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My Renaissance & Reformation Unit Study

(We'll be trying to use some library books to save some money - ***Seek them out 2 weeks before needing them, then renew them if necessary***)


My Renaissance & Reformation Links Page
Renaissance drawing samples for kids

This page will contain my online teachers manual for our study of the Renaissance & Reformation in the year 2003/2004 (Mitchell's 5th grade year and Faith's 1st grade year).

Make sure to read "Tales from Shakespeare" by Charles and Mary Lamb every Friday and have the kids do an artistic narration through drawing.

The most important thing to remember is NOT to abandon the Charlotte Mason way.......read great books, do some hands on activities, make entries in our Book of Centuries, and make some nice entries into their history notebooks. Eight gorgeous pages for their notebooks in the end are wonderful, twenty is absolutely uneccessary!

Key method of learning:

- oral / written narration
- artistic narration
- use Book of Centuries

Renaissance & Reformation Timeline

Week 1

Introduction to the Renaissance

Literature Resources
"The Renaissance" by Tim Wood
"that old green book here"

History Notebook
Draw a political map of Renaissance Italy
Draw the musical instrument the Lute (listen to link below)

Hands On Activity
Make a simple Lute (pg. 31 "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids")

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Renaissance Lute Music sound clip (lengths are 2:55 and 1:45)
The Lute a Brief History

Week 2

Giotto di Bondone

Overview: Giotto di Bondone was born in 1266 in Vespignano, near Florence. He was one of the few painters who was actually rich, because he saved up his money. He also had a wife and six children. He is known as a outstanding painter, sculptor, and architect, some saying that he is the first revolutionary artist in the Italian Renaissance. He lived in the period between medieval and renaissance times when medieval notions were first being broken. His paintings differ from those of middle evil times because though he deals with religious subjects, they are given the shape of life, rather than just being flat. After his death, he is said to have had a big influence on Masco and also Michelangelo.

Literature Resources
"Giotto" by Mike Venezia
"A Boy Named Giotto" by Paolo Guarnieri

History Notebook
Write a short biography about Giotto including an image or two of his art work from the Internet

Book of Centuries
1276-1337 Giotto di Bondone
1305 Giotto paints the first realistic frescoes in Padua

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Giotto

Week 3

The Cathedral or Duomo of Florence

Literature Resources
"The Renaissance" by Tim Wood

History Notebook
Draw a picture of the Cathedral
Write a simple timeline for it

Book of Centuries
Cathedral begun by sculpture Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296

Hands On Activity
Build paper model of the Cathedral from "Leonardo da Vinci Treasure Chest"

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
The Cathedral or Duomo of Florence
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Duomo Cathedral
another photograph of Cathedral
The Cathedral
The architecture of the Cathedral
Duomo Cutaway

Week 4

Joan of Arc

Literature Resources
"Joan of Arc" by Diane Stanley (SJ West J B 944.026 JOA)

History Notebook
Draw a picture of Joan of Arc similiar to the above picture

Book of Centuries
1429 Joan of Arc leads French to break English siege of Orleans
1431 Joan of Arc martyred

Video Resources
"Joan of Arc [videorecording]" by Nest Entertainment (SJ Main J VR F JOA)

Copywork
"I shall last a year and a little more" Joan of Arc
"I came from God. There is nothing more for me to do here! Send me back to God, from Whom I came!" Joan of Arc

Links
Amazing quotes from Joan of Arc
St. Joan's Battle Standard
Joan of Arc Timeline

Week 5

Johann Gutenberg

Literature Resources
"Fine Print: A Story about Johann Gutenberg" by Joann Johansen Burch
"Gutenberg" by Leonard Everett Fisher
"The Living World of Achievement" pg. 32 "Printing and the Press" (Loyalist Coin Shop book)

History Notebook
Draw Gutenberg's printing press

Book of Centuries
1440 Johann Gutengerg invents printing from moveable type

Hands On Activity

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Gutenberg Apprentice Speaks

Other Resources
CD Rom - Encarta 96 Encyclopedia - search for "Printing" for a picture of the press

Week 6

Leonardo da Vinci

Literature Resources
"Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance Treasure Chest" by Andrew Langley
"Leonardo da Vinci" by Diane Stanley (SJ West J B 700 LEO)
"Leonardo da Vinci for kids : his life and ideas : 21 activies" by by Janis Herbert (SJ West J B 759.5 LEO)
"Leonardo [videorecording] : a dream of flight" by Devine Entertainment; c1997 (SJ Main VR B 608.745 LEO)

History Notebook
Exercise in drawing in perspective (pg. 27 "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids")
Short biography including print out of the Mona Lisa plus copied (drawn) of a sketch of his

Book of Centuries
1452-1519 Leonardo da Vinci
1495-1497 Leonardo paint the Last Supper
1503 Leonardo paint the Mona Lisa

Hands On Activity
Make the Leonardo's glider out of the kit (take a picture for notebook)
"Measuring Up" exercise (pg. 35 "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids")
"Eye Exercises" (pg. 42 "Leonardo da Vinci for Kids")

Copywork
"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die." - Leonardo da Vinci
"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return." - Leonardo da Vinci

Links
Museum of Science Leonardo
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo
Leonardo Inventions
Leonardo's Inventions
Leonardo's crossbow
Leonardo site with lots of images
Video to watch online

Week 7

John Cabot discovers Newfoundland

Literature Resources
"Bound Down for Newfoundland" by Chris Legrow
"The Voyage of the Matthew" by Peter Firstbrook

