Thanks to Education World for use of my Mrs. Waffenschmidt illustration.

Thanks to Education World for use of my Mrs. Waffenschmidt illustration.
Click on icon to go to my website: http://www.gailhennessey.com

Monday, November 4, 2019

Geography Awareness Week is November 10-19th(2019) Ideas to Foster Geographic Awareness




Geographic Activities to Foster Geographic Awareness.

1. A fun way to show our  Globally Interdependent World: Assign a partner and have the students check the labels on their tops to see where they are made.  Do the same for their shoes. Have the students do a safari search with their partner looking for where things in the room were made(ex: crayons, textbook, colored pencils, ruler, etc.). Explain that in a globally interdependent world, we have goods from many parts of the world.  Identify the countries mentioned on a world map. Continue by having students find things in their home and where they are made. For example- their television, computer, dinner dishes, favorite jeans, favorite game or sporting equipment.  Discuss the countries using a world map for reference and tally up the 4 most popular countries mentioned for products in their homes.  

2. Atlas Letter Game:  Give groups of students a list of letters from A-Z and an atlas.  Have the students find a country, a capital city, river or a mountain range which starts with each letter of the alphabet. Return as a class and tell the students to raise their hand if the same response is given for a letter. Start with A. If more than one group has “Austria” for example, cross out the response and no points are given. If groups have different responses, the teams each earn 2 points. If only one team has a response and no other group has any country, capital city, river or mountain range for the same letter, the team earns 3 points. Continue down the alphabet list reviewing what the groups wrote down on their list of letters. The group with the most points wins!

3. Teaching Latitude and Longitude: Copy the map at this site: https://www.mapsofindia.com/worldmap/latitude-longitude.html or this link: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/world/cylatlongoutlinemap/  After explaining coordinates of latitude and Longitude, have students use a crayon to mark N(north) and S(south) above and below the equator and E(east) and W(west) on opposite sides of the Prime Meridian.  Explain that Latitude is stated first.  Have students place their one hand on the latitude line and the other hand on the longitude line for the coordinates you state.  For example, Which continent is 40 degrees N of the Equator and 140 degrees W of the Prime Meridian?(Asia). For younger children. Use colored masking tape and make a grid on the playground.  Place  0, 20, 30, 40,50 north and same for south on the latitude lines. Place 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 east and west on the Longitude lines.  Have a student stand on the 20 N and another student stand on 15 W. Have them walk together until they meet.  Another latitude and longitude activity is to make a grid using the coordinates  and having  LETTER where they meet. In groups have students figure out a short message from given coordinates using the letter grid.
4. Geographic IQ Game: Prior to this activity, make a number of pictures of a world map , globe and  red Xs. Divide the students into 4 groups..  Take turns asking a group a geographic question(ex: which is the largest ocean? Name a country on the continent of Europe. What is a peninsula?)  If the group give the correct answer, they get a picture of a world map or globe.  If wrong, they get a picture of an X.  Groups with correct responses can opt to get another world map or globe, or pass an X they may have earned to another team. The team with the most world maps and globes are the geographic IQ game winners! 

5. Create geography puzzlers: Have partners of students  make a geography puzzler with three facts from hardest to easiest about a mystery place in the world. Once done, have the students share their geographic puzzler with the class.  Taking turns, have the other partners try and be the first to raise their hand identifying the mystery location. For example: Clue 1. I am thinking of a place which touches the Pacific Ocean.  Clue 2: This country is an island. Clue 3:  It’s capital city is Manila. (Answer-Philippines)

6. Humpty Dumpty World Mappers: Go to the following website: http://www.jigzone.com/gallery/Mountains Assign groups of students a puzzle on a mountain of the world(such as the Matterhorn). After completing the puzzle, go to a site such as www.factmonster.com and type in the name of the mountain. On an index card, write three facts about the mountain to share with the rest of the class on completion of the activity. Have the students go up to a world map and show the mountain’s location. Another activity would be to copy some world maps(see this link:http://www.worldatlas.com. Have 2 students cut up the map. Pass the pieces to another group. Allow time for the students to try and piece their puzzle together. Time their first attempt.  Jumble the pieces and solve the puzzle two more times and record the fastest time.

