Arms & Armor - Siege Engine Tournament details

Siege Engine Tournament!!!

Reminder: On 4/18, the last day of regular co-op classes, our history class will be hosting a siege engine tournament.  (The next 3 weeks are classes (4/4, 4/11, 4/18) and presentation day is 4/22 @ 2:00pm.)

Assignment: bring a catapult, trebuchet, ballista, or other completed siege machine to class and demonstrate its capabilities.  These can be homemade, kit, borrowed, or anything else.  Make this project as simple or as elaborate as you wish. 

Please note that the "rock" that we made in our first class does NOT need to be your projectile.  We originally considered having a standardized size and weight for all siege engines, but realized just how impractical that was for this age group

There will be prizes for:

• accuracy
• distance
• height

The kids have been working hard to learn about the various machines, and most have a general idea of which one they want to build.  Remind them as they begin to design that the finished product must fit into your car and be easily assembled on the day of the tournament.  These projects take time to perfect, even with detailed plans, so I encourage you to start early and allow time for tweaking the design.

Here are a few ideas to get you started -

Build your own:

Lego catapult: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/lego-catapult/

Tiny paper catapult: http://www.mikesenese.com/DOIT/2011/10/palm-sized-print-and-cut-paper-trebuchet/

More catapult designs: http://www.instructables.com/tag/type-id/?q=catapult&sort=none 

Trebuchet designs: http://www.instructables.com/tag/type-id/?q=trebuchet&sort=none

Full size siege engine plans: http://www.mikesenese.com/DOIT/2010/10/trebuchet-roundup-eight-online-plans-reviewed-for-building-your-own/

Work from a kit: 

Amazon has many ready to assemble kits - including this one inspired by Leonardo da Vinci

My kids have had great success with the Pitsco kits.  They are simple but effective.  The only thing you will need to purchase in addition to the kit is a bottle of wood-glue.

We will be outdoors for most of our class period on the 18th, regardless of the weather, so please dress accordingly.  Parents are welcome to join us for the festivities, and the youngest classes may come out also, so save the pretty white shoes for another day.

I look forward to seeing what the kids bring in!

Sheryl G

Arms & Armor - Defensive Clothing

March 28, 2017

Protection has always been a high priority among warriors.  Armor started with simple boiled leather, and improved, as weapons improved, to mail.  Gradually small pieces of iron were added to protect vital organs.  As more and more plates were added a full suit of armor, complete with intricate joints became standard.  Plate armor continued to remain prevalent until the advent of gunpowder.

In class activities:

• Learned about the evolution of armor from a historian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNiYqmFxtI8
• Continued work on our bows
• Learned how to make soda-tab chain mail 
• Discussed plans for our year-end siege engine tournament

Assignment:

• Work on your siege engine 
• Practice your timeline

Art class with Mrs. Comrie

 Week 14: We studied the artist; Parmgianini and looked at his artwork. Then we painted a lovely birch tree scene using masking tape for the white space and credit cards to apply the black part of the bark.

Week 15: We looked at paintings by Bruegell and painted a snow scene using watercolor resist and sand for texture.

Feb. 14:We watched videos on glass blowing and read about Murano glass.  We made some paintings that were intended to help us with color mixing. The glass bottles were meant to be overlapped to show how the colors blended.

Feb. 21: We watched the short video again on Medieval art and took notes. This was to try to recall what the main art forms were. The children made lists of these. We did a painting that showed warm and cool colors.

March 7: We read about Gutenburg and reviewed the importance of the printing press for literature as well as Artwork! We used the art of printing to print with real fish on t-shirts! So fun!

March 21: We used the art of printing to carve our own design into styrofoam and make a nice design using our own prints.

Arms & Armor - Projectile Weapons

March 21, 2017

Projectile weapons include any objects that use force to throw an item at an opponent. 

Recurved bows made of thin strips of wood stiffened with strips of horn and strengthened with glued-on layers of cattle sinew were the first major improvement in bow technology. The development of the crossbow started in ancient times but was perfected in the Middle Ages.  Interestingly, it was the English longbow, introduced to European battlefields in the 14th century, that truly made the arrow a formidable battlefield projectile. 

