Pre-Columbian Unit Study/ Aztec, Mayan, and Incan Resource List and Reviews

Books, mask, pottery, and calendar

This is my top list for Pre-Columbian unit study resources! It integrates the Aztec, Mayan, and Incan cultures. Because these resources were so comprehensive, we skipped additional library books and supplemented with BrainPop and Britannica.

Extra project photos:

Aztec temple statue made from free, recycled boxes. We added important vocabulary on the side of the statue.

Replica of Aztec pottery - the original artifact is made of obsidian and adorned with a monkey. Our version uses air dry clay and tempera paint.

And now for my resource list! 
You'll find a little of everything here - arts/crafts, short passage reading, chapter books, and field trips ideas.

 Activity Books
Aztecs: Dress, Eat, Write and Play Just Like the Aztecs (Hands-On History)

My absolute favorite resource! Each aspect of Aztec life is introduced, then followed with a craft or activity. The historical information sections are short and directly correlate to the activity. Lessons are presented in a two-page format. The first page and half are historical text and illustrations, the remaining portion lists supplies and activity instructions.

Pros:

• Supplies are common items so our purchases were minimal. The majority of projects can be made with paint, construction paper, air dry clay, markers, etc. 
• Because of the common supply list and excellent directions, activities are equally suited for classroom or homeschool use. 
• The directions are clear - my student (age 10) worked independently on all the activities. Always a bonus. 
• Activities and projects were fun! 
• Full color with engaging graphics

Cons:

• Wish it was longer and included other Precolumbian cultures!
• Some projects take more than a session to complete. Example: one session to form a piece of pottery, another session to paint after the clay had hardened and dried. 

Hands-On History! Aztec and Maya: Rediscover the lost world of ancient Central America, with 450 exciting pictures and 15 step-by-step projects

My second favorite resource. Parts of this book are impressive, especially the historical text. The chapters are presented "encyclopedia style".  Expect short paragraphs with tons of illustrations. Each topic begins with several pages of reading, then the activity follows.

Pros:

• The historical text and illustrations are phenomenal - great content!
• Comprehensive contents - this book had so many interesting topics (including many that were not as addressed as fully in Aztecs: Dress, Eat, Write, and Play Just Like the Aztecs). 
• Full color

Cons:

• The projects and activities were labor intensive and required purchasing many new supplies such as: feathers, cane/bamboo sticks, wood veneer strips, straw, etc. 
• Supply list might be cost-prohibitive for many, or simply just hard to find.
• Many activities require cutting cardboard pieces to a specific size with a blade - a safety hazard for most kids. I tired of this quickly!

Reproducible Workbook
Mayan, Incan, and Aztec Civilizations Resource Book

This workbook is more standards and comprehension driven. It will appeal to those students who dislike crafts. Each lesson is short - one page or two of text, then a reading comprehension "knowledge check". An answer key is provided at the back of the book.

Pros:

• Reproducible lessons make preparation a snap
• The lessons are short and full of interesting details
• Introduces terminology and words specific to the culture not found in other books
• Answer keys for grading

Cons:

• Black and white workbook lacks color and visual interest
• No crafting/activities can be difficult for kinesthetic learners
• Most of the fun for my daughter in unit studies is the activities, so she was happy to have the other Hands-On History books! 

Chapter Book
The Incredible Incas (Horrible Histories)
Love, love, love this series! My daughter begs for me to load these onto her kindle. She read the Groovy Greeks, Incredible Incas, and Ruthless Romans in less than a week.

This series truly brings history to life. Every time I ask my daughter what she learned from the book, her answers floor me. When stories are told in an entertaining way, students remember so much information. A must-have resource!



Art/ Coloring Book

Aztec: 70 designs to help you de-stress (Coloring for Mindfulness)
Just a fun addition to study motifs and color in Aztec culture. The design are printed double-sided on cardstock weight paper. The weight works well for a variety of media - we've used watercolor, pastels, and markers. The designs are intricate, detailed, and beautiful!

