What are the major history and science topic areas in the Life in the Colonies unit?

The major history topic areas in the Life in the Colonies unit are Colonial American History - including a study of the states of New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia. The major science topic areas in Life in the colonies are Simple Machines and Inventions.

What are some highlights from this unit?

Studies and activities on: The Israelites as they stumble and fall when tempted by the false gods of the Canaanites • The judges of Israel • Early slavery in America • Reading Amos Fortune, Free Man, by Elizabeth Yates • History, geography, government and culture of New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia • Experimenting with simple machines - the lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw • French and Indian Wars • Geography concepts • Investigating national and state symbols • Longfellow's classic poem, "The Village Blacksmith" • Preparing succotash – a Native American dish • Enjoying the works of George F. Handel and Franz Joseph Haydn • Researching and report writing • Munching on a Parson Ainsworth's yummy gingerbread • Sampling spicy Buffalo Wings • Fashioning a cornhusk person • Creating a leather project in honor of Amos Fortune • Experiencing captivity through the eyes of a colonial family in Calico Captive, by Elizabeth George Speare • Notebooking about Sub-Arctic and Arctic Native Americans • Studying the history, geography, government, and culture of our northern neighbor, Canada • Stringing wampum • Savoring a piece of Canadian Maple Pie • Simple machines poetry • Building your faith by memorizing Hebrews 11:1-16 • Interpreting Handel's music through writing • Flags of the Nations art project • Native American moccasin games • Read about inventors and inventions in history • Creating inventions, interesting contraptions, and useful gadgets! • Frying New Brunswick Blueberry Corn Fritters • Following Gideon to his camp of three hundred men and watching God give them the victory over their enemies with trumpets and jars! • Ladling a steaming bowl of hearty Voyageurs' French-Canadian Pea Soup • Making Colonial hornbooks • Playing Colonial Cut-Ups – a vocabulary game • Wire sculpture • The Amazing Marble Maze • Ruth's devotion to Naomi and the love and kindness of Boaz to Ruth as kinsman redeemer • Building miniature log cabins • Newspapers and news writing techniques • Fold-out Inventions Project • Pennsylvania Dutch craft of paper cutting • Samson and the Philistines • Mixed-Up Headlines activity • Biography of Benjamin Franklin – inventor, writer, philosopher, diplomat, public servant, scientist, and humanitarian • Hard news stories, human interest articles, and touring a newspaper office • Comics and cartooning techniques • Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches • Samuel's inspiring example – leader, prophet, priest, and the last judge of Israel • Grammar and spelling in newspaper articles • Designing an ad and writing a newspaper announcement • Reading and writing newspaper reviews • Family newsletter project • Creating a comic strip and cartoon flip books • Head into Maine Territory with the characters in The Sign of the Beaver, by Elizabeth George Speare • "Spark" an interest in electricity through experiments and application activities • Mystery portraits • Compare and contrast 1700's wilderness living with life today • Taste of the Colonies Celebration!