zaiyu)The Miracle Doctor (Hua Tuo)The Girl Who Became Emperor (Wu Zetian)The Dreamer Of Stars (Zhang Heng)The Greatest Explorer In The World (Zheng He)The Pirate King (Koxinga/Zheng Chenggong)

Where Is the Great Wall?

More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing. But its construction came at a huge cost: it is believed that more than a million Chinese died building it, earning the wall its nickname--the longest cemetery on earth. Through the story of the wall, Patricia Brennan Demuth is able to tell the story of China itself, the rise and fall of dynasties, the greatness of its culture, and its present-day status as a Communist world power.

DK Eyewitness Books: Ancient China: Discover the History of Imperial China―from the Great Wall to the Days of the La

A spectacular and informative guide to the history of the great Chinese empire and the customs and traditions of its people.  Stunning real-life photographs and lifelike models offer a unique "eyewitness" view of life in imperial China, from its earliest beginnings in the Bronze Age to its final years in the early 20th century. See the stunning bronze work of the ancient Chinese and the beautiful techniques used for Chinese calligraphy. Learn why the First Emperor created the Terracotta Army, what kinds of goods were carried along the Silk Route, who invented paper, and much, much more. 

Facts About Ancient China

  • Han Chinese were the original people of China.
  • The oldest religion in China is ancestor worship but there were other religions too like Confucianism based on the teachings of Confucius. Taoism is another religion.
  • Next the cultivation of silkworms to obtain silk for weaving.
  • At first silk was expensive and only the wealthiest wore it. But about 200 B.C. soldiers and other people were wearing silk. And then even poor people wore silk.
  • Then ancient Chinese wrote on bamboo and wood, then silk. Paper was invented in China about 105 A.D.
  • Education was important in Ancient China. Boys usually went to school at the age of seven. If their parents were rich, they hired a tutor. They learned to write 20 Chinese characters a day.
  • Girls were not usually sent to school. They learned to spin, weave, and embroider. They helped their mothers at home.

Children learn to write calligraphy. It was a great art because there were thousands of symbols each representing a different idea.

Chinese writing has hardly changed over 2,000 years.

More Homeschool Lapbook Ideas

  • Marco Polo Unit Study and Lapbook
  • Ancient Greece
  • 18 Colorful and Free Lapbooks for History Unit Studies
  • Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities
  • Ancient Civilization Lapbook
  • French Revolution 1789 – 1799 Lapbook
  • American Revolution Lapbook 1775 – 1783
  • Medieval Japan Unit Study and Lapbook
Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

In addition, look at this Ancient Chinese inventions on hub page to see what they invented.

Moreover, look at these other ideas for hands-on history.

Hands-on History for Kids Learning About Ancient China

  • How To Make The Great Wall Of China Out Of Paper
  • 8 Ancient China Activities For Kids | How To Make An Abacus
  • Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft
  • Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids
    Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

    Topics in Free Ancient China Lapbook

    Look at these minibooks which are included in the free download.

    Use them all or mix/match with other activities your child wants to include in the lapbook.

    • Early Chinese Dynasties
    • History of Silk
    • Where the Ancient Chinese
    • Did You Know . .
    • Growing Up in Ancient China
    • Shang Warrios
    • Shang Script
    • Food of Ancient China
    • Confucius

    How to Get the Free Ancient China Lapbook

    Now, how to grab the free lapbook. 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 to get my emails in your inbox AND this freebie.

    2) Grab the freebie.

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

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Lapbooks Tagged With: ancient, Ancient China, ancient civilizations, Ancient HIstory, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity

    February 11, 2024 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    I have an Ancient Japan for Kids handwriting activity. Also, look at more ideas on my page Medieval Japan Unit Study and Lapbook 1185 – 1600 A.D.

    We have studied the Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans and Ancient Egyptians off and on for more than four years.

    My children are natural historians, and love to imagine themselves as mini-Indiana Jones type archaeologists.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity

    As I planned our studies for this school year, I wanted to incorporate this natural and significant interest into our approach.

    Then, my oldest expressed an interest in learning Japanese to meet his foreign language requirement and the answer became clear. I began to pull together ideas and resources to study ancient Japan.

