Middle Ages Week 2
This past week I wanted to continue learning about the Middle Ages. I got a great resource from the library Knights & castles : 50 hands-on activities to explore the Middle Ages / Avery Hart and Paul Mantell., and I used lots of the ideas from this book last week.
We read through The Big Golden Book of Knights and Castles as well as David Macaulay's Castle.
It was fun to build our own castle, make a shining sword and helmet and pretend to be knights. We enjoyed starting each day off with the finger play of St. George and the Dragon.
The kids enjoyed St. George and the dragon so much that on our family trip to Philadelphia Zoo Saturday, Jason mentioned that one of the reptiles was St. George's Dragon. The kids were wild about and immediately summoned Mommy, who was introducing Gwendolyn to the very awake and active rattlesnakes, to come see St. George's Dragon!
For Science we talked about herbs and their medicinal/antimicrobial powers. These were all the medicines that people knew about in the medieval time period. We rubbed dried rosemary on raw potato to see if it would keep the potato from going bad. It did not. We decided we will get fresh rosemary at the grocery next time and try again.
For Social Studies we specifically looked into the history of the cross of St. George. The martyrs cross worn by the knights Templar and later becoming the flag of England.
I have a whole post coming about fun math books. We have been trying to keep math upbeat and fun.
I am really excited about the kids receptivity to spanish these past few weeks. We have read Cinquenta en la Cebra, by Nancy Maria Grande Tabor. This great counting book challenges vocabulary on so many levels. We have also enjoyed a 1-10 numbers book and Buenos Dias, Buenos Noches, by Michael Grejniec. I was able to talk to the kids about the languages that grew out of Latin and how in the Middle ages the educated would have spoken and written Latin.
Friday we visited a local place to get some pumpkins, Katy's Pumpkin Patch. Tristan carved his and Ana painted hers. So fun! I plan to bake the ones I chose and try some fresh pumpkin recipes. I'll keep you posted.
We read through The Big Golden Book of Knights and Castles as well as David Macaulay's Castle.
It was fun to build our own castle, make a shining sword and helmet and pretend to be knights. We enjoyed starting each day off with the finger play of St. George and the Dragon.
The kids enjoyed St. George and the dragon so much that on our family trip to Philadelphia Zoo Saturday, Jason mentioned that one of the reptiles was St. George's Dragon. The kids were wild about and immediately summoned Mommy, who was introducing Gwendolyn to the very awake and active rattlesnakes, to come see St. George's Dragon!
For Science we talked about herbs and their medicinal/antimicrobial powers. These were all the medicines that people knew about in the medieval time period. We rubbed dried rosemary on raw potato to see if it would keep the potato from going bad. It did not. We decided we will get fresh rosemary at the grocery next time and try again.
For Social Studies we specifically looked into the history of the cross of St. George. The martyrs cross worn by the knights Templar and later becoming the flag of England.
I have a whole post coming about fun math books. We have been trying to keep math upbeat and fun.
I am really excited about the kids receptivity to spanish these past few weeks. We have read Cinquenta en la Cebra, by Nancy Maria Grande Tabor. This great counting book challenges vocabulary on so many levels. We have also enjoyed a 1-10 numbers book and Buenos Dias, Buenos Noches, by Michael Grejniec. I was able to talk to the kids about the languages that grew out of Latin and how in the Middle ages the educated would have spoken and written Latin.
Friday we visited a local place to get some pumpkins, Katy's Pumpkin Patch. Tristan carved his and Ana painted hers. So fun! I plan to bake the ones I chose and try some fresh pumpkin recipes. I'll keep you posted.
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