Mongols - Imperial China - Conquering

Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road by Priscilla Galloway and Dawn Hunter

Discussion:
The Song Dynasty shrinks to below the Yangtze River
The Mongols take over the Jin
Mongols establish khanate in China

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Astronomy - Universe - Big Bang

The Light from the Big Bang - Everything and Nothing - Preview - BBC Four

Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw by Elaine Scott
The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
The Cosmic Egg and the Big Bang
Cosmic background radiation
How does it all end...?  Big rip? Big chill?  Something else?

Activity:
"Balloon-iverse" Experiment from Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson

Imperial China - Song Dynasty - Science and Technology

The Song Dynasty by Scott Ingram
Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China by Suzanne Williams

Discussion:
Major inventions of the Song Dynasty - gunpowder, Su Song's clock, rainbow arch bridges
Improvements to existing industries - iron and steel, silk, ceramics

Activity:
History journal
Picture study: Song Dynasty ceramics
Build a rainbow bridge

Astronomy - The Universe - Overview

Measuring the Speed of Light - Wonders of the Universe w/Brian Cox - BBC

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia
The Birth of the Universe by Isaac Asimov

Discussion:
Limitations of understanding and studying the universe

Activity:
Come up with a list of questions about the universe - can they be answered?  Can we guess at possible answers?

Astronomy - Universe - Galaxies - Types of Galaxies

Photographing other galaxies - Horizon - The Six Billion Dollar Experiment - BBC
04 The Universe - Galaxies

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia
Galaxies by Howard K. Trammel

Discussion:
Size and estimated number of galaxies
Galaxy shapes
Movement of Galaxies

Activity:
Draw the three main types of galaxies

Imperial China - Song Dynasty - Economic Advances

The Song Dynasty by Scott Ingram

Discussion:
Agrarian reforms lead to creation of wealth in rural and urban centers
Expansion of merchant class and trade
Urbanization/diversification of urban trades catering to merchants and the wealthy

Activity:
History journal

Imperial China - Song Dynasty - Agrarian Reforms

The Song Dynasty by Scott Ingram

Discussion:
Government investment in commoners' lives - increase food supply
Development of the iron industry - mass production of tools
Cash crops rotated with subsistence crops - market economy

Activity:
History journal

Astronomy - Universe - Galaxies - Milky Way Galaxy

Guide to our Galaxy

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia
Galaxies by Howard K. Trammel

Discussion:
Placing our solar system within the Milky Way
Age of the Milky Way; solar system's orbit within the galaxy
How we perceive the Milky Way from Earth
The Local Group

Activity: 

Attempt to see the Milky Way (probably not possible from our location)

Draw the Milky Way from two perspectives

Astronomy - Stars - Clusters and Nebulae

The Crab Nebula
M13 Globular Cluster

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
Open clusters and globular clusters
Clouds and dust; formation of nebulae
Structure and shape of various nebulae

Activity:
Picture study: Nebulae photos from the Hubble telescope
Try to find M13 and the Crab Nebula with the telescope

Imperial China - Song Dynasty - Hsin Fa (New Laws)

The Song Dynasty by Scott Ingram

Discussion:
The new scholarly class - tension between conservatives and reformers
Hsin Fa: taxation system, distribution of public money
Reduction of the military

Activity:
History journal

Astronomy - Stars - Binary Stars

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
Binary star orbit patterns
Contact binaries
Planets orbiting in binary systems

Activity:
Draw a typical binary star orbit pattern

Imperial China - Song Dynasty - Foundation

The Song Dynasty by Scott Ingram

Discussion:
Zhao Kuangyin of the Zhou Dynasty in Northern China
Slow re-unification and dismantling of hereditary jiedushi governors
Re-instituting the Confucian examination system (again)

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Imperial China - Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Rena Krasno and Yeng Fong Chieng

Discussion:
Chaos after the fall of the Tang Dynasty
The jiedushi (regional governors) become essentially autonomous
Northern vs. Southern trends (north tended to be ruled by one dynasty at a time, while the south had concurrent rulers)

