Second Grade, History, Set Two

I read chapter 64 of Child's History. This chapter covers:

• Ponce de Leon
• Fountain of Youth
• Hernando de Soto
• Mexico / Aztecs / Montezuma
• Hernando Cortes
• Peru / Incas / Pizarro
• Mayas

In addition we read/watched:

• The Spanish Conquistadors in North America by Walter Buehr -- we read the first three chapters (up to Cortes) and then switched to this next book. When we finish it we will go back and read the chapters about Balboa and Coronado.
• Cortes of Mexico by Ronald Syme -- well written, interesting book. It is better than his book about Champlain (which we didn't finish). The chapters are long (191 pages and only 8 chapters), so it takes the entire history time to read one chapter, but it is holding K.'s attention and I'm finding it very interesting.
• Ancient Civilizations for Children: Ancient Maya by Schlessinger Media
• Ancient Civilizations for Children: Ancient Inca by Schlessinger Media -- both these dvd's are 23 minutes in length. They are geared for grades 3 - 7, but are interesting and K. enjoyed watching them. They each had a teacher guide pamphlet with questions for discussion.
• Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Inca by Arlette Braman -- this is an activity and craft book. I let K. look through it and pick out one thing to make. She chose to make a raft. We didn't have balsa wood, but used popsicle sticks instead.
• Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Maya by Arlette Braman -- this is an activity and craft book. I let K. look through it and pick out one thing to make. She chose to make a wheeled toy. The instructions are very good. It is made of clay. We didn't have enough of any one color, so her tiger is very colorful and it really rolls and she can play with it. The instructions called for air dry clay, but we used oven dry clay and it worked fine.

We finally finished assembling the wheels on the toy. It really rolls, although in a lopsided manner since the wheels aren't perfect.

We have started drawing and labeling lines on a world map to show who explored where.

I read chapter 65 of Child's History. This chapter covers:

• Portuguse sailing around Africa
• Vasco de Gama
• East Africa
• Ibn Battuta

In addition we read:

• A Boy of Old Prague by Sulamith Ish-Kishor -- I did not read the entire book to K. just enough for her to get an understanding of what life was like for the peasants and Jews.
• Exploration and Conquest by Betsy Maestro -- we have just started this book. We are using it to make a time line of the explorers.