Earth Science - Meteorology - Forecasting - Adding Clouds

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen

Discussion:
Cloud formations and weather predictions

Activity:
Forecasting activities in The Kids' Book...

Medieval Europe - Abelard and Heloise

Peter Abelard by CJ Mews
On Romantic Love - Heloise and Abelard's views

Discussion:
Life of Peter Abelard - popular teacher at Paris
Abelard's personalilty
Love affair with Heloise
Public letters

Activity:
History journal
Chart - compare Abelard's description of the affair to Heloise's

Earth Science - Meteorology - Forecasting - Adding Water

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen

Discussion:
Determining humidity
Dew formation

Activity:
Forecasting activities in The Kids' Book...

Medieval Europe - The University System

What is scholasticism?

Discussion:
Cathedral schools turn into locales of study
Methods of study: trivium and quadrivium
Major universities founded: Paris, Oxford, Bologna
Book production

Activity:
History journal
Map study - locations of learning

Earth Science - Meteorology - Forecasting - Adding Wind

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen

Discussion:
Wind direction plus barometric pressure
Beaufort scale of wind
Wind chill

Activity:
Forecasting activities in The Kids' Book...

Medieval Middle East, Africa, and Europe - Transmission of Learning and Culture

Averroes by Richard Taylor
Maimonides by Charles Manekin
Science and Technology in the Middle Ages by Joanne Findon
The Foundations of Science in the Middle Ages by Edward Grant

Discussion:
Spain during the Reconquista - mix of cultures and religions
Translating Aristotle and other thinkers - reintroduction to Europe
Movement of culture from Middle East to Europe via the Crusades

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Earth Science - Meteorology - Forecasting - Adding Temperature

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen

Discussion:
How to forecast the temperature
Temperature plus barometric pressure
Average highs and lows

Activity:
Forecasting activities in The Kids' Book...

Medieval Middle East and Europe - Knights Templar

The Crusades by Timothy Biel

Discussion:
Founding of the Order
Major locations
Banking and economics

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Earth Science - Meteorology - Forecasting - Barometric Pressure

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen

Discussion:
How barometric pressure relates to weather
Making predictions based on barometric pressure

Activity:
Activities in The Kids' Book...

Medieval Europe, Middle East, World - First Crusade - Battles

Documents relating to battles from The First Crusade by Edward Peters
The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf
The Crusades by Timothy Biel

Discussion:
Nicea
Antioch
Jerusalem

Activity:
History journal
Map study
Recreate Siege of Jerusalem with Playmobil people

Medieval Europe and Medieval Middle East - The First Crusade - Journey to the Middle East

Documents relating to Pope Urban II from The First Crusade by Edward Peters
The Crusades by Timothy Biel

Discussion:
Justifications for the Crusade
Waves of the First Crusade - Peter the Hermit, Frankish (French nobles), official contingents
Journey and arrival

Activity:
History journal
Map study - origins of Crusaders, their routes, destinations

Earth Science - Meteorology - Hurricanes

How a hurricane is born - Science of Superstorms - BBC
Raging Planet - Hurricanes

Hurricanes by Seymour Simon
Hurricanes and Tornadoes by DK Eyewitness (Jack Challoner)

Discussion:
How and where hurricanes form
Storm surge
Differences between hurricanes and tornadoes

Activity:
Recreate a storm surge in the sandbox - show what happens when a huge amount of water floods the coast

Earth Science - Meteorology - Tornadoes

Tornado Science
Inside the Tornado
Raging Planet: Tornadoes

Twisters: A Book About Tornadoes by Rick Thomas and Denise Shea
Hurricane and Tornadoes by DK Eyewitness

Discussion:
Causes of tornadoes
Fujita scale
Weird effects of tornadoes

Activity:
Tornado in a bottle

Medieval Middle East - Seljuq Empire and Byzantine Empire

Review Topics:
Geography of the Mediterranean and Middle East
Extent of the Abbasid, Fatimid, and Ummayyad Empires
Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism - points of difference

Discussion:
Seljuq empire - geography and general overview
Seljuq conquests and wars with Byzantine Empire
Request for assistance from Byzantine Emperor to RC Pope Urban II

Activity:
History journal

Earth Science - Meteorology - Lightning

Lightning Science from the University of Arizona

Lightning by Seymour Simon
Science Experiments: Weather by John Farndon

Discussion:
Causes of lightning
Types of lightning
Thunder

Activity:
Make lightning experiment

Medieval Europe - Feudalism - Knights and Warfare

Medieval Society by Kay Eastwood
Medieval Weapons and Warfare by Paul Hilliam
Castle at War by DK Discoveries

Discussion:
Training to become a knight
Fealty - the lord-vassal relationship
Warfare

Activity:
History journal
Playmobil knights and castle siege

Earth Science - Meteorology - Storm Fronts

Rumble, Boom! A Book About Thunderstorms by Rick Thomas and Denise Shea
Science Experiments: Weather by John Farndon

