Mozart & Divinci

World History Biographies: Mozart: The Boy Who Changed the World with His Music (National Geographic World History Biographies) (Hardcover)
At 5 years old, he composed a minuet. By six, he was performing for royalty. The compelling story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a timeless tale of musical genius, its rewards, and its pitfalls.

Author and musician Marcus Weeks takes us around Mozart's world—from the Royal courts of 18th century Europe to the opera houses and balls where Mozart enjoyed triumph and fame. We meet the kings and queens of the age, learn of the young Mozart's favorite games, see the clothes he wore, and the new musical instruments of the time. The lively text also gives readers an appreciation of Mozart's vast legacy of immortal music.




What Makes a Leonardo a Leonardo? (Paperback)
by Richard Muhlberger (Author

The name on the painting isn't the artist's only signature. Recognizing an artist's work may seem a mystery at first, but it can be as easy as spotting a friend's handwriting. Containing full-color photos of 12 masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, this book gives clues to identifying his paintings through color, line, shape, composition, and more.

Even More History

Time Life's Lost Civilizations: Africa

These videos really reinforce our ancient history concepts.

Engineering An Empire, Part II

Engineering An Empire, Vol. 2: Carthage, China & Russia
Engineering An Empire continues its quest to unearth the framework of the ancient world. Witness the sophistication and defense techniques of Carthaginian engineers, learn about the unparalleled feats of ancient China, and trace the brutal rise and fall of the Russian Empire. * CARTHAGE: Find out how Carthaginian engineers harnessed their extensive resources and manpower to develop some of the ancient world's most groundbreaking technology. * CHINA: Century after century, China's regal emperors mobilized immense peasant armies to accomplish unfathomable feats - including the most ambitious construction project ever accomplished. * RUSSIA: From the Moscow Kremlin to St. Petersburg to the Trans-Siberian railroad, examine the architecture and infrastructure that led to the rise and fall of the Russian Empire.

Engineering An Empire, Vol. 4: Napoleon-Steel Monster, Byzantines, & Da Vinci's World [DVD]
Follow the rise of one of the greatest military strategies in history, and uncover one who spurred on some of the world's most iconic masterpieces, and uncover the brilliant gem of the Dark Ages:the Byzantine Empire. Finally, watch Italy magnificently reawaken and build on a scale not witnessed since the ascent of Rome. * NAPOLEON AND BEYOND: When France stood on the precipice of disaster, one of the most legendary military strategists in history arose from its ashes: Napoleon. * THE BYZANTINES: As much of the world descended into the Dark Ages, the Byzantine Empire emerged with ruthless might and supreme ingenuity, ruling over vast swaths of Europe and Asia. * AGE OF ARCHITECTS: After the deep sleep of the Dark Ages, it wasn't until the 11th-century that autonomous city-states emerged in Italy, revitalizing metropolises and paving the way for the Renaissance.

These videos will help with our ancient civilization studies as well as art. We are studying Leonardo Di Vinci this month.

Nature Studies

I found this fun looking nature journal to help with our nature studies. It includes different activities to do outside as well as information about various habitats.
We began today and it seems like it will be a worthwhile addition to our curriculum.

Geography Resources

As part of our geography study using the Trail Guide Series, we make a geography dictionary, a geography notebook, including mapwork and facts about the world, and a flag notebook for each country. I found this book to help with the flag study.



We're also using the Jumpstarts to World History series (Ancient History) for a quick review each morning.

History Notebook pages

We are creating an Ancient History notebook to enhance our study of world history. Here's a sample of some of the pages. These feature Ancient Egypt.
Our history notebook includes things like timelines, important accomplishments from different civilizations, studies of their gods, pertinent information from different cultures, maps of the ancient regions and more.

The Human Body Study

We've been making various models of the human body to accompany our science study. Here's some of the projects we've completed. We've completed experiments and done reading on these parts as well as worksheets for reinforcement.

The five senses model opens to reveal different parts of the senses.



The mouth model tells the different tastes as well as the parts of the mouth.



The eye includes the various parts of the eye.



The heart includes the veins and interworkings of the heart.

Composers and Artist Study for September

Here are the composer and artist notebooking pages we finished on Van Gogh and Beethoven for August.




We're continuing our Mozart and Leonardo Di Vinci study this week using the book "Mozart" by Wendy Lynch. We also have a cd of Mozart's piano sonatas to enjoy.


We'll also be watching this video on Leonardo Di Vinci.

Engineering An Empire

For our supplemental history videos this week, we'll be watching the following videos.
Engineering An Empire, Vol. 3: Britain-Blood & Steel, Persians, & Maya-Death Empire [DVD]The incredible displays of technological prowess continue in the third volume of Engineering An Empire. Watch the mights rise of the British Empire as it paves the way for the modern world, and explore the incredible engineering feats of the Persian Empire. Learn about Mayan ingenuity from 250 to 900 AD and search for clues regarding the civilization's strange disappearance. * GREAT BRITAIN: Through the centuries, the British Empire used extraordinary engineering technology to become an industrial and military titan, giving rise to such inventions as the first locomotive. * THE PERSIANS: The engineering feats of the mysterious Persian Empire include a water management system, a paved cross-continent roadway, and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. * THE MAYA: By 900 AD, the once-glorious Mayan cities disappeared. Unravel the mystery surrounding this mythic civilization through its spectacular infrastructure and architecture.