In class activities:

• Briefly overviewed the importance of music in communication and instilling fear during battle, so much so that instruments such as drums and bagpipes have often been banned entirely
• Enjoyed a bagpipe song played by a classmate, and discussed what such a song (Amazing Grace) could tell warriors on the battlefield
• Discussed multiple projectile weapons including the atlatl, bow, and crossbow
• Diagrammed the Bodkin point and learned about why it was so feared
• Listened to a classmate explain the parts of a bow & viewed a modern bow
• Discussed the advantages of longbows vs. crossbows
• Began constructing our own bows
• Completed our own arrows

Assignment:

• Choose which kind of siege engine you will be building for our tournament
• Practice your timeline

Arms & Armor - Bladed Weapons

March 7, 2017

Throughout history, the sword has been one of the most beautiful, and deadly of all weapons.  Though its material make-up and style has evolved over time, the use of a blade for slicing and stabbing remained an important element of warfare until the modern age.  

In class activities:

• Learned about the history of metal
• Looked at blades discovered through archaeology from various time periods
• Detailed the differences between knives, daggers, and swords
• Discussed the advantages of both single and double bladed swords
• Examined the parts of a bladed weapon
• Made our own paper and duct tape swords

Assignment:

• Define the words catapult and trebuchet.  (optional: submit written answers to be added to your notebook) 
• Need source materials to better understand these words?  Read about the difference, and watch a seige machines in action at http://cooltrebuchets.weebly.com/trebuchets-vs-catapults.html

Arms & Armor - Staff Weapons

February 21, 2017

A staff weapon, or polearm, is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range. Typical defense against these weapons in the early European Middle Ages were round shields with light, non-splitting wood like linden, fir, alder or poplar, usually reinforced with leather on one or both sides and occasionally metal rims, encircling a central metal boss. 

In class activities:

• Listed many different forms of staff weapons
• Discussed the importance of soldiers working together, in particular the Greek Phalynx formation
• Examined the use of horses in warfare & discussed lances
• Labeled the various parts of a halberd
• Made our own foam and duct-tape shields
  

Arms & Armor - Percussion Weapons

February 14, 2017

Many of the weapons that we think of as belonging to the Medieval Period actually originated in antiquity.  Primitive tools for hunting and land cultivation were used aggressively by warring factions.  Of these early weapons the first were percussion implements, designed for blunt striking. Examples include the rock, stick, club, and mace.

In class activities:

• Discussed the first recorded fight in history, that of Cain and Abel, and brainstormed which weapons were used
• Looked at images of percussion weapons
• Discussed the difference between the club and the mace
• Examined changes in the shape of the mace and discussed (in very basic terms) why force directed to a single point is more damaging than force spread across a wide area
• Learned about the first forms of protection in battle 
• Made our own leather arm-guards
• Attempted to throw light & heavy objects at a target and discussed the results
• Made our own foam "rocks" for use with our siege machines.

Assignment:

• Look up the term "siege engine" (Older students should come to class with a written definition, younger ones may just verbally discuss the term with parents)
• Examine images of the many different types of siege engine machines

Parents - Please SAVE your child's foam "rock."  This is the ammunition for their year-end project.  Over the course of this class, homework will be focused on walking children through the process of researching and building their own siege engine.  They will probably want to jump straight into the building stage, but I encourage you to enjoy the research process first.  

For future reference:  Our final class will be a siege engine tournament.  Children will bring their completed machines and compete to see who can shoot the highest, farthest, and most accurately.  These projects can be as big or as small as you would like, but just remember that it needs to shoot the assigned ammunition, and fit inside your vehicle.  Parents are expected to help with design and testing, but projects should be primarily kid-built.  I will eventually include links to several sources for step-by-step building instructions to help with the design process.  

Gutenberg - History 1&2, Explorers and Trailblazers

January 17, 2017

During the Middle Ages, the time consuming process of copying books by hand made the spread of new ideas very slow.  People often worked very hard to solve problems that had already been solved, but they had no access to that information.  

Johann Gutenberg’s invention of the moveable type printing press was one of the main factors that created the explosion of ideas known as the Renaissance, a revolutionary period in the arts and sciences.  Faster and cheaper printing made books available to many people for the first time.  This spread of knowledge led to a new fascination with the learning that swept through Europe. Ideas became more realistic and less dominated by religion, sometimes creating conflict between scientists and the church. 