Field Trips
Temple of the Jaguar Exhibit

Photo with performers at Mundo Maya

After studying about the importance of jaguars and feathers in the Aztec culture, we caught a short music and dancing presentation at the Dallas World Aquarium. It's upstairs in the Mundo Maya section. The costumes are incredible up close! And yes, those are live birds :)

Other field trip ideas:

• Zoo or animal sanctuary to study jaguars - an important and sacred animal to the Aztecs.
• Aviary or area where exotic birds can be viewed. Discuss the importance of craftsman who collected feathers and created elaborate headdresses.
• Art museum - to see golden artifacts such as Precolumbian masks.
• Chocolatier - compare modern chocolate to the bitter drink appreciated by Aztec nobles.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I will earn a small commission {at no cost to you} should you make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my homeschooling adventures so I can continue to share my experiences and resources with you!

American Revolution/ Boston Tea Party FREEBIE Cursive Sheets

Now that M really understands cursive letter formation, I've started creating cursive practice sheets to reinforce our unit studies. For history, we've been learning about the American Revolution!

 Click here to download the printer-friendly version

If you would like to make your own cursive sheets, the font School Script Dashed is available FREE for download. I make the font light gray so M's tracing with colored pens is very visible. If you use black letters, it's difficult to see the student's work.

Enjoy these FREEBIE Boston Tea Party cursive practice sheets ;)

Happy homeschooling!

Book Review/ Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis {FREEBIE Activities & Mini-Unit Suggestions}

Incredible action and adventure! 

Each chapter of Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises seems to end with drama, a secret revealed, or incredible events. It was a huge hit with our homeschool book club. Most kids could not put it down or stop talking about it!

My third grader LOVED this book. She finished in two days, refusing to part with it until she read it all. At the end of the first chapter, she asked if there was a sequel. And then begged for me to reserve it at our local library ;)

The ending was truly shocking. My daughter and our homeschool book club readers COULD NOT believe it!!!! Everyone is clamoring to get Book Two.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the mix of mythology, real history, and original fiction! There are so many jumping off points with this book...the historical seven ancient wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, Greek mythology, medical ethics, loyalty v. betrayal, honesty v. secrecy.

This is our first read from author Peter Lerangis. He has also authored a few of the 39 Clues books which appear quite popular.

SYNOPSIS
Jack McKinley is not your typical thirteen year old. Jack is one of the Select, children destined to die if the powerful Loculi are not found and returned to Atlantis. The Loculi have been scattered among the seven ancient wonders of the world. If the Select fail, they will perish by age fourteen - and life on Earth will be changed forever.



FREEBIE WRITING PROMPTS (Download printer-friendly version)
SPOILER ALERT - These activities reveal important parts of the plot. Stop reading here if you want to read the book first!

#1/ Jack held onto his mother’s mirror because it had sentimental value (emotional significance). Describe an item that has sentimental value to you, but isn't worth a lot of money. What does it look like? Where do you keep it? Why do you love it so much?

#2/ What do you think of Barry Reese’s behavior? What did Barry do when Jack initially refused to let Barry copy his homework? If you had been Jack, would you have reacted differently or the same? What would you have done?

#3/ How does Jack learn of Aly, Marco, and Cass’s plan to escape? How do Aly’s computer skills help them slip out without being discovered? Does their escape go as planned? Why or why not?

#4/ When the Select find out they've been implanted with a locating device, how did they react? What did Jack think? Would you want to be implanted with a locating device? Why or why not?

#5/ How does Marco get separated from Jack, Aly, and Cass at the top of Mount Onyx? What happened to Marco and the vromaski? How did Jack, Aly, and Cass react? How would you react in their position?

#6/ In the Atlantean maze, why does Marco survive? What do Jack, Aly, and Cass do when they find him? How does his body regenerate?

#7/ Was it a good thing Aly called home? Why or why not? Would you have called home if you were in her situation?

#8/ What do Jack, Aly, and Marco find in the Massarene greenhouse? Describe what happens when Jack touches the flame.

#9/ Imagine you are the Colossus of Rhodes that just came to life. What do you see? How do you feel? What do you want to do?

#10/ What happened to the Loculus at the hotel? Do you agree with Jack’s idea that Marco took it home? Why or why not? What does Jack’s reaction reveal about how he feels about Marco?