7. Geography Concentration. Have groups make up cards with geographic questions and answers on index cards(ex: Peninsula/ land surrounded by water on three sides  France / capital is Paris ) Have groups share their cards with another group. Students take turns turning over pairs of index cards to find their match.  If they find a pair, they continue their turn as long as they find pairs.

8. Country Cards: Give students a card with the following headings:  Mountain , River, Resource, Continent and Cool geography fact(such as Iran is the world’s leading exporter of pistachio nuts). Have students select a country of the world and find information to fill in the grid card.

9. How did they get that name? Just why is the NBA basketball team, the LA Lakers, called that name?  There aren’t lots of lakes in Los Angeles! Make a list of some of the major league basketball, football and baseball teams.  This site is really great to give the origin of the team’s names.  http://www.factmonster.com/spot/nameorigins1.html  Seems that the LA Lakers originally came from Minnesota where there are LOTS of lakes. In fact, the state motto of Minnesota is “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” When the team moved, the part about lakes stayed. See if the students can brainstorm the geographic origin of some of the following teams’ names.   NY Knickerbockers(Knicks for short)(Give a hint... who first settled New York?)  Utah Jazz(Give a hint... the team originated in New Orleans) Seattle Supersonics(hint... Boeing airplane manufactures are headquartered in this state) Houston Astros(Hint ...NASA Space Center is in Houston) Indiana Pacers(hint...Indianapolis 500 is here) Denver Nuggets(Hint...What caused people to go west in 1849?)  Baltimore Ravens(Hint... Famous writer, Edgar Allan Poe lived in this city)

Fun sites to help with geography:
2. http://www.earthcam.com Have students check out a world webcam site such as the Eiffel Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Niagara Falls and more.
3. http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/waffenschmidt.shtml  Where in the World is Mrs. Waffenschmidt? 
5. http://www.worldtimezone.com/  What time is it around the world.




More Geographic Resources:
  1. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geography-Geographic-Secret-Messages-709102
  2. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Maps-and-Geography-Lets-Map-It-433017
  3. See Purple Annie’s Travels to China: FREE! http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?purpleanniestravels.html

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Friday, November 1, 2019

November is Aviation History Month




Aviation History Month
A Possible Interactive Notebook Activity
By
Gail Skroback Hennessey
Click here for the free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/November-is-National-Aviation-Month-FREEBIE-4989412


Did you know that people actually thought that the airplane would have no real purpose? WOW...were they wrong!  On December 17, 1903, less than 10 people showed up to watch Orville and Wilbur Wright make history. In fact most papers(only 3 carried the story in the USA) refused to print the press release of the Wright Brothers' historic flight, believing it was not possible for a human to fly. The December 17, 1903 event had to have been a hoax! 

November is Aviation History Month. A time to celebrate the contributions and achievements of men and women in the history of flight.


Did You Know?
1. Most people at the time of the Wright brothers’ first flight attempts on December 17, 1903, thought that the airplane had NO purpose for transportation and was just a dangerous sport.

2. The distance covered by the 1903 Wright Flyer was less than the wingspan of today's 747 Jumbo Jet!

3. The Wright brothers’ first attempt went 120 ft. That’s about 20 people, about 6ft. tall, lined end to end!

4. Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly non-stop from New York to Paris. The trip, in 1927, took 33.5 hours.

5. Amelia Earhart was the first woman aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The year was 1928.

6. Lillian Gatlin, was the first woman to ride as a passenger in an airplane! The year was 1922.

7. In 1939, Willa Brown was the first African American woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license.

8. Did you know that pilots and co-pilots can not eat the same meal while in flight?

9. Every 37 seconds, an airplane takes off from Chicago O’Hare’s International Airport. That’s about 100 airplanes each hour.

10. The word used for aviation help, “Mayday”, comes from the French “m’aides" meaning “help me.

11. Did you know that 1/3 of your taste buds get numb while flying?

12. Bessie Coleman was an American aviator and the first African American female pilot. She was also the first American to receive an international pilot’s license. 

13. It is said that Gustave Whitehead successful powered an aircraft in Bridgeport, CT, on August 14, 1901. That is two years before the Wright Brothers. Whitehead's craft, called the Condor, did two flights on that date. Reaching 50 Ft., the distance covered was 1 1/2 miles.

14. Aerophobia is the fear of flying.

15. KLM is the world’s oldest airline, started in 1919.

16. Someone estimated that if you add up all the miles flown by all the 747 airplanes, it’s the distance from the Earth to the Moon and back over 75,000 times.c

17. There is also a National Aviation Day on August 19th. The day was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1939, on the birthday of Orville Wright, who first piloted the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903.

18. There are 3 million people in the air at any given time in an airplane!

19. Inventor, artist, scientist, Leonardo da Vinci had sketches for a flying machine called an ornithopter. The year was 1485.

20. George Cayley is called the “Father of Aviation”. He built the first glider in 1799.


Your Turn:

1. Write a diary entry pretending to be Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright, etc. and tell about a day in your aviation life.

2. Illustrate one of the factoids. Write a sentence of your own explaining the illustrated fact.

3. Have you ever flown in an airplane? Tell about something you remember about your first time in an airplane.  If you haven't flown, would you like to experience flying? Why, why not.

4. If you could meet one of the aviators mentioned above, what would be TWO questions you would ask of the aviator?

6. Write 3 POSITIVE(i.e.: helpful) character traits that a person can have. Write 3 NEGATIVE (i.e.: jealousy)character traits a person can have. What would be 2 positive character traits you would describe for yourself. What would be ONE negative character trait you would describe for yourself. What are 3 character traits that you would give to someone that is an aviator such as Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright, etc.? 

7. Discuss syllables and find words with at least THREE syllables in the Did You Know section. Share with students the easiest way to determine the number of syllables in a word, such as hippopotamus, is to place a hand under their chin. Say the word, slowly. Each time the chin drops is a syllable.




Teachers, check out these resources on the History of Flight.





4. Aida de Acosta: Aida de Acosta did something really amazing in 1903. She became the very first woman to fly a powered aircraft all by herself. In fact, Aida, piloted the dirigible six months before the Wright Brothers would make their historic flight. Even more amazing, she kept what she had done a secret for almost thirty years!  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-HistoryAida-de-AcostaFirst-woman-to-fly-a-powered-aircraft-3696573

5. Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen with this play. The format is a Ms. Bie Ografee's Talk Show Series where the studio audience asks questions of Charles A. Anderson, one of the Tuskegee Airman. Audience members ask questions of the guest. Included are Did You Know? facts, comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, links and the key. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tuskegee-Airmen-A-Readers-Theater-ScriptA-Visit-with-1926283


Links:
Visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: https://airandspace.si.edu 





Note: Photograph from Gail Hennessey(Wright Brothers' National Memorial)
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Sunday, October 27, 2019

King Tut Day is November 4th- Celebrate the Most famous Mummy's Special Day!





November 4, 1922, the day Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamen!





Interesting facts:
Lord Carnarvon was bitten by a mosquito, while in Egypt and died days later. It is said that the lights in Cairo, Egypt, went out when Carnarvon died. Also, back in London, his dog is said to have started to howl and, died.  When King Tut's mummy was unwrapped, a mark was found in the same location as the mosquito bit on Lord Carnarvon. It was around this time that the idea of a curse on those that went inside the tomb began to gain in popularity!

One of the discoveries in the tomb, in addition to golden statues and a golden throne, jewels and chariots, was a box of UNDERWEAR for King Tut to use in the afterlife.

Licorice was also found in King Tut's tomb.

Each of King Tut's toes were individually wrapped in gold!

Watermelon seeds were found in King Tut's tomb. 

With the discovery of the tomb, all things Egyptian became very popular. Women began to wear dresses with Egyptian patterns. Songs about King Tut were written,dances created and beauty products were advertised with Egyptian themes.  This popularity in all things  ancient Egyptian was  called "Tutmania".