Engineering An Empire, Vol. 1: Greece, Age of Alexander, & The Aztecs [DVD]
Engineering An Empire initiates its architectural investigation with mighty Greece, the Empire that gave rise to western civilization and produced some of antiquity's greatest treasures. Next, discover how Alexander saved the Greek Empire from its period of civil unrest, then voyage to Central America to unlock the mysterious and magical world of the ancient Aztecs. * GREECE: The cradle of Western civilization sustained remarkable technological advancement for over 1,000 years, including such masterpieces as the Tunnel of Samos and the Parthenon. * GREECE: AGE OF ALEXANDER: After a century of tremendous accomplishment, Greece's territorial ambitions were stymied by constant warfare - until Alexander ventured abroad and initiated the Hellenistic era. * THE AZTECS: The Aztecs became one of the greatest civilizations in history through brilliant military campaigns and technological mastery of their harsh environment.

History Video Supplements for upcoming week

Secrets of Lost Empires: Incas
Directors: Michael Barnes
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Wgbh Boston
DVD Release Date: February 28, 2006
Run Time: 56 minutes


Touring Israel (Questar)

HIstory Video Supplements

Lost Worlds DVD: Volume 1. Includes Atlantis, Rameses' Egyptian Empire, and Athens: Ancient Supercity.

Discovering Egypt Dvd
Visit modern Egypt with its crowded bazaars in Cairo and Alexandria, the famous dam at Aswan, and the intriguing River Nile. At El Alamein, visualize one of the most important battles fought during World War II. Marvel at awesome pyramids, huge monuments, and dazzling tombs. Experience the incredible sights of treasures from King Tut’s tomb, the Great Pyramids at Giza, and remnants from the ancient city of Thebes. Extra Features: Great Pyramids at Giza - Great Pyramids at Giza probably took a half-million men and 20 years to build. Learn how these great wonders of the world were constructed. See recreations of what they looked like 4,000 years ago. And explore the intricacies of their clverly designed corridors. Find out how mummies were made. Learn the names of important Egyptian Gods and the influence they had on everyday lives of ancient Egyptians. See the death mask of King Tutankamen and some of his tomb's incredible treasures. Ancient Egyptian Cities - Travel down the Nile and visit ancient temples, palaces and tombs in Memphis, Luxor, Abu Simbel and Alexandria - the last capital of ancient Egypt. Hear the story of Egypt's last ruler, Cleopatra, and how her romances with Roman generals Julius Caesar and Marc Antony spelled final doom for the Egyptian Empire. Number of discs: 1
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Questar
DVD Release Date: February 27, 2001
Run Time: 120 minutes

Artist study for September--Leonardo Di Vinci

During the month of September, we'll be studying Leonardo Di Vinci. Here's some of the resources we'll be using.



Leonardo: A Dream of Flight (vhs)
Actors: Cedric Smith, Tom Melissis, David Felton, Allan King
Directors: Brent Carver
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, Full length, Full Screen, NTSC
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number of tapes: 1
Studio: Repnet
VHS Release Date: July 16, 1999
Run Time: 48 minutes


Leonardo Da Vinci (Art for Children) (Paperback)
by Ernest Raboff (Author)

and artist notebooking sheets.

Foreign Language

My son has asked to learn German. I found this cd to see if it sparks his interest.
I'm sure we'll be singing in German in no time!

Study on the Human Body

To enhance our study on bones, we watched the following video:
Skeleton (Eyewitness Lvg World Video)



The book we are using to enhance our science study this week is Look At Your Body: Blood by Steve Parker.

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 31 pages
Publisher: Stargazer Books (August 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1932799753
ISBN-13: 978-1932799750

Our New Geograpy Study

We'll be using this for our new geography study. For different maps, I'll be using free downloadable maps from the internet.
Our latest is the world map, which can be found here.

History Notebook

For our history studies this year, we are creating a history notebook. One of our sources was notebooking pages from The Sumarians by Notebooking Nook.


For our ancient Egypt pages, we are using History Pockets: Ancient Egypt by Evan Moor.

We also included some maps and pages on the Indus Valley from the TOG free study pages.

Our Latest Read Aloud

Tales of Beetle the Bard by JK Rowling, grades 4 and up. I was looking for something a little lighter this week, but still wanted to continue our folk tales theme. What better than "wizarding tales?"

We're also finishing Folk Tales and Fable of Europe by Barbara Hayes (Editor), Molly Lodge (Editor), Robert Ingpen (Illustrator).
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Dragons World Ltd (October 22, 1992)
ISBN-10: 1850281696
ISBN-13: 978-1850281696

Our Latest Read Aloud

This will tie in with our history study of ancient cultures.


