Free Ancient World History Curriculum Series-

Part 5:  History Of The Middle Ages

 

Welcome back to the final post on Free Ancient World History Plans !
This is the last section of the “Ancients Units”.  In this unit, we will cover all the exciting people and places of this period.

THINK…
+Towering castles
+Knights in shining armor and fierce battles
+Dungeons and dragons (gulp!)
+Sneaky spies and powerful kings and queens… and princesses
+Real-life plagues
+Crazy inventions (and inventors!)
+Secret codes and legendary heroes of chivalry
You’ll learn about some pretty unbelievable stories that sound like they came straight out of a movie—but they’re all TRUE!!
From the creepy Black Death to catapulting courtiers and even some court jesters— you’re going to LOVE this study!

If you have found this post FIRST, but haven’t seen the introduction to this series,  please at least check out the OVERVIEW of the Free Ancient History Curriculum. There’s all kinds of how-to’s and a lot of tips and tricks for adapting this curriculum to use for your WHOLE family!
 “Free Chronological World History Plan” .

The previous sections in the series so far-

+Ancient Civilizations/Old Testament History
+Ancient Egypt History
+Ancient Greece History
+Ancient Rome History

You can find the entire series in the Overview Of FREE Ancient World History Curriculum post, OR at the bottom of this unit!

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If you just want to see the FREE Middle Ages Curriculum…
 KEEP scrolling on down and you’ll find where it begins highlighted (in red)!

 

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A Few Q&A’s About Using The FREE Ancient History Curriculum

 

 

 

**Question #1-  What Do I Need For This Study?**

 

All you really need to get started is a internet  and this 100% free online curriculum!
That’s it!
This whole history series was originally born out of necessity when I was homeschooling my kids overseas.
We had just landed in Lima, Peru with seven duffle bags to our name.  The math didn’t add up so well-
2 adults + 3 kids + clothes + toys + cans of cranberry sauce (lol) + all our HOMESCHOOLING BOOKS = 7 duffle bags.
Yikes!
Back home, I was the kind of homeschooler who believed you could never have too many visits to the library or too many books on your shelves. But in that season I had to get creative. 🙂  So if you’re homeschooling abroad, living somewhere without easy access to a library, or simply working with a tight budget—this online history program can absolutely stand on its own. With a little imagination and flexibility, you can give your kids a rich education with just the basics.

That said… if you do have access to lots of books, all the BETTER!
Since my love for books never has changed, I’ve also put together lists of resources just for the Middle Ages unit—this includes my favorite books, activity guides, related movie ideas, and more!
–> Middle Ages Books & Resources List

What is the “Core Reading”?
You will see that I have a section under each of the daily lesson plans labeled “Core Reading”.
I have used 2 books as the spine for the entire series of Free Ancient World History Curriculum.  Again, you do NOT have to have these, but since I did, and since many homeschool families already have them on their bookshelves, I included the corresponding reading in those books each day.
–>“The Story of the World”  by Susan Wise Bauer (noted as “SOTW”).
–>“A Child’s History of the World”  by Virgil Hillyer (marked as “CHOW” in the lessons)

   

 

 

 

You’re could use one, both, a different history spine you already own—or none at all!
Each lesson includes online readings, suggested hands-on projects, and various ways to dig deeper into the topic, no matter your setup.

UPDATE:   I’ve recently updated the schedules to include chapter titles along with page numbers, since different editions can vary quite a bit.

Other Resources I’ve Created For The Middle Ages Section-
+ Middle Ages History Curriculum-  Printable PDF
+ Books and Resources List
+ Printable Middle Ages History Cards

+ FREE 21 30 Fascinating Facts About the Middle Ages
+21 30 Fascinating Facts About the Middle Ages Printable PDF 
I HIGHLY recommend checking out these 30 Fascinating Facts!  They make a super fun way to start each day’s lesson.
Was it really DARKER in the dark ages?
Was Rome vandalized by NAKED marauders?!
Who was Bigfoot Bertha ?
Did people really have a diet of WORMS?The marvels of the Medieval era will shock and amaze you! Little bites of information seem to be the things we remember.  Maybe it’s because it sparks our interest and makes us hungry for more.  That is why I wanted to write this series of posts.

+Middle Ages History BUNDLE

 

 

+COMPLETE Ancient History BUNDLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+Ancient History Curriculum Series Printable History Cards-  BUNDLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

+Ancient History Curriculum Series PDF Version-  BUNDLE

 

 

 

 

Here are a few last posts I thought might be helpful in adding to the Middle Ages study!
These are lists of my favorite ideas for making your history study FUN for the whole family!
My favorite podcasts, songs for learning Ancient History and American History, Movies to fit whatever period of history you’re studying, my favorite DIY games to make and also some to buy… and LOTS more!  These Top 10 posts will give you TONS of creative ideas to try this year, mostly with things you already have on hand!

+Top 10 History PODCASTS
+Top 10 History SONGS
+Top 10 History TIMELINES
+Top 10 History AUDIOBOOKS
+Top 10 History MOVIES
+Top 10 History BOOKS  (This is the ULTIMATE History Book List!)
+Top 10 History GAMES
+Top 10 HANDS-ON History Projects
+Top 10 AMAZING Homeschooling Resources At The Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last but not least, check out Fields of Daisies Ancient History Pinterest Boards too !

* Ancient Civilizations Board
* Ancient Egypt Board
* Ancient Greece Board
* Ancient Rome Board
* Middle Ages Board
Lots of free ideas and activities to add to these lessons!!

**Question #2- WHAT is a history binder/notebook?**

In this curriculum you’ll notice that I mention a history binder a lot.  In fact, Week 7 is all about the history binder!  🙂   So, what do I mean?
–>How To Make A History Binder   (I made a video if you’d rather watch than read 🙂  )

Here is how we made ours…
As we studied through each section of history, we each kept our own 3-ring binder-  an ‘all in one place’  type of timeline.  We filled the binders with fun facts, history related coloring pages, drawings, print outs, etc… each page with a date on the bottom (or at least stuck in the appropriate “period” of history).  We even added brochures from the art museum and other field trips that tied into our ancient studies!  In planning out our year, I also included biographies of important people, great artists, musicians, authors, scientists, etc. as applicable, and added them into the binder as well.  The suggestions you will find under “People”, “Places”, “Events”, and “Vocabulary” all would make great page headings to include in these binders.  As you flip through your binders to add pages, it is an automatic visual review of how these things fit together in a chronological history of our world.  The Printable History Cards also make a great addition!

Do you have to use a history binder?
No.  You could make a huge timeline on the wall, or you could simply keep a notebook with tabs for vocabulary, important people and places, etc… This curriculum is meant to simply give you an outline to work from.  Add or take away whatever you want to make this a perfect fit for YOUR family!
I wrote a whole post on how to design Timelines that work, including lots more details on how to create a history binder!

**Top 10 History Timelines

 

 

**Question #3-    How Do I Use This Curriculum To Teach ALL My Children Together?**

 

The  lessons I have written in this series are meant to be self directed for middle school ages .  But if you are using this for multiple ages like I did, here’s how.  I simply read aloud, The Story of the World (SOTW) or A Child’s History of the World (CHOW)  (use whatever books you choose!) and usually another fun historical fiction book…did our related Bible study together…and tons of hands-on projects.
The rest of the reading/notebooking/watching/exploring more, they did on their own.

So what about the Littles ?
I have included a few extra books at the bottom of this page for younger children
(and also in the Book List).  There are appropriate YouTube videos in the “Watch” sections for each day’s lessons for them, and they can always be included in the hands-on activities.   Days of Knights and Damsels: An Activity Guide  is my favorite for ideas that can be leveled up, or made a bit more simple, but enjoyed by ALL !!
My “little” also LOVED to color pages to put in her own timeline binder while I read aloud!  I was often amazed at how much she absorbed just by listening !!  The “big kids” liked to color too.  😀

More Ideas-

+Choose a book(s) for your core reading that is aimed for somewhere between your youngest & oldest student.  This book can be your read aloud for each “class time”.  Read aloud time is one of the best times of the whole day.  It helps us all to come together, get cozy, and enjoy another world !
My “little” often colored pages to put in her own timeline binder while I read aloud!  I was amazed at how much she absorbed just by listening !!   Coloring pages are great to add to the timeline binders for the big kids as well 🙂

+Combine history with some other subjects!
How we did it…
Bible study fit seamlessly into this study and so we did that as part of history all together too.  We chose to read/analyze some of the classic historical fiction books as well for “Language Arts” during these studies . The Ancients also gave us a truly amazing foundation for modern Science and Mathematics ! Take advantage of this natural connection and combine another subject area!  I have included some fun books for both in the  Middle Ages Books and Resources List.

+Keep whatever you are studying as a part of your every day life.
I may have loosely stolen this idea from Charlotte Mason…
One of the best tricks for this is keeping a basket full of related books of various reading levels in a tray on the coffee table or a basket nearby.   Swap out the books to keep their interest piqued.  I was always kind of pleasantly surprised to see my children leafing through them without any prodding from me!  An added bonus is that books that the Littles may not normally look at are explored…and the Bigs will often zoom through the “easy” books intended for younger/pre-readers , which all equals effortless learning !  I still read in that same pattern myself, when studying …. a few books that are for adults, a few books for young readers, and maybe one on an academic level lol !  You can also do this by displaying any crafts or related projects where they can be noticed and enjoyed each day.

+Choose some hands-on activities !
There are an endless amount of ideas to suit just about anyone!  You’ll find my favorite resource books for The Middle Ages hands-on activities in the Book List as well.

Days Of Knights and Damsels Activity Guide is my favorite for ideas that can be leveled up or made a bit more simple, but enjoyed by all!!

 

**Question #4-  How often should we “do” history?**

 

The curriculum is an outline of reading/activities for a three day schedule.
You do NOT have to complete ALL of the suggested reading, etc…I have included lots of choices for each day’s theme so that you can choose what is best for the ages of children you are teaching.  If your family loves history,  or more hours are required in your state, you could easily change these lessons to a 5 day schedule by doing more of the reading, spending extra time on the notebooks, adding in more of the hands-on activities. Imagine doing Art/Discovery Projects on the other two “off” days that are related to the era… creating your own Greek myths, holding your own family olympic games, or cooking your very own Greek feast !  The possibilities are endless and so much FUN !!!
These are the kind of projects that will make MEMORIES !   Kind of like the time a mummy showed up at our Thanksgiving table  😀
I think we talk about this pretty much every year (it happened when my now 32 year old son was about 4)!   lol

We even did history as a co-op one year, meeting together twice a week!
You could EASILY use these lessons for a group setting and enjoy learning about Ancient Rome with some other families!  My kids and their friend (who happens to now be 30 years old!!!)  still talk about the time we ate Ancient Egyptian “spaghetti-o’s”,  and made mummies. 

Just be creative!  You’re homeschooling!  Make learning part of your natural day!
Make or print out the history cards.  Keep them on the kitchen table and use them to play games or start conversations, and find out what your kiddos are retaining!  I like to laminate the cards and write a few questions on the back.  Keep a few little prizes on hand and whoever grabs a card and can answer the questions on the back at lunch wins a goodie!