Activity:
History journal

Astronomy - Stars - Variable Stars

Animation of a variable star

The evolution of the light echo around V838 Monocerotis

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion: 

Stars that shine unsteadily - variables

Irregular and regular variables: eruptive, pulsating, rotating (pulsars), cataclysmic (novae/supernovae), eclipsing (binary stars passing across one another)

Star shells and spotted stars

Activity: 

Draw types of variable stars

Astronomy - Stars - Quasars and Redshift

Red shift: measuring distance in space - Death Star - BBC Science

Black Holes, Pulsars, and Quasars by Isaac Asimov
The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop

Discussion:
How distance is measured in space
Quasar - quasi-stellar radio sources
Time and quasars - a view from the past

Activity:
Draw how redshift/blueshift works

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Decline and Fall

Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Rena Krasno and Yeng Fong Chieng

Discussion:
An Lushan/An Shi Rebellion - weakening the state
Gradual disintegration of the equal land mandate
Breakdown of the Confucian examination system
Natural disasters
Huang Chao Rebellion and Zhu Wen's takeover

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Art

Discussion:
Woodblock printing - accessibility of texts and imagery
Leshan Giant Buddha
Mogao Cave paintings and murals

Activity:
Field trip to the Freer and Sackler Galleries

Astronomy - Stars - Black Holes

Hypernovas and Black Holes - Death Star - BBC Science
The fate of the galaxy - Supermassive Black Holes - BBC Science

Black Holes, Pulsars, and Quasars by Isaac Asimov
The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop

Discussion:
Detection of black holes
The event horizon - force of gravity
Time and light re black holes

Activity:
Draw how a black hole forms

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Empress Wu Zetian

Empress of China, Wu Ze Tian by Jiang Cheng an and Xu De Yuan

Discussion: 

Early life of Wu Zetian - nun, concubine

Accession to the throne; handling enemies

Abdication

Activity: 

History journal

Astronomy - Stars - White Dwarf and Neutron Stars, Pulsars

White dwarf stars orbiting and merging animation
Neutron stars - Death Star - BBC Horizon science

The Life and Death of Stars by Isaac Asimov
The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop

Discussion:
Star collapse and shrinking - the white dwarf
Giant stars' collapse - neutron star
Pulsars - spinning neutron stars

Activity:
Draw the relative sizes of a neutron star and white dwarf; show how much a teaspoon of material from each would weigh

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Chang'an and other major cities

Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Rena Krasno and Yeng Fong Chieng

Discussion:
Location, size, and layout of Chang'an under the Tang
Commerce; the Grand Canal; Cosmopolitanism and sumptuary laws
Other major cities: Yangzhou and Laoyang

Activity:
History journal
Map study: Chang'an

Astronomy - Stars - Supernovae

What's a Supernova and Where Can I See One?
Hubble Supernova

The Life and Death of Stars by Isaac Asimov
The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
Cause - runaway nuclear fusion, or core collapse
Duration - a few days

Activity:
Study pictures of supernovae

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Poets and Poetry

Maples in the Mist: Poems for Children from the Tang Dynasty by Minfong Ho, Mou-Sien Tseng, and Jean Tseng

Discussion:
Tang Dynasty fosters the arts
Major poets of the Tang Dynasty
Poems

Activity:
History journal
Memorize 3 Tang Dynasty poems

Astronomy - Stars - Types of Stars

Star Types & Classifications
The Biggest Stars in the Universe

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia
Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw by Elaine Scott

Discussion:
Mass determines type of star, lifecycle
Blue, white; yellow, orange; red

Activity:
Draw the main types of stars

Astronomy - Stars - Formation

Hubble, Journey Through the Orion Nebula

The Life and Death of Stars by Isaac Asimov

Discussion:
Nebulae - stellar nurseries
Formation of stars

Activity:
Draw how a star forms

Imperial China - Tang Dynasty - Foundation

Maples in the Mist: Children's Poems from the Tang Dynasty by Minfong Ho, Mou-Sien Tseng, and Jean Tseng
Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Rena Krasno and Yeng Fong Chieng

