ancient

Geronimo Stilton The Fourth Journey Through Time Fun Cleopatra Collar

October 17, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Geronimo Stilton Back The Fourth Journey Through Time has several sections in it. If you love the Geronimo Stilton Books, you’ll love this book and book craft.

The section and craft we focused on is about Cleopatra.

This book of the Geronimo Stilton series takes us through Cleopatra’s Time, Genghis Khan and Queen Elizabeth.

Geronimo Stilton The Fourth Journey Through Time Fun Cleopatra Collar

And today we are going to hang out in Ancient Egypt with the Queen of the Nile and have fun reading Geronimo Stilton Back The Fourth Journey Through Time.

About The Geronimo Stilton Books

Geronimo shares accessories to become perfect Ancient Egyptians.

And fashions during Cleopatra’s Time which gives a perfect base for today’s hands-on activity.

These books really can’t be beat for introducing historical topics, vocabulary, and fun illustrations.

Here is a peek into the elaborate and beautiful library of Alexandria.

Then, you can also add a few facts about Ancient Egypt.

Add this The Geronimo Stilton Book Fourth Journey Fun Egypt Game.

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt Fun Facts

Ancient Egyptians loved board games.
Egypt has the only remaining ancient wonder in the world.
While she was known for her beauty, she was also very intelligent.
Cleopatra spoke around 9 different languages.
Both female and male ancient Egyptians wore eye makeup.
Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Cleopatra’s favorite perfume was Mendesian perfume named for the city Mendes.
She had 4 children- 3 with Mark Antony- Ptolemy Philadelphus and twins Cleopatra ‘Selene’ and Alexander ‘Helios’. And one with Julius Caesar who she named Caesarion “Little Caesar”.
Ancient Egyptians called their home Kemet rather than Egypt.

If you want to add a few books to your mini unit study then, Everything Ancient Egypt.

And 1,000 Facts About Ancient Egypt are a couple great companion reference books.

Also, look at this great video on Cleopatra Queen of Egypt or Ancient Egypt For Kids from Homeschool Pop while you create your jewelry.

Cleopatra Project Ideas

Finally, let’s make a fun Cleopatra collar and craft jewelry.

You will need:

smooth sturdy cardboard
empty toilet paper rolls
hot glue gun/sticks or school glue
craft paints
dinner plate and a bowl

First, trace a large dinner plate onto your cardboard.

I used the back cover from a 12” x12” cardstock pack. You could also use poster board, but it will crumple a bit easier.

Corrugated cardboard will work but may be too thick.

Next, trace a bowl up near the top of the larger circle. You want to leave more room at the bottom for your necklace design.

Cut out both circles.

Cut all the way up one side of the empty toilet paper rolls.

These next few steps are fun and are what make this project turn out amazing.

Start by creating designs on your cuffs and collar with hot glue.

This is a good introduction to a hot glue gun if you feel your child is ready because it doesn’t really require touching the glue or pressing things together.

Now, use the hot glue gun to create a bunch of different jewel shapes on aluminum foil or a silicone mat.

I did find with the foil that it stuck to the hot glue. I just peeled off around it because it doesn’t affect it if left on the backing.

You can also help tidy up the edges and shapes with scissors. Dried hot glue cuts very well.

These silicone mats are great for protecting your table or desk while painting, gluing, etc.

Too, another tip is that you can use regular white school glue if you like to make your design.

But hot glue dries much faster. Let the hot glue harden and dry completely, pull off any glue strings that may be left behind. Then paint them in using pretty jeweled colors.

While your jewels are drying give your cardboard collar and cuffs a coat or two of gold, going right over the hot glue lines

Once your gold and jewels are dry you can attach them to the cuffs and collar with a bit more hot glue.

Your beautiful Cleopatra inspired cuffs and collar are ready to wear and show off your royalty!

Digging into ancient history can be so much fun and educational at the same time.

Homeschooling offers us a wonderful opportunity to introduce the world in a more relaxed way and make memories at the same time.

Other Geronimo Stilton Books Resources

Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

October 9, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Add this famous pharaohs and queens ancient Egypt lapbook to your history homeschool lapbooks for hands-on fun history.