___

In class activities:

• Assembled and printed using our own moveable type
• Explored Renaissance leisure activities and practiced walking on stilts
• Discussed the time consuming process of creating machines by hand
• Considered the changes to the Church and to society in general as books became increasingly available
• Added to our Medieval notebook

___

For additional information on this subject:

• Read Ink on His Fingers by Louise A. Vernon (127p.)
• Watch an animation of how the printing press works

Assignment due 1/24

• Practice your timeline
• Read history cards 26-32

Black Death - History 1&2, Explorers and Trailblazers

January 10, 2017

The plague, also known as the Black Death because of the dark sores that it caused, was one of the worst diseases in history. This illness carried by rats and fleas resulted in the death of 1at least /3 of the population of the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.  

For years the disease would disappear during the winter, when fleas were less active, only to reappear again to the horror of both rich and poor.

Unfortunately, this tragedy shook many people’s faith in God.  It led to the collapse of the economy, changes on the battle field, and ultimately to the end of the already weakened feudal system, completely changing the medieval world. 

In class activities:

• Learned about the impact of disease in the medieval world
• Discussed the various methods used to "prevent" and “cure” the plague
• Mixed up some of our own cures (chocolate spiders etc.) and tasted our creations.
• Discussed the cycle of the plague
• Added to our Medieval notebook
• Read Run Far, Run Fast by Timothy Decker

Optional lesson extension activities:

• Read The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (121p.)
• Watch music video of the black death - http://sotw-videolinks.blogspot.com/2012/04/sotw-2-chapter-25-end-of-world.html
• What if the Bubonic Plague never happened? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1aULu6BqNs

Assignment due 1/17/1017

• Read history cards MA 24-25
• Practice your timeline

Art : Trailblazers and Explorers:

Week 9, Nov. 8: We studied Leonardo DaVinci. We looked at a video of the Sistine Chapel on "Garden of Praise" which is a nice website to look at artwork. I read a story to the kids of Leonardo as a boy. We created a sea creature drawing an insect or sea creature and looking and drawing very carefully, like Leonardo. The kids were amazing! Their artwork was so well done! The following week, some brought them home, some let me keep them for the end of the year art show. We outlined the very outer edges with black pastel to make a clear boundary for painting the background. 

Week 10, Nov. 15: We studied Michelangelo. Again, we looked at the website " Garden of Praise", to see some of his work. Some of the kids have seen these works. We finished our creature pictures from last week. We did a wash with watercolor for the background and then dripped alcohol into it to create bubbles in the water. Some worked better than others. I think it cam out better when the paint was watery. But, not all the children seemed to keep it watery. That is always a challenge. Some like to lay it on thick; no pun intended!

Week 11, Nov. 29: As it was our last week before Christmas, we made candles to give as gifts or keep to light for Christmas! The kids did very well following directions as this is all good for them. They prepared their molds, chose their style of candle and chose the colors. It was a big hit with all!

Marco Polo - History 1&2, Explorers and Trailblazers

November 29, 2016

 Explorer and merchant Marco Polo captured the imagination of the many with his book detailing his travels. His adventures with Kublai Kahn and the people of the “East” were so fantastic that many of his contemporaries believed his tales to be fantasy.  Over time much of what he detailed has been verified.

In class activities:

• Watched portions of Animated Heros Marco Polo

• Discussed the idea that cultural learning happens in two directions

• Mapped the silk road and Marco Polo's route

• Folded origami animals
• Discussed God's plan vs our own in relation so Marco Polo's time in jail during which his book was written.

Optional lesson extension activities:

• Enjoy this printable activity book to go along with the movie we watched

• Watch a brief summary of the impact of the Marco Polo's travels

• Read or watch Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice to better understand the issues faced by Marco Polo and his fellow traveling businessmen during this time period
• Try your hand at more origami.

Our Christmas performance is next week.  No history lessons are due.
Enjoy your holiday! See you in the new year!

Assignment due 1-3-2017:
Read history cards MA 20-23

Magna Carta - History 1&2, Explorers and Trailblazers

November 15, 2016

I am so thankful for the amazing children and parents at FAITH.  A family emergency kept me away from class, but with only a few hours notice Mrs. Cross stepped up and made sure that the kids had a fun and educational lesson.  I also heard great reports of the children making her feel welcomed and appreciated.  What a fantastic community!

In class activities:

• Listened to the story of King John and the Magna Carta
• Discussed bullying 
• Looked at what God says about bullying
• Watched a video about the Magna Carta
• Made "important documents" using basic calligraphy and sealed them with wax

Assignment due Nov. 29th

• Read history card MA19, Marco Polo
• Practice your timeline  

Crusades - History 1&2, Explorers and Trailblazers

November 8, 2016

The Crusades were a series of tragic wars fought between Christians and Muslims for control the Holy Land. 

