Astronomy - Observational Astronomy - Constellations - Ursa Major

First Field Guide to the Night Sky by the National Audubon Society

Discussion:
Recognizing Ursa Major
Polaris - Ursa Minor

Activity:
Draw Ursa Major - show how it resembles what it is named for
Explain its location on a diagram of the sky
Identify in sky

Medieval Japan - Heian Period - Literature

Life in Ancient Japan by Hazel Richardson
Read-aloud: Mysterious Tales of Japan by Rafe Martin

Discussion:
Invention of the novel - Murasaki Shikibu
Types of poems - Manyoshu (Collection of a Thousand Leaves)
Poetry slam - Sei Shonagun and life in the imperial court

Activity:
History journal
Poetry reading

Medieval Japan - Heian Period - Foundation

Life in Ancient Japan by Hazel Richardson
Japan by Barbara A. Somervill
Read-aloud: Mysterious Tales of Japan by Rafe Martin

Discussion:
Moving the capital from Nara to Heian (Kyoto)
Decline of Chinese influence; increasing imperial isolationist policies
Structure of governance - the capital vs. decentralized rule in the provinces

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Astronomy - Observation - Telescopes II

Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson

Discussion:
Isaac Newton - improving the telescope
Spectroscopes

Activity:
Split white light using a CD

Medieval Japan - Nara Period

Life in Ancient Japan by Hazel Richardson
Japan by Barbara A. Somervill

Discussion:
Emergence of a centralized, imperial court at Nara; mass conversion to Buddhism
Influence of the Tang Dynasty in contemporary China
Smallpox epidemic

Activity:
History journal
Picture study - Art of the Nara and Asuka periods

Medieval Japan - Geography and History Review

Japan by Barbara A. Somervill
Life in Ancient Japan by Hazel Richardson
Read-aloud: Mysterious Tales of Japan by Rafe Martin

Discussion:
Geography of Japan - major islands, mountains, bodies of water, early sites of civilization
The Yayoi (300 BCE - 300 CE)
The Yamatai

Activity:
History journal
Map study

Astronomy - Observation - Telescopes

The Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia
Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson

Discussion:
How a telescope works
Galileo and Kepler

Activity:
Build a telescope (see Beyond the Solar System)

Mongols - Imperial China - Marco Polo

Marco Polo: The Boy Who Traveled the Medieval World by Nick McCarty

Discussion:
Working for Kubla Khan
Travels through Southeast Asia
Going home

Activity:
History journal
Map study - tracing Marco's route

Mongols - Imperial China - Kubla Khan

Kubla Khan: Emperor of Everything by Kathleen Krull and Robert Byrd

Discussion:
Extent of Kubla's reign; expansion throughout southern China
Contributions to theater, science, medicine, standardization of services (agriculture, money, postal system)
Wars with Japan, decline

Activity:
Draw a 12-panel comic strip of Kubla Khan's life

Astronomy - Observation - Brief History

Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson

Discussion:
Early observation - Greek, Arab, Chinese discoveries
Ptolemy and Geocentrism
Copernicus and Heliocentrism

Activity:
Build an astrolabe - note position of stars three nights in a row