**Do You Have Other QUESTIONS?**

I’d love to hear from you !
You can either comment at the bottom of this post or you can email me at
ch*****@*************es.com

 

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–>  This post does contain affiliate links.
There will NOT be any additional charge to you if you click to Amazon through these links, but I will make a small commission if you do!  So thanks ahead for supporting my work !  🙂

 

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**–> CURRICULUM STARTS HERE <–**

 

*The Middle Ages Timeline Overview

*The Early Middle Ages                                                (500 – 1000 AD)
+Fall of the Roman Empire / The Dark Ages                   (~ 476 AD)
+The Byzantine Empire                                                         (330 – 1453 AD)
+Christianity Spreads To Europe                                        (500’s  AD)
+Viking Raids                                                                          (~793 – 1066 AD)
+Charlemagne                                                                         ( 800 AD)

 

*The High Middle Ages                 (1000 – 1300 AD)
+The Norman Conquest                     (1066 AD)
   and The Battle of Hastings                       
+The Crusades                                       (1095 AD)
+The Magna Carta                                 (1215 AD)
+Marco Polo’s Travels                          (~1271 AD)

*The Late Middle Ages                    (1300 – 1500 AD)
+The Hundred Years’ War                    (1337 – 1453 AD)
+The Black Death                                   (1347 – 1351 AD)
+Joan of Arc                                             (1431 AD)
+Gutenberg Printing Press                   (~1436 AD)
+Spanish Inquisition                              (1478 AD)
+Martin Luther / Reformation            (1517 AD)
+Renaissance Art, Architecture & Invention (late 1400s–1500s)

 

*Overview of Lessons for this section:

 

*Week 1– Barbarians, Borders, and the Beginning of Medieval Europe
+Day 1-  What Are The “Middle” Ages?
+Day 2- Goodbye Rome, Hello Saxons!
+Day 3-  Who Were The Franks?

*Week 2-  Charlemagne And Medieval Life
+Day 1- Who Was Charlemagne?
+Day 2- What Is Feudalism?
+Day 3- Peasants, Lords, and Castle Life

*Week 3- Crowns, Conquerors, and Knights
+Day 1-  Who Were The Knights?
+Day 2-  The Knights In Shining Armor
+Day 3- Symbols Of Honor:  Heraldry & Knights

*Week 4- Epic Tales and Noble Deeds
+Day 1- The Round Table and the Rules of Honor
+Day 2- Stories That Shaped the Middle Ages
+Day 3- Robin Hood’s Code: Hero Or Outlaw?

*Week 5-  The Medieval Church
+Day 1- Monks, Missions, and Monasteries
+Day 2- What Is The Reformation?
+Day 3- What Were The Crusades?

*Week 6-  Explore It More! Week

*Week 7-  Battle For The Thrones
+Day 1- Kings, Queens, and a Charter of Change
+Day 2- Castles, Conquest, and Control
+Day 3- The Black Death

 

*Week 8- Kings, Queens, and the Making of Modern England
+Day 1- Battles, Kings, and a Legendary Lady
+Day 2- The Wars Of The Roses
+Day 3- The Reign Of Elizabeth

*Week 9- Read It!  Week

*Week 10- The Age of Thinkers, Tinkerers, and Masters
+Day 1- Masterpieces of the Renaissance
+Day 2- Building Beauty
+Day 3- Renaissance Revolution of Invention

*Week 11-  History Museum OR Notebook It!  Week
(*Explanation at beginning of plans for this week)

 

*Middle Ages Learning Objectives:

+Middle Ages History Cards  (People, Places, and Events)
– Be able to sequence Middle Ages History Cards
(You can make your own cards by writing the People, Places, and Events listed below on index cards OR  you can purchase a set of the cards in the Book Store)
-Add the Ancient Civilizations & Old Testament, Ancient Egypt/China, & Ancient Greece cards for an extra challenge!
(The Ancient Civilizations History Cards are FREE if you’d like to see a sample!)
-You can read more about how we used these cards a bit farther down in this introduction!

 

+Map It!
-Be able to describe the geography of Europe, and find it on a map.
-Be able to locate London, England and Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey on a map.
-Be able to label England’s bordering countries
-Be able to find Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on the map
-Be able to find the Atlantic Ocean, The North Sea, and The English Channel.
-You can find Map It! activities in the Printable POWER Pack for this section!

 

+Define It!     (Add your own words as you study !)
-serf                        -chivalry                   -vellum                   -lord
-heraldic                -gothic                       -vassal                    -coat of arms
-flying buttress     -monk                       -manuscript          -illumination
-Romanesque       -heretic                      -pope                      -fresco
-monastery            -Anglo-Saxon           -peasant                -cathedral
-minstrel                -bishop                      -barbarian            -manor
-heraldry                -reformation            -tapestry               -serf
-feudalism             -squire                       -apprentice           -guild
-mercenary            -realm                       -renaissance         -peasant
+lord

 

+Describe It!

+Describe how the fall of the Roman Empire led to the beginning of the Middle Ages.
+Be able to describe what the political and social systems of the Middle Ages were like.
–>Ex.  Compare the lives of kings, nobles, knights, and peasants within the feudal system.
+Be able to name some of your favorite Kings, Queens, and rulers of this time.
+Be able to discuss the Code of Chivalry.
+Be able to describe what a day in the life of a child living in the Middle Ages would be like.  Include what their homes, possessions, and lives might be like depending on their social status.
+Be able to recognize art & architecture from this period & discuss what sets it apart from other ancient art we’ve learned about.
+Be able to recall some of the achievements in architecture, exploration, and science that occurred during this time.
+Be able to name at least one notable artist, one inventor, and one scientist of the time.
+Be able to discuss some of the important events that happened during this period and tell why they were such an important part of God’s work.

Here are just a few suggestions of the People, The Places, and The Events we will cover in this unit.
You can use them as part of your Objectives for this study,  to create your history cards,  add them to a notebook or Timeline, or use them to create the pages of your History Binders.  You will surely come across many more people, places, and events as you study, so add them in if you’d like!

 

*Who’s Who?  The People-
( There are so many Henries and Charles and…  same as vocabulary, add as you’d like.)
+Barbarians           +Byzantines                   +The Franks            +Clovis
+Charlemagne       +Pope Leo                     +Pope Gregory         +Martin Luther
+Henry II               +Goths                           +Johann Gutenberg
+Thomas Becket   +The Normans             +Richard the Lionhearted
+ Galileo                 +Copernicus                 +The Tudors
+Elizabeth I           +Leonardo DaVinci

 

*Where In The World? The Places–   (You can make your own list from the reading, or add to this one!)
+Europe                     +England                +London
+Germany                 +France                   +Italy
+Constantinople      +Turkey                  +Florence
+Scotland                  +Asia                       +China
+The Byzantine Empire
+The Ottoman Empire

 

*What Happened? The Events-   (You can make your own list from the reading, or add to this one!)

+The Dark Ages                     +Charlemagne’s Rule                 +The Crusades
+The Magna Carta                +Marco Polo’s Travels               +The Black Death
+Joan of Arc                           +Gutenberg Printing Press      +Spanish Inquisition
+The Reformation                 +Viking Raids                             +The Battle of Hastings
+Fall of Constantinople        +The Hundred Years War
+The Rise of The Renaissance

 

 

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*WEEK 1 :  Barbarians, Borders, and The Beginning of Medieval Europe

 

*Week 1– Barbarians, Borders, and the Beginning of Medieval Europe
+Day 1-  What Are The “Middle” Ages?
+Day 2- Goodbye Rome, Hello Saxons!
+Day 3-  Who Were The Franks?

 

Suggested Supplemental Reading:

+ ‘The Door in the Wall‘
+’The Shining Company‘

+Our Little Saxon Cousin Of Long Ago
(Part of the Heritage History collection of children’s books online.  FREE and so nice!)

   

 

*What are the “Middle” Ages?

 

+Read It!

Before we start this study of the time called “The Middle Ages”, “The Dark Ages”, or “Medieval Times” (wow that’s a lot of names!), we should talk about where most of this history takes place.   Just like other ancient places we’ve learned about before, the names of the countries and cities have as many names as the Middle Ages does!   For example, long ago there was a large province in the Roman Empire called Gaul.  Later Gaul became Francia (the Kingdom of the Franks), and finally… you guessed it, FRANCE!   This can make things all confusing. So just hang on, and I’ll try to keep it simple!

If you’ve gone through the Ancient Civilizations Section of the curriculum, you’re likely pretty familiar with the Middle Eastern countries, but here’s a review if you need a quick one, or if this is the first unit you’ve tried-
The Middle Eastern Countries   and  Map of The Middle East
And most of the places we will be learning about in this section are within the continent of Europe.
Quick Review of Europe    and   Interactive Map Of Europe

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World” – Chapter 40: Barbarian Invaders
* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–    Chapter 1:  The Glory That Was Rome
(You could also read Chapter 4 today, or wait to read it as listed in Week 5)

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 1, Day 1)
Middle Ages, Medieval Ages, and…Who turned out the lights?
(These are funny and amazing facts that I wrote to start EACH DAILY lesson!)

*The Early Middle Ages
*Why Study The Middle Ages?
*When Were The Middle Ages?
*Geography of Medieval Europe
*The Middle Ages- An Overview
*The Story Of The Middle Ages:  Introduction

*The Story Of Europe: The Barbarians Invade The Roman Empire

*What Was The Byzantine Empire?
*The Byzantine Empire For Kids
*The Roman Empire Stays Alive…Kind Of
(The Byzantine Empire in greater detail)
*Who Was Justinian I ?
*The Rule of Justinian I
*History Of Great Men of Europe:  Justinian I

*The 5 Major Kingdoms After Rome

 

+Watch This!

*The Middle Ages For Kids     (a good overview, about 6 minutes)
* What are the Middle Ages ?  An introduction from Khan Academy  (10 minutes)
* Horrible Histories:  Measly Middle Ages 
(22 minutes- You might enjoy this (ok…maybe YOU won’t, but your kids most likely will)

*The Byzantine Empire- Part 1        (about 11 minutes)
*The Byzantine Empire- Part 2        (about 11 minutes)
*The Rise And Fall Of The Byzantine Empire     (about 6 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Explore the Middle Ages   (Interactive story and games)
* What are the Middle Ages?   (An interactive quest)
*Early Middle Ages WebQuest
*Medieval Europe Geography & Maps
*Quiz Yourself- The Byzantine Empire Online
*Byzantine Empire Walk The Plank Game
*Blank Map Of Europe
(Print and color or label places as you read!)

 

 

+History Binder:

*Note:  If you are making a history timeline binder for this unit, you can either add to it each week (as noted in the Daily Lessons), or you can work on making a Timeline during Week 7  (see notes for Week 7).   If you missed it, here’s a video on How-To Make A History Timeline Binder

–>You may also use the pre-made History Binder Printables and just add to those pages!

+Make  Cover Pages for this unit-  “The Middle Ages”   (500 – 1000 AD)
-The Early Middle Ages   (500 – 1000 AD)      -The High Middle Ages    (1000 – 1300 AD)
-The Late Middle Ages     (1300 – 1500 AD)

+Make a page for the Vocabulary section.  Make another page and label it “Week 1- Vocabulary”

+Add today’s vocabulary words to “Week 1- Vocabulary” page

+Make pages for “People”, “Places”, and “Events” sections for your history binder  OR create a Timeline page for Week 1 as pictured below.