    Japanese Ancient History

    I am almost ashamed to admit how little I learned in school about this amazing country, much less its history. (I always say that I am learning as much as my boys are in this homeschooling journey!)

    The vast timeline of Japanese Ancient History continues up until 538 AD. For thousands of years, Japanese culture experienced its own iron age and classical expression.

    During this period, the first known written reference to Japan was recorded in the Chinese Book of Han in the first century AD. Then, between the fourth century and the ninth century, Japan’s numerous kingdoms and tribes gradually came to be unified under a centralized government, controlled by the Emperor.

    The pottery of this same time period and the historical record itself details the evolution of the Japanese language and the development of not one, not two, but THREE different Japanese alphabets.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity. Your kids will love learning about Japan through Kanji. It was used to represent Japanese words with the corresponding meanings. Click here for this fun kids learning activity!

    It was actually the Chinese practice of character writing that  had a huge effect on the development of the written language of ancient Japan. Chinese characters became the Kanji symbolic alphabet  in Japanese. ( Incidentally, written Chinese is one of the world’s oldest active, still in use, writing systems.

    Many current Chinese characters have been traced back to the Shang dynasty about 1200–1050 BC, but the process of creating characters is thought to have begun some centuries earlier.)

     Ancient Japan for Kids

    Kanjiwas first introduced to ancient Japan in the first half of the first millennium AD. At the time, Japanese had no universal writing system, so Kanji were used to represent Japanese words with the corresponding meanings.

    Later years would bring the Japanese phonetic alphabets, Hiragana and Katakana.

    (Yes, you read that correctly. The pottery of the time period and the historical record itself details the evolution of the Japanese language and the development of not one, not two, but THREE different Japanese alphabets.)

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Next, add some books to round out the study of Japan.

    11 Books and Resources for Studying About Japan

    You'll love these resources and books for studying about Japan. Add them to my Medieval Japan Unit Study or just fun for the day.

    Samurai: An Illustrated History

    This Japanese history book traces the story of a unique historical phenomenon: a period of 700 years--equivalent to the entire stretch of Western history between the reigns of the Crusader king Richard the Lionhearted and of Queen Victoria at the height of the British Empire--during which an enclosed civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste.

    The historical narrative of samurai history is supported by explanations of samurai armor, weapons, fortifications, tactics, and customs, and illustrated with nearly 800 fascinating color photographs, maps, and sketches, including ancient scroll paintings and surviving suits of armor preserved for centuries in Japanese shrines.

    Samurai Arms, Armour & the Tactics of Warfare

    Part of the acclaimed Book of Samurai series, which presents for the first time the translated scrolls of the historical Natori-Ry samurai school of war, this volume offers an exceptional insight into the weaponry and armour of the samurai era, as well as tactical advice for use on and off the battlefield.

    Life in Old Japan Coloring Book

    More than 40 handsome, ready-to-color illustrations depict samurai warriors, the imperial villa at Kyoto, a Shinto shrine, a tea ceremony, a Noh play, a typical city street, a restaurant, music makers, more. Introduction and detailed captions describe Japanese culture and provide detailed information on art, government, costume, and daily life.

    Japanese Picture Dictionary Coloring Book: Over 1500 Japanese Words and Phrases for Creative & Visual Learners of All Ages

    Learning a new language is a new way of meeting new people, opening doors in your professional career and attracting fresh opportunities when traveling around the world, as you may know. The great thing is - whether you want to learn Japanese to visit Japan’s precious historic landmarks, watch anime and movies or simply meet wonderful Japanese people - we’ve got you covered!

    All About Japan: Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids

    A cultural adventure for kids, All About Japan offers a journey to a new place--and ways to bring it to life! Dive into stories, play some games from Japan, and learn some Japanese songs.

    The Inch-High Samurai

    The brave little boy who sailed to the Capital in a teacup and fought a demon with a needle to win the love of a Lady is a Japanese cousin to Tom Thumb.

    The Crane Girl

    In this magical retelling of a Japanese folktale, a mysterious girl weaves silk to help repay the kindness of a boy and his father until the father's greed finally exposes her secret.