BONUS ACTIVITIES FROM THE WEB 

Teacher's Guide via Harper Collins
Interactive Map of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
The Colossus of Rhodes Facts
The Story Behind the Statue

BONUS ENRICHMENT SUGGESTIONS
Create your own mini-unit with additional reading selections!

Atlantis: The Legend of a Lost City by Christina Balit

A short, but interesting, mythology of Poseidon's creation and destruction of Atlantis. Based on Plato's writings, but easily read by children. Most picture books do not appeal to my third grader, but this book she reads again and again!

Atlantis: The Search For The Lost City by Mary-Jane Knight

Our favorite part of this book was the last two pages (p. 44-45) - a history of the explorers who have searched for Atlantis and where they believe the actual location to be. Our family (and the kids at book club) found this historical section way more interesting than the fictional story.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!! A nonfiction account of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The students were absolutely floored that the Colossus of Rhodes was REAL. After discussing the Colossus's true history, we also read about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon - the setting for Book 2. A perfect companion to those who love the Seven Wonders series!!!!

Homeschool Lesson: Using a Globe, Atlas, and Timeline to Discover Ancient Egypt

Back to learning about Ancient Egypt! Because of our summer break, I thought it would be wonderful to start back at the beginning.

Where was Ancient Egypt? How can we find it?

First stop, our little globe. 

Modern day Egypt on the Northeast portion of Africa

As luck would have it, we had just recently discussed the continents. After practicing finding them on the globe, Madeline easily located Egypt on the continent of Africa.

Next stop, our trusty World Altas.

A total bargain at Half Price Books for only $10 (retail $25).
Brand spanking new.

What I love about this atlas is the amount of information it has on the various geographical areas. There is always a map to pinpoint a location in a broader context, then an enlarged detail.

Egypt detail from Atlas of the World

Next we constructed an Ancient Egypt timeline. Ours came from Evan Moor's History Pockets Ancient Egypt. Of course, you can always make your own timeline from books and online research.

After pasting together the parts of the timeline, the difference between A.D. and B.C. was discussed. We played a short game where she would compare two dates on the timeline and pick which one was closest to our current date (2014). It was fun!

Finally, Madeline colored in her timeline illustrations with pencils. I love how she pulled out an art book about Egypt to inspire her color choices ;)

Nefertiti illustration from Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt Drawing Book contrasted
with Madeline's timeline illustrations

Full width timeline illustration,
Ralph Masiello's Ancient Egypt book in the background

So many resources, so much fun

Here's this lesson's list of resources. Leave me a comment if you use them and tell me what you think!

• Globe
• The Eyewitness Atlas of the World by DK Publishing
• Ms. Frizzle's Adventures Ancient Egypt by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
• History Pockets Ancient Egypt by Evan-Moor
• Ancient Egypt Drawing Book:  Become an Artist Step-by-Step by Ralph Masiello

Field Trip: Scarborough Renaissance Festival ~ Student Day Review & Tips

Who loves Student Day at Scarborough Renaissance Festival? Discounted admission, super-sized fun! Sophie {age 3} never got fussy or bored, which is pretty amazing since we were there from 10am to 3pm. That's a long field trip for her!

Still all smiles before the turtle race at 1:30 pm

Would we go again? Absolutely. Was it perfect? Not exactly. Here's the info you need to know for your visit:

THE ARTISAN DEMONSTRATIONS
Tip:  Don't be afraid to ask the vendors questions!

This was our primary reason for attending. There were tons of booths. Some of the vendors seemed a bit shy but really lit up when asked about their crafts.  

The place is laid out like a mini city! 

Storefronts, tents, booths ~ every nook and cranny had something interesting. But no matter how we tried, it was impossible to see all the artisan demonstrations.

Quite a few were selling their wares, but not demonstrating their process. That was a bit disappointing for an education day.

The artisans we did see were awesome though! We enjoyed watching the jeweler making medallion necklaces and the chain mail fabricator. They were very friendly with the kids and really took the time to educate them on what they were doing, why, and what the end result should be.

