ancient

Ancient Civilizations Unit – Printable Minibook on Sumer

May 31, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

One of the main reasons I wanted to cover an ancient civilizations unit is because sometimes a history study can get draggy. More important, I wanted to include other ancient civilizations to add to our Ancient Civilizations II unit study.

Focusing on the details of history, can get a bit sluggish because you lose the momentum of the overview.

There are lot of kids and teachers alike that are I-have-to-see-the-big-picture-before-I-get it people.

Me? I love history, but I can get buried in all the details.

I appreciate the big picture too.

It is important to pull up and away and look at the big picture so you understand the major players of ancient history.

For us, I think after we examine the big picture and come up for air, it gives us another bunny trail to go down. You know what I mean? Often times, I end up with more units or topics than school months to learn about them.

Ancient Civilizations

Too, if you start homeschooling with older children sometimes they just get a glimpse of them in public school.

So, if you’re wanting to cover ancient civilizations, then a unit focusing on great empires or ancient civilizations is key to understanding them.

It is key to keeping history fun and relevant. Although Mesopotamia is an early civilization, it can be confusing to understand about Sumer.

So I made it a separate minibook.

Understanding that Sumer developed in Mesopotamia is the first place to start.

From there it is easier to associate the Sumerian ruler, Sargon, with the time period.

This time I made a minibook focusing more on the Sumerians invented which was a system of writing and irrigation.

Because they were farmers, irrigation was an important livelihood.

Understanding how irrigation helped them to live farther away from the rivers is an important concept in explaining how they thrived as a civilization.

Sure, it probably is not as glamorous to study about farming and irrigation as maybe studying about mummies, but it is solid; farming and irrigation is at the roots of ancient civilizations.

As usual, I try to give some accompanying facts and as always you don’t have to use them.

Ancient Sumer Printable Minibook

I provide information as I can because we do lapbooks as enrichment and my time is limited.

Also, these minibooks can be glued on pages for notebooking. You decide.

Sometimes we do a lapbook, sometimes the older boys glue the minibook on pages for a notebook.

One curriculum that we are using right now too because I am interested in getting a bird’s eye view on history is Western Civilization Study by Brimwood Press.

The reason I am excited about this one is because in a few short lessons you span several thousands of years of history. I

n fourteen lessons you span 5,000 years. A great teaching tool for getting a sweeping overview of history. We are already loving it. You have to check it out below.

I can’t wait to tell you more as we are so engaged going through it. I hope you enjoy the Sumer book. It makes it easy when you can cover civilizations, hitting the highlights and move on.

Download the next minibook on Sumer below

Sumer-Ancient-Civilizations-Unit-by-Tina-Robertson.pdf (2742 downloads )

Do you find it hard to teach the highlights of history?

Hugs and love ya,

11 Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School

April 22, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have gathered 11 easy hands-on Ancient Egypt project ideas for middle school. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Learning about Ancient Egypt should be both fun and interactive during the middle school ages.

11 Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School

It’s not time to give up the fun at any age of learning.

1. Make Mud Bricks.

Look at this fun Hands-on Ancient Egypt: Israelite Mud Bricks for Kids. With minimal material, most of which you have around the house, your middle school child will love making these mud bricks.

Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School

2. Build a LEGO Math Calculator.

Next, look at this math slant project while studying about Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator is a fun middle school project.

Studying about jewelry from Ancient Egypt doesn’t have to be hard. Look at this Fun Hands-On History: Ancient Egyptian Collar Craft.

3. Create an Ancient Egyptian Collar

One of the most famous forms of jewelry worn by the ancient Egyptians was the Usekh collar.

Rich Egyptians often wore these broad necklaces on a daily basis and this collar craft is a fun way to understand about Egyptian necklaces.

Then to add a bit of art and drawing, your middle school child will love Ancient Egypt Civilization (Hands-on History): King Narmer Crown.

4. Mold a painting of the Ancient Egypt Double Crown

After all studying about the double crown and the significance to Ancient Egypt can be hard to understand. This easy hands-on project helps learning facts stick.

Projects for Middle School About Ancient Egypt

5. Play the Snake Game

In addition, I created this fun and Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History) based on the popular snake game played by the Egyptians.

However, we really loved doing the Project Passport: Ancient Egypt from Home School in the Woods .

Not only did we enjoy many hands-on learning activities, but love learning about Upper and Lower Egypt, the maps and the printable activities. My post Ancient Egypt Homeschool Unit Study – Hands-on and FUN! has numerous activities in Project Passport.