History Notebook
Draw and label Cabot's Caravel
Write a ficticious letter to the King seeking his endorsement
Draw and write about the Astrolabe
Draw and write about the Quadrant
Label a map of famous explorers routes (in different colours with a key)

Book of Centuries
1497 John Cabot discovers Newfoundland

Hands On Activities
Start working on a paper mache globe to learn about latitude and longitude
Create an Astrolabe
Create a Quadrant
Make a Compass
Make sea biscuits

Copywork
They went to sea in a sieve, they did;
In a sieve they went to sea:
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,
In a sieve they went to sea.
EDWARD LEAR The Jumblies

Links
Latitude and Longitude Activity
Navigational Instruments
Latitude
Exploration: Navigation

Week 8

Michelangelo Buonarroti
Painter, sculptor, architect and poet
1475-1564

Literature Resources
"Michelangelo" by Diane Stanley (SJ West J B 709.45 MIC)
"Michelangelo" by Mike Venezia

History Notebook
Write about Michelangelo and include drawings or prints outs of his famous works

Book of Centuries
1475-1564 Michelangelo Buonarroti
1501-1504 Michelangelo sculpts the statue of David
1508-1512 Michelangelo paints ceiling of Sisteine Chapel in Rome

Hands On Activity
Make a frescoe with plaster of paris

Copywork
"Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish." - Michelangelo
"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." - Michelangelo

Links
WebMuseum: Michelangelo
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Michelangelo Timeline
Michelangelo
Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Michelangelo.com

Week 9

Martin Luther

Literature Resources

History Notebook

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity

Copywork

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on tree, and in flowers and clouds and stars." - Martin Luther
"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage."
- Martin Luther
"For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver." - Martin Luther

Links

Week 10

Magellan - The first to sail around the world

Literature Resources

History Notebook

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity

Copywork
"The Church says the Earth is flat. But I know that it is round. For I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than in the Church" - Ferdinand Magellan

Links

Week 11

Jacques Cartier sails up the St. Lawrence River

Literature Resources

History Notebook

Book of Centuries
1534 Jacques Cartier sails up St. Lawrence River

Hands On Activity

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Civilizations.ca The Explorers

Week 12

Galileo (invents thermometer)

Literature Resources
"The Living World of Science" pg. 70-72 "Gelileo Galilei
"Children's Guide to Knowledge" pg. 395 (Loyalist Coin Shop book)
"Galileo [videorecording] : On the shoulder of giants" by Devine Entertainment; c1997 (SJ Main VR B 608.7 GAL)

History Notebook

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity
watch "Galileo: On the Shoulder of Giants" from the library (see below)

Copywork
"We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves." Galileo Galilei

Links

Week 13

William Shakespeare

Literature Resources
"Bard of Avon" by Diane Stanley
"Romeo and Juliet for Kids" by Lois Burdett
"Hamlet for Kids" by Lois Burdett
"Willam Shakespeare and the Globe" by Aliki
"Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Era Treasure Chest"

History Notebook
Draw Renaissance clothing of a man and a woman, labelling parts
Draw a scene from one of his plays

Book of Centuries
1564 Willam Shakespeare born
1599 The Globe Theatre built
1613 The Globe burns down

Hands On Activity
Construct paper model of Shakespeare Globe Theater
Find a video of a Shakespearean play to watch

Copywork

Links
The New Globe Theater
Great site dedicated to the new Globe Theater
Virtual tour of The Globe Theater
More virtual tours
Sounds clips and Videos
Photos of Shakespeares birthplace
Even better photos of Shakespeares birthplace etc.
Online Shakespeare biography quiz

Week 14

Antony van Leeuwenhoek

Literature Resources
"Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek : First to See Microscopic Life (Great Minds of Science)" by Lisa Yount

History Notebook
Write as if you are Leeuwenhoek, describing something your looking at for the first time ever under your microscope

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity
Use our microscope to look at things in nature, think about how you would feel if no one had ever seen your item(s) this way before

Copywork
". . . my work, which I've done for a long time, was not pursued in order to gain the praise I now enjoy, but chiefly from a craving after knowledge, which I notice resides in me more than in most other men. And therewithal, whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof." - Antony van Leeuwenhoek. Letter of June 12, 1716

Poem to read

The Microscope

Anton Leeuwenhoek was Dutch.
He sold pincushions, cloth, and such.
The waiting townsfolk fumed and fussed.
As Anton's dry goods gathered dust.

He worked, instead of tending store,
At grinding special lenses for
A microscope. Some of the things
He looked at were:
mosquitoes' wings,
the hairs of sheep, the legs of lice,
the skin of people, dogs, and mice;
ox eyes, spiders's spinning gear,
fishes' scales, a little smear
of his own blood,
and best of all,
the unknown, busy, very small
bugs that swim and bump and hop
inside a simple water drop.

Impossible! Most Dutchmen said.
This Anton's crazy in the head.
We ought to ship him off to Spain.
He says he's seen a housefly's brain.
He says the water that we drink
Is full of bugs. He's mad, we think!

They called him dumkopf, which means dope.
That's how we got the microscope.

Maxine Kumin

Links
Antony Van Leeuwenhoek

Week 15

Founding of Quebec by Samuel de Champlain (1608)

Literature Resources

History Notebook

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Civilizations.ca The Explorers

Week 16

Henry Hudson

Literature Resources

History Notebook

Book of Centuries

Hands On Activity

Copywork
(a Shakespeare Sonnet)

Links
Henry Hudson Explorer of the Hudson River