Discussion:
Development of anvil clouds
Mixture of cold and warm air - supercells
Storm safety

Activity:
Warm and cold front mixture experiment in Meteorology Projects with a Weather Station You Can Build Yourself by Robert Gardner
Observe today's blizzard

Medieval Europe - Feudalism - Cities and Trades

Life in the Middle Ages: The City by Kathryn Hinds
Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed by Priscilla Galloway and Martha Newbigging
Science and Technology in the Middle Ages by Joanne Findon and Marsha Groves
Medieval Society by Kay Eastwood
Children and Games in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott

Discussion:
Trades, guilds, and apprenticeships
Clusters of trades and merchants
City governments

Activity:
History journal
Map study: largest cities in the early Middle Ages

Earth Science - Meteorology - Hail, Blizzards, and Ice Storms

Hail
Sleet vs. Freezing Rain

Whiteout! A Book About Blizzards by Rick Thomas and Denise Shea
Ice Storms by Anne Wendorff

Discussion:
Measuring snowfall
Snow, sleet, freezing rain, and hail - differences

Activity:
Go outside and take a look at last night's ice storm

Medieval Europe - Feudalism - Serfs

Life in the Middle Ages: The Countryside by Kathryn Hinds
Children and Games in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott
Medieval Society by Kay Eastwood
Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, Book 5, Chapter 3
Medieval People by Eileen Power

Discussion:
Daily life for serfs
Serf's yearly calendar
Male/female serfs and their responsibilities

Activity:
History journal

Earth Science - Meteorology - Precipitation

Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen and Kathleen Friestad
Rain 

Discussion:
Review of the Water Cycle
Types of precipitation
Effects of precipitation (or lack thereof)

Activity:
If it's raining today: What's in Rain, Raindrops
Make rain

Medieval Europe - Feudalism - Religious Life

Medieval Society by Kay Eastwood
Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed by Priscilla Galloway and Martha Newbigging
Children and Games in the Middle Ages by Lynne Elliott

Richelinde, Cartulary of St. Trond, A Gift of Serfs to the Abbey of St. Trond

Discussion:
Tithing and taxing
Diocese and Monastery - competing interests
Primogeniture: what to do with younger children?

Activity:
History journal
Serf to King activity

Earth Science - Meteorology - Wind

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen and Kathleen Friestad
Weather by John Farndon

Discussion:
Movement of wind
Types of wind - why certain kinds of winds have names
Wind chill

Activity:
Make an anemometer

Medieval Europe - The Feudal System - Rulers and Knights

Raoul de Cambrai
Medieval Society by Kay Eastwood
Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed by Priscilla Galloway and Martha Newbigging

Discussion:
Hierarchy of the feudal system
Division of land and government
Vows of fealty

Activity:
History journal
Pick a serf-to-king activity

Earth Science - Meteorology - Cloud Types

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen & Kathleen Friestad
National Audubon Society First Field Guide to Weather
The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola

Discussion:
Types of clouds
Height at which the types form
Forecasting based on cloud types

Activity:
Cloud chart (types and heights)
Go outside and identify clouds

Medieval Europe - Norman Invasion

The story of the Norman invasion as told through the Bayeux Tapestry, evaluating primary sources (where does it come from?  Whose viewpoint is it? Is it reliable?)
Castles of the World by Gianni Guadalupe and Gabrielle Reina

Discussion:
Battle of Hastings
French influence on English language
William builds castles

Activity:
History journal
Map study - the invasion
Re-enactment of Battle of Hastings - Playmobil people

Earth Science - Meteorology - Cloud Formation

The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola
Clouds

Discussion:
How clouds form
Cloud movement
Height of clouds

Activity:
Cloud in a bottle

Medieval Europe - Anglo-Saxons

Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman
The Venerable Bede
Sutton Hoo Slideshow

Discussion:
Anglo-Saxon origins - Sutton Hoo artifacts
Bede and Alfred the Great
Viking influences

Activity:
History journal
Picture study

Earth Science - Meteorology - Heat Waves and Drought

Extreme Drought in Australia - BBC Science
History of the Dust Bowl - America's Heartland 

Sizzle! A Book About Heat Waves by Rick Thomas and Denise Shea

Discussion:
Definition of a heat wave
Definition of a drought

Activity:
Use a heater and humidifier to experience a hot, dry climate and a hot, humid climate

Medieval Europe - Charlemagne

Charlemagne and the Early Middle Ages by Miriam Greenblatt
Einhard and Notker the Stammerer, Two Lives of Charlemagne

Discussion:
Unifying Europe
Changing the nature of the Holy Roman Emperor
Fighting the Vikings

Activity:
History journal
Map activity: Tracing Charlemagne's influence, journeys
Picture study: Charlemagne's throne in Aachen