The city of Jerusalem (Palestine) was the center of faith for three major world religions. It was conquered by Islam in the 600s A.D. In 1095 Pope Urban II called for a crusade to free Jerusalem from Muslim control.  

Side note: The word crusade comes from the word Crux, which means cross in Latin. Those who volunteered were called crusaders, meaning that they took the cross of Jesus upon them, literally wearing a red cross on their clothing.  

Crusaders were promised that they would receive an indulgence (ticket to eternal life) if they died while fighting for Christianity. As a result, many died, including Jews, during their two year journey to Jerusalem. When they finally laid siege upon the city, they had to surround it for months. When the city fell, the Crusaders thought they had won, but they were unable to retain control.

Eight more crusades followed, but the Christian hold on the area continually weakened. In 1291 A.D., Muslims captured the last European hold-out in the area and the Crusades came to an end. 

In Class Activities:

• Viewed an animated map of the world, showing the spread of major religions - took particular note of the region of Jerusalem
• Reviewed the differences between the church in Western Rome and the Byzantine empire
• Named the three religions of the Holy Land, and discussed why the land was important to each
• Learned about the migration of the Seljuk Turks
• Discussed the closing of Jerusalem to pilgrims
• Mapped the geographical issues that made maintaining Christian control of Jerusalem difficult
• Made red crosses to add to our history notebooks
• Continued weaving our blanket

Optional Lesson Extension Activities:

• Watch any version of Robin Hood.  This movie is set during the Crusades.  Consider the impact that the Crusades had on those who remained at home.
• Make your own stained glass out of shrink film (or plastic cups) and sharpies 
• Learn more about the Children's Crusade

Assignment Due 11/15/2016:

• Read History Cards MA 16-18
• Practice your timeline

Art class: Trailblazers and Explorers

We looked at artwork by Jan Van Eyck and talked about his work being important because he was really one of the first to use oil paints and he loved to tell stories with his pictures. The kids have a coloring page of one of his works, that I asked them to finish at home. We also looked at stained glass from the Middle Ages and then the each designed a stained glass drawing on translucent paper and colored it in with markers. When finished, they should look fine hanging in a window.

Bayeux Tapestry - History 1&2 Explorers and Trailblazers

Tuesday Nov. 1, 2016

Around 1000, vikings began to settle in the Normandy area of France.  In the next few years they adopted the culture and language of the people they conquered, becoming “civilized” Normans.

When the King Edward III (the Confessor) of England, died in 1066 without leaving a son, several men, including William, Duke of Normandy, saw an opportunity to seize the throne.  The war story of the Norman Conquest of England is told in a captivating piece of medieval art, the 231 foot long Bayeux Tapestry. 

William, who later became known as William the Conqueror, brutally invaded England.  After landing he quickly built motte-and-bailey castles to shore up his position.  Medieval castles were not the luxurious palaces we imagine in fairy tales.  They were built first for advantage of position and defense, and rarely with comfort in mind.  The castle was a stronghold, a place where all the people could retreat for protection.

In class activities:

• Reviewed the history of the barbarians & vikings
• Learned about castle structure
• Briefly summarized the Norman conquest of England
• Discussed the idea of history from the point of view of the victor
• Looked at many pictures of the Bayeux tapestry while we read the story of the Norman Conquest from The Bayeux Tapestry by Norman Denny
• Began collectively weaving our own blanket and discussed the difference between a tapestry and embroidery
• Learned about the uses for fabrics in medieval homes

Optional lesson extension activities:

• Watch an animated version of the Bayeux tapestry's story 
• Build your own Norman ship out of paper
• Print coloring and/or notebooking pages for William I

Assignment due November 8th:

• Read history cards MA 14-15, Cathedrals in Europe, The Crusades
• Practice your timeline.  We have a new video up covering this period's hand motions.  

Feudalism - History 1 & 2, Explorers and Trailblazers

During the Middle Ages, the feudal system was the primary form of social organization.  Under feudalism all land was held by the king. Scattered throughout the king’s land were many small villages, each ruled by a noble or vassal who was granted this honor by the king in return for their help in fighting wars.  Villages were filled with serfs (peasants) who farmed the land and gave a portion of their crops each year to the lord in return for protection and in payment for the use of the land.

Freemen who lived in towns worked for and took care of themselves.  Guilds began as craftsmen formed partnerships based on their trades, and agreed to support one another in adversity and business.

In class activities:

• Created our own feudal system triangle using our chairs, and participated in assigned roles as food moved up toward the peak and land moved down toward the base.
• Discussed who truly had the most power during the middle ages (military leaders) and discovered the purpose for knights pledging loyalty to the king through a code of chivalry
• Reviewed the way that the church was intertwined with politics during this time period
• Made paper crowns (in-class for explorers, take-home for trailblazers)
• Signed our own pledge of loyalty and added it to our history notebooks

Optional lesson extension activities:

• Learn more about the age of chivalry
• Watch a video detailing the origins of the feudal system
• Two Disney movies took place during Medieval times: Robin Hood and The Sword and the Stone.  Consider watching one and writing the names of the characters in the correct place in the feudal system hierarchy (worksheet)

Assignment due Nov. 1:

• Read History Card MA - 13 William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings
• Practice your timeline

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Explorers and Trailblazers:
This week we looked at more paintings by the Limbourg brothers and reviewed that they were hired by the Duke of Berry to create paintings for his Books and a type of calender called The Book of Hours that depicted the castle and acivities of the seasons. We noticed many details including the colors they used. For an activity I showed them how to shade a cylinder shape and make it "pop" off the page. We also made a cone shape and shaded it. From there we made a new castle drawing including shading on the towers and rooves. The children did very well. They have the responsibility of bringing their notebooks with them each week. I have incorporated this because sometimes I need them to finish things at home and I want them to keep their artwork together as much as possible. Moms, if you could help them out, only by giving them a notebook and checking it occasionally to see if they need help keeping it neat! Thanks!

Explorers and Trailblazers Art class:

Tuesday we actually did three fairly quick projects. First we looked at pictures by The Limbourg Brothers. They were artist brothers that worked for the Dukes during the 1400's, doing paintings in the castles and creating a popular thing called a Book of Hours. This was a hand written book, usually including inspiring word for each hour of the day. First, we put gold trim o a photo copy of a painting from these men, since they embelished their paintings with real gold! Then, we worked on a color wheel, learning how to mix colors. Finally, we began a page from a cal lender, somewhat like what the Limbourg Brothers would have painted. For Homework: They are to finish these callender pages. They should draw, then paint a picture of their home in the fall, using their color-mixing skills as best they can remember. They can write in what month it is and add any special dates. Also, they should bring their notebooks!

Rise of Islam, History 1&2, Explorers & Trailblazers

Islam is not just a religion, but a political entity. It began when, at the age of 40, Muhammad believed he was hearing from God in the form of visions.  His revelations were later written down by a follower into the Quar’an.  

Muhammad was called prophet. His strong military leadership along with his promise of peace with God united the local tribes.  He then led these tribes to conquer Medina & Mecca, and continue expansion. Throughout much of the Middle Ages the Byzantine Empire fought the Muslims for control of the eastern Mediterranean. 

In class activities:

• Reviewed the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, & the subsequent re-expansion under the Byzantines

• Learned about the origins of Mohammed and his rise as a powerful religious and military leader

• Mapped the expansion of the Islamic empire and compared it to the Roman and Byzantine empires

• Discussed various forms of government and added the Islamic State to the list.

• Compared Christ's "one way to the father"John 14:6  vs. the pillars of Islam

• Carved our names into soap to remind us that God has engraved us on the palms of his hand.  Isaiah 49:16  We can do nothing to earn our way into heaven.

Optional at-home lesson extension activities:

• Read The Golden Age of Islam by Linda George or a similar book from your library
• Click through this interactive map showing the powers in control of the Mediterranean region
• Watch a 10 minute Crash Course video explaining the basics of Islam and discuss it with your parents
• For more advanced students (or curious parents): This professor at Yale does an excellent job of explaining why this particular religion has such a significant impact on politics: http://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-210/lecture-14

Assignment:

• Read timeline cards MA8 & 9
• Practice your timeline

Art for Explorers and Trailblazers:

This lesson I introduced the artist Giotto. He was important during the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance, because he made people look realistic. He is interesting because it is thought that he began drawing well as a child and was discovered and became an apprentice to the artist we learned about last week, Cimabue. As a child, Giotto was a shepherd boy, who drew pictures of sheep on rocks with sticks. So, we tried our hand at scratching a picture in pastels. The children should bring their notebook every week for art, and have their pictures neatly organized and colored. rewards are for bringing notebooks and sitting quietly and working diligently on the projects.