hands-on activities

I have some fun renaissance unit study ideas and a lapbook renaissance. Also, you’ll love my page Renaissance 1300 to 1600 unit study and look at the co-op pictures of the Renaissance too for more ideas.

The Renaissance period was a cultural movement that began in Italy and swept through Europe.

Many important and exciting changes were taking place in 16th century England.

There were great advances in the arts and sciences.

The lower classes were becoming more educated, and the entire world was beginning to see England as a real power.

Next, look at these other facts about life during the Renaissance.

Facts about Life During the Renaissance

Traveling. Each knight or justice of the peace was responsible for keeping the roads in good order.
However, it was a very difficult job. The roads were not good, and people traveled only when necessary.

Life as a child. Children were sent to work at an early age. They had a lot of games to play and toys to play with, but illness claimed one in every three or four before the age of 10.

Shopping. There were four ways to shop: markets, fairs, in-town shops, and at home (from traveling peddlers). Members of the upper classes had private tutors, while children in villages and towns were taught at the new grammar schools being started all over the country.

Crafs of the Renaissance. Glass is a material that has been known to humankind for over 5,000 years.

The art of working glass is believed to have begun around 3500 BC in Iran or Iraq.

For example, during the reign of the Egyptian pharaohs, glass was the most precious of all materials. The blowpipe, a Roman invention of around 400 BC, made glass more available and affordable.

Moreover, the hand-blown techniques we use today were developed between 400 BC and the birth of Christ. Glassblowing has never been a “lost art.”

Its history is rich and consistent with centers in Persia, the Islamic countries, Italy, Northern Europe, and France.

Then, the main English contribution was of a truly clear glass during the English Renaissance.

With the recent advent of the “studio art glass movement,” the United States has become a true center of contemporary glass. You’ll love my free Glass Blowing lapbook and unit study.

16th Century Language. Renaissance language was very specific. Elizabethans loved the language. It was both their entertainment and their weapon.

A quick wit was highly prized. Elizabethans would never say in two words what could be said in six or seven. There were different greetings depending on the time of day. Also, etiquette might call for one to ask permission before leaving.

Renaissance Insults and Compliments for Your Lapbook Renaissance

Further, here are some expressions that your children may find funny, and they make for fun copywork.

Also, look at some expressions or words used if you want to have a renaissance feast or co-op.

Have your children practice them

Music and Clothing of the Renaissance

Of all English Renaissance tunes, Greensleeves which may have been written by King Henry VIII of England
is the most familiar.

However, it was a wildly popular tune in its own day, and was arranged in endless different ways.

Give this one version of Greensleeves a listen – it’s beautiful.

Additionally, clothing made a huge part of life.

Elizabethan women wanted their clothing’ to look much like the men’s with broad shoulders, wide hips, and slim waists.

Women’s dresses were not made all in one piece as they usually are today. Instead, women wore two or more garments as one “dress.”

In Elizabeth’s time men’s clothing was as colorful as the ladies’, but men wanted to look manly, so they wore clothing in the shape of armor, with broad shoulders, broad hips, and narrow waists.

More Ideas For the Lapbook Renaissance

(Our children singing Greensleeves)

Add more of my printables and activities below.

• Look at our Renaissance Unit Study
• Kids Free Glass Blowing Lapbook on The History Of Glass Blowing
• STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity
• Fun Dragon Unit Study Ideas and Salt Dough Dragon Craft
• The Race Against Time Geronimo Stilton Activity Craft Fun Dragon Eggs
• The Journey Through Time Book And Knights Armor Engraving Fun Kids Craft
• Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Finally, my Renaissance lapbook is HUGE. It is a 49 page download and the minibooks cover many topics from the Renaissance to some on the Reformation.

For instance, look at the topics of the minibooks so you can include them in your unit study.

Topics of the Minibooks for the Lapbook Renaissance

Last, look at the minibooks included in this download.

1. About Shakespeare. Two minibooks of the same. One for younger children to trace and one for older kids to write facts.
2. Mona Lisa coloring
3. King Henry VIII Six Wives trifold book
4. Leonardo Da Vinci Renaissance Man
5. Two Pages to Decorate the Outside of Your Lapbook
6. Important Events of the Renaissance and Reformation
7. What is the Renaissance layered book – 1 page
8. Sign triple fold for wheel wright, boot and shoe maker, and nail maker.
9. What happened to the Castles
10. Who am I? Major Literary Figures
11. Leonardo’s Art & Pocket for each piece of art
12. 4 minibooks of Leonardo’s Invention & Designs
13. Life of Leonardo Da Vinci Flip Open Book & Timeline
14. Leonardo Da Vinci and Invention & Designs Text Art Titles
15. Mirror Writing trifold book
16. Renaissance King and Queen Flipbook – Add information about your favorite one.
17. 1 Not Labeled and 1 Labeled Map of Renaissance Europe
18. Renaissance clip art to decorate outside flaps of lapbook
19. Blank scroll mini pages to add to any minbook.
20. Quotes by Shakespeare – blank pages so your child can research and find ones to add
21. Shakespeare Plays – Blank pages so you child can research and add ones under the correct categories of Comedies, Tragedies, and Histories.
22. Thy Words – vocabulary words

How to Get the Renaissance Lapbook