+Add   the following to the Places section-  (You will be reading more information on these in subsequent weeks also!)
-Europe                                         -The Middle East
-Eastern Roman Empire           -Constantinople, Turkey           -Hagia Sophia

+Add  the following names to the People section-
-The Barbarians       -Emperor Justinian I

+Add  the following names to the Events section-
-The Byzantine Empire    (330-1453 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*Label this map of  Medieval Europe 
* Eastern Europe 1400 AD
*Byzantine Mosaics Coloring Pages

 

 

Goodbye Rome, Hello Saxons!

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–  Chapter 42: New Places- New Heroes
* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–  Chapter 2:  The Early Days of Britain

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 1, Day 2)

*The Anglo Saxons
(This is a really great page!  Includes text, videos, and even pictures of artifacts!)
*When did the Anglo-Saxons come to Britain?
*How Was Anglo-Saxon Britain Ruled?
*Who Was Alfred the Great?
*Alfred The Great
*What Did The Anglo Saxons Like To Eat?
*Anglo-Saxon Art & Culture

*Who Were The Vikings?
*EXPLORE The Vikings
*The Vikings Come To England!
*10 Facts About The Vikings
*What Happened to the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings?

*Anglo-Saxon England Kids Magazine
(Super fun!  Be sure to maximize your screen!)
*The Saxons And The Vikings Kids Magazine 

 

 

+Explore It More!

*The Anglo Saxons Interactive
* The Romans, the Britons and the Anglo Saxons   (interactive)
*Could You Survive A Viking Raid?
*How To Draw A Viking 
*The Vikings Game Online
*Viking Memory Game Online

 

+Watch This!

*The Anglo Saxon Report       (Great overview- about 4 minutes)
*A Day In The Life- Saxons     (about 4 minutes)
*Meet an Anglo-Saxon Warrior   (about 2 minutes)
*8 Short Clips about Life in an Anglo-Saxon Village 
*Kids Rule TV: The Anglo Saxons      (about 40 minutes)

*Who Was The First (Real) King of England?
*History Of Alfred The Great     (about 6 minutes)
*Alfred And The Cake      (Great for the Littles too!  About 5 minutes)

*The Vikings In A Nutshell    (This video does a good job tying everything together- about 2 minutes)
*The Vikings                      (about 11 minutes)
*History:  The Vikings      (about 2 minutes)
*Who Were The Vikings?    (about 2 minutes)
*The Vikings      (In much more detail, about 7 minutes)

*Stories Of The Vikings   (Great old book to read online!)

 

+History Binder:

+Add   the following to the Places section-
-Scandinavia            -Europe            -France
-Britain                     -Russia

+Add  the following names to the People section-
-The Vikings               -The Anglo-Saxons
-King Alfred

+Add the following to the Events section-
-Viking Raids   (~793-1066 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*Color An Anglo Saxon Village
*Anglo Saxon Horsemen Coloring Page
*Map of Anglo Saxon Kingdom  from Layers of Learning!
*Fight of Vikings Coloring Page
*Viking Coloring Pages
*Viking Boats Coloring Page

 

 

Who Were the Franks?

 

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–
-Chapter 47-  Two Empires, Two Emperors
-Chapter 48-  Getting a Start

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 11:  The Kingdom of the Franks

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 1, Day 3)

*The Franks
* Who were the Franks?
*Middle Ages and the Franks
*The Story of Europe:  The Rise Of The Franks
*Mini Timeline Of The Frankish Empire  (aka France)

*Who Was King Clovis (and why is he important to remember)?
*Clovis I- History For Kids
*Queen Clothilde and King Clovis
*History of Great Men Of Europe:  Clovis

*Saint Augustine of Canterbury
*Saint Patrick
*Christianity In The Roman World   (More challenging read)

*The End of the Frankish Empire

 

+Watch This!

*King Clovis I         (about 3 minutes)
* Frankish History: Clovis and the Merovingians      (about 6 minutes)
*The Franks And The Birth Of Europe    (More detailed- about 20 minutes)

*Christianity Spreads To Europe
–Saint Patrick: Drive Thru History        (about 54 minutes)
–>Who Was Saint Patrick?    (shorter clip from video above- 5 minutes)
–The Patrick Story     (Torchlighters-  about 30 minutes)
–Early Christianity In Europe   (about 3 minutes)
– The Augustine Story    (Torchlighters-  about 35 minutes)

*The Beginning of Islam
–Who Was Muhammed?
(Be sure to discuss with your children that the Muslim god and the Christian God are not the same)
–Mohammed Starts Islam Religion
–The Early Islamic World

*The Divide
–Who Was Charles The Hammer?
–The Story Of Charles Martel
–The Battle Of Tours
–The Battle Between The Crescent And The Cross

 

+Explore It More!

*Explore Maps of Europe during the Middle Ages   (interactive)
*Animated Map of Christianity’s Spread Around The World
*St. Patrick Quiz Online   (Torchlighters)
*St. Patrick Wordsearch    (Torchlighters)

 

+History Binder:

**Remember to add everything that YOU want to!  These are just a few suggestions!
+Add   the following to the Places section-
-France                -England

+Add  the following names to the People section-
-The Franks           -Clovis            -Charles “The Hammer” Martel
-Saint Patrick        -Saint Augustine

+Add the following to the Events section-
-Christianity Spreads To Europe          -Islam Begins

 

+Coloring-

*King Clovis Coloring Page
*Frankish Soldier Coloring Page
*The Story Of Patrick Coloring Pages
*The Story Of Patrick Printable Workbook   (Torchlighters)
*The Story Of Augustine Workbook Printable   (Torchlighters)

 

 

---

*WEEK 2 : Charlemagne and Medieval Life

 

*Week 2-  Charlemagne And Medieval Life
+Day 1- Who Was Charlemagne?
+Day 2- What Is Feudalism?
+Day 3- Peasants, Lords, and Castle Life

 

*Suggested Supplemental Reading:

+‘Crispin: The Cross Of Lead’
+’The Edge of the Sword’

     

 

 

Who was Charlemagne ?

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–  none
* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 13:  The Great Kings of France

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 2, Day 1)

*Pepin The Short
*Who Was Charlemagne ?
*Short Biography of Charlemagne
*Charlemagne Facts
*Charlemagne   (this also has a video version)

*Famous Men Of The Middle Ages: Charlemagne
*The Story Of The Middle Ages:  Charlemagne

*What Was The Carolingian Empire?
*The Carolingian Dynasty   (More detailed reading)

*What is a pope?
*Pope Leo & Charlemagne- Part 1
*Pope Leo Gets Even- Part 2
*Who Was Pope Adrian ?
*What Was The Holy Roman Empire?
*The Holy Roman Empire   (more detailed)

 

+Watch This!

*The Carolingian Empire- Part 1        (about 11 minutes)
*The Carolingian Empire- Part 2       (about 11 minutes)
*Charlemagne !   (History Teachers Sing)
*Charlemagne and The Franks    (Bedtime History Video)
*An Introduction to Charlemagne  (Khan Academy- about 7 minutes)
*Charlemagne’s Impact On Christianity In Europe    (Drive Thru History- about 4 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Check out this Map of Europe at the end of Charlemagne’s life
*Examples Of Carolingian Art
*Carolingian Art
*How Much Do You Know About Charlemagne?
*Interactive Charlemagne Quiz
*Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire Map Game

 

 

+History Binder:

**Remember to add everything that YOU want to!  These are just a few suggestions!
+Add   the following to the Places section-
-Rome

+Add  the following names to the People section-
-Charlemagne                 -Pepin The Short               -Pope Leo

+Add the following to the Events section-
-Charlemagne Becomes Emperor

 

+Coloring-

*King Charlemagne Coloring Page
*Charlemagne The Great Coloring Page

 

 

 

What is Feudalism?

*Note: 
Day 2 could be easily be combined with Day 3 this week.

 

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”– Chapter 50:  Real Castles
* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   none

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 2, Day 2)

*Short Definition Of Feudalism
*What Was The Feudal System?
*What is feudalism ?
*All About Feudalism
*The Story of The Middle Ages:  Rise Of Feudalism 

*What is the manorial system ?
*Manorialism- History For Kids
*The Manorial System for Commoners
*The Manor and the Feudal System
*The Rise of Towns

 

+Watch This!

*Life In The Middle Ages    (about 5 minutes)
*What Was Feudalism?          (about 5 minutes)
*The Feudal System In The Middle Ages      (about 14 minutes)
*What’s The Difference Between Feudalism And Manorialism?   (about 4 minutes)
*Brain Pop!  Feudalism    (about 5 minutes)
*Feudalism And The Church   (about 6 minutes)
*Middle Ages Daily Life In a City     (about 4 minutes)
*Daily Life Of A Medieval Peasant     (about 7 minutes)
*What Was Daily Life Like In Medieval Britain?
(This is longish, about 24 minutes, but it covers much more than food, including daily life in the Manorial system! Not animated.)

 

+Explore It More!

*Feudalism    (BrainPop-  Interactive Game)
*Put The Feudal System In Order    (fun game online!)
*Explore  Medieval Life     (interactive)
*Middle Ages WebQuest
*Feudalism- Quiz Yourself!
*The Medieval Manor
*Around The Manor Matching Game–  Quizlet
*Middle Ages Peasants Online Jigsaw Puzzle    (Adjust the # of pieces for a challenge!)
*Castles Jigsaw Puzzles Online    (Adjust the # of pieces for a challenge!)

 

+History Binder:   none

 

+Coloring-

*Manor Coloring Page
*Castle Coloring Page
*Feudal Peasants Coloring Page

 

 

Peasants, Lords, and Castle Life

 

+Read It!

 

+Core Reading-  none

+Optional Reading-

* “If You Lived in the Days of the Knights”
(p. 7-11; 18-19; 26-27; 40-42; 62-64 top)
–>Note:
This book is an easy & fun read…I tried to arrange readings around the lesson themes in the daily plans…this made it jump around quite a bit.  You could simply just choose to read a little each day in the order the book was written  🙂

 

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 2, Day 3)

*Castles
–Why Did They Build Castles?
–Medieval Castles
–What Was It Like To Live In A Castle?
–Life Inside A Castle
–Siege The Day!  Medieval Castles Magazine
–Kinds Of Castles
–The Parts Of A Castle

*The People of The Kingdom
–Where did they all live ?
–What Did The Kings Do?
–Medieval Queens
–What Was It Like To Be A Princess In The Middle Ages?
–Who Were The Medieval Lords?
–The Nobility  AND   Nobility & Titles
–What Was A Fief?
–Knights
–What Was A Vassal?
–The Commoners  (peasants & serfs)
–A Peasant Life
–A Serf’s Life
–The People Of The Castle

–Medieval Daily Life 

 

 

+Watch This!

*Daily Life in the Middle Ages   (About 24 minutes)
*A Day in the Life… Of a 10 Year Old Norman Boy   (BBC…about 2 minutes)
*Meet a Medieval Noble Woman   (about 3 minutes)
*A Day In The Life:  Kings & Queens         (about 4 minutes)

*Mini Guide To Medieval Castles    (about 2 minutes)
*What Is A Castle?      (about 8 minutes)
*Kid’s Rule:  Castles !    (about 30 minutes)
*Short intro to Life in a Castle   (about 2 minutes)
*The History Of Medieval Castles       (about 8 minutes)
*A Day In The Life:  Medieval Castles   (about 4 minutes)
*Tour of A Medieval Castle    (Watch with a pen and paper!!)
*How To Take A Medieval Castle      (about 2 minutes)
*Castles by David Macaulay
(full length video by author of well known book “Castle”)

 

 

+Explore It More!

*What’s For Dinner In A Medieval Castle?
*Make A Medieval Lord’s Pie
*Siege At Carlisle Castle Game
*Lord For A Day?  Medieval Daily Life
*Could YOU Run A Castle?
*Life on the Manor    (interactive)
*Explore A Castle Interactive
*Build A Working Drawbridge
*Castles As Prisons
*Life in the castle
*Kings Of The Castle
*Take a virtual Tour of Goodrich Castle
*Take a virtual tour of Raglan Castle
*Design your own Cathedral Arch
*Kids Rule! Castles Magazine   (be sure to maximize the screen!)
*Make A Model Of Stokesay Castle Tower
*Make A Model Of Mawes Castle
*All About Castles Free Printable Activity Book

 

+History Binder:   none

 

+Coloring-

*Great Castles coloring pages
*Medieval Castle Life Coloring Page
*King Arthur Castle  (Print or Color Online!)
*Castle and Sentinel 
*Life in the Castle
*Princess Coloring Page
*Castle Coloring Page
*Jester

 

 

---

*WEEK 3 :  Crowns, Conquerors, and Knights

 

*Week 3- Crowns, Conquerors, and Knights
+Day 1-  Who Were The Knights?
+Day 2-  The Knights In Shining Armor
+Day 3- Symbols Of Honor:  Heraldry & Knights

 

*Suggested Supplemental Reading:

*The Making Of A Knight
*The Great And Terrible Quest
*Life As A Knight:  Choose Your Own Adventure

     

 

Who were the Knights ?

 

+Read It!

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 15:  The First Kings of England

*Optional Reading-

* “If You Lived in the Days of the Knights”      (p. 13-17)

 

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 3, Day 1)

*The History Of Knights
*Becoming A Medieval Knight
*Steps To Knighthood
*What Were Medieval Knights?
*Castles and Knights
*Knights, Squires, and Pages
*Knights Of Medieval Europe
*5 Things You Might Not Know About Knights
*Who Were The Medieval Knights?
*Could YOU Make It As A Medieval Knight?

*Knights And Tournaments
*Jousting: Facts For Kids   and   Rules For Jousting
*5 Things You Might Not Know About Tournaments
*A History Of Tournaments
*Knights and Medieval War Horses

 

 

+Watch This !

*Medieval Knights   ( A Kid Explains History about 3 minutes)
*What Were Medieval Knights?     (about 5 minutes)
*How to Joust Like a Medieval Knight   (3 minutes )
*Watch this short clip of Jousting at Hever Castle   (3 minutes) or THIS (History.com)
*Simple History-  All About  Medieval Knights   (about 4 minutes)
*I’m a Knight  (Why are these parody songs so catchy ? )
*How To Train A Knight     (about 12 minutes)
*Medieval Knights Explained   (about 12 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Knight and Armor Paper Doll
*Medieval Knights Jigsaw Puzzles Online   (Adjust the # of pieces for a challenge!)
*Knights of The Middle Ages Online Puzzle
*The History Of Knights Quiz
*Knights & Tournaments–  Quiz Yourself Online
*Knights Diamond Online Game    (Just For Fun)

 

+History Binder-   none

 

+Coloring-

*Medieval Knight/Joust
*Knight and Squire Coloring Page
*Knights Coloring Pages  (Scroll down, there are 40 different ones to choose from!)
*Knight
*Knighting

 

Knights In Shining Armor

+Read It!

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 16: England After the Conquest

*Optional Reading-

* “If You Lived in the Days of the Knights”      (p. 22-23;  20-21; 28-30)

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 3, Day 2)

*Knights & Armor
* A Horse In Shining Armor
*The 10 Parts Of A Knight’s Armor
*Medieval Knights:  Shields
*What Did Knights Wear?    (Longish, but you can listen to the audio version!)
*How Did Knights Get Dressed?
*Medieval Armor 
*The History Of Armor

 

+Watch This!

*Arming a Medieval Knight    (About 3 minutes )
*A Medieval Knight’s Clothing    (About 4 minutes)
*Could YOU Be A Knight In Shining Armor?   (about 4 minutes)
*Knights In Shining Armor      (Book read aloud-  13 minutes)
*The Middle Ages: Knights Armor and Weapons    (About 14 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Explore a Knight’s Armor
*Try this Middle Ages Word Search online
*Middle Ages Concentration Game
*Knights Maze

 

+History Binders-      none

 

+Coloring-

*Color and Label the Knight’s Armor
(Click “download” to open and print the pdf)
*Knights Coloring Pages
*Knights Word Search
*How to Draw a Knight in Armor

*Knights Coloring Pages  (Scroll down, there are 40 different ones to choose from!)

 

 

Symbols of Honor: Heraldry and Knights

*Note:
Chivalry is covered in Day 1 next week. You could pull some of those resources into today’s lesson, or save them for next week!

+Read It!

*Core Reading-  none

*Optional Reading-

*”If You Lived in the Days of the Knights”      (p. 24)

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 3, Day 3)

* What is Heraldry?
* Heraldry History
* Guide To Medieval Heraldry
* Heraldry Facts For Kids

*Knights & Coats of Arms
*What Is A Medieval Coat Of Arms?

*The Heraldry Society: Beginners Guide  
(This is for anyone who really wants to dig in to this topic!  Great if you are designing your own coat of arms!)

 

+Watch This!

*What Are Coats Of Arms    (about 3 minutes- good for Littles too!)
*Knights & Coat of Arms    (about 6 minutes)
*Heraldry- Mini Lecture     (about 4 minutes)
*Knights & Heraldry         (about 7 minutes)
*What Is A Coat Of Arms?    (about 3 minutes)
*What’s The Difference? Coat Of Arms, Heraldry, And Family Crests   (about 10 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Heraldry Activity Pack
*Coat Of Arms Activity Pack
*Make Your Own Coat of Arms
*Online Coat Of Arms Maker!
*Explore Coat of Arms
*Heraldry Game

+History Binder-

*You could add your coat of arms (or a copy of it) to your history binders just for fun!

 

+Coloring-

*Draw and Color your own Coat of Arms
*Free Heraldry Coloring Book
*Feudal Coat Of Arms Coloring Page
*Coat Of Arms Coloring Page
*Knight With Heraldry Coloring Page

 

 

---

*WEEK 4 :  Epic Tales And Noble Deeds

 

*Week 4- Epic Tales and Noble Deeds
+Day 1- The Round Table and the Rules of Honor
+Day 2- Stories That Shaped the Middle Ages
+Day 3- Robin Hood’s Code: Hero Or Outlaw?

 

*Suggested supplemental reading-

+“The Whipping Boy”
+“The Illustrated Tales Of King Arthur”
+“The Merry Adventures Of Robin Hood”

 

 

The Round Table And The Rules Of Honor

*Disney’s “The Sword In The Stone” would be fun to watch this week!
(Link above to Amazon Prime Video!)

 

+Read It!

 

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 17:  Knights & Samurai

*Optional Reading-

*”If You Lived in the Days of the Knights”      (p. 50-51 top)

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 4, Day 1)

*The Stories Of King Arthur’s Knights   (Entire book online- would make a fun read aloud!)

*What is the Code of Chivalry ?
*Chivalry For Kids
* Code of Chivalry
(This site has some really nice period paintings too!)
*Medieval Codes of Chivalry listed
(Includes the Rules of Courtly Love- with reference to Anne Boylen)
*10 Facts About Medieval Knights And Chivalry

*Who Was King Arthur?    (In a nutshell, good for younger readers)
*King Arthur
*King Arthur- Facts For Kids
*What Was Excalibur?
*What Was The Round Table?
*The Story Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table
*Who Was Sir Lancelot?
*What Was Camelot?
*The Road To Camelot     (Kids podcast)
*King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table
(Read this abridged version online- this is a Core Knowledge resource)
–> King Arthur Worksheets Companion

*More King Arthur Short Stories    (Read or Listen!)
–The Christmas Cherry Tree
–The Marriage Of Eric And Enide
–The Quest Of Eric And Enide
–The Journey Of Eric And Enide

 

 

+Watch This!

*Chivalry In The Middle Ages    (about 3 minutes)
*Chivalry- Khan Academy  (about 3 minutes)
*Did King Arthur Really Exist?    (about 4 minutes)
* King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table
(You may enjoy listening to this free audiobook- 1 hour 24 minutes)
*The Legend of King Arthur   (about 6 minutes- Bedtime History)
*Merlin And The Making Of A King     (read aloud, about 23 minutes)
*King Arthur And The Black Knight      (read aloud, about 20 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*On The Trail Of King Arthur
*Play the Sword in the Stone Game
*King Arthur Math Games
*Code of Chivalry Word Search  from Busy Bee Printables
*Printable Knights’ Code of Chivalry Cards 

 

+History Binder-

*Was King Arthur real?
-Add King Arthur to your timeline today if you think he was!
*OR
-Add Geoffrey of Monmouth (1135 AD), the author who wrote King Arthur’s history.

 

+Coloring-

*Chivalry Coloring Page
*King Arthur Coloring Pages
*The Sword In The Stone Coloring Page
*Excalibur Coloring Page
*Legend of King Arthur Activity Pack  (Free from ‘Year Round Homeschooling’)
*King Arthur/Excalibur Coloring Pages
*Camelot Coloring Pages
*Knights Of The Round Table Coloring Pages

 

 

Stories That Shaped The Middle Ages

 

+Read It!

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   none

*Optional Reading-

*”If You Lived in the Days of the Knights” –  none

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 4, Day 3)

*Knights & Medieval Literature
*Importance of Medieval Literature
*Stories From The Middle Ages

*What is ‘The Song of Roland’ ?
*Troubadours and the Song of Roland
*Here are some more ‘Stories of Roland’
(Digital Book- You can also read the PDF Version .  You may like to read some or all of the stories included- There’s an intro to this book and an introduction to Roland 🙂
*The Story Of Roland
(Entire book to read online!)

*Sir Gawain And The Green Knight    (Told for children- Part I)
*Part II- Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

*Who Was Chaucer & Why Should We Know?
*Chaucer For Children

*Canterbury Tales
*Chanticleer And The Fox     (One of Chaucer’s tales adapted for kids)
*Canterbury Tales Song  

 

+Watch This!

*Beowulf         (Really good retelling !  26 minutes)
*The Song of Roland   (Audiobook on YouTube-  about 20 minutes)
*Series of Sir Gawain Stories    (animated)
*Sir Gawain and the Green Knight   (Animated retelling- 5 minutes)
*The Song of Roland    (Played on traditional instruments and sung)
*Geoffrey Chaucer:  Who Was He?        (about 4 minutes)
*The Canterbury Tales, or, How Technology Changes The Way We Speak
(Hear Old English, Middle English, and compare it to how we speak today!  Best for older students, but very interesting!   About 17 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Interactive Song of Roland Trivia Quiz
*Beowulf Jeopardy Game   (Free on TpT)

 

+History Binder-   none

 

+Coloring-

*Beowulf Coloring Pages   (2 free from Dover)
*Medieval Lady Coloring Page   (Would work for a Canterbury Tales page)
*Beowulf Sword Activity/Coloring    (Free on TpT)

 

 

 

Robin Hood : Hero Or Outlaw?

 

*Read It!

 

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   p. 180-185
(There is a section in Chapter 19 about Robin Hood if you’d like to read it now… or you can read it as assigned.)

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 4, Day 2)

*The Stories Of Robin Hood

*Listen to the LibriVox audiobook-  Robin Hood
(Great to listen while you’re in the car, or for afternoon quiet time together!  Also a great conversation starter!  Did Robin Hood really steal from the rich to give to the poor? Was it stealing if the ones he stole it from (“the rich”), had stolen it in the first place (“the poor”)?   Do two wrongs make a right?   Was it right for Robin Hood to steal?   Or was Robin Hood just righting the wrongs in society?   Hmmm….)

*Crime And Punishment In Medieval England
*The Myth & Legend of Robin Hood  (good for younger children)
*Robin Hood: The Facts

*You can read or listen to the audio versions of each of the short stories below!
*The ‘Guest’ Of Robin Hood
*The Sheriff Who Came To Dinner With Robin Hood
*Robin Hood And Maid Marian
*The Golden Arrow
*How King Richard Met Robin Hood

 

*Watch This!

*The Real Robin Hood…Did he really exist ?  (History.com  About 4 minutes)
*The Legend Of Robin Hood For Kids         (about 10 minutes)
“The Adventures of Robin Hood”

*A Kid Explains History- Robin Hood   (about 5 minutes)

 

 

+Explore It More!

*Learn About and Explore Robin Hood
*Play this Robin Hood Archery Game

 

+History Binder-  none

 

+Coloring-

*Print an entire Robin Hood Lapbook FREE!
(Includes a Unit Study as well!!)
*Choose from 6 different Robin Hood Coloring Pages

 

 

 

---

 

*Week 5:  The Medieval Church

 

*Week 5-  The Medieval Church
+Day 1- Monks, Missions, and Monasteries
+Day 2- What Is The Reformation?
+Day 3- What Were The Crusades?

 

*Suggested supplemental reading-
-“Monks and Mystics”
–“Courage And Conviction”
–“Big John’s Secret”
–“Thunderstorm In Church”
–“Marguerite Makes A Book”

   

 

Monks, Missions, and Monasteries

*Notes to Moms & Dads-
Depending on your denominational background, some of the language of the Church during this period of history can get confusing, especially for children.  This lesson frequently includes the use of the term “saints”.   Here is a quick definition of the word “saint” with lots of Scripture so that you can explain this simply, and as you’d like, to your children.  🙂

 

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–
-Chapter 43:  Being Good
-Chapter 56: Bibles Made of Stone and Glass

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–
Note:  The following 2 chapters are a jump backwards on the timeline, but if you haven’t already read these, it gives a good foundation for this week’s lessons.    Or you can do a quick review with some of the reading or with some of the suggested YouTube videos from Week 1.
-Chapter 3:  Christianity Comes to Britain
-Chapter 4:  The Byzantine Empire

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 5, Day 1)

*Religion in Medieval Europe
*Middle Ages Monasteries
*The Church in  Medieval Europe
*Monks & Monasteries
*What Is A Monk?
*What Is A Monastery?
*Medieval Monasteries Kids Magazine
(Be sure to maximize your screen)
*Monks Of The Middle Ages
*Middle Ages Monasteries:  Abbey Days
*What’s For Dinner In A Medieval Monastery?
*What Did Medieval Monks Grow In Gardens?
*Who Was Benedict And What Were His Rules?
*How Silent Were Medieval Monasteries?

*What Were Illuminated Manuscripts?
*Guide To Medieval Manuscripts
(This is easy to read in Q&A format)
*Medieval Manuscripts 
(Scroll through to see lots of examples of Illuminated Manuscripts from the Middle Ages!  From The Getty Museum)

 

+Watch This!

*The Church   (A thorough explanation of the Church hierarchy and terms…video 9 min)
*The Middle Ages Monastery    (about 3 minutes)
*Mini Guide To Medieval Monks     (about 3 minutes)
*Meet a Medieval Monk (Really nicely done !  4 minutes)
*A Day in Medieval Life –  The Monk   (20 minutes)
*Meet Aelred of Rievaulx Abbey
*A Day In The Life-  Medieval Monks     (about 11 minutes)

*What Were Books Like In The Middle Ages?   (about 3 minutes)
*Illustration Station:  Illuminated Manuscripts    (about 6 minutes- great explanation!)
*Illuminated Manuscripts Song    (So fun!)
*Illuminations: Treasures Of The Middle Ages  
(Longer, about 30 minutes, but good overview of much being studied)

 

+Explore It More!

*Explore Medieval Monasteries   (TONS of games, coloring, activities, videos, etc…)
*Explore Religion in the Middle Ages
*Medieval Religion
*I Spy Abbey Attack!
*Could YOU Life Like A Carthusian Monk?
*Monks & Monasteries: Quiz Yourself

*Medieval Manuscripts- Explore It More 
*How To Make Your Own Illuminated Letters
*Manuscripts From The Middle Ages
(Click through to see TONS of beautifully illustrated examples!)

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Benedict of Nursia
(If you’d like to add more, you can refer to the list here–> Monks Of The Middle Ages)

 

+Coloring-

*Medieval Monastery Coloring Page
*Full Illumination Alphabet Coloring Page
*Monk Coloring Page
*Dover- Illuminated Letters Coloring Pages
– Letter A     –Letter B     –Letter C     –Letter D      –Letter E
*St. Benedict Coloring Page

 

 

What is the Reformation?

*Notes:
#1- The Reformation began around 1517 AD.  Note that we are jumping ahead a bit in the timeline in order to tell the story of The Church in the Middle Ages.   We will circle it all together in Week 8.

#2- This was a difficult period of history for the Church. From the time of the first believers gathered together as an eklessia (church) up until this time, there had only been one main line of Christianity. Leading to the time we call the Reformation, much disagreement, division, and resentment had been growing between Christians during these “dark ages”. From this point onward in our history, the Church can be seen in two distinct parallels on a timeline-  The Catholic Church and The Protestant Church.   The term “Protestant” came from the fact that this group came as a result of their “protests” on many points. We’ll learn more as we study today.

 

+Read It!

 

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–   Chapter 67:  Christians Quarrel

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 34:  Martin Luther’s New Ideas

 

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 5, Day 2)

*What Was The Reformation?
*Reformation for Kids

*Who Was Martin Luther?
*Martin Luther and the Reformation
*What Was The 95 Thesis?
*Martin Luther & The Recovery Of The Gospel   (A Podcast For Kids By Kids)
*Who Were The “Protest”ants?
*What Was The Diet Of Worms?    (EWWW!  No really, just read!)

*Other Important People During The Reformation-
–William Tyndale
–William Tyndale- Kids Talk Church History    (A Podcast For Kids By Kids)
–Who Was John Wycliffe?
–John Calvin

*How Did People Translate The Bible Into English?

 

+Watch This!

*Reformation Rock!     (about 4 minutes- great introduction!)
*Torchlighters- The Reformation and Martin Luther  (animated, about 35 minutes)
*Martin Luther As Told By Legos   (about 5 minutes)
*The Reformation   (Good for Middle/High school – about 10 minutes)
*Martin Luther and Reformation Day     (Drive Thru History- 3 minutes)
and Martin Luther Special   (9 minutes)
*Joan of Arc, Martin Luther & the Protestant Reformation    (about 6 minutes)
*Martin Luther      (History Teachers Sing-  😀  sorry I couldn’t help myself !)
*The Reformation Polka   (more details, but so funny… and catchy lol)

*‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God’     (Just for fun- in German)
—> And ‘A Mighty Fortress’  in English
*The Story Of-  ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God’

*The William Tyndale Story    (Torchlighters- about 30 minutes)

*How John Wycliffe Changed The World    (about 3 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Interactive Medieval Monk (Martin Luther Intro)    – from PBS
*The Story Of Martin Luther Activities
*Martin Luther Coloring Online Page
*John Wycliffe Activities

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Martin Luther         -John Wycliffe          -William Tyndale
-John Calvin

*Add the following to the Places section of your history binder-
-Wittenburg, Germany

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-Wycliffe’s English Bible   (1382 AD)           -The Reformation   (1517 AD)
-Diet of Worms   (1521 AD)                            -Tyndale’s English New Testament  (1525 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*Martin Luther Notebooking Pages
*95 Thesis Coloring Page
*Reformation Coloring Book
(NOTE: Please review these coloring pages before printing!)
*William Tyndale Activity Book    (Torchlighters)

 

 

 

What were the Crusades?

*Note:
Ha! There have been a lot of notes this week!  This note is just for consideration as you teach today’s lesson.
Throughout Ancient history, we’ve seen plenty of wars—fought over land, power, honor, and control of the seas. The Middle Ages were no different. But today’s topic stands out. The Crusades—eight major ones in all—were unlike most battles we’ve studied, because they were fought primarily for one reason: religion.  And to really understand them, we have to look at the bigger picture of the time.
To begin, it is absolutely true—the Crusades were violent and bloody and in most ways, they didn’t reflect the teachings of Christ AT ALL.   BUT, we do need to remember that by the time the Crusades began, Islam had spread quickly across lands that had once been part of the Christian world—places in the Middle East, North Africa, and even parts of Europe. Many important Christian holy sites were no longer under Christian control, including Jerusalem. To people living in Medieval Europe, this surely felt like a huge political threat, but also a deep spiritual crisis. The Muslim empires, including the powerful Ottoman Turks, seemed unstoppable in their expansion. The Crusades became, for many, a bold and desperate attempt to take back those lands and protect Christianity from what they saw as a fast-moving, dangerous force.

 

+Read It!

 

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–
-Chapter 53:  A Great Adventure
-Chapter 54: Three Kings In a Row

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 18:  The Age of Crusades

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 5, Day 3)

*What Were The Crusades ?
*The 8 Crusades
*Who Started the Crusades ?
*Who Were The Turks?
*What Was The Ottoman Empire?
*Effects of the Crusades
*History of the Crusades
(This has a chronological  list of all of the “crusades”)
*Who Were The Knights Of The Templar?
*Who Was Saladin?
*Timeline of Islamic History

 

+Watch This!

*Explanation of the Crusades
(Good for middle/high school about 9 minutes)
*What Started the Crusades ?      (15 minutes)
*Islam, The Crusades, and The Ottoman Empire    (Drive Thru History- about 7 minutes)
*Who Were The Knights Templar?   (about 3 minutes)
*The Knights Templar    (More details- about 5 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Interactive Map : The Crusades
*Interactive- Explore The Crusades

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Saladin

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Crusades  (1096-1291 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*Crusader Coloring Page
*Crusades Crossword Puzzle
*Stained Glass Coloring Page
*How To Draw A Crusader
*The Knights Templar Coloring Page & Copy Work
*Saladin Biography and Worksheets

 

 

 

---

 

 

*Week 6 –  Explore It More !  Week

If you have crafty kids, curious kids—or any kids, really—this is the week in our history units that EVERYONE looks forward to! Explore It More Week is an entire week dedicated to doing all of the  hands-on learning projects that bring everything you’ve studying to life !

Choose from the project ideas listed below, grab a hands-on history resource from the Middle Ages Books & Resources List, or come up with your own medieval-themed creations!
If you don’t want to devote an entire week to this, you could just sprinkle in a few small activities throughout the lessons each week.   BUT  you may really want to consider trying this Explore It More Week… because of WEEK 11!

What happens in Week 11?  It’s  time to SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW! One of our favorite activities was hosting a History Museum!
Set up a space where students can display medieval-inspired art, inventions, castles, and maps. Serve food fit for a feast (think turkey legs, loaves of fresh bread, fruit, and honey cakes), build mini catapults or cardboard castles, or perform short skits featuring knights, queens, monks, or even a scene from the life of Joan of Arc. Invite friends and family to tour your “museum,” with your child as the guide—explaining the fascinating world of feudalism, castles, the Church, and everyday medieval life.

Let your kids make history come alive— Middle Ages style!

Here are just a few ideas to get you started-

–Create Your Own Saxon’s And Vikings Game      (SO FUN!)

– Make your own Shining Armor:
+Knight’s Helmet             +Knight’s Shield
+Shiny Knight’s Sword      + No-Sew Knight’s Tunic

-Craft a Princess Hat     (every knight needs a damsel!)
–Design Your Own Royal Crown

–Build A Box Castle!
–Make A Tudor House   or try this Tudor House Design
–Make A Saxon House
–Make A Monk’s Cell
–Make Cleeve Abbey

–DIY Bow & Arrows
–Pumpkin Catapult

–Make A Heraldic Bunting

–War Of The Roses Medieval Game Day   (Super Fun!)

–Illuminated Initials
-Try learning to write Calligraphy
-Create your own Coat Of Arms

– Make your own stained glass !  (I love this one!  From Having Fun at Home)

–Grow Your Own Medieval Monastic Herb Garden

– DIY Gutenberg Printing Press

-Try a Recipe For Anglo Saxon Cakes
–Host A Medieval Feast  (Idea #1)
–Hold your own Medieval Feast    (from Owlcation)
–Middle Ages Recipes To Try

–Try some Medieval Science
–Build your own catapults

–The Battle Of Hastings- Who’s Who Game
(How To Play The Game)

Still need just the right ideas?  Try my Pinterest board   Homeschool- Middle Ages

 

---

*Week 7 – Battle For The Thrones

 

*Week 7-  Battle For The Thrones
+Day 1- Castles, Conquest, and Control
+Day 2- Kings, Queens, and a Charter of Change
+Day 3- The Black Death

 

*Suggested supplemental reading-

+“The Prince And The Pauper”
+ ‘Wulf The Saxon’
+’The King’s Shadow‘

        

 

Castles, Conquest, and Control

 

*Note:
Today’s lesson will rewind and begin with just a little bit of a review.  Grab those timelines and you’ll see how it all fits together!

+Read It!

*Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–   Chapter 52:  A Pirate’s Great Grandson

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–  none

 

*Online Reading-

*Pepin The Short, Edgar The Peaceful, Sweyn The Forkbeard, Edward The Confessor, Charles The Hammer, Harold Harefoot, Charles The Bald, and you won’t believe this one… Big Foot Bertha.  True story.  You can read about that in the 21 Fascinating Facts post that is linked below.
There are A LOT of names in the next 2 lessons!!  My best advice is to use your timeline and jot them down so you can see them in chronological order.
I also am going to add a few names below as a review.   If you remember who they are, you can skip those!
*Clovis I  (Founder of the Franks, spread Christianity in Europe)
*Alfred The Great   (ruler of Saxons, the son of Aethelwulf)
*Charlemagne  (ruler of the Franks, the son of Pepin the Short)
*Edward The Confessor  (last Anglo-Saxon king before the Norman Conquest)

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 7, Day 2)

*The Vikings To The Normans  (aka Norse-men!)
*Who Were The Normans?
*The History Of The Normans
*What Was The Battle Of Hastings?
*What Happened At The Battle Of Hastings?
*The Normans And Their Conquest 
(In a nutshell for younger readers)
*Who Was William the Conqueror?
*The Normans & the Conquest of England
*What Is The Doomsday Book?
*What is the Bayeux Tapestry ?

+Watch This!

*Who Were The Normans?      (History in 60 seconds)
*How The Normans Changed Europe    (about 5 minutes)
*A Day In The Life-  The Normans    (about 5 minutes)
*Meet William the Conqueror & King Harold
*The Norman Conquest           (about 11 minutes)
*The Battle Hastings
*Why William Won the Battle
*The Bayeux Tapestry And The Battle of Hastings
(Great overall review of the entire lesson today, and Medieval life in general- about 11 minutes)
*Horrible Histories:  The Doomsday Book   (about 2 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*The Normans  (Interactive)
*What’s For Dinner In A Norman Castle?  Join The Feast!
*The Norman Conquest Kids Magazine-  2017
(Be sure to maximize your screen)
*Explore The Norman Conquest Kids Magazine
(Be sure to maximize your screen)
*How To Draw William The Conqueror
*Make a Norman Soldiers Helmet
*The Battle of Hastings Game
*Play the Bayeux Tapestry Game
*Make your own Bayeux Tapestry
*Bayeux Tapestry Matching Game
*Could You Organize A Norman Invasion?

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-William The Conqueror         -King Harold Godwinson  (if you’d like)
-The Normans  (if you haven’t already… you could also add any new information)

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Battle of Hastings           -The Norman Conquest     (1066 AD)

*Add the following to the Places section of your history binder-
-Normandy, France         -Hastings, England
-Pevensey, England
(Maybe only if you’re a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia 😀  It is believed that CS Lewis named his beloved characters ‘The Pevensie Family’ after this town where William the Conqueror landed in England).

 

+Coloring-

*Norman Town Coloring Page
*William the Conqueror Coloring Page
*The Battle Of Hastings Coloring Page
*The Bayeux Tapestry Coloring Page

 

 

Medieval Kings, Queens, And A Charter Of Change

 

+Read This!

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–    Chapter 57:  John, Whom Nobody Loved

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 19: A New Kind of King

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 7, Day 1)

*Our Little Crusader Cousin
(A short story from the perspective of a young page of King Richard I)

*Who Was Richard I?      (aka Richard The Lionhearted)
*Who Was King John?

*What is the Magna Carta ?
*Magna Carta: Facts
*King John & the Magna Carta
*The Magna Carta- Modern Government   (more detailed)
*What Is Parliament?
*The English Parliament Begins     (more detailed)

*What Was The House Of Plantagenets?
(This is what the span of time and rulers that came after King John were known as.  The split that came between this “house” eventually led to event known as The War of The Roses.  We’ll learn about that next week!)
–>Begins with King Henry II
–>Ends with King Richard III

*The Peasants Revolt
*What Was The Peasant Revolt?     (more detailed)

*Kings & Queens Of Britain At A Glance

+Watch This!

*King Richard I     (about 10 minutes)
*King John        (about 10 minutes)
*The Story of the Magna Carta   (Animated video- 13 minutes)
*The Peasant Revolt   (about 3 minutes)
*The Rise And The Fall Of The Plantagenets     (about 14 minutes)
*All The Kings And Queens     (about 18 minutes… OR, stop at the 10:34ish mark and you can watch the rest next week!)
(This is if you’re fascinated by all these fascinating folks!  This is a really good video for basic understanding, and great to review all the rulers we’ve discussed so far!)

+Explore-

*Explore the Magna Carta
*The Kings & Queens Of England-  Online Magazine
(Be sure to maximize the screen on your computer!)
*Color Richard III online
*Read & Compare The Cartas

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-King Richard I                -King John              -The Plantagenets

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Magna Carta Signed  (1215 AD)             -The Peasant Revolt  (1381 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*Magna Carta Coloring Page
*Print & Color Richard III
*King Richard III Coloring Page

 

 

The Black Death

 

*NOTES:
#1-  You may wish to skip this lesson (it’s pretty graphic) if your kiddos are little or if you have any hypochondriacs listening in  😀
#2- The Black Death came AFTER the Hundred Years War (which is the Day 1 lesson next week).  You could swap the order of these lessons  if you want.  I added this topic here so that the history flowed better for next week’s lessons.

 

+Read It!

 

+Core Reading-

* “A Child’s History of the World”–   Chapter 60:  Then Test Wart Hate Verwas

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 25:  The End of the World

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 7, Day 3)

* What Is A Plague?
* The Black Death Plague
* What is the Black Plague ?
* The Black Death  (from BBC Bitesize)
* The Plague    (more detailed)
* 9 Places Connected to the Black Death
(informative of the time & explains much of the art work from this time)

* 9 Weird Medieval Medicines    (Just because this is so interesting 🙂 )
* Hidden Histories of 3 Nursery Rhymes

*Medicine In The Middle Ages

 

+Watch This!

*A Kid Explains History-  The Black Death  (3 minutes)
*Black Death   (History.Com – NOTE:  a bit scary !   4 minutes)
*Medieval Medicine     (about 4 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*Explore The Black Plague
*Life during the Black Plague Interactive
*How the Plague Spread
*Plague Practice- Quiz Yourself!

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Black Death  (1347-1351 AD)

 

+Coloring-

*The Black Death Coloring Page
*The Plague Coloring Page
*Plague Mask Coloring Page

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*Week 8 –  Kings, Queens, and the Making of Modern England

 

*Week 8- Kings, Queens, and the Making of Modern England
+Day 1- Battles, Kings, and a Legendary Lady
+Day 2- The Wars Of The Roses
+Day 3- The Reign Of Elizabeth

 

*Suggested supplemental reading-

+Sparrow:  The Story Of Joan Of Arc
+The Royal Diaries:  Elizabeth I
+The Story Of Joan Of Arc
(Includes colored illustrations and some helpful maps too!  Read entire book online, or print PDF)

Battles, Kings, and a Legendary Lady

 

+Read This!

+Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 26:  France and England at War

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 8, Day 1)

*The Hundred Years War In A Nutshell
*What Was The Hundred Years War?
(France becomes it’s own nation!)
*What Was The Battle of Agincourt?

*Who Was Henry V? 
*The Story Of Henry V- Great Men Of The Middle Ages
*10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Henry V & Agincourt
*Who Was Charles VI of France?

*Who Was Joan Of Arc?
*Short Biography of Joan Of Arc
*The History Of Joan of Arc    (Read or Listen!)

 

+Watch This!

*The Hundred Years War In 90 Seconds
*Battle of Agincourt   (3 minutes)
*Joan of Arc    (Animated Hero Classics – About 24 minutes)
*Singing Joan of Arc      (History Teachers Sing- about 4 minutes)
*Joan of Arc Song 
*History Story Time Podcast:  Joan of Arc     (about 10 minutes)
*Henry V           (about 5 minutes)

 

+Explore It More!

*How the Battle of Agincourt Was Won   (Interactive)
*Joan Of Arc Crossword Puzzle   (Online)
*Joan Of Arc Matching Game

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Henry V        -Charles VI         -Joan Of Arc

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Hundred Years War   (1337 – 1453  AD)

+Coloring-

*Henry V Coloring Page
*Joan of Arc Coloring Page
*Lots of Joan Of Arc Coloring Pages
*France (maps) Coloring Pages

 

 

The Wars of the Roses

 

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 27:  War For the English Throne

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 8, Day 2)

*What Is A Monarchy?

*Who Were The House Of York?   (Scroll down to see the family tree)
*Who Were The House Of Lancaster?   (Scroll down to see the family tree)

*What was the Wars of the Roses ?
*Bite Size- The Wars Of The Roses
*Wars of the Roses Fact For Kids
*The Wars Of The Roses      (more details)

*Listen to “The Wars Of The Roses” Podcast

*Who Were The House Of Tudors?
*The Tudor Dynasty
*Who Was Henry VII?
(Henry VII married Elizabeth of York… but she’s not the Elizabeth of the era ahead!)
*10 Facts About The Tudors
*Tudor England: Born To Rule    (Kids Magazine Online)
*Tudor England:  Fit For A Queen   (Kids Magazine Online)
*The Tudors and the Elizabethan Era

 

+Watch This!

*The Wars Of The Roses: A Battle For The English Throne    (about 3 minutes)
*Horrible Histories Wars of the Roses
*The Wars that Inspired Game of Thrones
(TEDTalk about 6 minutes…not about GOT, good visuals for teaching this lesson!)

*The Tudors   (Catchy song to remember Tudor facts)
*A Day In The Life:  Tudors    (about 4 minutes)
*Meet A Tudor Cook    (about 5 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*What’s For Dinner At The Tudor Court?
*How Good Are YOUR Tudor Table Manners?
*Play Tudor Teasers!
*Tudor Street
*Dress a Tudor game
*Tudor Battleship
*Explore the People and Places of the Wars of the Roses (and the Tudors !)
*Quiz Your Knowledge on the Wars of the Roses
*Try this Tudor Smartard Recipe

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-The Tudors

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Wars Of The Roses     (1455-1487 AD)

+Coloring-

*How to Draw the Lancaster and Tudor Roses
*Tudor Rose Coloring Page
*Wars of the Roses Coloring Page
*Mary I of Tudor
*Tudor Paper Dolls
*Color Your Own Tudor Town

 

 

The Reign Of Elizabeth I

+Read It!

+Core Reading-

*”A Child’s History Of The World”-
-Chapter 68:  Queen Elizabeth
-Chapter 69: The Age of Elizabeth

+Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 8, Day 3)

*Who Was King Henry VIII?
*The Life And Reign Of King Henry VIII
*Who was Queen Elizabeth I ?
*Good Queen Bess

*What is the Elizabethan Era?
*The Elizabethan Era

*In The Days Of Queen Elizabeth    (Great as a read aloud!)
*The Tudors And The Stuarts    (Read book online or in PDF format!)

+Watch This!

*Meet King Henry VIII        (about 5 minutes)
*Who Was King Henry VII?     (about 7 minutes)
*Henry VIII Kids     (about 7 minutes)
*Henry’s Wives      (about 6 minutes)

*Queen Elizabeth: The Last Tudor Queen    (about 5 minutes)
*The Magic Grandad-  Elizabeth I    (BBC video about 14 minutes)
*Queen Elizabeth I   (BrainPop 4 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*All About Queen Elizabeth I   (interactive)
*Elizabethan Spy Game
*Learn How To Draw King Henry VIII
*Learn How To Draw Elizabeth I
*Explore Elizabethan Era
*How Well Do You Know The Kings & Queens?

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-King Henry VIII                   -Queen Elizabeth I

 

+Coloring-

*Queen Elizabeth I Coloring Page
*Queen Elizabeth Coloring Page
*King Henry VIII Coloring Page

---

 

*Week 9 –  Middle Ages Read It! Week

 

   

The goal for this week is to truly ENJOY reading all you want about the Middle Ages!
This is a real Fields of Daisies kind of week—relaxed, but still learning.  It’s the perfect time to slow your pace and get immersed in the timeless stories of the Middle Ages!

There are SO many great books for this time period.  I don’t think it will be hard to choose at all.  Your family may already have some books in mind.  You might choose one epic historical fiction novel for a cozy family read-aloud, or you might want to explore several shorter books. Non-fiction books are just fine too!   Let these stories spark curiosity about knights, castles, cathedrals, and everyday medieval life. Encourage creative connections, meaningful discussions, and plenty of imagination as you are getting close to the wrap up your Middle Ages study in a way that’s both enjoyable and memorable.
Mostly, I hope you and your kids love READ IT! WEEK as much as our family always has!

SO… What Is Read It! Week? 
Read It! Week is a special time to slow down and focus entirely on reading—reading for pure enjoyment and hopefully deeper learning sparked by your child’s curiosity. Somewhere along the way in our own homeschool journey, I realized that reading had started to feel like just another assignment to check off. Book reports, comprehension questions, and “prove you read it” tasks were slowly draining the joy out of something that should be FUN!
I wanted my kids to grow into lifelong readers—the kind who still love picking up a book decades later, not the kind who remember reading as a chore.   So, we hit the pause button.
For one whole week, we read without pressure. No essays, no worksheets—just curling up with great books about the Middle Ages and letting curiosity take the lead. The results? Honestly, they were amazing. My kids connected more deeply with the material, asked better questions, and remembered what they read far longer. All it took was being intentional—starting conversations about their books around the table, reading alongside them when I could, or at least being familiar enough to discuss what they were excited about.
Over time, Read It! Week became a much-anticipated tradition in our homeschool year.

   

What Books Should You Read During Read It! Week?
Need some ideas?
Check out the Middle Ages Books & Resources List—it’s packed with historical fiction, engaging nonfiction, richly illustrated guides, and books that make medieval life feel vivid and real.  And moms, don’t just assign the reading—join in! Pick up a book for yourself. We parents get burned out too, and reading for our own enjoyment can be just as refreshing. Share what you’re learning and model what a lifelong love of reading looks like.

Whether your kids are diving into biographies of medieval kings and queens, picture books about castles and knights, or richly illustrated guides to daily life in the Middle Ages, Read It! Week is the perfect way to make history come alive—simply by enjoying a good book together!!

 

Follow-up Ideas-

+Book Club Lunch-
You could let your children choose their own books for this week and then plan a special lunch at the end of the week to talk about them. Kind of like a mini-book club meeting.

+Movie and Popcorn-
Check the Middle Ages Books And Resources List for a movie that would wrap the week up nicely.

+Play Some Games!
Check out this post for tons of ideas for history games you can buy or make yourself  –>Top 10 History Games For Kids  (There’s actually TONS of game ideas in this list!)

+Check out some Top 10’s-
This is a great week to listen to some related podcasts, read alouds online, or play some history related board games, etc.

+Top 10 History PODCASTS
+Top 10 History SONGS
+Top 10 History TIMELINES
+Top 10 History AUDIOBOOKS
+Top 10 History MOVIES
+Top 10 History BOOKS         (This is the ULTIMATE History Book List!)
+Top 10 History GAMES
+Top 10 History HANDS-ON
+Top 10 AMAZING Homeschooling Resources At The Library

*Coming Soon!*
+Top 10 History PRINTABLES
+Top 10 History FIELD TRIPS
And a bonus…
+Top 10 History for the HOLIDAYS

 

+10 NOT Book Report Ideas-

Create a Comic Strip:
Have students make a comic strip or graphic novel page summarizing the key events or themes from the book.

Character Interviews:
Students can pretend to be one of the book’s characters and conduct an “interview” where they answer questions about their experiences, motivations, and feelings.

Book Review Video:
Kids can create a short video where they review the book, sharing what they liked or disliked, and giving it a rating.

Make a Poster:
Design a poster that represents the themes, setting, or characters of the book. This could include key quotes or images from the story.

Write a Sequel:
Encourage students to write the first chapter of a sequel or an alternate ending to the story, imagining what could happen next.

Draw a Story Timeline:
Kids can create a timeline that shows the major events or plot points in the story, helping to visualize the sequence and connections between events.

Create a “Book in a Box”:

Students can fill a box with objects that represent important elements of the book, such as symbols, characters, or key events. They can then explain each item and its significance to the story.

Make a Newspaper Article:

Students can write a newspaper article that covers a major event in the book as if it were real news, including a headline, a lead paragraph, quotes from characters, and other relevant details.

Design a Book Cover:
Students can design a new book cover that they think best represents the story. They can include symbols, images, and quotes that capture the essence of the book.

Create a Character Scrapbook:
Kids can create a scrapbook for one of the main characters, including pictures, quotes, and important details about the character’s journey, traits, and growth throughout the book.

 

The goal this week is to ENJOY the freedom of learning 🙂

 

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*Week 10 –  The Age of Thinkers, Tinkerers, and Masters

 

*Week 10- The Age of Thinkers, Tinkerers, and Masters
+Day 1- Masterpieces of the Renaissance
+Day 2- Building Beauty
+Day 3- Renaissance Revolution of Invention

 

*Suggested supplemental reading-

+ “The Apprentice”
+”Along Came Galileo”
+”The Second Ms. Giconda”

   

 

Masterpieces Of The Renaissance

+Read It!

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”– Chapter 35:  The Renaissance

*”A Child’s History Of The World”- Chapter 66:  Rebirth

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 10, Day 1)

*A Timeline Of The Renaissance
*What Was the Renaissance ?
*An Intro To The Renaissance
*Renaissance Daily Life 
*Bite Size-  The Renaissance

*Renaissance Music and Dance

*Who Was The Medici Family?

*Renaissance Art
*Artists of The Renaissance
*Renaissance Art

*More Than Mutant Ninja Turtles-
*Who Was Leonardo Da Vinci?
*Who Was Raphael?
*Who Was Michelangelo?
*Who Was Donatello?

+Watch This!

*Welcome to the Renaissance!   (Song 😀  – about 5 minutes)
*Histeria’s Renaissance Song
*What Was the Renaissance?    (about 5 minutes)
*Exploring The Renaissance   (about 6 minutes)
*The Renaissance- Brain Pop!     (about 11 minutes)

*Overview of the Renaissance  (focus on art-  about 8 minutes)
*Amazing Art Of The Renaissance    (about 11 minutes)
*Hidden Clues Of Renaissance Art   (2 minutes)
*Renaissance Art   (Khan Academy 9 minutes)
*Michaelangelo   (about 5 minutes)
*The Story of Raphael      (about 8 minutes)
*Leonardo DaVinci    (about 6 minutes)
*The Mona Lisa For Kids    (about 6 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*Explore the Renaissance    (interactive)
*Virtual Art Tours of Renaissance Art from the Web Gallery of Art
*Explore Shakespeare and His World
*Virtual Tour of the Sistine Chapel
*Explore Renaissance Art   (links to many sites !)
*Leonardo Da Vinci Activities

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Leonardo Da Vinci         -Raphael              -Michaelangelo

*Add the following to the Places section of your history binder-
-Florence, Italy               -Venice, Italy

*Add the following to the Events section of your history binder-
-The Renaissance

 

+Coloring-

*Da Vinci Coloring Page
*The Mona Lisa Coloring Page
*The Sistine Madonna Coloring Page
*Clothing of the Renaissance
*Raphaël Art Coloring Page
*Raphael Cherub Coloring Page
*Color The Art of The Renaissance
(LOTS of choices)
*Dover Renaissance Coloring Pages

 

Renaissance Building Beauty

+Read It!