Discussion:
The Li family overthrows the Sui Dynasty
Continuation of Sui Dynasty reforms
Reopening the Silk Road

Activity:
History journal

Imperial China - Emperor Wen and the Sui Dynasty

I Once Was a Monkey: Tales Buddha Told by Jeanne M. Lee

Discussion:
Emperor Wen reunifies the north, institutes reforms
Emperor Wen conquers the South with a massive military, reunites China
Attempted invasion of Korea and the fall of the Sui Dynasty

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Astronomy - Solar System - Oort Cloud - Comets

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Impacts Jupiter + Animation Reel 1994 NASA
Halley's Comet Armada: "Comet Halley Returns-Voyager Uranaus Flyby" 1986 NASA (just the Comet section, part 1)

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
Composition; Tail
Origin of comets
Shoemaker-Levy 9/Dinosaur extinction comets

Activity:
Draw a schematic of a comet

Imperial China - Southern and Northern Dynasties

The Song of Mu Lan by Jeanne M. Lee
Read-aloud: I Once Was a Monkey: Tales Buddha Told by Jeanne M. Lee

Discussion:
China gradually splits into Northern and Southern dynasties
Constant war; ethnic migration (particularly Han Chinese toward the south)
Weakening of Confucianism; rise of Buddhist and Daoist influences

Activity:
History journal

Astronomy - Solar System - Oort Cloud - Structure and Composition

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia

Discussion:
Outermost region of the solar system
Composition of the Oort Cloud

Activity:
Draw the Oort Cloud; explain distance from the Sun

Imperial China - Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms Timeline
Read-aloud: Ancient Chinese Legends by Yeng-Fong Chiang and Rena Krasno

Discussion:
The decline of the Han Dynasty
Shu, Wu, Wei territories
Loss of life - war, famine

Activity:
History journal
Map study - three kingdoms

Astronomy - Solar System - Dwarf Planets - The Kuiper Belt

The Dwarf Planets
The Kuiper Belt - Scanning the Skies: The Discovery Telescope

Far-Out Guide to the Icy Dwarf Planets by Mary Kay Carson

Discussion:
The Kuiper Belt
Other dwarf planets besides Pluto
Similarities to Pluto

Activity:
Draw relative sizes of dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt

Imperial China - Han Dynasty - Art and Literature

The Han Dynasty by Sheila Wyborny
Read-aloud: Ancient Chinese Legends by Yeng-Fong Chiang and Rena Krasno

Discussion:
Materials used in art - bronze, paper (after 100 CE), pottery
Poetry and historical literature
Themes - royalty, peasant life, clothing, buildings

Activity:
History journal
Picture study: Han Dynasty Art

Astronomy - Solar System - Dwarf Planets - Pluto

Pluto: A Dwarf Planet by Ralph Winrich and Thomas K. Adamson

Discussion:
Why Pluto is not a planet
Composition and moons
Orbit and Time

Activity:
Draw diagrams of Pluto's composition and orbit

Astronomy - Solar System - Neptune - Orbit and Moons

Neptune by Isaac Asimov

Discussion:
Time on Neptune - years, days
Orbit
Major moons - composition and activity

Activity:
Draw Neptune's orbit, and Triton

Imperial China - Han Dynasty - Government and Law Review

The Han Dynasty by Sheila Wyborny
Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Yeng Fong Chiang and Rena Krasno

Discussion:
Confucianism - basis of Han law
Structure of the government hierarchy; entering civil service
The armed forces - weapons

Activity:
History journal
Picture study

Astronomy - Solar System - Neptune - Composition and Rings

Neptune by Isaac Asimov

Discussion:
Inside Neptune
Atmosphere and storms
Neptune's rings

Activity:
Draw a schematic of Neptune's structure, with rings

Imperial China - Han Dynasty - Social Structures Review

The Han Dynasty by Sheila Wyborny
Read-aloud: Cloud Weavers: Ancient Chinese Legends by Yeng Fong Chiang and Rena Krasno

Discussion:
Confucianism - basis of Han law and Chinese cultural traditions
Influences from Buddhism and Daoism
Social norms for different levels of society

Activity:
History journal
Picture study