Twenty-two pounds of gold were used to make the gold mask of King Tut.

Extras:

Read my article, "Mummies Share Their Secrets at Science News for Students: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mummies-share-their-secrets

You may wish to check  out You Tube for a song done by comedian Steve Martin, "King Tut".(Review it first to  as there is one word which may not be appropriate). You could just share the lyrics and skip over the word.)

Check out coloring sheets to print on King Tut at this link: http://www.kingtutone.com/kids/color/  coloring sheets to print on King Tut

Questions:
A number of people that went into the tomb died under unusual circumstances. However, the person that discovered the tomb,Howard Carter, lived a long life. So, if there was a curse(as stated on the entrance of Tut's tomb), it didn't harm Carter. WHAT might explain why some people may have died from being in the tomb, opened for the first time in centuries?

When Howard Carter discovered the tomb, he waited weeks for Lord Carnarvon to travel by ship to be there for the opening of the tomb. He had guards stand watch at the entrance of the tomb. He did NOT go inside. He felt that since Lord Carnarvon had funded the expedition, he should be there for the "opening". Could you have waited?


Check out my Resource on. King Tut, A Reader's Theater Script with LOTS of information on King Tut, mummy making and the discovery of his tomb: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/King-Tut-Wrapping-with-a-Mummy-Biographical-PlayTo-Tell-the-Truth-Play-338665

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It's the Time of Year for ALL Things Mummy!





With Halloween around the corner, you may find these MUMMY FACTS of interest to share with your kids.

1. Mummies of pharaoh (kings) had onions place in the eye sockets for eyes.
Many mummies, male and female, were buried with extra hair wigs for the afterlife.

2.Mummies of pharaoh (kings) had onions place in the eye sockets for eyes.
Some mummies were wrapped in 20 layers of linen.

3.The oldest mummies are not Egyptian. Found in what is now Chile and Peru, the Chinchorro mummies date to 5000 BC.(Egyptians date back to 2500 BC)

4.The Takla Makan Mummies are 3000 year old mummies found in China. Interestingly, their features are NOT Chinese!

5. Egyptians didn’t just mummify people. Mummified gerbils, birds, cats, dogs, fish, snakes, baboons, crocodile, hippo and even a lion have been found!

6. During the 70 day mummification process, ancient Egyptians removed the brain through the nostrils using a hook shaped instrument. Believing it had no value, the brain was thrown away.

7. The center of intelligence and caring, the ancient Egyptians kept the heart, wrapping it and replacing it back into the mummy.Other organs were placed in special containers called canopic jars.

8. Believing mummies had healing powers, for almost 500 years, mummies were ground up and used to treat stomach aches and other ailments.Yuck! 

9. During Victorian times, mummies being unwrapped after dinner was popular entertainment for the guests!

10. Believing you could take possessions into the next life, King Tut was found with licorice root, watermelon seeds as well as chariots, games, weapons and furniture and a change of underwear. 

11.One mummy actually has a passport! When Ramses 11 went from Egypt to France, a passport was issued! 

             
Extension Activities:

1. If you were a mummy, what are 5 things you’d pack away for the afterlife. Why would you place these items in your tomb?

2. Draw/color a mummy coffin. Write 5 facts learned about mummies on your drawing in complete sentence form.

3. Write a day in the life of a mummy on display in a museum. What do you hear? See? Smell? Feel?


4. Do you think mummies should be on display in a museum or be left in their tomb? Write a persuasive paragraph on your position. Include at least 2 reasons for your position.


Check out this resource on ALL Things Mummy. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies, the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MUMMIES-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1915946

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Sunday, October 20, 2019

Diwali starts October 27th



This year, 2019, Diwali or Deepavali, begins on October 27th and lasts for 5 days.

It's a happy time of year and is the biggest holiday in the country of India.  Practiced mainly by people of the Hindu faith, many other people enjoy taking part in the festive holiday season,too. During the holiday, there will be gift giving,lighting lamps(Dipa lamps) special sweet treats including Laddus(sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits inside) and Karanjis (flour fried dumplings with coconut and sugar), praying, getting together with family and friends and fireworks to help welcome the new year. Deepawali means "festival of lights". 