    While gathering firewood, Yasuhiro comes upon an injured crane hidden in the snow. He rescues and comforts the bird, then watches as it flies away over the wintry hills.

    The next night, a mysterious young girl arrives at Yasuhiro's home seeking shelter from the cold. The boy and his father welcome the girl, named Hiroko, to stay with them. When Hiroko notices that Yasuhiro's father is struggling to earn money, she offers to weave silk for him to sell. After the fabric fetches a good price, the boy's father becomes impatient for more silk, and his greed has a life-changing effect on them all.

    Lyrical storytelling deftly interwoven with original haiku create a magical adaptation of a popular Japanese folktale--an inspirational story of friendship and the power of kindness to transform lives.

    Commodore Perry the Opening of Japan (Landmark Series, #56)

    For more than 200 years Japan had isolated herself from the world - now Commodore Perry, representing the US government had arrived on the shore of Japan. Perry's mission was to open a door into Japan so US ships might stop for fuel & water on their route to China.

    3D Puzzle Wooden Craft Kits DIY Model Building Kit

    This 3D wooden Puzzle is the oldest tower in Japan and one of the iconic buildings, ancient and elegant.

    Japan Tokyo Skyline Famous Architecture Model Block Set

    The iconic landmark you love,Build this detailed Japan skyline model!Features an elaborate façade with Tokyo Tower,Tokyo SKYTREE, Mount Fuji,Sensoji Temple,Osaka Castle and more.

    Japanese Flower Pavilion Cherry Blossom Bonsai Tree Bricks Kit

    Japan Sakura Tree House Building Set consists of 1810pcs + mini-blocks. It includes detailed step-by-step color instructions, and exquisite details of various sizes and color componentsand.

    Hands-On Learning: Ancient Japan

    In my years of homeschooling, one thing that I have learned is essential for our learning to be retained and, if I am honest, enjoyed, is that hands-on activities make all the difference for my two growing boys.

    Because I wanted to bring the rich history of Japan alive for my boys, I knew I needed to include a hands-on activity in our study.

    Because the three alphabets factoid stunned us all, I decided to challenged them to replicate Japanese Character Writing or Kanjii.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    What You Will Need For This Activity:

    • Free Japanese Symbolic Writing Printable included in this post.
    • Brush Pens (if available – it not, any thick marker will do)
    • Cardstock

    Ancient Japan: Hands-On Learning Activity

    After learning that the name of the Japanese symbolic alphabet is the Kanjii Alphabet and that it naturally flowed from the Chinese alphabet, we got to work.

    One: Print printable (available for free with this post) and use as reference.

    Two: Take the brush pens and practice brush strokes first. (This was an important step as none of us were accustomed to using this type of pen!)

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Three: When comfortable with the brush pen, try your hand at a Kanji character.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Four: Once everyone is comfortable with creating the characters, ask your child to choose the top 3 symbols that are meaningful for his life and interests.

    Five: Using the card stock, draw the three selected symbols.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Six: Label the characters in English.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Seven: Because this alphabet also looks like beautiful art, hang on the fridge or even frame your child’s historic creation!

    I have to say, this is more difficult than it looks! Brush pens are obviously much different than the pens we use everyday and the slant of many of the symbols can be difficult to replicate.

    In fact, if you are completing this activity with a young child, or one that struggles with fine motor skills, I highly recommend encouraging them to choose symbols that are less intricate to begin with. (For example: the symbol for dog is blissfully simple for the younger learner.)

    Overall, expanding our ancient history study to include Japan has been a great success.

    Not only have we moved into an area of the world that we are all less familiar with, but we have also found the differences in Japanese art, culture and yes, alphabets, to be fascinating.

    Ancient Japan for Kids: Fun and Simple Handwriting Activity. Your kids will love learning about Japan through Kanji. It was used to represent Japanese words with the corresponding meanings. Click here for this fun kids learning activity!

    If nothing else, you can remind your child when she is complaining about handwriting practice that in Japan, children learn three alphabets as opposed to our one!

    How to Get the Free Japanese Handwriting Form

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

    When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

    1) Sign up on my email list. If you’re already a follower, re-enter your email because your email IS your password.
    2) Download the printable.
    3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

    You’ll also love these other resources for learning about Japan.