6. Travel Egypt Without Leaving Your Home

Also, add in a few more hands-on fun ideas like this Birdcage Ancient Egypt Go Fish game.

7. Prepare cardboard Egyptian Pillars

And another Ancient Egypt project for middle school is to have your child prepare these beautiful smokin’ hot Egyptian cardboard pillars.

Hands-on Ancient Egypt Middle School Activities

At the end of our unit study co-op our group made these cardboard pillars; your crafty middle school kid will love doing them for a prop or drama your group has.

8. Tie in Ancient Egypt with Astronomy Notebooking Page

Furthermore, some middle school children will love a science tie in with Ancient Egypt like learning about ancient astronomy. Look at my post Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages.

Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

These notebooking pages are subscriber freebies.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my Exclusive Subscriber’s Only Library which has these notebooking pages in the library.

This is how you get access to these pages quickly.
1) Sign up on my list to follow me by email.
2) Grab the freebie now.
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

9. Study Ancient Egypt Alongside Other Ancient Empires.

This next Ancient Egypt project for middle school is to make an in depth study of Ancient Empires. We used Great Empires Activity Study by Home School in the Wood.

Some children need to see the key players or empires of history at one time and need a longer project to retain focus.

Moving too fast studying ancient history and a child may not understand key time periods. It’s important for key history hooks to be made so that all other learning can be tied to history makers.

Great Empires Activity Study by Home School in the Woods covers fourteen empires:

Ancient China
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Arab-Muslims,
English Empire
French Empire

Mongols
Russian Empire
Spanish Empire
United States and
Viking.
German Empire
Japanese Empire

Another easy activity Hands-On History: The Rosetta Stone and Breaking The Code is really a fun introduction to learning about ancient history.

10. Break the Code of the Rosetta Stone.

If you find that your child doesn’t really know anything about why we know some about ancient history, begin with learning about the Rosetta Stone. Your code breakers will love to learn about breaking the code.

As well including your young kids can be tough. So, if you want to include your younger kids or if your middle school child loves to still color, you’ll love this set of Ancient color pages to go along with your studies.

20 Ancient Civilization History Coloring Pages at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus. You'll love adding these to your unit studies or notebooking.

We have used various museum quality history coloring books through the years that have made a big difference in how my boys understood history in the early years.

I think clip art should be as real as possible and based on real events in history.

Learning Ancient History Through Coloring

Instead of me adding titles on pages or naming the coloring pages, this allows you to use the clip art/coloring pages any way you want to.

Whether it is a cover page, notebooking page, journal page or just to enrich a topic, you have the flexibility.

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

Page 3: Ancient Egypt Court,
Page 4: Ancient Egypt Spinning,
Page 5: Ancient Egypt Life of the Royals,
Page 6: Ancient Egypt Battles,
Page 7: Ancient Egypt The Nile,
Page 8: Life Along the River – The Nile,
Page 9: Metal Workers & Crafts of Ancient Egypt,
Page 10: Egyptian Hieroglyphics,
Page 11: Egyptian Queen Cleopatra,

Page 12: Aztecs Floating Gardens
Page 13: Aztecs,
Page 14: Aztec Life,
Page 15: Mayans,
Page 16: Ancient Greece Wedding,
Page 17: Ancient Greek Galley,
Page 18: Ancient Greece Crafts,
Page 19: Ancient Greece Bank,
Page 20: Athens,
Page 21: Spartan Warrior and
Page 22: The Vikings.

Grab your fun copy below!

00. Ancient Civilization History 20 Coloring Pages
$3.50 Add to cart

Finally, you know my love for hands-on tools like lapbooks. No, they’re not just for younger children.

Middle school children really benefit from them as well. And the best part is that the lapbook can be as crafty or not as your child wants it to be.

11. Craft a Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt lapbook.

And I really make it easy here for you because I have this free Famous Pharaohs and Queens of Egypt lapbook.

What do you think? Are you ready to tackle these 11 Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School?

And be sure you visit these middle school activities:

How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

December 22, 2020 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This week we created our own ceremonial African tribal mask after doing some research about their uses and how they are made. Also, look at my post Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports.

We have been studying all about Africa, it’s customs, weather, regions, zoology, peoples, and geography.

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

This project we are sharing with you today is perfect for mid elementary up through middle school.

Tribal masks play very important roles in many traditional African ceremonies and rituals even in these modern times.

Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

Some symbolize totem animals, others are representative of tribal mythology, they are believed to help communicate and convey messages to spirits.

Some masks are made and used in times of peace and also in times of war, and to ensure good harvests.

They are worn for weddings, funerals, and initiation rites of passage.

Mask making is an art that is passed from father to son in African culture.

Too, if you are studying Africa with any depth, this is a project that you definitely want to focus on.

How to Make an African Paper Mask

You learn history, but also the culture of certain regions; your child gets a glimpse into the artwork which these interesting peoples create and consider important to their culture.

First, gather these easy supplies. Here is what you will need to create your own mask.

Scrapbook/Construction paper
Glue
Scissors
Hole punch

Hole punch
Paint, brushes
Raffia/twine
paint/paintbrush

Directions:

Crease a full sheet of sturdy paper right down the center, this will be the main piece of your mask.

On one side pencil in a large mask shape. If you have already done some research you should have an idea of what type of mask you would like.

Masks are usually shaped like a human face or animal muzzle, but very abstract.

Kids’ African Mask

We are going with a commonly seen elongated face shape that is symmetrical and it gives me a chance to reintroduce and review what symmetrical means with the kids.

Cut out both sides at the same time following the half shape you drew.

When decorating tribal masks many elements are used like shells, horns, feathers, broken egg shells, seeds, straw, and animal hair.

Cut out your elements like the nose, ears, and eyes from neutral colored paper, which are the colors most commonly chosen in Africa.

While size and shapes are exaggerated, they are still pretty simple.

To make your features symmetrical, fold your paper in half like you did the poster board. Only draw half the shape on one side, but cut out of both side on the fold.

Start with the nose, eyes, and ears and build up with decoration from there.

Again if you are cutting one piece like a nose, fold it in half, draw the shape, and cut it out.

How to Make Tribal Masks with Paper

If you are cutting two pieces like eyes just cut through two pieces of paper at the same time so that they are the exact same size and shape.

Next, glue all your elements into place, remember to place your pencil line side face down so you don’t see it.

To create the hair and beard details, we punched holes along the edges where we wanted them and knotted twine through the holes.

If you knot it like a regular knot the ties will go out sideways.

If you want it to stick straight up and down, fold your length of string in half and push the loop through the hole you made.

African Mask Ideas for Kids

Too, if you’re looking to add Art History to your curriculum, we love Art History Kids.

Goal of Art History Kids

To introduce kids to art.
Let them come to their own conclusions.
And, encourage their own individual creativity.

Then, slide the other two ends through the loop and pull firmly but gently.

Add some final details with paint, like the dots we did here.

We used the back end of the brush to create round uniform dots to give our mask some additional texture and interest.

If your child enjoys more sensory input you can also use fingertips to add paint to the mask.

Allow your creation to dry, you can either leave it as it is or glue the mask to a sturdier piece of cardboard or poster board to display and keep it longer.

Learning the Culture of Africa Through Picture Books

If you want to make this a fun unit study topic about world cultures, you’ll love the study guide notes and coloring pictures by Beautiful Feet Literature.

Although these guides state they’re for your younger kids, I think picture books are wonderful for all ages. Who doesn’t love pictures?

Additionally, look at these picture book options below.

Part One covers Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

This Around the World With Picture Books Part Two covers Europe and South America.

Lastly, if you want to expand on your Africa study no matter if you are using a box curriculum or if you are doing a simple interest led study here are some ideas that you and your child can try…

African Geography and Culture Homeschool Unit Study Ideas

List the different countries with Africa in alphabetical order. This is great practice for learning alphabetical order but also geography, handwriting, vocabulary, and spelling. I am a big fan of activities that cover more than one skill.
Dig deeper by researching what various masks and their elements represent and what regions they are from.
Create several different masks representing different areas or traditions.
Families with one or more children can create an art show with African art to share with friends and family.
Research other cultures and countries that wear masks, what are they worn for?
Visit a local museum with an Africa exhibit to see relics or replicas first hand.

Watch this documentary on PBS about an African Mask Collection.

You’ll love these other hands-on activities:

Are you studying about Africa? What activities have you been doing?

Hugs and love ya,

Hands-on Ancient Mesopotamia: Easy STEM Irrigation Activity

November 30, 2018 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, we’re doing a fun STEM irrigation in Ancient Mesopotamia activity.

The study of Mesopotamia is one of our middle school requirements

. I’ve been really surprised by how much fun we’ve been having studying about this time period.