If you’re studying about ancient Egypt, this ancient Egypt lapbook about famous pharaohs and queens makes a great addition.

Learning about pharaohs and queens helps kids to keep straight the different time periods in ancient Egypt.

Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

Use my other ancient civilization lapbooks to enhance your curriculum or use them stand alone.

About Ancient Egypt Pharaohs

The minibooks in this ancient Egypt lapbook contains some of these facts.

About King Menes

Menes was Pharaoh from 3100 b.c. – 3098 b.c. It’s the name of the Egyptian king credited with founding the First dynasty, sometime around 3100 BC.

Menes was seen as a founding figure for much of the history of Ancient Egypt.

Also, ancient Egypt was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt. Each kingdom has its own king. Menes was the king of Upper Egypt.

Egyptian legend credits a pharaoh by this name with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt into a single, centralized monarchy.

Menes was the first to wear the double crown.

About King Ramses II

Ramses II also known as Ramses the Great was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the nineteenth dynasty.

He is Egypt’s greatest pharaoh.

The early part of his reign he focused on building cities, temples and monuments.

When he died, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

Then, his body was moved to a royal cache. And is now on display in the Cairo Museum.

About Tutankhamen

Tutankhamen was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. Tutankhamen was nine years old when he became pharaoh and reigned for approximately ten years.

As Tutankhamen began his reign at such an early age, his vizier and eventual successor Ay, his uncle, was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamen’s reign.

In 1922 Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamen’s intact tomb. Tutankhamen’s burial mask remains the most popular art of Ancient Egypt.

Look at this book Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks).

About Ancient Egypt Queens

Next, learn about the queens of Egypt.

Nefertiti

First, Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten.

In addition, Nefertiti and her husband were known for changing Egypt’s religion from a polytheistic religion to a monotheistic religion.

Nefertiti was made famous by a limestone bust of her, now in Berlin’s Neues Museum. The bust is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and it was found in his workshop.

Cleopatra VII

Cleopatra VII was the last ruler to rule Egypt and is the most famous of all Egyptian Queens.

After she died Egypt became a Roman province. She formed a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne that she shared with her brother.

Too, she later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar’s legal heir Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (later known as Augustus).

Then after losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian’s forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra soon followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC.

Hatshepsut

Finally, Hatshepsut meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies was the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

In comparison with other female pharaohs, Hatshepsut’s reign was long and prosperous. She was successful in warfare early in her reign, but generally is considered to be a pharaoh who inaugurated a long peaceful era.

Nobody knows for sure how she died. After her reign, her name and image were removed from every monument.

Look below at the minibooks and pages this download includes.

Minibooks about Ancient Egypt

Here are the minibooks.

Cover
Cleopatra coloring page
Cuneiform-Hieroglyph
Coloring-
Pharaohs
Queens
Gods
Egyptian-Life
Map
A Second Front Cover Page
Symbol of Power
Hatshepsut-Fact-Card-lines
King-Tut-book
Mummies
Old-Middle-New-Egypt
Pyramids-of-Egypt
scarabs

Ancient Egypt Crafts for Kids

Add these fun ancient Egypt crafts and you’ll have a fun unit study.

How to Grab the Free 26 page lapbook and freebies
This free printable is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get this freebie.

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

Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

Fun and Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Craft: Create Canopic Jars

July 4, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

History should be hands-on. You’ll love this Ancient Egypt craft when learning about Ancient Civilizations.

First learn about the diversity of Africa-the cultures, climates, and geography.

It’s fascinating and make for many interesting projects and hands-on fun.

Right now we are spending a little time in Egypt and the best way to learn about Ancient Egypt is doing hands-on history or crafts.

Fun and Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Craft: Create Canopic Jars

Egypt is located in the northeast corner of Africa and the southwest corner of Asia.

It’s connected by a land bridge in the Sinai Peninsula.

Ancient Egypt Craft Canopic Jars

It should definitely not be overlooked when working on an Africa Study or when learning about Ancient Egypt.

One hands on Ancient Egypt project that we are enjoying is making canopic jars.

This is a wonderful way to incorporate history, art, and science as well as working on those fine motor skills.

This project is best for upper elementary to middle school and is easily adapted for all skill levels.

Also, I want to remind you that homeschooling does not mean expensive curriculum and supplies.

You can teach so much just with a shelf full of great books, the internet and some basic craft supplies.

For example making canopic jar is a fun way to learn about Ancient Egypt. Canopic jars were made to contain organs that were removed during the mummification process.

They began with plain lids, then evolved to lids shaped like human heads, then Anubis , the god of death and embalming.

By the late 18th dynasty the lids for each organ were shaped like the Four Sons of Horus who protected the organs.

Ancient History Project Idea

His four sons were’

Hapi , a baboon headed god- for the lungs
Imsety, human-headed god – for the liver
Qebehsenuef, falcon-headed god- for the intestines)
and Duamutef, jackal-headed god- for the stomach.

You can choose to make all 4 or choose one.

Look at the easy list of things you will need.

Jar, can, or other container with a lid
White tissue paper
School glue
water
Craft paints/paint pens

Directions:

I have found that creating a decoupage with tissue paper is less messy and dries much faster than traditional paper mache.

So, we have used it for several projects lately.

You can create this with any lidded vessel you like.

Chip cans are often used but we wanted to make ours a little more durable and even usable.

So we used this sauce jar I already had on hand because we loved the curvier shape of it.

Be sure to wash and dry used containers well before starting

Mix together 1 part water with 2 parts glue. A couple tablespoons worth is plenty for this project.
Cut tissue paper into 2” strips of any length.
“Paint” your jar with the glue mixture and begin layering tissue strips, “painting” over each tissue strip as you go. We do 3-4 layers to give it a good coat. Allow to dry thoroughly this could take from overnight to several days depending on how thick your layers are.

Ancient Egypt Craft

We are making a jar of Duamutef the jackal-headed god, to form the top of the jar make a ball of paper into roughly the shape of the head you wish to create.

Hot glue to the top of the lid and cover it with tissue strips the same way you did the jar itself.

Also, you may find it easier to paint the strips themselves and lay them over the balled up paper to create your form.

Be sure the lid fits on your base before drying, its easier to move things around when they are wet than when it hardens.

Once your pieces are dry paint all over with the color of your choice.

Canopic Jars were made of stone, wood, pottery, and glaze. We went for a pottery look with a creamy base.

Allow the base layer to dry and then begin adding decoration and details.

We found a paint pen or very small paintbrush the easiest to work with, especially when making small hieroglyphics on our jars.

Ancient Egypt Activities for Kids

Don’t just stop with making Canopic Jars, one of the best things about unit studies is that you can incorporate so many subjects within your focus

I had these Toob Human Organs on hand.

So while we talked about what canopic jars were used for we also had a science lesson by identifying what each was and what it’s function is at the same time.

I guarantee information learned this way will be hard to forget!

While you are waiting for the jars to dry you can send your child on a quest for information and here are a few questions to get you started.

What is the official name of Egypt? Arab Republic of Egypt
What is official language of Egypt? Arabic
What is the official religion? Islam
Name several iconic landmarks in Egypt. Great Sphinx, Giza
What is are the central latitudes and longitudes of Egypt?

Ancient Egypt Lapbook

In addition, add this fun Famous Pharaohs and Queens of Egypt. lapbook on my Ancient Civilization page.

While your child is busy creating you may want to read from a chosen textbook or chapter book as a read aloud.

For most kids, when hands are busy, information is more readily retained.

Ancient Egypt Read Aloud

Finally, some great choices for read a loud are

Magic Treehouse Mummies in The Morning,
Who Was King Tut,
You Wouldn’t Want to be Cleopatra,
Horrible Histories The Awesome Egyptians, and The Pharaoh’s Secret.

More Ancient Egypt Crafts you’ll like:

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. Also, look at my page Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning for more free lapbooks.

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.

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

Update: This unit study and lapbook is now complete.

HOW TO GET THE FREE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS II LAPBOOK

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

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

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

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.

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: