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Geography

18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids

February 4, 2021 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Eighteen fun and interactive ways to learn geography with kids is more than learning to label a map. After all, nothing about labeling a map ever worked in enticing a kid to want to know more about the world around him.

Making geography come alive is key to making it stick. Too, some kids are craft loving, others not so much.

18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids

The point is having a large trunk so to speak to pull ideas out of works.

Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids

Look at these 18 fun and interactive ways to learn geography with kids which work for a variety of ages.

  • 1) Unit studies are a favorite of mine. Focusing on an artist from a certain area, the food, inventions, and music can be a very comprehensive geography study. We did this with our Turkey country unit study.
  • 2) This next way is so much fun. It’s Google Lit Trips. Download Google Earth Pro for free. Look at this Google Document to see how to use it. From the site: What is a Google Lit Trip? Lit Trips are downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth.
  • 3) Do a postcard exchange from friends around the world. You can do this in any of the facebook groups you’re in if it’s allowed. Kids love receiving postcards from all over the world. I allow it in my closed homeschool facebook group if you post.
  • 4) Sugar dough, peanut butter, or salt dough maps are great fun for any age. Of course you can make this an edible map. Here is our edible peanut butter dough map studying about Lewis and Clark and salt dough map while studying about Marco Polo.

Geography with Kids

Also, adding in an adventure whether you drive or take a virtual trip or two makes a difference.

  • 5) You don’t have to go far to enjoy geography. Just going out doors or to a state park where you can learn about the flora or fauna of an area is something kids love. Nature, science, and geography are subjects that fit together naturally.
  • 6) Google Earth. Just pick a place and roam the streets. Kids love this.

Another fun way to learn about other places is to use fun picture books. You’ll love this roundup.

In addition, games ( 7 to 10) are one of the BEST ways to learn geography.

Learn Geography With Kids

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego (11) is a great series too. The series comes in paper back, on pc, a board game if you can find one and currently is on Netflix.

The Basement Workshop Store

Another idea to make geography fun for kids is to make a travel brochure (12). You’ll love the fun one here on Crayola.

Also, host a co-op with another family or two (13).

You know kids love looking for an opportunity to get together; a mini-geography co-op is a great way to feed their need to interact while learning a useful topic.

Sharing teaching is another reason why a mini-co-op is fun. You can assign countries to each family and have them do a presentation together. This allows each child to share what he loves about geography.

As you can see kids get an added benefit of public speaking in a smaller setting. Writing is naturally incorporated and becomes fun since it’s meaningful.

Other natural ways are focusing on art(14), dressing up like the costumes of each country(15), cooking recipes is a big hit always(16), creating a cookbook for each country or state(17) and Minecraft(18).

Creating worlds in Minecraft is another fun way to create a place or even to learn about coordinates. Coordinates in Minecraft are precursor lessons to to longitude and latitude. See my post Hands-on Geography: Longitude/Latitude Mapmaking Activity

And one more fun one (19), grab a map from the dollar store and add landmarks on it, track your vacations and add to it, add rivers or other fun tidbits on it. It’s a fun keepsake too.

These are just a few ways to bring geography with kids to life. You’ll love these other posts below with great tips.

18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids

What do you like to do to make geography fun?

  • STEM and Geography: How to Build an Ancient Viking Ship
  • Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • 100 BEST Books for Kids from all 50 States (Easy Geography)
  • 5 Ways to Raise a Natural Geography-Lover
  • Hands-On Geography Activity: Make a Pangaea Puzzle
  • Hands-On Geography: Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art
  • 35 Hands-on Geography Activities to do in 15 Minutes or Less
  • 5 Steps to Choosing Geography Living Books Your Children Will Love
  • First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography
  • 3 Reasons Hands-on Geography is Important in Middle and High School Homeschool
  • Homemade Compass. Simple Geography Projects Equals Huge Wow Factors

Hugs and love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

January 30, 2021 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Studying the history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and Chisholm Trail is a fun and fascinating one. Cowboys, cattle drives and the Chisholm Trail all embody the spirit of a Texan.

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail Free Unit Study

Being born and raised in Texas, I grew up going to rodeos, knowing about cattle drives, and watching wide open spaces of grazing cattle as the norm.

As a native Texan too, my husband grew up with ranching and rodeoing in his life and family. He comes from a family of cowboys. I couldn’t wait to do a unit study focused on the history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and the Chisholm Trail.

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

With fond memories, I recall the first time I heard the poem Cattle by Berta Hart Nance (1883-1958).

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

Other states are long and wide,
Texas is a shaggy hide.

Dripping blood and crumpled hair;
Some fat giant flung it there,

Laid the head where valleys drain,
Stretched its rump along the plain.

Other soil is full of stones,
Texans plow up cattle-bones.

Herds are buried on the trail,
Underneath the powdered shale;

Herds that stiffened like the snow,
Where the icy northers go.

Other states have built their halls,
Humming tunes along the walls,

Texans watched the mortar stirred
While they kept the lowing herd.

Stamped on Texan wall and roof
Gleams the sharp and crescent hoof.

High above the hum and stir
Jingle bridle rein and spur.

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

A lot of Texans view their state differently from how other states grew. After the American Civil War, it was cattle which helped to make Texas grow. Also, ranching was a big part of Texas growth.

This study is about the grit, hardiness, and stubbornness early Texans embodied and how they passed it down to our generation.

So in this history of the Texas cowboy, cattle drives, and Chisholm Trail, I’ve rounded up some helpful resources to teach your kids about Texas.

Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

I aimed at resources for elementary ages to about middle school, but as with all my resources you decide which ages to use them for.

The American Civil War {1861-1865} had almost destroyed the United States, but by 1867 the United States found peace again.

Long-horned cattle, which were introduced in part by the Spanish roamed freely upon the plains.

Ranchers noticed that the longhorn turned out to be particularly well adapted to the harsh and arid conditions in the West. 

So thousands of head of cattle were rounded up from pastures in southern and central Texas and herded hundreds of miles north to Kansas.

Cattle drives were a celebrated event of this time period.

Between fascination with the American legend of a cowboy and a transitional time period in American history this brief, but captivating moment in history attracts learners of any age.

Too, with the invention of refrigerated railroad cars in the 1870’s it also made it possible to ship fresh beef anywhere in the country.

I used the Texas Chisholm Trail by the Texas Historical Commission to use as a guide for this lapbook. It’s a free wonderful educator’s guide, but of course you can use any resource you have.

First, there were at least four cattle drives during the 19th century. They were the The Chisholm Trail, The Goodnight-Loving Trail, The Western Trail and The Shawnee Trail.

The Chisholm Trail has at least 7 names: Abilene Trail, the Cattle Trail, the Eastern Trail, the Great Texas Cattle Trail, the Kansas Trail, McCoy’s Trail and the Texas Chisholm Trail.

Lesson Plans History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail

  • Beef basics. Fun lesson plan about beef products and terms to understand about cattle
  • Make a Brand for Yourself the Cowboy Way
  • Coloring page – longhorn
  • Make Your Cattle Brand
  • The Old Chisolm Trail – Lots of interesting background information and pictures to explain the Chisolm Trail
  • Texas Frontier Timeline
  • Texas Cowboys and Myths 5 page pdf download
  • Hit the Trail – 10 page pdf about cattle trails
  • Ranching Heritage – 10 page pdf with fun trail cards and background information
  • Measure the width of longhorns. 4 page pdf. You’ll love the math lesson
  • Texas Cattle Trails. Great site for history
  • Build a Calf and pictures for different breeds
  • The Cattle Drive and Westward Expansion
  • Cowboys:Vaquero – 6 page pdf about cowboys, cattle trails and glossary
  • Longhorn Cattle – Wonderful background information about the ancestors of Texas longhorns
  • Cowboy Word Search
  • Learn about the King Ranch, one of the oldest ranches in Texas
  • Longhorns of the Big Bend 63 page pdf wonderful and interesting information about Texas and the cattle industry and history of the longhorn
  • The Lone Star State 3 page pdf fun reading about Texas facts
  • What Does a Cowboy Do? Lesson with fun printables about cowboys
  • The Old Chisolm Trail Cowboy Song YouTube
  • Chisholm Trail cattle drive YouTube. In this episode Rick pushes Texas longhorns up the Chisholm Trail to the Ellsworth railhead.
  • Marty Robbins Sings ‘Whoopee Ti Yi Yo.‘ YouTube
  • The Chisholm Trail YouTube. Created for the elementary classroom. This is a basic overview of what the Chisholm trail was, how it was used and the reasons behind the cattle drive.

Texas Size Vocabulary Words

  • Cattle Kingdom – An industry based on cattle ranching that arose on the open range from Texas to Canada during the 1800s.
  • Texas Rangers – Law enforcement to keep the law in frontier Texas.
  • Tejanos – A person of Mexican heritage, but considers Texas home.
  • King Ranch – Ranch in South Texas that is one of the most important cattle operations in the state.
  • brands – identification marks on livestock made with burning irons
  • barbed wire – a wire used in fencing that is made with points, or barbs, placed at intervals to prevent livestock from crossing the fence
  • vaqueros – from vaca (cow) cowboy
  • wrangler – one who herds or cares for livestock on the range
  • XIT Ranch – Ranch established by the Capitol Freehold Land and Investment Company which was funded by investors from Chicago and Great Britain.
  • Longhorn – a hybrid breed of cattle that descended from Spanish and English stock; the main breed used in Texas ranching

Field Trip Ideas for History of Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives and Chisholm Trail

  • You’ll love this page Off the Beaten Path: Drive Up the Chisholm Trail’s Less-Traveled Routes to give you ideas of where to go here in Texas.
  • Landmark Inn – 1850s store
  • Fort Griffin – Fort from 1867 to 1881
  • The Alamo – Well known of course and still a fun place to visit
  • However, another longtime favorite of ours is the Buckhorn Saloon Museum and The Texas Ranger Museum in San Antonio. If you want to learn about cowboy country, you have to visit this one.
  • We love visiting the Barrington Plantation which is the last home of Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas. They have a fun program for homeschoolers which includes hand-on activity.
  • The Star of the Republic Museum is on the same property as the Barrington Farm.
  • Varner Hogg Plantation. Yes, it’s true Gov. James Hogg named his daughter Ima Hogg.

Hands-on Ideas For a Texas Unit Study

Next, you’ll love a few ideas for some hands-on fun to study about Texas.

  • Make some easy Texas chili.
  • Eat cactus.
  • Easy fun watercolor sunset
  • Love the smushed coke can cowboy and cowgirls and cowboy glyph
  • Study this piece of art, Outlier by Frederic Remington.By the time of the painting most Native Americans had been forced onto reservations. What is the mood of the painting?
  • Then download my lapbook below.
  • Build the Alamo.
  • Make an Armadillo
  • Fun tissue bluebonnet craft
  • Make a tornado in a bottle
  • If a kid has never seen barbed wire which basically ended the open ranges of Texas, make some fun and fake barbed wire here.
  • Candle making with kids

Field Trip to Washington on the Brazos, Star of the Republic Museum, Barrington Farms and Buckhorn Museum/Texas Ranger Museum
(don’t miss any of these places)

  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Star of the Republic Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail 1
    Star of the Republic Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Star of the Republic Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Star of the Republic Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Buckhorn Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Barrington Farms Anson Jones Home Republic of Texas
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Learn about brands
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Barrington Farm
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Texas Rangers
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Chuck Wagon at Buckhorn Museum
  • History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
    Chuck Wagon at Buckhorn Museum San Antonio, Tx

PURCHASE THE LAPBOOK BELOW:

History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail
  • Dynamic History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $2.50
    Add to cart
History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail Free Unit Study

Look at these other fun ideas:

  • Texas Native American History Quick Unit Study (Middle School)
  • How to Build the Alamo: Day 5 Hands-on Learning (Free Texas Unit Study)
  • Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study
  • 35 Simple But Powerful American History Homeschool Resources K to 12
  • Plains Indians. Unit Study & Lapbook
  • Exploring Edible Cactus: Day 4 Hands-on Learning (The Desert)

Hugs and love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources, Lapbook, Lapbooks, Middle School Homeschool, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: american history, geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, historyspine, homeschoolgeography, homeschoolhistory, lapbook, modern history, Texas, texasunit

How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

December 22, 2020 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

This week we created our own ceremonial African tribal mask after doing some research about their uses and how they are made.

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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.

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
How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

Directions:

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

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal 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. 

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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.

How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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.

How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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.
How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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.

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

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?

However, if your middle school kids want some other literature choices, look at this Early American Enrichment which honors the legacy of some African Americans and American Indians at the time when America was young.

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. 

How to Make a Kids' Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask

You’ll love these other hands-on activities:

  • Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)
  • Hands-on Ancient Egypt: Israelite Mud Bricks for Kids
  • Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator
  • Fun Hands-On History: Ancient Egyptian Collar Craft
  • Ancient Egypt Civilization (Hands-on History): Narmer Crown
  • Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History)
  • Ancient Egypt Homeschool Unit Study – Hands-on and FUN!
  • Ancient Egypt Unit Study Part 2 – Best Hands-on Homeschool Ideas
  • Hands-on Ancient Mesopotamia: Easy STEM Irrigation Activity
  • Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map

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

Hugs and love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Geography, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: Africa, ancient, ancient civilizations, geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolgeography

18 Amazing Kids Subscription Boxes to Try Right Now

February 21, 2019 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Subscription boxes have a way of bringing learning to life. There are several advantages to using subscription boxes in your homeschool, so let’s take a look at the benefits and the types you can choose.

Benefits of Educational Subscription Boxes

One/Convenience
Subscription boxes are convenient because they are mailed right to your doorstep at a predictable time every month. Most everything you need for the lessons are included right in the box, other than some common household items you already have, depending on the type of box.

Two/ Hands-on learning
Most subscription boxes are designed to be very engaging and hands-on with experiments, projects, maps, and more. These get the kids excited and involved with the whole process of learning.

Three/Variety
Subscription boxes make it easy to include a variety of learning activities in your homeschool without all the fuss and muss of planning them on your own. You get a box, you do the activities, and then you can look forward to something different next month. That kind of learning variety can really perk up your homeschool when you’re in a slump.

Did I mention that some of the boxes can be used like a unit study approach? You know that the unit study approach works for relaxed homeschoolers, unschoolers, and child-led homeschoolers. Also, subscription boxes are a great way to keep the kids learning while you’re sick or even if you need a break from teaching.

18 Amazing Subscription Boxes to Try RIGHT Now @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Here is a list of homeschooled kids’ favorite subscription boxes, divided by subject, and where possible I added ages that each company recommends for their subscription box.

STEM and SCIENCE Subscription Boxes

Amazon STEM boxes available in three age ranges (3-4 years, 5-7 years, and 8-13 years). I love these boxes. Right now we’re using them for preschool with Munchking and love the monthly boxes.

Hands-on activities with Subscription Boxes 1
Hands-on activities with Subscription Boxes 2

Science Expeditions from Little Passports (elementary). The Science Expeditions subscription is recommended for children 9+ years of age.

Academics in a Box (elementary to middle school) physics and chemistry projects a/k/a Groovy Lab in a Box. Stem learning and Groovy Lab in a Box is for children ages 8+.

Steve Spangler science (elementary to middle school). Great for ages 5 to 12 years old.

Mel Science (elementary to middle school) for practical chemistry experiments. Aimed at children ages 10 to 14 years old.

Tinker Crate crafts and STEM projects for middle school to high school. Ages 9 to 16+ years old.

Magic School Bus science club through (The Young Scientist Club) has 12 kits with the program and each kit has a 12 page colorful manual. For ages 5 to 12 years old with younger kids needing some supervision.

ToucanBox preschool crafts and activities. For ages 3 to 8 years old and encourages STEAM.

Geography Subscription Boxes

Little Passports, both World and United States geography. Recommended for ages 3 to 12 years old.

Top Secret Adventures Book Club from Highlights, world geography and critical thinking skills. Join Highlights Hidden Puzzle Club and Receive a Free Book and Tote with Your Order Today! From the site: Your child can explore the world, capture a villain, solve a mystery and still be home in time for dinner. For ages 7+. Visit a new country with every kit . Each kit is a kid’s world travel guide, puzzle challenge and detective game all rolled into one.

Secret Adventures? Book Club Top Secret Adventures? World Tour Set

Creativity and Crafts Subscription Boxes

Kiwi Crate crafts and activities for ages 0 to 16 years.

Look What You Can Make Craft Books 4-Book Set Vol. 1

Radish Kids crafts and activities for elementary. Teach weekly thematic cooking lessons that incorporate math, science, nutrition, geography, and culture. For ages 4 to 14 years old.

Green Kid Craftsfor preschool through elementary. Different theme each month to emphasize STEAM. For ages 2 to 10 years old.

Booster Bricks from LEGO for preschool through elementary. From the site: Each one of our famous Challenge Boxes includes over 250 LEGO® pieces as well as at least 5 unique Build Challenges and LEGO® Story to bring it all together! We recommend our boxes for kids ages 4-12, but LEGO can be enjoyed by anyone 4 and up!

Foreign Language, Craftsman, and Arctic Subscription Boxes

Boss Club for entrepreneurial kids

Your Boss Club box comes with everything you need to start and launch a real business. From raw ingredients to advertising materials, this box has it all. You won’t believe how much fun starting a business can be!

Polar Pen Pal (elementary) to learn about the Arctic with crafts, videos, and more. Includes educational postcards, stickers, northern gifts, and access to online content including videos, printable activities, craft suggestions etc. For ages 5-12 years old.

TalkBox immersion foreign language for the whole family. Each talkbox has a theme.

CraftsmanCrate with tools and ideas for building.
From the site: You’ll get the tools you need to learn the skill and they’ll be tools you can keep using. You’ll get quality supplies that will let you produce a real project. Boxes are designed for ages 12 and up, due to the complexity of the tasks involved.

18 Amazing Subscription Boxes to Try RIGHT Now. Your kids will love these AWESOME and fun projects they get in the mail. Check them out at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Kids love to get mail, right? They’ll look forward to getting a brand new subscription box in the mail every single month. Use that excitement and eagerness to your advantage while homeschooling to bring a spark to their learning.

You’ll love these other ways to keep the fun in learning:

  • 6 Fun and Free Nature Studies to Beat the Doldrums
  • A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)
  • 100 Brilliant STEM Activities Using Everyday Items
  • 100 Easy Ways Kids Can Fight Boredom & Celebrate Childhood

As you can see, there are lots of great options to bring subscription box learning into your homeschool! If you want the benefits of convenience, variety, and hands-on learning in your homeschool, try one of these subscription boxes to get started!

Hugs and love ya,


2 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Science Tagged With: geography, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolgeography, science, STEM

The BEST Viking Unit Study for Homeschooled Kids

October 3, 2018 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The fierce Norseman or Vikings came from what we now know as Scandinavia or Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. An ancient Viking unit study makes for a fascinating study for kids of all ages.

Ancient Vikings Unit Study

Vikings prospered in Scandinavia from about 800 AD to 1066 AD. From their homes in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, the Norsemen (Northmen) explored much of the northern hemisphere between Europe and North America. A Germanic people, the Vikings had a great love of adventure.

Ancient Civilizations

Vikings became infamous for sacking villages and towns, destroying churches, and easily defeating smaller armies in their search for new avenues of trade and the spoils of war.The BEST Viking Unit Study for Homeschooled Kids. Your kids will love this. Check it out @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusFearless warriors and superb shipbuilders, Vikings left their mark on Europe, Asia, Iceland, Greenland, and North America before they were absorbed into European Civilization.

Viking lands

Ancient Vikings Unit Study

Ancient Vikings Unit StudyViking civilization began in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, but in the nearly 300 years of their power they traveled to and traded with many distant lands. They also created settlements in England, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and other countries.

Viking Expansion Watch a short video about Viking exploration.
Viking Settlements Learn which countries the Vikings settled in outside of Scandinavia.
Life in Viking Settlements Learn what life was like in a Viking settlement.
Viking Houses See the types of houses Vikings lived in.

Viking Society

Ancient Vikings Unit Study

Viking society consisted of jarls (nobles), karls (middle class freemen), and thralls (slaves).

Viking social classes Learn how the classes worked together and how a Viking could up and down in social status.
Viking social classes in Iceland Learn how society differed abroad from Scandinavia.
Gender and age in Viking society Learn the roles of men, women, and children in Viking villages

Viking warriors Learn what it took to be a warrior, what a beserker was, and the role women played in war

Futhark Learn about the runic alphabet of the Vikings

Viking Mythology

Vikings believed in a pantheon of Gods led by Odin. The pantheon included Thor and Loki of Avengers fame.

Norse mythology Read an overview of Norse mythology along with a brief history of Vikings.
Norse mythology dictionary Learn about Norse mythology with an A to Z listing.
The Nine Worlds A more in-depth look at the worlds of Norse mythology.

Viking Ships

Ancient Vikings Unit Study Ancient Vikings Unit Study
Viking ships were the fastest and sturdiest of the era. The Norse skill in shipbuilding helped enable the exploration and settlement of other lands

Types of Viking ships:

  • Faering
  • Knarr
  • Longship
  • Karve

Viking ships Learn the different types of Viking ships and how they were used.
Vikings at sea Learn more about sailing and ships in the Viking Age.
Navigating the open seas Learn how the Vikings knew where they were going and how to get home.

Viking Vocabulary

Althing Yearly meeting of all Viking tribes to discuss laws and solve disputes
Beserker Warrior who wore a bearskin cloak or shirt and worked himself into a frenzy before battle
Brooch A decorative piece of metal used to hold a Viking’s cloak closed. The more ornate the brooch, the richer and more important the Viking.
Burial Ship Used for the wealthiest Vikings, these ships were filled with the belongings of the deceased and set ablaze or buried under mounds of earth or in underground chambers
Fjord A long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs found along the shores of some Scandinavian countries
Flax Cloth made from the stalks of the flax flower
Futhark The runic alphabet of the Vikings
Jarl A Viking Noble
Karl A middle class, free Viking
Keel The lengthwise timber structure along the base of a ship that supports the framework of the vessel and sometimes extends downward to increase stability
Loom A machine that weaves yarn or thread into cloth
Lyre A string instrument resembling a small, u-shaped harp
Norseman Northman
Pantheon A religion that believes in a group of gods/more than one god
Prow The portion of the front of the ship that is above water
Runes Letters of an ancient Germanic alphabet
Stern The rearmost part of a ship or boat
Strake A continuous line of planking from the stem to the stern of the ship
Thing Local assemblies where all freemen could file complaints and voice opinions
Thrall A Viking slave

Famous Vikings

Erik the Red Viking explorer who discovered Greenland
Leif the Lucky Son of Erik the Red
Harald Bluetooth Viking king of Denmark (also namesake of Bluetooth technology)
Olaf Tryggvason Viking king of Norway
Sweyn Forkbeard Declared King of all England in 1013
Gunnar Hamundarson Icelandic chieftain

Also, we love the hands-on ideas for studying history over at Home School in the Woods. They cover Vikings in their middle ages lapbook.

Recommended Books

Eyewitness Books Viking stuffed full of information and real photos
National Geographic Kids Everything Viking Short, interesting facts and large, colorful illustrations
Make This Viking Settlement by Iain Ashman Just add scissors and glue and create your own cardboard model
Who Were the Vikings? by James Chisholm and Stuan Reid Detailed drawings and answers to kids’ most pressing questions (like what kind of toilets Vikings used)
The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland A collection of the stories from Norse Mythology
Focus on Vikings by Anita Ganeri Includes history, information, and cool art projectsThe BEST Viking Unit Study for Homeschooled Kids. Your kids will love this mini unit study about Ancient Vikings. They are truly fierce people of the sea. Click here to grab this AWESOME Vikings Unit Study @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool PlusAlso you’ll love these other unit studies and lapbook:

  • Viking Unit Study and Lapbook
  • Ancient Civilizations I
  • Ancient Civilizations II
  • Renaissance Unit Study and Lapbook

 

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Free Homeschool Resources, Geography, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: ancient civilizations, geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history resources, unit studies, Vikings

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