Fun Facts:
1. Diwali celebrates the end of the harvest season.

2. President Barack Obama was the first US president to participate in a Deepavali celebration in the White House, in 2009.

3. “Shubh Deepavali” means “Have an auspicious Diwali “and is a common greeting for this holiday time. 

4. Diwali marks the Hindu New Year. It is a national holiday in India.

5. Other countries which have Diwali celebrations include: Australia, Guyana, Trinidad, Nepal(called Tihar), Singapore, Japan, Thailand(called Lam Kriyongh) and the United States.

Learn more about Diwali at these links:

Learn about India at these links:

Activities:
Make a Rangoli- Using colored rice flour and water, people decorate patterns on the ground outside their homes and place of worship. It's a way to honor the Hindu goddess Lakshimi and hope the goddess feels welcome in their homes. Use colored markers and create a colorful Rangoli pattern  See some pics:http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/rangoli.htm

NAMASTE!

Check out my reading passage(with fun facts and additional activities)on Diwali.There are 10 fun Facts in the complete reading activity on the holiday of Diwali. There is also a short paragraph reading with comprehension questions.  The Teacher Page has lots of extension activities and the key: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/DiwaliDeepavaliLearn-about-Diwali-A-Reading-PassageActivity-2176182


Gail


Illustration from:openclipart.org
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Sunday, October 13, 2019

Halloween Interactive Notebook Activity

Halloween Fun Facts
Interactive Notebook Activity
by
Gail Skroback Hennessey



1. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.(Yikes-try pronouncing both words!) Did you know that many hotels don't have a 13th floor?(Well, actually there IS a 13th floor but it isn't named 13th). Some airplanes don't have a row named 13 and many hospitals don't have a room 13. There WAS an Apollo 13, a space mission that blasted into space on April 11, 1970.(It was launched at 13:13!) On April 13(not a Friday), there was an explosion. Fortunately, the crew was able to come home safely. 
2. Black cats are thought to bring bad luck in the USA but it is a WHITE cat that is thought to bring bad luck in Great Britain. 
3. Ireland is thought to be the birthplace of Halloween.
4. The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween. In recent years, purple has also become popular at Halloween.
5. If you have samhainophobia, you have a fear of the holiday- Halloween! Do you have a  fears of something? What is it?___________________

6. Snickers are the most popular candy treat at Halloween. What is your favorite candy? Why?____________________________7. Over 35 million pounds of candy corn are made each year! (or 9 billion pieces of the candy). Some estimated that if you placed the kernels sold every year, end to end, the candy corn could circle the earth 4.25 times.
8. Seeing a spider on Halloween is considered good luck. It is believed to be the spirit of someone close coming to watch over you on Halloween. Name 3 creatures associated with Halloween:__________  _____________  _____________
9. There is a Pumpkin Bend, AR, a Tombstone, AZ, a Transylvania County, NC, and a Cape Fear, NC!
10. Turnips were used before pumpkins as Jack O’ Lanterns! Have you ever eaten a turnip? Do you like them?__________________________
11. Halloween dates back about 6,000 years!
12. Did you know there is actually a National Candy Corn Day? It’s October 30th. 

Activities:

  1. Illustrate one of the Halloween Fun Facts.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper)
  2. Draw/color a Halloween creature such as a scarecrow or witch. Write 4 adjectives to describe your drawing. Write a paragraph describing your drawing.(Use the back of this paper or another piece of paper)
  3. Find all the nouns you can find in FACT 1. Write all the action verbs you can spot in  FACTS 1 and 2.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper.
4.  Create 5 three or more letter words using the letters found in the word, “ Halloween”______________  ____________  ____________           __________________   ________________
5. Use a world map and find the country of Ireland. Write 3 facts you know about the country of Ireland.___________   ___________  ________________
6.Write an acrostic poem using each of the letters in Halloween.
H__________   A_________      L____________  L__________   O__________    W____________  E__________     E___________  N____________
7. Find SIX words that have 4 or more syllables in the Halloween Fun Fact.______________  _____________  ______________  _______________  _____________  _____________   


TEACHER PAGE:

1. Review Nouns, action verbs and syllables with students before giving the activity to the students.

2. Distribute the Halloween Fun Facts and have students do several of the activities. Regroup and discuss what they have learned about Halloween with the rest of the class.


Related Resources:
1. With 12 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehension questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-All-Things-Halloween-Webquest-1360175

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MUMMIES-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1915946

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787

4.This informative webquest on PUMPKIN would be great for LA classes,a fall activity, or for a substitute lesson! 
There are 10 web questions, comprehension questions and 11 extension activities/links.  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkins-A-Webquest-359886

Boarder from: wpclipart.com
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Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Viking Day is October 9th. What do YOU know about the Vikings?


Perhaps, you may find this of interest to use with your students.
Leif Eriksson Day is October 9th. 
What do YOU know about the Vikings?
Did You Know? 
1. Those horned helmets, you often see with Vikings did not really exist. There weren’t any horns on their helmets. 
2. In addition to a statue to Leif Ericksson in the countries of Norway and Iceland, there are statues of Leif Ericsson in several cities in the United States: Minnesota, Boston, Cleveland and Seattle. 
3. Vikings had “fire-starters”. They mixed urine(sodium nitrate is found in urine) with a fungus called touchwood which was found on tree bark. The felt-like cloth would smolder for days so Vikings could take their “firestarter” with them! 
4. Some Vikings invaded other groups of people, frightening them by wearing wolf and bear skins. The word berserk comes from Berserkers, these particular Vikings. 
5. The first President to give Leif Eriksson credit for being the first European to discover America was Calvin Coolidge. He gave a speech where he made the statement. 
6. Leif Eriksson was honored with a U.S. Postage Stamp, in 1968. 
7. The word “law” comes from the Norse language. It is estimated that 20% of words in English come from the Norse language.
8. In a time when most people didn’t bath on a regular basis, the Vikings had razors, tweezers and archeologists have even found ear cleaners left behind from Norsemen. 
9. Vikings named three of the days of the week, still used today. Vikings worshipped  many gods. On Wednesday, they honored ,Odin, god of war(chief god). This became Wodensday(Wednesday). Thursday honored, Thor, god of thunder, and was called Thorsday(Thursday). Friday, was the day to honor their female goddess, Freya, goddess of love. Freyasday became Friday. 
10. Viking last names(called your surname  was based on the Patronymic naming system. This system is used today in the country of Iceland, home to the early Vikings. Leif, as Erik’s son, got the last name of Eriksson(son of Erik). A daughter of Erik, would have been named Erikdottir. (daughter of Erik).Thus, the last names in a family are different. 
ACTIVITIES:
  1. The Vikings used a writing system called Runes. Try writing a message using the Old Norse writing system. https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/vikings/the-viking-alphabet and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/write-your-name-in-runes.html
2 . Icelandic sagas, (stories), told of the Vikings times. Read a story from the Vikings: https://norse-mythology.org/tales/why-odin-is-one-eyed/
How Odin lost his Eye and http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=brown&book=giants&story=house In the Giant’s House. 
3. Draw a Viking ship. Write a day in the life of a Viking. What did you do? See? on your voyage. https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/vikings/
4. Another possible writing activity. The Viking myths(stories) told of a giant mean wolf named Fenrir. Write a story about the wolf. Draw a picture of Fenrir. https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/fenrir/
5. Have students write a paragraph  using 10 words which come from the Norse language: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/139-norse-words
4. Check out the routes of the Vikings on this interactive map. http://www.thinglink.com/scene/672411731087065088?buttonSource=viewLimits

Check out this Resource on the Vikings:

Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of plays, Leif Ericsson and his father, Eric the Red are guests on Ms. Bie Ografee's Talk Show. They share information about their lives and the Vikings. There is a Did You Know? section of fun facts, reading comprehension questions and a teacher section with lots of extension activities, links and the key.

  • Note: There are different spellings for Leif Ericsson’ name.


Illustration from openclipart.org
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