    • Medieval Japan Lapbook for Kids and Fun Hands-on Ideas
    • Celebrate Arbor Day With A Fun Flowering Cherry Tree Activity

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities Tagged With: ancient, ancient civilizations, Ancient Japan, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    February 10, 2024 | 3 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    You’ll love these hands-on history activities for ancient empires. Also, there are more Ancient Civilization hands-on ideas on my page.

    Over the years I have shared my passion for hands-on history activities.

    They breathe life into lifeless events of the past.

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    So when planning our year end history co-op, I decided to use the Great Empires Activity Study.

    It is an activity study by Home School in the Woods.

    Why? Because of the scope of empires that the Great Empires Activity Study covers.

    Your kids will love these hands-on history activities for 14 Ancient Empires.Great Empires Activity Study by Home School in the Woods covers fourteen empires:

    I was given this product for free. ALL opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

    Hands-on History Activities Ancient Empires

    • Ancient China
    • Ancient Egypt
    • Ancient Greece
    • Ancient Rome
    • Arab-Muslims,
    • English Empire
    • French Empire
    • German Empire
    • Japanese Empire
    • Mongols
    • Russian Empire
    • Spanish Empire
    • United States and
    • Viking.

    I decided to cover a little about each of these empires through hands-on projects.

    Organizing and assigning hands-on projects for our Great Empires co-op was easy.

    The information is laid out simply. After reviewing the download, you’ll see the files organized by master, texts and projects.

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    The projects page for each empire, I found extremely useful in wading through all of the excellent material.

    The project page is like your weekly lesson plan at a glance page.

    And the master is your lesson plan for the day. The master pages include a helpful teacher’s key reference. It is a map marked with key areas, boundaries and other helpful features for each region covered by that empire.

    Ancient Empires Study for Kids

    Glancing at the project page, we could select all the hands-on activities that we wanted to do.

    Then find them among the 107 master pages.

    Too, background information on each empire is vital in covering the topics like we did because we wanted to savor a morsel of each empire. The text pages for each empire are 2-3 pages. However, one gem about the text pages is that they cover the empire at its height.

    Non-history loving folks are turned off by many details. A quagmire of details drains the life out of learning history.

    Unsure of which invention, event or key point to highlight, a budding history buff may come away more confused.

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    However, the text pages by Home School in the Woods shaves off non-essential details for the elementary age child but builds appreciation by covering key events that are significant for each civilization.

    If you are a give-me-the-facts-only type of person, you will enjoy reading about each empire in the condensed text because you won’t come away feeling overwhelmed.

    Ancient Empires Study for Kids

    Beyond covering key events for each empire or covering significant inventions, the text unifies the past to the present.

    Your child comes away with a better understanding of the impact previous civilizations made in today’s world. Keeping it simple without being boring makes the text a nifty feature.

    However, if you already have a basic framework of history knowledge and want to explore beyond that foundation, you will enjoy the additional reading suggestions in each projects page and the extensive links found in the text which directs you to a website page at Home School in the Woods.

    Easily, you could spend a week on each empire.

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    Because the Great Empires Activity Study is about exploring, discovering and hands-on learning, you will find plenty of activities for each empire from making scones when learning about the English empire to making an Egyptian cartouche.

    Activities vary with each empire from learning about history through cooking, painting pottery like the Greeks and printing minibooks about famous people to Japanese kiragami.

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

    You will not find cheesy analogies of history clip art in this product.

    All of the clip art, projects and pictures have amazing detail. If you are a non-artsy person you will enjoy assembling the easy to do projects because a lot of them are printable.

