Leaving Rome behind us, we are preparing to begin our new history unit, Vikings, this week. We will learn about the ancient Norse civilization through listening to the story of a young boy named Bjorn. We will learn about the Vikings' cultural practices and their history of shipbuilding, sailing, raiding, and trading. We will also study the geography of the places where Norse people lived and explored, and how living by bodies of water influenced the Viking lifestyle.
Unit Objectives:
3.C.2 Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities in the Political Process. I compare and contrast citizenship and slavery, including the applicable rights and responsibilities of each..
* I can identify the three orders/classes of Norse people; thralls, karls, and jarls
* I can describe everyday life of the Norse people.
* I can can recall that the Thing was an assembly where the Norse made decisions for their community
3.E.1 Nature and Function of Economic Systems. I analyze how the finite nature of resources affects (and affected) the choices of individuals and communities.
* I can describe the V. peoples’ proficiency and legacy as sailors, raiders, and traders.* I can explain that only the warriors who went on raids to other lands were called Vikings, and why they are also called Norsemen or Northmen.
3.G.1 Spatial Thinking. I use geographic terms and tools (maps, globes, legends, etc.) to describe space and place and to organize, represent, summarize, and interpret geographical data.
* I can identify and locate Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) as the area from which the Vikings originated.
* I can locate Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland, Canada, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the Norwegian Sea
3.H.1 Historical Perspectives. I identify and analyze the impacts of significant people, developments, events, and resources of the eras I am studying; I create and interpret a timeline.* I can explain the importance of Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson.
* I can explain that Norse people worshipped many gods and goddesses, and name the 8 most important deities within Norse mythology.
Below you will find an expected timeline of events for the unit, followed by some suggestions for activities that you may do at home to reinforce what your child is learning about the Vikings.
Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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2
(Human Body review)
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3
Who were the Vikings?
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4
Home of the Vikings
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5
Viking Life
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6
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9
(Human Body Assessment)
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10
Raiders and Traders
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11
Veteran’s Day-
No School
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12
Field Trip to Chief Lelooska, creating our Viking helmets
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13
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16
Family Life
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17
Sagas and Swords
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18
Saying Goodbye
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19
Sailing to a New Land
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20
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23
Assessment
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24
Viking Feast
(Family Showcase)
2:00-3:30 in the lunchroom
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25
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26
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27
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* Please note that each student needs to bring an old "baseball" style hat on or before November 10th. Larger (non-kid) hats are preferred. These will be altered so please do not send any hats you can't live without. Write your child's name or initials on the inside of the brim prior to sending to school.
**Throughout the unit we will be preparing to perform in plays based upon Norse Mythology at our showcase and feast on November 24th. I hope you will be able to join us!
Home-school Connections
Vikings: Geography and Culture-
On a world map or globe, have your child locate Scandinavia, which includes the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Talk with your child about how Scandinavia is surrounded by water. Discuss how living close to bodies of water influences what civilizations eat, how they travel, etc. Ask your child what the word Viking means. Discuss that the Vikings traveled by sea to raid and plunder other lands. They also traded with other people, gathering resources and goods not available in their homeland. Emphasize that the Vikings were the warriors of a larger Norse civilization. Have your child locate rivers near Scandinavia and discuss how the Vikings would also use these bodies of water to reach faraway lands. You may wish to have your child draw a map of Scandinavia, and label Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. As we progress through the unit we will also add Iceland, Greenland, Vinland (Newfoundland, CA) to our list of places that Norse settlers expanded to and explored.
Words to Use-
- ferocious- The ferocious Viking warriors sailed from land to land, looking for areas to raid.
- treacherous- The high waves of the ocean waters were treacherous for the Viking sailors.
- reliable- Bjorn's father was known in town as a reliable blacksmith.
- unison- The Vikings moved together in unison as they used the giant oars to propel the longship.
- sagas- The skalds were poets who were responsible for passing down the sagas of the Viking people so that their history and culture would be remembered.
- tunic- Bjorn and Toli each received a handmade tunic to wear on their voyage to Iceland.
- indistinguishable- Toli muttered indistinguishable words in his sleep.
- disembarked- Bjorn and Toli disembarked the ship in Iceland and looked around in amazement at their new home.
Sayings and Phrases-
Your child will be learning the sayings "last straw" and "rule the roost". Talk with your child about the meaning of each phrase. In relation to "last straw", share with your child a time when you experienced a series of difficult events, with the last event causing you to lose your temper or cry. In relation to "rule the roost," share with your child someone you know who acts as the boss in your family, your workplace, etc. What did that person do that allowed them to "rule the roost"? Find opportunities to use these sayings again and again.
Read Aloud Each Day-
Below are some suggested books about Vikings and the Norse people. Many of them are available through the public library.
Please write the word longship in your child's planner (OR send it to me in a Dojo message) and they will receive a Dojo point for home-school connections!
<3,
Mrs. Gausman
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