Medieval Europe - Charles Martel

The Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe by George Holmes, ed.

Discussion:
Review of Ummayad expansion to Spain
Battle of Poitiers
Beginning of the Carolingian era

Activity:
History journal
Map study - Ummayad expansion, Poitiers, Southern France (beginning of unification under Charles Martel)

Earth Science - Meteorology - Temperature

The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Mark Breen and Kathleen Friestad
Meteorology Projects with a Weather Station You Can Build by Robert Gardner

Discussion:
Uneven distribution of the sun's energy - effect on the weather
Fahrenheit vs. Celsius
How a thermometer works

Activity:
Build a thermometer

Medieval Europe - The Papacy

Ubi Caritas by the Cambridge Singers
(it would not have sounded like this in the 9th century, but the text is probably the same)

Loyola Kids Book of Saints by Amy Welborn and Ansgar Holmberg
Charlemagne and the Early Middle Ages by Ruth Greenblatt

Discussion:
Evolution of the papacy
Pope St. Gregory the Great (Gregorian chant), Calendar
Power and influence of the Roman Catholic church

Activity:
History journal

Earth Science - Meteorology - Air Pressure

Meteorology Projects with a Weather Station You Can Build by Robert Gardner
The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting by Kathleen Friestad and Michael Kline

Discussion:
Warming air vs. cooling air
Changes in air pressure
Movement of air - effects on weather

Activity:
Make a barometer

Earth Science - Meteorology - Atmosphere

Air is All Around You by Franklyn M. Branley and John O'Brien

Vocabulary Added:
atmosphere: vapor-globe
The layers of the atmosphere:

• troposphere: turning-globe
• stratosphere: layer-globe
• mesosphere: middle-globe
• thermosphere: heat-globe
• exosphere: outer-globe

Discussion:
Composition of air
Atmospheric layers
Weight of air

Activity:
Science experiments in Air is All Around You

Medieval Europe - Geography

A Brief Political and Geographic History of Europe by Frances E. Davey

Discussion:
Traditional borders of Europe
Major rivers and mountain chains
General geographic areas (Britain, Scotland, Iceland, Scandinavia, German-speaking regions, Italian-speaking regions, Hispaniola, Slovak-speaking regions)

Activity:
Map study - blank map of Europe with rivers

Earth Science - Water - Rivers and Lakes

Rivers by Andy Owen and Miranda Ashwell
Lakes by Andy Owen and Miranda Ashwell

Discussion:
Origin of rivers
River flow patterns
Formation and types of lakes

Activity:
Create a river and lake in the sandbox.