    You decide if you want to color or not.Here is what I find most appealing about this product:

    Hands-on History Projects

    • The scope of empires covered. If you have been lagging behind in covering history topics or are trying to follow the 4 year cycle used by a lot of homeschoolers and it is going slower than you would like to, using Great Empires Activity Study would be a useful tool if you want a bird’s-eye view.
    • It can be a stand-alone history curriculum. You have the option with additional reading material listed in the projects pages and links provided by Home School in the Woods to extend each empire. With the abundance of reading recommendations and because we love history, I personally would take two weeks to cover each empire if I were using this as a stand-alone curriculum. Doing one hands-on activity per week would not be overly time consuming and you could easily end up with a year’s worth of history.  What a bargain for the price and you are using it for all of your children.
    • Adding in an activity to enrich your reading. Then Great Empires Activity Study would be a nice fit.
    • Great Empires Activity Study allowed a lot of room for flexibility in our co-op setting because it allowed each family to focus on the topic that interested them.
    • History clip art matters to me because pictures are important in history. The fine detail and high quality pictures can be used for a timeline, history notebook or to add to a lapbook.
    • Many of the creative activities can be printed. They do not involve a lot of teacher supervision or tons of crafty artsy items on hand to do them.
    • The constant in all the empires is the beautiful teacher’s key map. Providing a key map for each empire is like having a mini geography curriculum as a bonus.
    If you’re wanting to breathe life into homeschool history, your kids will love these hands-on learning history activities for studying 14 Great Empires! CLICK HERE to look at these fun and engaging hands-on ideas!

    I feel that persons can vary tremendously on what each one thinks is a disadvantage in a product. I prefer using the word considerations because it gives you pause for thought to see if your circumstances fit that product.

    Ancient Empire History Projects

    Considerations for this product would be:

    Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)
    • There is not a lesson planning guide or checklist for each day’s activities. For some homeschoolers that may feel like freedom to explore and breathe but for others having a to-do checklist each day may feel a bit more secure.
    • Some of these activities are ones that history lovers may have already done. However, the product is aimed at elementary age..

    How to Get the Free History Notebook cover

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

    When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

    1) Sign up on my email list.
    2) Grab the printable.
    3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

    You know I have to organize most products I get and this one was no different. I have created a printable for you to use as cover page for your binder when covering these empires.Home School in the Woods is an excellent example of showing how history does not have to involve a textbook or always acquiring random uninteresting facts.

    With background information on each past civilization and several creative activities you won’t be disappointed with Great Empires Activity Study.

    Whether you are studying about the legends of Crete or are exploring the adventures of Captain John Smith, adding in hands-on history along with a huge dose of field trips and a history co-op or two is a sure way to making learning about the past meaningful.

    If you’re wanting to breathe life into homeschool history, your kids will love these hands-on learning history activities for studying 14 Great Empires! CLICK HERE to look at these fun and engaging hands-on ideas!

    You’ll also love these other helpful posts with activities:

    • Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations
    • 20 Ancient Civilization History Coloring Pages
    • 100 Easy & Fun Ancient Civilization Hands-on Projects

    3 CommentsFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Product Review, Teach Homeschool History Tagged With: ancient civilizations, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, historyspine, homeschoolhistory

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    February 9, 2024 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    Make your own Ming Dynasty plate for a fun and educational ancient China activity. Also, look at my post Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History.

    This hands-on history craft leaves a lasting impression and makes for a wonderful keepsake of your study.

    The blue and white porcelain is from the Yuan Dynasty.

    It is attributed to the Ming Dynasty because it was during the Ming Dynasty period that it started coming to Europe and gained popularity.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    Popular designs and motifs were Chinese characters, dragons, pagodas, fish, birds, botanical, and waves.

    Ming China was not the first or the highest in quality and design.

    However, it holds as one of the most significant milestones in ceramic history because it was during this dynasty that China dramatically improved its ceramic technology.

    The blue and white coloration is the most popular and identifiable.

    Ming Dynasty was a period of imperial China which existed from 1368 to 1644. It was a hereditary monarchy that was dominated by a single family.

    Many achievements were made during the Ming Dynasty.

    For example, doubling its population, refurbishing the Great Wall to its greatest glory and large naval expeditions.

    Also, there was robust maritime trade, the production of beautiful porcelains, paintings, and textiles.

    In the last century the dynasty was plagued with crop failures, monetary instability, and corruption in the courts.

    That allowed it to be overthrown by a combined effort of  Wu Sangui and the Manchu Prince Dorgon.

    This is just one of the fascinating ancient dynasties that you can learn more about.