THE STAGE DEMONSTRATIONS
Tip:  Be sure to arrive at the main stages at least 30 minutes early.

This is really important for the larger demonstrations like knife throwing and jousting! Or else your kids will be crowded out and won't be able to see.

Even though the jousting was exciting, it was hard to hear them. I'm assuming they weren't wearing microphones. But the champions really got into character! There was even some lighthearted trash-talking by the squires prior to the champions entering on horseback.

THE FOOD
Tip:  Bonus savings, you can bring in your own food 

only on Student Day.

Do it! I purposely did not pack our lunches to save having to lug them around. What a mistake! I waited in line for baked potatoes for over 30 minutes and just gave up. Instead, the kids feasted on fresh pretzels from a roaming vendor.

A woman sitting at our picnic table waited in line for a turkey leg for almost 2 hours! She gave up too.

What's really sad is that we missed the knife throwing demonstration because of the long lines. The pizza line had at least 50 people, so there was no way I even attempted that one. The food booths need a major prep and function overhaul! 

The small cooler I packed with drinks was completely gone by 3pm. All in all, we downed 8 half bottles of water and 4 juice boxes.

THE SOUVENIRS

Tip:  Set a cash budget and stick to it.

It's easy to see all the unique offerings and want to buy everything. But it can really add up. Take cash to help stay on budget!

For their one special souvenir, the girls chose these little dragon pets. We actually saw them not far from the entrance, but Madeline wanted to see what other products were for sale before spending her -- ahem, my -- money! To me, they look a lot like Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.

Loving her dragon pet!

You can't see it well in the picture, but each dragon had little leather saddles with metal rivets. Such a creative way to embellish those little dragons! The bodies are flexible and can be curled around your wrist, leg, or just about anything. Madeline even slept with her dragon curled around the frame of her bunk bed :)

It glows! And isn't the little leather saddle cool?

FREE CURRICULUM GUIDES

Study the Renaissance with these FREE resources from the Festival.

Art Appreciation Teachers
Drama/Theater Teachers
English/Language Arts Teachers
History/Social Studies Teachers
Math Teachers
Science Teachers
Download the Original Curriculum Guide Here

Field Trip: Scarborough Renaissance Festival {Demonstrations and Rides}

Renaissance times have never been so much fun! Yesterday we spent Student Day at Scarborough Festival. It's quite an experience, and you absolutely cannot see everything one day.

One artisan demonstrated how to use a weight on a crank to create stamped jewelry. The desired plate design was placed over the medallion, and then a ginormous weight was used to pound the plate design into the medallion.

Artisan demonstrating stamped
medallion necklaces

Just for Student Day, he created inexpensive $5 designs from a penny :)  Madeline wanted the Star of David but he had at least 50 designs. Now I wish I'd bought one for myself, too!

Artisan's assistant cranking the weight.

The most popular demonstration...jousting!

Four champions competed and ours executed all the preliminary skills perfectly. But another champion won the final round. It was fun cheering nonetheless.

A rival champion

The eventual jousting winner!

There were so many demonstrations and shows. No matter how hard we tried, we didn't get to see all the artisans. There were soapmakers, candle makers, glass blowers, chain mail fabricators, costume designers, stain glass artists, and the list goes on...Plus shows for knife throwing, birds of prey, storytelling, and more.

Want to try fencing and show your sword skills?

Sports weren't just limited to the demonstrators. Attendees could practice fencing, complete with leather apron and mesh face gear. Balloons were attached at the shoulders and above the head. If all your balloons were popped, you were eliminated. Surprisingly, Madeline preferred watching the fencing more than the jousting.

Fencing practice

All the rides were human powered.

Madeline took a whirl on a couple non-mechanized rides. All the 'swings' were attached to a center pole that was powered by two men! Once all the swings were in motion, one the men would spin the swings around and around. Madeline LOVED it. 

Enjoying a man-powered ride

Madeline was dying to do this ride so I let her. She said it was exhilarating...I think she's nuts. You just slingshot yourself up into the air! She in no way gets her adrenaline junkie ways from me.

Have you ever been to a Renaissance festival? What was your favorite part?