 

*Core Reading-

* “Story of the World- Vol 2”–   Chapter 37:  The New Universe

*Online Reading-

* 21 Fascinating Facts About The Middle Ages   (Week 10, Day 2)

*Chapels, Cathedrals, and Churches
*Renaissance Architecture 
*Timeline Of Renaissance Architecture
*Renaissance Architecture Facts   (scroll down for lots of images)
*Domes Of The Renaissance History 

*The Sistine Chapel
*St. Peter’s Basilica

 

+Watch This!

*Renaissance Architecture   (4 minutes)
*Art & Architecture of the Renaissance    (Virtual Field Trip)
*See Inside St. Peter’s Basilica    (about 3 minutes)
*What Is St. Peter’s Basilica?      (about 8 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*Drawings of Renaissance Architecture 
*Virtual Tour of the Pauline Chapel 
*Renaissance Game
*Virtual Tour Of The Sistine Chapel    (super cool!)
*Take a Virtual Field Trip To Buildings Of The Renaissance

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the Places section of your history binder-
-The Sistine Chapel        -St. Peter’s Basilica

 

+Coloring-

*Renaissance Architecture Cathedral Construction
*Cathedral
*Notre Dame Coloring Page
(pre-dates the beginning of the Renaissance by a bit, but is a great example of the architecture during this era)

 

Renaissance, A Revolution Of Invention

+Read It!

*The Renaissance:  Inventors & Scientists
*Astronomy
*10 Fascinating Inventions of the Renaissance 
*Renaissance Inventions
*Science And The Renaissance

*Who Was Johannes Gutenberg?
*Who Was Galileo Galilei ?
*Who Was Leonardo Da Vinci?
*Who Was Nicolaus Copernicus?
*Who Was Sir Isaac Newton?

*Shakespeare- Rebirth of Writing
*Shakespeare For Kids   (LOTS of choices!)
*William Shakespeare- Bite Size
*15 Facts About Shakespeare
*Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare
(You can also hear an audio version of this on YouTube)

*A New Age Of Exploration

+Watch This!

*Galileo     (Nest Video-  about 28 minutes)
*Leonardo DaVinci   (Nest Video – about 28 minutes)
*Da Vinci’s Inventions    (about 4 minutes)
*Gutenberg Printing Press    (about 5 minutes)
*The Gutenberg Press    (about 9 minutes)

*Biography Of William Shakespeare
*Fliberttygibetty Words; Shakespeare    (read aloud- about 6 minutes)
*The Life Of William Shakespeare     (about 12 minutes)

+Explore It More!

*Leonardo DaVinci
*LOTS of Da Vinci Activities to try!
*Da Vinci’s Notebook Activity
*Galileo + Newton- Activities To Try At Home
*Galileo Activities To Try!

 

+History Binder-

*Add the following to the People section of your history binder-
-Galileo Galilei      -Isaac Newton     -Nicolaus Copernicus
-Johann Gutenberg (if you didn’t add him before)
-William Shakespeare

 

+Coloring-

*It’s a Fact! Leonardo Da Vinci Coloring Page
*Da Vinci Coloring Pages
*Galileo Coloring Page
*Gutenberg Coloring Page

 

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*Week 11– Middle Ages History Museum  OR  History Notebooks Week!

 

*History Museum Option*

 

What Is History Museum Week?
History Museum Week might just be the most exciting part of your homeschool history unit!
It’s a special chance for your kids to showcase all the hands-on projects, crafts, artwork, timelines, photos, and more by turning them into a mini museum experience right at home!

Think of History Museum Night as a homeschool spin on a classic science fair — but instead of experiments, it’s all about the fascinating world of the Middle Ages, creative projects, and historical discoveries. Whether it’s medieval crafts, maps, recipes, dioramas, or written reports, everything your kids have learned takes center stage.

Know other homeschool families who might want to join in?
Turn it into a group event! No stress, no fancy venue needed — just set up displays at your house, co-op, community center, or church. It’s the perfect way to invite friends, grandparents, and neighbors to celebrate your kids’ hard work and show just how fun homeschooling history can be!

Bonus tip: Serve some medieval-inspired snacks and play background music that fits the Middle Ages vibe!

 

How-To for History Museum Night

Introduce the Idea —
If you haven’t already, talk with your kids about what History Museum Night is all about. Let them know it’s a fun and creative way to share everything they’ve learned about the Middle Ages — from daily medieval life and culture to knights, castles, medieval art, and more! The goal? Show off all their amazing knowledge!

+Brainstorm Project Ideas —
Set aside time to come up with ideas for what to include in the museum displays. Think hands-on and interactive:

+Crafts (medieval shields, illuminated manuscript replicas)

+Recipes (simple medieval dishes or snacks for everyone to try!)

+Demonstrations (how knights dressed, medieval crafts or games)

+Recitations (famous medieval quotes, short plays about legends or saints)

+Make a Plan —
Help your kids organize what materials they’ll need, what projects they’ll work on throughout the week, and how they’ll present their displays during the event.

+Invite Friends and Family —
Send out invitations to friends, grandparents, neighbors, or your homeschool group. Whether you host in your living room, backyard, or fellowship hall, having an audience makes Museum Night even more special!

Why Take the Time for History Museum Week?

Creating your own history museum offers so many benefits — even if you keep it just for your family!
It makes the Middle Ages come alive in a concrete, hands-on way, encourages organization and public speaking skills, and builds confidence and pride as your kids share what they’ve learned. Honestly, this experience is way more meaningful and memorable than any end-of-unit test!

 

---

 

*History Binder/Notebook It! Week Option*

*The Middle Ages Timeline Overview

*The Early Middle Ages                                                (500 – 1000 AD)
+Fall of the Roman Empire / The Dark Ages                   (~ 476 AD)
+The Byzantine Empire                                                         (330 – 1453 AD)
+Christianity Spreads To Europe                                        (500’s  AD)
+Viking Raids                                                                          (~793 – 1066 AD)
+Charlemagne                                                                         ( 800 AD)

 

*The High Middle Ages                 (1000 – 1300 AD)
+The Norman Conquest                     (1066 AD)
   and The Battle of Hastings                       
+The Crusades                                       (1095 AD)
+The Magna Carta                                 (1215 AD)
+Marco Polo’s Travels                          (~1271 AD)

*The Late Middle Ages                    (1300 – 1500 AD)
+The Hundred Years’ War                    (1337 – 1453 AD)
+The Black Death                                   (1347 – 1351 AD)
+Joan of Arc                                             (1431 AD)
+Gutenberg Printing Press                   (~1436 AD)
+Spanish Inquisition                              (1478 AD)
+Martin Luther / Reformation            (1517 AD)
+Renaissance Art, Architecture & Invention (late 1400s–1500s)

+Make a cover page for this section to add to your binder.  Be sure to put a line across the bottom of the page and note our “beginning date”.

+Make a page for each of the sections (see above).
This can be print outs, coloring sheets, or hand written pages.  BE CREATIVE!
Just the heading and the line need to be done for each page today.
(Again, be sure to add the timeline date line at the bottom of each page)

 

+Add information for each of the 13 pages you made on Day 1.
You may write things you can remember…quotes…draw pictures, etc.
Add in any of the activities you tried on the proper page :
Recipes, pictures,  or description of any food  you cooked, drawings of any inventions you made,etc.
You also could use main ideas from the reading
(cut & paste pictures, bubble notes, or bullet points…)
You may like these
Middle Ages Coloring Pages 

 

+ Review your index cards.
+ Do a Candy Quiz on these today !

YOU DID IT!!!!

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You can find even more History FUN for the Middle Ages History Curriculum, and all the others in this series, in the post-

**TOP 10 Teaching History Helps Series**

+Top 10 History PODCASTS
+Top 10 History SONGS
+Top 10 History TIMELINES
+Top 10 History AUDIOBOOKS
+Top 10 History MOVIES
+Top 10 History BOOKS
+Top 10 History GAMES
+Top 10 History HANDS-ON
+Top 10 History PRINTABLES
+Top 10 History FIELD TRIPS

And a bonus…
+Top 10 History for the HOLIDAYS

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*COMING UP NEXT:
Free Early American History Curriculum

 

–>  Below are affiliate links.  There will NOT be any additional charge to you if you click to Amazon through these links, but I will make a small commission if you do !  So thanks ahead for supporting my work !  🙂

*BOOKS/RESOURCES  LIST  (1 Core Book/ 6 Supplemental )
OR

*Other Recommended Ancient World History Resources (Just for Fun!)     *This is a brief list of some “extras” for this unit.  I will post another book list of all my favorites separately.

**REMEMBER:
Be sure to follow my Ancient History Pinterest Boards.
I will be adding to them frequently !
* Ancient Civilizations Board
* Ancient Egypt Board
* Ancient Greece Board
* Ancient Rome Board
* Middle Ages Board
Lots of free ideas and activities to add to these units.

And be sure to check out my full list of ABSOLUTE FAVORITE living books and resources for making ancient world history come ALIVE !!
Middle Ages & Renaissance Book List
Ancient Rome Book List
Ancient Greece Book List
Ancient Egypt Book List 
Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament Book List

 

You can find the daily plans for each part of the FREE History Curriculum series below:

*Section 1:  Ancient Civilizations & the Old Testament
+FREE History of Ancient Civilizations/Old Testament Curriculum Lesson Plans
+Ancient Civilizations & Old Testament Printable POWER Pack    **NEW**
+FREE Ancient Civilizations / Old Testament Printable History Cards
+Ancient Civilizations/OT Printable PDF Version
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Civilizations
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Civilizations Printable PDF 
+Ancient Civilizations/OT Great Books Reading List
+Ancient Civilizations/OT History BUNDLE

*Section 2: Ancient Egypt  (includes Ancient China)
+FREE History of Ancient Egypt/China Curriculum Lesson Plans
+Ancient Egypt/China Printable POWER Pack  **NEW**
+Ancient Egypt/China Curriculum Printable PDF Version
+Ancient Egypt Printable History Cards
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt Printable PDF Version
+Ancient Egypt/China Great Books List !
+Ancient Egypt History Bundle

*Section 3:  Ancient Greece
+FREE History of Ancient Greece Curriculum Lesson Plans
*Ancient Greece Printable POWER Pack Companion     **NEW**
+ Ancient Greece History Curriculum- Printable PDF
+ Printable Ancient Greece History Cards
+ Ancient Greece Books and Resources List
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Greece- History Starters
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Greece-  PDF Version
*Ancient Greece History BUNDLE

*Section 4:  Ancient Rome
+FREE History of Ancient Rome Curriculum Lesson Plans
+ Ancient Rome History Curriculum- Printable PDF
+ Ancient Rome Books and Resources List
+Printable Ancient Rome History Cards
+FREE 21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Rome-  History Starters
+21 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Rome-  PDF Version
*Ancient Rome History BUNDLE