    Research rulers and the contributions each made to their time.

    Books About China For Kids

    Next, along with this hands-on ancient China activity, look at some of these living books.

    I like to add living books to our day then reference books too.

    12 Ancient China Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

    Add some of these books to your home library about Ancient China. Also, use them for a homeschool unit study.

    Zheng He, The Great Chinese Explorer: A Bilingual Story of Adventure and Discovery

    In the West, legendary explorers like Christopher Columbus, Ernest Shackleton and Sir Edmund Hillary are a recognized part of our history. But in China, that legend belongs to the great explorer Zheng He (1371–1433), who lived during China's renowned Ming Dynasty. Zheng He, the Great Chinese Explorer is a bilingual (English and Chinese) tale of his adventures.

    When he was a child, Zheng He dreamed of foreign lands, his imagination was inspired by the travels of his father and grandfather and the wonderful items they brought back from trading trips to the West. A simple but exotic porcelain vase in cobalt, a color not found in China at the time, drove Zheng He to discover the origins of this unique color—and become one of the most famous explorers in China's history.

    Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

    Eighty years before Columbus, China sent ships to explore the world.The Chinese discovered many marvelous things, but one discovery stood out above the others: the chee-lin.This chee-lin was just a giraffe, but to the Chinese it was an omen of good fortune so rare that it had appeared only once before—at the birth of Confucius.

    Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

    A Time Magazine 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time selection!​A Reader’s Digest Best Children’s Book of All Time​!This stunning fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore is a companion novel to Starry River of the Sky and the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award finalist When the Sea Turned to SilverIn the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.

    Science and Scientists (True Stories From Ancient China)

    Ancient China has a long history of scientific excellence. Learn more about some of China’s greatest scientific wonders and the scientists who studied them. Features stories about astronomy, seismology, mathematics, calendar-making, and geography.

    The Warlord's Beads (Warlord's Series)

    Clever Chuan devises a simple way for his father to quickly and accurately count all the warlord's treasure.

    The Five Chinese Brothers (Paperstar)

    The classic picture book about five clever brothers, each with a different extraordinary ability, has been in print for almost 80 years."An original nonsense tale told with...spirit and gusto." -- The Horn Book

    The Great Wall Of China (Aladdin Picture Books)

    Angela FIsher's The Great Wall is an "awe-inspiring, impressive, black and gray illustrations set the tone for this history of the building of the Great Wall of China." (School Library Journal)

    The Story about Ping

    No one can deny the appeal of the book's hero, Ping, the spirited little duck who lives on a boat on the Yangtze River. Ping's misadventures one night while exploring the world around his home form the basis of this timeless classic, which is brought to life by Kurt Wiese's warm and poignant illustrations.

    In the Forbidden City (We All Live in the Forbidden City)

    Serving as the seat of imperial power for six centuries, the Forbidden City is one of China's most famous and enigmatic landmarks. Accompanied by a mischievous cat, readers will tour this colossal architectural structure, discovering the secrets hidden inside the palace walls. They will encounter the people who have walked through its halls and gardens, including emperors, empresses, and rebel leaders, and hear exciting tales about the power struggles and intrigues of everyday life.This large format book conveys the grandeur of the Forbidden City through highly detailed line drawings of its buildings, gardens, and courtyards with numerous fold-out spreads. Each page is populated by a large variety of characters and peppered with entertaining anecdotes. Every book includes a plastic magnifying glass for looking at the drawings more closely."Readers receive a lavish tour of the Forbidden City, once home to Chinese emperors and now a museum, courtesy of Chiu and the Design and Cultural Studies Workshop, which he founded. Delicate line drawings highlight the architectural intricacies of the nearly 178-acre complex (several foldout spreads emphasize its size) while Chiu examines the Ming and Qing dynasties in thorough detail, along with major events in the palace's history. (In one foldout scene, 24 emperors offer pithy, even brusque notes on their reigns — "I was entirely unaccomplished," says Emperor Longqing.) A magnifying glass is wisely included to help readers appreciate the wealth of visual detail." — Publishers Weekly

    The Emperor Who Built The Great Wall

    DID YOU KNOW that China was named after its first emperor – the brilliant, all-powerful emperor who built The Great Wall? In this book, discover why he started building the Wall, how he made China the biggest country on earth, and what treasures he hid in his secret tomb. Find out how he became one of the most important people in the history of China. Read all about the first emperor’s fascinating life in The Emperor Who Built The Great Wall.The simple language and beautiful illustrations make this book a wonderful reader or bedtime story. It is suitable for all ages, but children aged six to twelve years will especially enjoy reading this book.~ About the ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA… Series ~China has a long history, but its many stories are often too complex for children. In this series, Jillian Lin retells China’s best historical tales so they are easy and fun to read. Children will embark on a journey through time where they will get a glimpse inside the colorful lives of famous Chinese figures. Beautiful illustrations, gripping stories, and fascinating facts make these books wonderful readers or bedtime stories for ages six and above. Other titles in this series include:The King Without A Throne (Confucius)The Mountain Man Of Music (Zhu Zaiyu)The Miracle Doctor (Hua Tuo)The Girl Who Became Emperor (Wu Zetian)The Dreamer Of Stars (Zhang Heng)The Greatest Explorer In The World (Zheng He)The Pirate King (Koxinga/Zheng Chenggong)

    Where Is the Great Wall?

    More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing. But its construction came at a huge cost: it is believed that more than a million Chinese died building it, earning the wall its nickname--the longest cemetery on earth. Through the story of the wall, Patricia Brennan Demuth is able to tell the story of China itself, the rise and fall of dynasties, the greatness of its culture, and its present-day status as a Communist world power.

    DK Eyewitness Books: Ancient China: Discover the History of Imperial China―from the Great Wall to the Days of the La

    A spectacular and informative guide to the history of the great Chinese empire and the customs and traditions of its people.  Stunning real-life photographs and lifelike models offer a unique "eyewitness" view of life in imperial China, from its earliest beginnings in the Bronze Age to its final years in the early 20th century. See the stunning bronze work of the ancient Chinese and the beautiful techniques used for Chinese calligraphy. Learn why the First Emperor created the Terracotta Army, what kinds of goods were carried along the Silk Route, who invented paper, and much, much more. 

    Activities Resources For Ancient China Unit Study

    • Learn the Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids and practice writing characters to spell out names or spelling words.
    • Before you make your plate, watch Ming Dynasty Pottery For Kids for a quick and easy art lesson.
    • Make Bamboo Scrolls like they would have started as far back as the third or fourth century B.C.E.

    Find out about Terra Cotta Warriors, these were made in the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE), and were created to protect the kingdom of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    Finally, look how to make this Ming Dynasty plate.

    How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    You can use a regular sharpie to make your plate.

    However, if you use the sharpie paint markers like I linked below you will get a much richer and longer lasting color.

     Also, you can also choose to make a bowl, cup, or vase using the same method as below.

    You will need:

    • White plate (Dollar Tree)
    • Oil based Sharpie markers
    • Dry erase marker
    • Rubbing alcohol/cloth
    • Oven

    First, google various pieces of Ming China until you decide on some pattern ideas you like for inspiration.

    Or your child can create their own modern version of the popular blue and white porcelain that has been reproduced many times over the years.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    Wipe down the plate with rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth to remove any oils and dirt from the plate and then let it dry completely.

    Draw your design, if you make a mistake that you can’t or don’t want to work into your design you can color over it completely with a dry erase marker and it will completely wipe away.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    You can start along the rim like this repeating simple patterns if you like.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    Now fill in the center of your plate with a scene.

    Ming porcelain was usually very detailed and full of some sort of designs, so I encouraged as much drawing as possible. We went with a couple of pagodas to make it obvious.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    When you are satisfied with your design, place it on a baking sheet in an oven that has been preheated to 350 and bake for 30 minutes before turning it off.

    Allow it to sit until completely cooled and then remove it.

    These plates are not food safe, but the designs are now permanent and can be used in a display.

    Kids Ancient China Activity | How To Make a Simple Ming Dynasty Craft

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Ancient China, ancient civilizations, Ancient HIstory, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    January 25, 2024 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    The Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest known sculpture in Egypt. Also, grab the Egypt – Famous Pharaohs and Queens Lapbook on my Ancient Civilizations page.