I’m sure the STEM projects we have been including may have something to do with it! We have this next one ready which is an easy stem irrigation activity.

Ancient Mesopotamia STEM Irrigation Activity

With this project, kids learn how this ancient civilization invented a system to grow crops.

The most extraordinary thing about this is that we still use this system today.

Irrigation has been the main contributor in the development of agriculture.

If you are studying about erosion in science, this could also double as a great STEM project for science too.

About the Mesopotamians

In addition, Mesopotamia was a region situated along the Tigris-Euphrates River system located in Western Asia.

It’s where Kuwait, Iraq, sections of Saudi Arabia, the eastern sections of Syria, Southwestern Turkey, and parts of Turkish-Syrian and Iran-Iraq borders are today.

The name Mesopotamia means “between rivers.”

It’s said this was the center of culture and where the influence of agriculture began.

Agriculture changed the game for ancient people. Instead of hunting and gathering, tribes of people were beginning to settle down and form civilizations.

The Mesopotamians were the first to develop a written language and invented the wheel.

They also built ships to travel the Persian Gulf in order to trade with other civilizations.

In the center of their cities they constructed temples of the many gods they worshiped.

The anatomy of these structures would have involved thousands of workers and would have taken many years to construct.

More Ancient Mesopotamia Activities for Kids

How to Make Unleavened Bread Ancient Mesopotamia Bread Recipe

Mesopotamia’s Engineering

In Southern Mesopotamia, the Sumerians built city walls and canals to prevent flooding.

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers carried monstrous amounts of silt, resulting in fast rising rivers.

The irrigation system was of a basin type.

They would dig a hole in the embankment and then use mud to close it back up. Water was then lifted up using a swape, which is a pole acting as a lever.

Some of these canals may have been used for 1,000 years before they were left and others rebuilt.

Today, 3,000-4,000 years later, remains of the canals are still present.

To build your own Mesopotamia irrigation system you will need the following items:

a big baking pan
sand
cotton squares
water
pieces of wood/popsicle sticks
soil
green construction paper/green food coloring
sticks and leaves
monopoly houses
hot glue

Moreover, cover your table or do this outside. Have a trash can nearby, as this project tends to get messy.

Hands-On Ancient Mesopotamia: STEM Irrigation System

I was able to find many of these supplies around the house. The only thing I had to buy was a big bag of sand from Home Depot.

Mesopotamia Irrigation System

This is what makes this STEM project really affordable. Start by filling up one side of the baking pan with cotton squares.

This will help prevent your sand from eroding when you fill up the river with water.

The other side will be the river. Play around with the sand until it begins to look like a beach.

After you get the look you want, begin sectioning off where you want to place the fields of crops. This is where you’ll need the soil.

Also, plan out little sections to build homes or temples to represent the cities.

Additionally, you’ll love these super hands-on history resources from Home School in the Woods.

Using green construction paper, or leaves, place your crops in the fields. You can dye some of your sand green to represent fields. Use the sticks and leaves to look like trees.

We used the hot glue gun to glue the leaves onto the sticks.

Move on now to build your canals.

Ancient Civilization Irrigation System

Begin digging trenches in between the fields with a ditch leading out towards your river. (You’ll fill in the river in just a bit!)

Now that your canals have been dug, you will need a gate to control how much water will be needed for your crops.

Furthermore, you can use popsicle sticks, pieces of wood, or sticks to build a gate to fit between the edges of your canal.

The gate will need to be able to open and close, and it will need to be water proof. We hot glued pieces of popsicle sticks together.

Once your gate is built, install it into your canal.

Pour water into your river with the gate shut. If the water leaks keep modifying your gate.

The river should not be released into the canals until the gate opens.

Begin digging trenches in between the fields with a ditch leading out towards your river. (You’ll fill in the river in just a bit!)

Now that your canals have been dug, you will need a gate to control how much water will be needed for your crops.

Use popsicle sticks, pieces of wood, or sticks to build a gate to fit between the edges of your canal.

The gate will need to be able to open and close, and it will need to be water proof. We hot glued pieces of popsicle sticks together.

Once your gate is built, install it into your canal. Pour water into your river with the gate shut. If the water leaks keep modifying your gate. The river should not be released into the canals until the gate opens.

Hands-on History for Kids

Next, search online for pictures of irrigation systems of Mesopotamia if you are stuck. I found an image to show my kids before I let them go.