A World Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Folktales: Stories from Six Continents (Hardcover) by Renata Bini
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 316 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 1, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0810945541
ISBN-13: 978-0810945548
Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches

We have finished this book.

Extras for our Ancient Cultures Study

This week we began our ancient cultures notebook. We are beginning with Sumer. We'll be reporting on cuneiform, Sargon, ziggaruts, inventions by the Sumerians and more.
For reference we will be adding this book to our study:


The Usborne Encyclopedia of the Ancient World: Internet Linked (History Encyclopedias) (Paperback)
Reading level: Ages 9-12

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Usborne Books (January 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0794511414

I have found some more videos to enchance our study:

Visions of Greece
DVD Release Date: July 6, 2004
Run Time: 167 minutes

Ancient Greece: A Journey Back in Time (Lost Treasures of the Ancient World) (1999)
Studio: Kultur Video
DVD Release Date: March 28, 2006
Run Time: 50 minutes



Houses of Mystery - The Pyramids [VHS]
Studio: Goldhil Home Media 2
VHS Release Date: February 23, 1999

Shakespeare Study--Twelfth Night

This week our focus is on Shakeseare's Twelfth Night. We'll be reading the adapted version for children.

Twelfth Night (Hardcover)retold by Bruce Coville
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Dial; First Printing edition (March 10, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0803723180
ISBN-13: 978-0803723184
Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches

Digging into Digestion

This week we are beginning our study of the digestive system. We'll be adding the digestive system to our skeleton, reviewing muscles and bones, and other fun activities.
Here's some resources we are adding to our study this week.

Standard Deviants: Anatomy, Vol. 1 DVD
This DVD is so funny that you don't realize you are learning!

An Illustrated Adventure in Human Anatomy: Blueprints for Health, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 56 pages
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Second Edition edition (April 1, 2002)
Language: English

Beginning With Beethoven

Our monthly composer studies began in August with Beethoven. We are using pages from the Notebooking pages composer study.


We are also using cds of the composer's music.

Baring those Bones--A Science Study

We are beginning the year by learning about the different parts of the body--bones, muscles, joints. Using Prentice Hall's Human Biology and Health.

We'll be doing projects (which I am making more advanced) from The Scholastic Body Book: Easy Hands on Models that Teach.

We're doing some supplemental reading from Muscles and Bones (You and Your Body Series) by Jane Saunderson, Andrew Farmer, and Robina Green.


We're also using A Brief Atlas of The Human Body for research.

Going Places With Geography

We are beginning our year with a study of "Germany." My son was allowed to pick the country of his choice.
We will be using the Nation Notebook from Abeka Publishing to accomplish this. We will spend approximately 20 minutes per day on this study and hope to complete it in the first six weeks.

Shakespeare Study--The Tempest

We are beginning our Shakespeare study by watching The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: The Tempest DVD. This play is done in the original Shakespearean language. I simply stop the video and explain what is going on in any parts my son does not understand.




We are also reading this book, The Tempest, from Pocket Classics,(Mass Market Paperback, 1984, which explains the play in a kid-friendly version.

For our literary element, we will be studying "Plot." (We are using the Teacher's Edition of Glencoe Literature--Transparencies Set--Grade 11.)

Gotta Have Grammar

We decided to go with something different for grammar this year. We're going to try Shurley English: Level 7. This book also stresses the importance of keeping a journal and developing different styles of writing.
It includes "jingles" which are supposed to make concepts easier to remember.

What's Happening in History

We decided to begin using Streams of Civilization: Volume 1 for our history curriculum this year.
Author: Mary Stanton
Recommended Grade: 9th Grade I just now realized it is for 9th grade. I think it can easily be adapted to 7th grade.

We are also going to add various books to our curriculum. Here's the first one added to our study.

Ancient World: Internet Linked (World History) (Paperback)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Usborne Books (December 2004)

Videos to Enhance our History Study

History studies are more fun if we throw in some dvds and videos now and then. The visual appeal seems to make the past come alive.

Nova: Secrets of Lost Empires Colosseum [VHS] (1997)

Aegean - Legacy of Atlantis [VHS] ~ Lost Civilizations (VHS Tape - Aug 29, 1995 (no picture available)


Mummies Unwrapped [VHS] - VHS Tape (Jan 31, 2000)


ROME Power & Glory Volume I: The Rise (DVD, 1998, 52 min)


ROME Power & Glory Volume VI: The Fall (DVD, 1998, 52 min

ROME Power & Glory Volume II: Legions of Conquest (DVD, 1998, 52 min

ROME Power & Glory Volume IV: Grasp of Empire (DVD, 1998, 52 min)

ROME Power & Glory Volume III: Seduction of Power (DVD, 1998, 52 min)

ROME Power & Glory Volume V: The Cult of Order (DVD, 1998, 52 min)