    It stands in front of the pyramids on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt.

    And it was created in a quarry to build the pyramids and other structures nearby.

    By now you probably know what a fantastic resource LEGO is in your homeschool.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    They can be used for math manipulatives to building iconic treasures like the Great Sphinx of Giza.

    We have amassed an astounding number of LEGOs over the years.

    Still, I have a tutorial to show you how to build a small replica of the sphinx using basic LEGO pieces that you might find in a basic box except for the face.

    But I am also giving you a simpler alternative for that as well.

    Ancient Egypt Books for Kids

    Next, add some of these books to your learning day.

    I lean toward living books to bring a topic to life like history.

    Then I add reference books.

    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.

    Also, look at some of these fun facts about the Great Sphinx of Giza.

    Uncovering the Mysteries of The Great Sphinx of Giza

    • Who made it? The mythological statue has the head of a human and the body of a lion. It was built by ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom.
    • What is it made from? It is made with a single piece of bedrock. Repairs have been made over time using limestone. This is a single carved piece, not smaller blocks.
    • Where is it located?  Giza, Egypt
    • When was it carved? It was carved in 2500 BC.
    • How big is it? 240 feet long and 66 feet high, it is an impressive sight!
    • Why was it built? It was made for the pharaoh Khafre, the builder of the Second Pyramid at Giza.
    • What happened to his nose? While there are several theories as to what happened to the nose (and it has never been found) close inspection suggests that it was a deliberate act using rods or chisels.
    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Next, look at some more hands-on activities to learn about Ancient Egypt.

    Hands-on Activities for Ancient Egypt

    • 7 Fun Ways to Play Go Fish Egyptian Games for Kids
    • Ancient Egypt DIY Simple and Fun Mummification Process Game
    • Egypt Crafts For Kindergarten Create a Fun Kid Sized Mummy
    • Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities
    • The Geronimo Stilton Book Fourth Journey Fun Egypt Game
    • Fun and Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Craft: Create Canopic Jars
    • 11 Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School
    • Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator
    • Fun Hands-On History: Ancient Egyptian Collar Craft

    Finally, how to make this fun Lego Great Spinx of Giza.

    Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    You can find every piece to create your own Sphinx of Giza in this LEGO Classic Creative Box.

    You can make your sphinx with any color of bricks.

    I chose a light tan to give it the sand look.

    You can also use any mix of brick sizes and make the model as large or as small as you wish.

    If you are new to building with LEGO, when i say 1×2, etc…

    Here is an example of what I mean.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    In addition, for language arts, history and geography you can assign Where Are The Great Pyramids to learn more about the Sphinx as well as the pyramids.

    Rather than a list, I am giving you a photo for reference that you can print and have your child gather the pieces or pieces that are as close as possible.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Lay down your base. This is one of the few pieces that does not come in the basic box except in green, so use that if you like.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Place 1×6 pieces on either side, one stud in and one stud away from the edge to create arms.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Fill in a 4×8 area between the “arms” of the monument.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Place another layer of bricks starting on the second stud from the back in a 4×4 grouping.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    For the back half of the lion’s body put pieces together like in this photo

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Use these special rounded pieces to give the straight edges some curve. If you don’t have them you can just finish it off with a straight-edged brick.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    To create the head and headpiece (Nemes) of the pharaoh put these pieces together like this.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Then place them all together.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Put directly in front of the second layer of the body.

    If you have the bricks with forward-facing studs this will help create a general face shape.

     If not just use a tall 1×2 brick in its place like this.

    Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: ancient, ancient civilizations, ancient egypt, egypt, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, historyspine, homeschoolhistory, world history

    • « Go to Previous Page
    • Page 1
    • Interim pages omitted …
    • Page 4
    • Page 5
    • Page 6
    • Page 7
    • Page 8
    • Interim pages omitted …
    • Page 16
    • Go to Next Page »

    Primary Sidebar

    Footer

    Privacy Policy | About Me | Reviews | Contact | Advertise

    Categories

    Archives

    Tina Robertson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2026 · 5 TNT LLC · Log in · Privacy Policy