Archive for history
February 22, 2008 at 8:23 am · Filed under history, books
Anyone have any experience with the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament? They have locations scattered across the nation. I may have the opportunity to be in Tampa, Florida in October which is just shortly after my medieval book is due out. There’s a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament facility in nearby Kissimmee, and I’m wondering about the possibility of doing a book signing or some such.
If you’ve been, can you tell me if there’s a gift shop adjacent to the facility? If so, is it open all day, or only short hours before and after the show? And how do you think I’d look in this?
Oh, the excitement! Oh, the nerves!
February 20, 2008 at 2:14 pm · Filed under My Musings, island life, history
It’s quicker to vote in a primary than to participate in a caucus. It was incredibly interesting, but when the head honcho announced to a packed room that they were “surprised at the turnout…we only had 15 people last year” I knew we were in trouble. Have you not been watching the news, people? Seriously?
The lines snaked out the door as the organizers ran out of the magic blue cards that we had to fill out in exchange for our ballot. Then they ran out of ballots. Even if a group was trying to be economical and environmentally friendly and not print out TOO many, it would be SO easy to bring along a copy machine, just in case. I tried really hard not to be too critical because I know these people are all volunteers but with the hype? I surely would have expected it to be a LITTLE more organized. We were there for nearly two hours, making dinner a slap-dash assortment very close to bedtime.
Results, by the way: Obama 75%, Clinton 24% (presumably some people voted for candidates no longer in the race)
January 12, 2008 at 2:24 pm · Filed under colonial america, home education, history, fun stuff
Robin and GB over at Martinzoo are going colonial and their latest project is one from Great Colonial America Projects - building a miniature wattle and daub house. Robin has great photos of the entire process (including a minor injury), but no matter how cool it looks, she says that GB is too disgusted to be a colonial kid.
November 20, 2007 at 7:34 am · Filed under colonial america, history
Robin’s starting her colonial unit and posts today about making wampum from Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself. With pictures. Way cool.
UPDATE: I just discovered via comments in another post that Dana is using Great Colonial America Projects, too! Cool beans.
November 19, 2007 at 9:31 am · Filed under history
With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching and since Andrea was so kind as to introduce me as a colonial author, it seems like a good time to point again to my page about Thanksgiving Myths. Interesting stuff.
October 31, 2007 at 12:24 pm · Filed under colonial america, stuff to make, publishing, curriculum, history, books
Robin recently mentioned that she’s going to be using my book, Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself to supplement her upcoming unit on colonial America. I just thought I’d mention that the book is available as a FREE download, here. Seriously. Free. What are you waiting for?
September 26, 2007 at 9:48 am · Filed under home education, curriculum, history, books
I love reading biographies, and love sharing them with my kids, so I was happy to read about Anneographies over at Cynsations (via Jacket Flap). Anne Bustard, author of the excellent looking Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly, features picture book biographies on her blog. A whole blog about picture book biographies. How’s that?
May 14, 2007 at 7:22 am · Filed under colonial america, home education, history
Weekend America features a gruesome look at Jamestown and just what the settlers endured to survive. In an eight-minute segment, Nate DiMeo tells the less-told side of the story.
Today is the anniversary of the founding of the first permanent colony at Jamestown. Take a minute to make sure that your kids know just how this colony came to be, and how difficult it was to move from colony to country.
Blog Nod: Boing Boing
May 8, 2007 at 7:11 am · Filed under colonial america, home education, history
Interesting Facts about Jamestown and Colonial America
(adapted from Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself )
• Four hundred years ago, the first permanent British settlement in North America was established at Jamestown, Virginia on May 14, 1607.
• The winter of 1609 is known as The Starving Time. During this time more than 80% of the colony’s 500 settlers died.
• Colonists used special candles made of uniform width and marked with equal bands to tell time. As the flame melted the wax, each melted band indicated that an hour had passed.
• The average colonial family used about 100 candles a year. Most families went to bed when the sun set to save candles.
• A dress in colonial times contained about eighteen yards of fabric, and was as valuable as a mini-van is today.
• Up until the age of six, young boys had long hair and wore dresses. After six, both girls and boys were considered small adults.
• Colonists only bathed a couple of times a year.
• Husbands were responsible for their wife’s behavior. If a woman committed a crime, her husband received the punishment!
• Before 1775, there was no postal service, so letters were simply passed hand to hand as people traveled about the colonies, until they reached a ship headed in the right direction.
• In winter, some schools required children to bring a stick of wood for the fire each day. Any student who forgot that essential contribution sat in the seat farthest from the warmth of the fire as punishment.
May 7, 2007 at 8:38 am · Filed under colonial america, home education, history
Craft a rag doll
Colonial recipes - from the Monroe Historical Society
Colonial America for Kids - my Amazon listmania book list
Make a reverse glass painting - from Old Sturbridge Village
The New England Primer - scans showing a common book that students learned to read from
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