They always surprise me with ways to build things that I never would have thought to do.

With this project, kids learn how this ancient civilization invented a system to grow crops. The most extraordinary thing about this is that we still use this system today! CLICK HERE to do this Ancient Mesopotamia Kids Hands-on History and STEM Irrigation Activity!

These ancient people were truly remarkable. I love being able to build small replicas of engineering systems so the kids can understand how they work.

Not only does it improve their comprehension of what is being read, it also improves their critical thinking as they try to build what they read!

You’ll love these other activities:

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Gardens Fun Activity

October 16, 2018 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Known as one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were thought to have been a showpiece in the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and built by King Nebuchadnezzar.

But there is some debate among scholars if it really even existed or it was just a fable or who actually built it.

While some historians believe that the gardens towered hundreds of feet in the air while others believe it was much smaller, there is also some debate on just exactly where the gardens were located.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Gardens Fun Activity

It is said that the gardens were built to help Nebuchadnezzar’s wife Amytis get over her homesickness.

She was from a region that was green and mountainous and very much unlike the flat land of Mesopotamia. Again, there is some disagreement here.

Some believe that the queen Sammu-ramat who ruled after Nebuchadnezzar was responsible for the gardens instead.

They were built with layered platforms of stone and filled with trees, hanging plants, and flowers.

The gardens are thought to have disappeared during an earthquake and we do not have any physical confirmed evidence of their existence but there are varied accounts of them throughout history and foundation vaults and chambers were located near the palace by archeologists that could support their location.

This is a great hands-on project for children from middle elementary up through high school and can be done while you read about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It can be made as simple or as elaborate a project as you wish.

To make your own Hanging Gardens of Babylon you will need the following items:

Hands-on Ancient Babylon Hanging Gardens of Babylon

A floral foam block
Cream or tan craft paint
Play sand
Tools-wooden skewer, spoon, wooden craft sticks,etc..
Small silk flowers, real flower cuttings, greenery
Tacky craft glue
Knife/cutting board
Paint brush

I was able to pick up all of our items at our local Dollar Tree and some we had on hand with plenty of leftovers for another project. This makes it a really inexpensive way to get some hands-on learning.

Start by cutting floral foam block into 3 pieces of graduating size, so that your layers when stacked leave a ledge on each one.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon Hands-on History

For little ones you can let them cut their own foam with a wooden craft stick or even a plastic knife (the foam is soft and easy to work with). Press a skewer down through the center to secure them together. We will trim it later.

It is very simple to add foam pieces together and make this project as large as you like. We stuck with a small tabletop version so that everyone could make their own to enjoy looking at.

Search for photos of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon online to use as a reference and leave it open as your child works.

We looked up several sites to get a clear picture of what they are believed to have looked like.

Use your tools to carve out windows, doors, columns, steps, etc. in the foam, this is a great medium for carving. Our preferred tool was a wooden skewer because it gives great detail.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Garden Fun Activity 3 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plu

Brush away any excess foam in your carving with a soft paint brush to give it clean sharp lines. If you use something too stiff it will wear away more of your foam.

You could also blow it clean with canned air if you like.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Garden Fun Activity 4 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plu

Mix cream or tan craft paint with a couple teaspoons of play sand. We are going to create a texture that is similar to bricks or stone on our tower.

Hands-on History: Ancient Civilizations

Paint your structure all over, be sure to get some inside your carved areas. Allow to dry for 2- 3 hours, or until completely dry to the touch.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Garden Fun Activity 5 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plu

Place on a plate or other flat surface in a small bed of play sand. Lift up your top most layer and snip off the skewer, leaving enough that the top piece remains secured.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Garden Fun Activity 6 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plu

Begin decorating by laying moss all over the levels, letting it hang down randomly and securing with glue as you go.

Press the plastic end of small flowers, greenery, and even small pieces of aquarium plants into the foam to make your gardens lush and exotic looking.

Secure your plants with glue if you feel like they need a little more anchoring.

Imagine the beauty that must have been there as they walked throughout the various levels, the exotic scents and sounds.

Also, I wanted to let you know about this. If you’re looking for more hands-on history, we love using Home School in the Woods.

Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Garden Fun Activity @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plu

We added a few blue pebbles at the bottom for water.

This is an ideal time to talk about the watering system they were believed to have used on the gardens- a series of waterways to deliver water to the top that then cascaded downwards, very similar to Archimedes Screw.

You’ll love these other hands-on Ancient Civilizations fun activities: