Sunday, August 25, 2013

Anatomy and Physiology Reading for Week 1; Worksheets

Hello, again!

So sorry that the text of my posts is all wonky, with some being purple and some black, some large and some small.  I have no idea why this is occurring or I would attempt to correct it!  I just noticed it in looking back over the last couple of posts....


Here are a couple of books that my boys are using this year as a sort of base for their anatomy studies:

The Way We Work, David Macaulay


The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Amazing Human Body

This book is written rather more simply than I would prefer, but contains a wealth of topical information that can be delved into further.  In fact, all the topical areas listed in my first set of notes that I just posted came from chapter one of this book.



By Giunti editorial group, and I've already found quite a few typos in it just in the chapter on histology, so you might find a much better encyclopedia than this.  I was just looking for something that had good, large color illustrations....

They read chapter 1 of TWWW and the chapter on cells and tissues (histology) from the anatomy book in preparation for the first class.

Another books whose pictures I like is The Human Body Identification Manuel, The Global Book Group:

The Human Body Identification Manual: Your Body and How It Works


After the first class, I sent them some additional reading/viewing suggestions related to the topics we covered in class:

A Brain Pop on diffusion:

http://www.brainpop.com/science/matterandchemistry/diffusion/preview.weml
 
This is an experiment using an egg and different substances to observe diffusion.  
 
 
This video has info regarding diffusion at minute 6:50 through 9:30:
 
 
If you'd like to read more about the cell membrane, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion, go to this page and click on the teaching guide down near the bottom of the page (color pictures):
 
 
We have not yet talked about Endocytosis, which is included at the end of this last reading, but should be getting to it as we talk about organelles (also Exocytosis and Pinocytosis)....
 
Here are some great diagrams of the cell membrane, in color:

http://www.cvs.k12.mi.us/tdownham/pdf/Biology%20I%20&%20II/Cells/Chapter%207%20section%202%20notes.pdf
 
Handouts for first class:
 
Facilitated Diffusion
 
 
Osmosis
 
 
I can't find a copy of the worksheet I am using regarding real life applications of osmosis, but here is a website with lots of info (be sure to click on the pages showing how it works and real life applications, too)....
 
 
And, again, with the cellular transport worksheet I used, I can't find it online, but here is a slightly more complex one:
 
 
There's another available at Lesson Planet, but you have to join to obtain it:
 
 
Cell Membrane coloring:
 
This is not the exact one that I used, but there are many such worksheets (and full color illustrations if your student isn't into coloring) on the web:
 
 
Good color illustrations:
 
 
Regena

Anatomy and Physiology

I am doing an anatomy course with a couple of young men this year.  Here are my notes covering the first few weeks of class and I will try to post more info about reading material, worksheets, etc. later on:


Atoms

Protons, Electrons, Neutrons…

…but also Gluons, Muons, Higgs-Bosons, Fermions, Quarks, Neutrinos, Bosons, Hadrons, etc.

Elementary particles are particles with no measurable internal structure; that is, they are not composed of other particles. They are the fundamental objects of quantum field theory.   Many families and sub-families of elementary particles exist. Elementary particles are classified according to their spin.

Atoms are the smallest neutral particles into which matter can be divided by chemical reactions.  Each type of atom corresponds to a specific chemical element.

Chemical element - any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter.

Molecules are the smallest particles into which a non-elemental substance can be divided while maintaining the physical properties of the substance (water). Each type of molecule corresponds to a specific chemical compound. Molecules are a composite of two or more atoms.  An electrically neutral group of two or more atoms (covalent bonds).  Covalent bonding is a common type of bonding, in which the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms is small or nonexistent (water is polar covalent, so O end has partial neg. charge and H ends have partial pos. charge).
 
24 Atoms to make up human body.

95% = Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen

(Actually, if you add in calcium and phosphorus, you have 99% of the body.)

About .85% is composed of another five elements:  potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium.  The other .15%  are trace elements.

Properties of Water

Charge – results in properties of cohesion (sticks to itself) and adhesion (sticks to other things) due to hydrogen bonds (polar covalent).

Cohesion results in surface tension, and this, in turn, results in capillary action (seen in plants, for example).

How is this important in the human body? (Osmosis)

Hydrogen bonds also result in ice floating, since water forms crystalline structures at 32 degrees and this form is lighter than liquid water.  The properties of ice are still not completely understood.

High Specific Heat – Water is held together by hydrogen bonds.  Because the molecules are being held tightly in place by these bonds, the H2O molecules don't move much when heated. It takes more and more heat to move the molecules, causing water to have a high specific heat capacity.  This concept is important on a world-wide scale. The oceans and lakes help regulate the temperature ranges that billions of people experience in their towns and cities. Water surrounding or near cities take longer to heat up and longer to cool down than do land masses, so cities near the oceans will tend to have less change and less extreme temperatures than inland cities. This property of water is one reason why states on the coast and in the center of the United States can differ so much in temperature patterns.

Water's specific heat capacity is 4.184 joules per gram, meaning that it takes 4.184 joules to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. If this number sounds familiar, it's because a common unit called the calorie is based on the heat capacity of water; 1 calorie is equal to 4.184 joules.

How is this important in the human body? (Helps us maintain homeostasis.)

High Heat of Vaporization - Heat of vaporization is the amount of energy needed to vaporize a given amount of mass of a substance; water's heat of vaporization is 2,257 joules per gram, or 539.4 calories.When boiling water on the stovetop, the metal pan used to boil the water can become scalding hot while the water inside remains lukewarm. This is because the pan has a much lower specific heat than water, meaning it changes temperature much more quicklyWhen boiling water on the stovetop, the metal pan used to boil the water can become scalding hot while the water inside remains lukewarm. This is because the pan has a much lower specific heat than water, meaning it changes temperature much more quicklyWhen boiling water on the stovetop, the metal pan used to boil the water can become scalding hot while the water inside remains lukewarm. This is because the pan has a much lower specific heat than water, meaning it changes temperature much more quickly.When boiling water on the stovetop, the metal pan used to boil the water can become scalding hot while the water inside remains lukewarm. This is because the pan has a much lower specific heat than water, meaning it changes temperature much more quickly.

When boiling water on the stove, the pan may be scalding hot while the water is still lukewarm.  This is because it has a lower specific heat than water, so it changes temperature more quickly.
·The high heat of vaporization of water is important for the earth's climatens can absorb a great amount of heat generated from the sun. Also, when evaporation from the tropical waters occurs, it moves to the earth's poles, and heat is released as it condenses and rain is formed.
The high heat of vaporization of water is important to the earth’s climate.  Tropical oceans can absorb a great amount of heat generated from the sun.  Evaporation from those waters moves toward the earth’s poles, where it is released as it condenses.

Evaporative cooling is important on many levels (stabilizes temps of lakes and ponds; prevents plants from becoming too hot, etc.).  How is it important to humans?

Sweat evaporation from humans helps them dissipate heat and prevent overheating (but too much of a good thing could make us unstable)….

The above two properties can vary some with temperature (but very slightly) and pressure (so altitude can cause changes)….

Solubility – dissolves ionic molecules.  Universal Solvent. (Hydrophobic substances will not dissolve in water: oils, for instance.)

Water can pretty easily dissolve ions (electrically charged atomic molecules, such as NaCl) and polar molecules (Glucose, for example, the body’s main source of energy). 

How is this important to humans?  (Most trace elements, etc. are easily absorbed into the body and transferred around the body via H20 in blood and other bodily fluids).

The ability of water to dissolve ionic molecules is vitally important to life as salts are very important in the body. For instance, Sodium helps with absorption of Glucose; it allows some molecules to pass the cell membrane that could not otherwise pass (facilitated diffusion); and it helps with transport of molecules and communication between cells because it helps establish a negative charge on the cell membrane relative to the fluid outside the cell.  It’s essential to the sending of nerve signals, muscle contractions, fluid balance in the body, etc.

Passive Transport

Diffusion - Diffusion is the tendency of molecules to spread into an available space. This tendency is a result of the intrinsic thermal energy (heat) found in all molecules at temperatures above absolute zero. Without other outside forces at work, substances will move/diffuse from a more concentrated environment to a less concentrated environment. No work is performed for this to happen, as diffusion is a spontaneous process.

DO DIFFUSION EXPERIMENTS USING BALLOONS WITH FLAVORING INSIDE AND HOT/COLD WATER WITH FOOD COLORING.

Passive transport is the diffusion of substances across a membrane. This is a spontaneous process and cellular energy is not expended. Molecules will move from where the substance is more concentrated to where it is less concentrated. (The membrane must be permeable or at least semi-permeable, of course, as most are….)  Give facilitated diffusion diagram.

Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a partially permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, in the direction that tends to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides. It may also be used to describe a physical process in which any solvent moves, without input of energy, across a semipermeable membrane (permeable to the solvent, but not the solute) separating two solutions of different concentrations.

Osmosis is essential in biological systems. In general, cell membranes are impermeable to large and polar molecules, such as ions, proteins, etc. while being permeable to non-polar and/or hydrophobic molecules like lipids, as well as to small molecules like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitric oxide, etc. Permeability depends on solubility, charge, or chemistry, as well as solute size. Water molecules travel through the plasma membrane or tonoplast membrane (the membrane surrounding a vacuole) by diffusing across the phospholipid bilayer via aquaporins (small trans membrane proteins similar to those in facilitated diffusion channels). Osmosis provides the primary means by which water is transported into and out of cells.

Give diagram regarding Osmosis in hypertonic, isotonic, and hypotonic solutions.

DO OSMOSIS EXPERIMENT WITH POTATO PIECES.

GIVE OSMOSIS WORKSHEET and CELLULAR TRANSPORT AND THE CELL CYCLE.

Carbon based life forms

Living things are carbon based.  Carbon forms the key component for all known naturally occurring life on Earth. Complex molecules are made up of carbon bonded with other elements, especially oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, and carbon is able to bond with all of these because of its four valence electrons. Carbon is abundant on earth. It is also light weight and the atom is relatively small in size, making it easier for enzymes to manipulate carbon molecules.

Carbon based molecules in the human body:

Carbohydrates - (C, H, O); important source of food energy; starch, sugar, cellulose; monosaccharides, disaccharides, etc.

Proteins – large molecules that consist of one or more chains of amino acids (which we will discuss shortly; key elements are C, O, H, N) and serve many, many functions in the body, as we’ll be discussing all year.  

Nucleic Acids – DNA and RNA; initially named because found in nucleus, but also in prokaryotes; DNA is largest molecule; C, O, H, N.

Lipids – fats and oils (built from fatty acids – saturated or unsaturated; C and H; yield large quantities of ATP; heart and skeletal muscles prefer as energy source); don’t dissolve in H2O; no charge: non-polar.

Phospholipids – (C, O, H, P) are major players in the construction of cell membranes.  They are composed of a hydrophilic head (polar) and a hydrophobic tail (non-polar).  They thus form into a water free double layer surrounding cells and organelles.

GIVE DIAGRAM OF CELL MEMBRANE
 
DO PHOSPHOLIPID EXPERIMENT USING EGG YOLK
 
This is where we ended after week 1....  In addition to the couple of worksheets I gave them to take home, they are going to work on a project regarding organization of systems.  Here is that assignment:
 
We talked today about levels of organization in the Universe: within the atomic world, within galaxies, within biomes, within our bodies.  The assignment is to draw, label and color an example of each of the following items on a single sheet of paper.  I told them that they could elect to find pictures online to create a small poster, or instead use Lego's to create examples of the different items, use clay to create examples, or pipe cleaners, etc., etc.
 
Subatomic particles

Atom

Molecule

Compound

Macromolecule

Subcellular organelles

Cell

Unicellular Organisms

Tissues

Organs

Organ System

Multicellular Organism

(the above are the most important to what we are doing this year)

The original list also included:

Population

Community

Ecosystem

Biome

Biosphere

(They don't have to do these, but can if they want)


Some Cell Organelles and Structures

GIVE CELL DIAGRAM WORKSHEETS.

Cytoskeleton – microtubules (tent poles) composed of actin (a type of protein) filaments and interwoven intermediate filaments (like the warp and woof of fabric) provide structure to the cell.  All are made of proteins.

Cytoplasm – comprised of the cell’s organelles and the cytosol, a jelly like substance that fills the cell.  70-90% water.  In eukaryotes, the nuclear material is separated and is called the nucleoplasm. 

Nucleus – the “brain” of the cell.  Contains most of the cell’s genetic material: DNA, which combines with proteins to form chromosomes.  Contained on each chromosome are many genes, which are molecular units of heredity. All organisms have many genes corresponding to various biological traits, some of which are immediately visible, such as eye color or number of limbs, and some of which are not, such as blood type, increased risk for specific diseases, or the thousands of basic biochemical processes that comprise life.

DNA is carried in chromosomes – 46 in humans, which carry ~ 25,000 genes, or instruction sets for different proteins.  The building blocks of DNA are nucleotides, which are composed of a nitrogenous base, and a backbone composed of a  phosphate group and a sugar. 

Nitrogenous bases:  A, G, C, T (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine).  The different order in which these occur creates different proteins.

DNA forms a double stranded helix (generally).  The two strands are attached by weak hydrogen bonds.  A=T; C=G; T=A; G=C

Every nucleus contains over 6 feet of DNA.

GIVE DNA AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS DIAGRAMS/WORKSHEETS.

Making copies of the DNA instructions available to other parts of the cell for the purpose of creating proteins, etc. is the job of RNA.  (RNA World Theory – RNA was first lifeform and still creates mutations via free-floating fragments, etc.)

Where do free floating RNA sequences come from?  RNA can self-replicate and there is at least one theory that it may have been the first life form on earth….

DNA uncoils and unzips a section of itself, free floating RNA attaches, enzymes edit and mRNA gets translated into proteins.  First part of the process is transcription and second part is translation.

During transcription, a DNA sequence is read by an RNA polymerase, which produces a complementary, antiparallel RNA strand. As opposed to DNA replication, transcription results in an RNA complement that includes uracil (U) in all instances where thymine (T) would have occurred in a DNA complement.

In translation, mRNA produced by transcription is decoded by a ribosome to produce a specific amino acid chain, or polypeptide (a polymer, or chain, or amino acids), that will later fold into an active protein.  Transfer RNA delivers a matching set of bases to the mRNA while it is in the Ribosome. Translation takes place in the cytoplasm.  Three sequences of bases are read at a time.

Ribosomes – a large and very complex molecular machine found within all living cells that synthesizes (creates – translates) proteins.  (May be made of tangled RNA.)

Most proteins are assembled in ribosomes attached to the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum.  Membrane sacs are filled with proteins, then budded off and transported to the Golgi Apparatus.  Here the proteins are trimmed, tagged, and sorted.  Some are exported through the tubes of the Cytoskeleton and expelled through the cell membrane (digestive enzymes, for instance).

Proteins – provide a huge array of services in the human body.  They provide structural support, accelerate chemical reactions (enzymes), immobilize germs (antibodies), carry messages (hormones), regulate the body’s circadian rhythms (internal clock) – they are the most versatile of molecules.  Not organelles as not confined to the cell.  Work throughout the body.  Created in the cells.  They are constructed of 20 building blocks called amino acids (which we will look more closely at later).  Each amino acid has a common core, or backbone, with a different projecting side chain of molecules. 

Two types of proteins in the cell include:  Channel Proteins and Carrier Proteins.  A channel protein forms a pore that spans the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane and allows certain solutes to traverse the membrane.  Carrier proteins, like transporins, also transfer molecules across the membrane (see diagram of facilitated diffusion).

Cells assemble proteins according to instructions carried in DNA, our own personal library and instruction guide for life. 

So, to recap:

Endoplasmic Reticulum serves as the site for modification of proteins, manufacture of macromolecules and lipids, and the transfer of substances throughout the cell. The ER is also the site of protein translation and protein folding. It is involved in other processes as well, such as the transport of those proteins that are to become part of the cell membrane (e.g., trans membrane receptors and other integral membrane proteins) and the transport of proteins that are to be secreted from the cell.

Specifically, the rough ER (RER) manufactures and transports proteins destined for membranes and/or secretion. On the ribosomes attached to the cytoplasmic surface of the RER, proteins are assembled and released into the lumen. They then undergo modifications.

In leukocytes, a type of white blood cell, RER makes antibodies while in the pancreas, RER produces insulin.

The Smooth ER (SER) has functions in several metabolic processes, including synthesis of lipids, fatty acids, and steroids, metabolism of carbohydrates, and detoxification of drugs and poisons (in the liver and kidney). In the brain, SER produces male and female hormones.

Golgi Apparatus (body, complex) – packaging and transport of proteins (particularly those that will be excreted).  While it primarily modifies proteins delivered from the RER, it is also involved in the transport of lipids around the cell, and the creation of lysosomes.   In this respect it can be thought of as a sort of “post office.”

Lysosomes – contain enzymes that break down waste material and cellular debris, releasing atoms for re-use.  Digest excess or worn out organelles and food particles; engulf viruses and bacteria.  The “stomach” of the cell.  They will even digest themselves at times (autolysis – suicide bags).

Perixisomes – begin the process of breaking down long chains of fatty acids to help the mitochondria.  A by-product of their breakdown is hydrogen peroxide.  There are lots of these in the liver, where they break down alcohol, drugs, etc. as well as food.  One of the main enzymes in the Perixisome is Catalase, which breaks down literally millions of molecules per second into hydrogen peroxide.

DO LIVER ENZYME EXPERIMENT.

GIVE DNA/RNA/AA SEQUENCING WORKSHEET.

GIVE CELLULAR TRANSPORT AND THE CELL CYCLE WORKSHEET.

Metabolism

Millions of controlled chemical reactions are taking place in the cell every second.  This requires energy.  Favored source:  Glucose (carbohydrate).  Fatty acids are also important.

Energy dispensing molecules called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) are readily available throughout the cells.  (Plants use ADP to make ATP during photosynthesis.)

10% of the energy locked in glucose is released in the cytoplasm.  Mitochondria in the cell deal with the other 90%.
 
Mitochondria – produces the energy to run the cell.  They oxidize (any chemical reaction that involves the moving of electrons) glucose through a process called cellular respiration, which makes ATP to be used as a source of energy. 

Glucose + Oxygen = Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy (ATP)

(Four stages, which we are not going to cover: glycolysis, link reaction, Krebs cycle, electron transport chain)

Endosymbiotic Theory was advanced by Lynn Margulis in about 1964.  Attempts to explain the evolution of eukaryotic cells.  According to the theory, ancient prokaryotes developed a symbiotic relationship with small prokaryotes that lived inside them.  Some of these smaller prokaryotes could use oxygen to generate ATP.  These aerobic prokaryotes evolved into mitochondria.  Others could perform photosynthesis.  These evolved into chloroplasts. 

Prokaryotes – “before kernel” – no membrane bound nucleus.

Eukaryotes – “good kernel” – have a true nucleus.

Vacuoles – an enclosed compartment of water, containing enzymes in solution.  Larger forms of membrane vesicles.  They engulf foreign materials, contain wastes, export materials, etc.  They assist in the processes of endocytosis (absorption of molecules by engulfing them) and exocytosis (throwing stuff out of the cell). 

There are other organelles in addition to these….

Cell Cycle

GIVE CELL CYCLE DIAGRAM AND INFO SHEET.

Interphase - new proteins are built; organelles are duplicated; DNA is replicated; ATP is stockpiled.

Mitosis – reproductive phase of the cell.

Stages:

Prophase – chromosomes appear; spindles appear.

Pro/Metaphase – nuclear envelope disintegrates; poles develop; microtubules overlap.

Metaphase – chromosomes are lined up at the equator of the cell.

Anaphase – chromosomes split into chromatids; pulled to opposite poles; elongation of the cell begins.

Telophase – chromosomes detach from spindle; nuclear envelope reforms; spindle disappears; chromosomes uncoil.

Telophase and Cytokinesis overlap.

Cytokinesis – cell is pinched in half to form two daughter cells, each with the same genetic material as the parent cell.

Cell Differentiation

Different cells look and act differently because different genes are switched on and off in them.  There are about 200 different types of human body cells. (stem cells)

Some types of cells: 

Epithelial – many types; generally a membranous tissue that occurs in a single layer (but not always).  Forms the covering of most internal surfaces and organs and well as the external covering of an animal’s body. 

So what type of cells form a human’s outer covering?

Osteocytes – star shaped cell present in mature bone; can last a lifetime; do not divide. Created from osteoblasts.

Osteoclasts – resorb bone; work with osteoblasts to control amount of bone. Created by Osteogenic cells in the periosteum, which is the tissue surrounding the bone.

Osteoblasts – responsible for bone formation; do not divide.  Created by Osteogenic cells.

Macrophage – a type of white blood cell involved in primary immune response. 

What does that mean?

Pericyte - It is a type of hybrid cell, part nerve and part vascular.  It is a nerve cell that is primarily found encasing and protecting the vascular blood vessels of the brain. One of its most important functions is as an agent of the so-called “blood-brain barrier.”

Lymphocyte – a type of white blood cell.  Three main types: T-cells, B-cells and natural killer cells (think Navy SEALS).

Neutrophil – the most abundant type of white blood cells  in mammals.

Rod – photoreceptor cells in the retina that allow us to see in low light environments (black and white vision).

Cone – photoreceptor cells in the retina that allow us to see color.

Tissues – 4 main types in the body

Epithelial – line cavities and form exterior surfaces.  (Adhesions)

Muscle – striated (skeletal or cardiac) or smooth (organs).

Nervous – found in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.  Composed of neurons and glia.

Connective – most widespread type of tissue in the body and includes bone, cartilage, and fat.

Tissues are joined together by material they secrete and also rely on special junctions to hold them together.  Anchor proteins are locked together by linking proteins.  Tissues have an underpinning membrane of interwoven fibers (warp and woof again).  Proteins may form a quilt like pattern that binds individual cells together.

World Geography (again)!

I have found myself unexpectedly teaching World Geography to a small group of young children again this year.  I am going to use the geography boxes I made up last year, with some revisions (please see my post about this from last year:  http://greenapplesblush.blogspot.com/2012/09/intrepid-explorers-begins.html .)

For the first week, we looked at map work in general and I helped the children put together a little Kentucky Journal, containing some basic maps of Kentucky regions, states surrounding ours, etc. as well as lots of info on various state symbols.  They took these home with them and I encouraged them to keep them and make entries whenever they visit various places around the state.

If you don't want to make up your own notebook, you might use one such as the one I'm going to link for younger children:

https://secure.userfriendlyis.com/statehistory.net/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/25/products_id/58/

Here are some pics of the one I made up:









I found the state themed stickers at my local parent/teacher store.  These are notecard sized notebooks so they fit small hands well.  Any printed text that couldn't be cut to fit the page I simply folded....

Here are some of the general and state related books I suggested prior to the first class:

Adams, Simon. The most fantastic atlas of the whole wide world by the Brainwaves. London ;: DK Pub., 2008.  
 
Geography. New York, NY : Kids Discover, 2011.
 
Gifford, Clive. The Kingfisher geography encyclopedia. New York : Kingfisher :, 2011.
Got geography! : poems. New York : Greenwillow Books, c2006.
 
Knowlton, Jack. Geography from A to Z : a picture glossary. New York, NY : Crowell, c1988.
 
Leedy, Loreen. Blast-off to Earth! : a look at geography. New York : Holiday House, c1992.
 
Robson, Pam. Rivers and seas. Brookfield, Conn. : Copper Beech Books, c2001.

Rockwell, Anne F. Our earth. San Diego : Harcourt Brace, 1998. 

 

Royston, Angela. Maps and symbols. Austin, Tex. : Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1999.

 

Shulevitz, Uri. How I learned geography. New York : Farrar Straus Giroux, c2008. (Haven't gotten to look at this one yet, but it's an award winner.  I think it's about a refugee boy who taught himself geography.  Not sure it it's happy or sad, so you might want to pre-read....) 
 
Smith, Rich. Kentucky. Edina, Minn. : ABDO Pub. Co., c2010.
 
Sweeney, Joan. Me on the map. New York : Crown, c1996.  (If everyone has read this one to death, then please skip it!  I know it has been well used by lots of schools, libraries, etc.)

 
Valzania, Kim. Kentucky. New York : Children's Press, 2003.
 
Wade, Mary Dodson. Types of maps. New York : Children's Press, c2003.
 
I also suggested these landform cards for them, which I utilized with some of the kids in my younger geology class last year:
 
www.superteacherworksheets.com  (These are listed under social studies: landforms - but are actually water form cards - I let the kids color them and wrote a simple definition on the back, then had them laminated at my local parent/teacher store.)
 
http://www.dynamic2moms.com/geography-countries (Montessori Landform cards that already include definitions on the back - these are in color, too - also had them laminated.)
 
For next week, we will be looking more in general at the various countries of North America and here is the booklist I suggested for that:
 

Aardema, Verna. Borreguita and the coyote : a tale from Ayutla, Mexico. New York : Knopf, 1991.

 

Bruchac, Joseph. Many nations : an alphabet of Native America. Mahwah, N.J. : Bridgewater Books, 1997.

 
Carling, Amelia Lau. Sawdust carpets. Toronto : Douglas & McIntyre ;, c2005.
 
Carter, Dorothy Sharp. The enchanted orchard : and other folktales of Central America. New York :  
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.
 
Castañeda, Omar S. Abuela's weave. New York : Lee & Low Books, c1993.
 
Colato Laínez, René. My shoes and I. Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mills Press, 2010.
 
Connolly, James E. Why the possum's tail is bare : and other North American Indian nature trails.
Owings Mills, Md. : Stemmer House Publishers, c1985. 
 
DeAngelis, Gina. Mexico. Mankato, Minn. : Blue Earth Books, c2003.
 
Fisher, Leonard Everett. Gods and goddesses of the ancient Maya. New York : Holiday House, 1999.

 
Flowers, Pam. Big-enough Anna : the little sled dog who braved the Arctic. Anchorage, AK : Alaska Northwest Books, 2003.
 
Franklin, Sharon. Mexico & Central America. Austin, Tex. : Raintree Steck-Vaughn, c2000.
 
George, Jean Craighead. Luck. New York : Laura Geringer Books, c2006.
 
Gibson, Karen Bush. Plank houses. Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, c2005.
 
Goble, Paul. Remaking the earth : a creation story from the Great Plains of North America. New York : Orchard Books, c1996.
 
Grossman, Patricia. Saturday market. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, c1994.
 
Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Arctic hunter. New York : Holiday House, 1992.
 
Jacobsen, Peter Otto. A family in Central America. New York : The Bookwright Press, 1986.
 
Johnson, Rebecca L. A walk in the desert. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c2001.
 
Johnson, Rebecca L. A walk in the rain forest. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c2001.
 
Johnston, Tony. Isabel's house of butterflies. San Francisco : Sierra Club Books for Children, 2003.
 
Kalman, Bobbie. Mexico : the culture. New York : Crabtree Pub. Co., c2009.
 
Krupp, Robin Rector. Let's go traveling in Mexico. New York : Morrow Junior Books, 1996.
 
Lassieur, Allison. The Inuit. Mankato, Minn. : Bridgestone Books, c2000.
 
Lewis, Thomas P. Hill of fire. New York : Harper & Row, 1971.
 
McDermott, Gerald. Raven : a trickster tale from the Pacific Northwest. San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1993.
 
Preszler, June. Wickiups. Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, c2005.
 
Preszler, June. Pueblos. Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, c2005.

 

Prior, R. W. N. The great monarch butterfly chase. New York : Bradbury Press ;, c1993. 

 

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Iroquois. New York : Holiday House, c1995.
 
Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Cheyennes. New York : Holiday House, c1996.
 
Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Cherokees. New York : Holiday House, 1996.
 
Ulmer, Michael. The gift of the Inuksuk. Chelsea, MI : Sleeping Bear Press, 2004.
 
Wood, Douglas. The Windigo's return : a North Woods story. New York, N.Y. : Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 1996.
 
Wright-Frierson, Virginia. A North American rain forest scrapbook. New York : Walker and Co., 1999.
 
Regena

 

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Finishing up Ancient History

Here's the info on books I used with my student to finish up our history study last year.  We actually finished SOTW I and did the first 10 chapters of SOTW II.

We finished up the last five chapters of SOTW I, chapters 38 - 42, the end of the Jewish nation, through the end of Rome.
 
For some reason, our library has gotten rid of every single book about Masada.  I have this one at home and suggested it:

http://www.amazon.com/Story-Masada-Yigael-Yadin/dp/0394816862/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363805140&sr=1-8&keywords=masada

It is about the archaeological excavation of Masada, interwoven with the telling of the story of the last siege there and how the archaeology determined finally how that played out....

Also, Neil Waldman's book is a simpler version, but again, our library has done away with it:

http://www.amazon.com/Masada-Neil-Waldman/dp/1590780639/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363805140&sr=1-9&keywords=masada

There are some arguments now that at least parts of the Masada story were fictionalized:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/masada.html

http://hnn.us/articles/25292.html

I felt this time period was the perfect time for Rosemary Sutcliff's books, if not read earlier:  The Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch, and the Lantern Bearers.  It is a trilogy that begins during the time of the Roman occupation of Britain and sort of follows the end of Rome from the viewpoint of those out on the British frontier at the time.  The last occurs right after the sudden Roman withdrawal from Britain, when the barbarian invaders begin to attack the weakened island....

I don't know if there are any audio versions of this available any where or not.  It would be great if there were.

The Shining Company, another book by her, is another perfect one for this time period.  It is about a band of 300 younger sons (so mirrors the 300 at Thermopylae) who take up shields to fight against the invading Saxons.

Another of hers set in Roman Britain is Outcast, a Roman orphan gets shipwrecked on the shore of a part of Britain still under Celtic control and is raised by them.  He ends up getting cast out by them and when he returns to a Roman town, he is sold into slavery on a galley....

The Last Legion was a good movie set during this time period that follows what many archaeologists are beginning to feel was the "real," historical Arthur (or his father).  Many now think that the legends about Arthur cover two or even three individuals who were related and ruled one after the other.  I'm not sure what it's rated or why, but I think any rating is related to the fighting in it.  Perhaps you could find a review online.  My boys both loved it.
 
And here's a scholar who says the Roman connection is rubbish, but Arthur did rule from Loch Lomond (Scotland) down into Wales.  Since lots of legend makes his birth Welsh, that might make more sense:
 
 
Possible archaeological evidence:
 
 
More library books:
 
Beowulf the warrior.New York :H.Z. Walck,1961.

Hodges, Margaret.Of swords and sorcerers : the adventures of King Arthur and his knights.New
York, N.Y. :Scribner ;,c1993.

Kerven, Rosalind.King Arthur.New York :DK Pub.,1998.

Kimmel, Eric A.The hero Beowulf.New York :Farrar, Straus and Giroux,2005.

Morpurgo, Michael.Beowulf.Cambridge, Mass. :Candlewick Press,c2006.

Morpurgo, Michael.Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.Cambridge, Mass. :Candlewick Press,2004.

Pittenger, W. Norman.Early Britain : the Celtics, Romans, and Anglo-Saxons.New York :Watts,1972.

Rumford, James.Beowulf : a hero's tale retold.Boston :Houghton Mifflin Co.,c2007.

San Souci, Robert D.Young Arthur.New York, N.Y. :Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub.,1997.

Talbott, Hudson.King Arthur and the Round Table.New York :Morrow Junior Books,c1995.

Talbott, Hudson.Excalibur.New York :Books of Wonder/Morrow Junior Books,1996.

The making of a legend : England's King Arthur.Peterborough, N.H. :Cobblestone Publishing Co.,2012.

Williams, Marcia.King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table.Cambridge, Mass. :Candlewick Press,1996

Nat Geo educational video on King Arthur:
 
 
I guess you have to register to get the entire movie, vs. just the trailer....


For end of SOTW I and beginning SOTW II, here are also a couple of books on Barbarians to look at:

Helget, Nicole Lea.Barbarians.Mankato, Minn. :Creative Education,2013.

Price, Sean.Attila the Hun : leader of the barbarian hordes.New York :Franklin Watts,c2009.
 
Once again, our library has gotten rid of most of their books on Attila that they used to have.  I just don't know why they are clearing their shelves of all history and not updating it with something similar....
 
They do still have The White Stag, Kate Seredy.  We loved it.  It follows the Huns and Magyars....  (Read the author's note about how the story came to her....)

The library (of course) didn't seem to have anything related to the Vandals or Visigoths, but here's a short paragraph on the Visigoths:

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/visigoths-word

This page also contains some short video clips about the Romans which sound interesting....

Here's another short piece on Alaric (not sure why the videos on the page are about Rome, rather than about the Barbarians, but they are interesting, nevertheless....):
 
http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/who-was-alaric

Did the Vandals live up to their name?

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/vandals-word

Why did Attila become so infamous?

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/why-attila-the-hun-infamous

This last page finally has a video about the wall the Romans built to keep out the Barbarians, so that should be interesting, too!  Still didn't see any videos about the Barbarians, themselves....

Here's a map showing some of the areas inhabited by the various "barbaric" tribes (although some of them moved around):

http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/art/figures/KISH_08_171.gif

Here's another page I found that provides info on the Visigoths and Huns.  It's more narrative in writing style:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=marshall&book=sketches&story=barbarians
 

Weird that my library no longer has any history books available but I suspect that others will discover that to be a problem, too....
 
And when we got ready to study the Byzantine Empire:  Unbelievable, nothing....  Here is one juvenile book I found:

Corrick, James A. The Byzantine Empire. San Diego, CA : Lucent Books, 1997.

And since we talked about illuminated manuscripts a little, here are some more on that topic:

Lattimore, Deborah Nourse. The sailor who captured the sea : a story of the Book of Kells. New York : HarperCollins, c1991. 
 
Millen, C. M. The ink garden of brother Theophane. Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge, c2010.  

 
Nikola-Lisa, W. Magic in the margins : a medieval tale of bookmaking. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
 
Wilson, Elizabeth. Bibles and bestiaries : a guide to illuminated manuscripts. New York : Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1994

Here are some online things with more info on the Byzantine Empire:

http://www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_byzantine_empire.php

A little animation that's pretty good:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxhuoe_kid-s-animated-history-with-pipo-the-byzantine-empire-part-1_lifestyle#.UYAYuN_D_V0

(Part one is divided by a commercial in the middle....  I think the entire thing is about 10 minutes long.  No need to go on to part two after the first part is over as that covers a much later time period than we are studying right now....)


Emperor Justinian:
 
3-D tour of Hagia Sophia (you will need to understand that it has been a mosque for a long time and so many of the adornments you will see now are Muslim, rather than Christian):

http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/hagia-sophia.html

Or here's another short tour that shows some of the Christian mosaics (note how fine the pieces are; these include some of the best mosaic work from the ancient world):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyH2MG_rh-0

Empress Theodora (I don't think this one is too racy, but you might want to just peruse it first):

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/590611/Theodora

Here are the books I recommended for India and the rise of Islam chapters.  I hope the ones for India are not too duplicative of ones I suggested earlier in the year.  There are few books left at our library for this culture/time period:

Addasi, Maha. The white nights of Ramadan. Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mills Press, 2008.

Bash, Barbara. In the heart of the village : the world of the Indian Banyan tree. San Francisco : Sierra Club Books, 1996. (INDIA - already requested?) 
 
Beshore, George. Science in early Islamic culture. New York : F. Watts, c1998.

 
Brown, Marcia. Once a mouse-- : a fable cut in wood. New York : Scribner, 1961. (INDIA) 
 
Demi. Muhammad. New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2003.
 
Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid. Ramadan. New York : Holiday House, 1996.
 
Hickox, Rebecca. The golden sandal : a Middle Eastern Cinderella story. New York : Holiday House, 1998.
India's Gupta dynasty, A.D. 320-510. Peterborough, NH : Cobblestone Pub., 2002. (INDIA - already requested earlier in year?) 
 
Kerven, Rosalind. Id-ul-Fitr. Austin, Tex. : Raintree Steck-Vaughn, c1997.
 
Khan, Aisha Karen. What you will see inside a mosque. Woodstock, Vt. : Skylight Paths Pub., c2003.
 
Khan, Rukhsana. Muslim child : understanding Islam through stories and poems. Morton Grove, Ill. : Albert Whitman & Co., 2002.
 
Kimmel, Eric A. The three princes : a tale from the Middle East. New York : Holiday House, 1994.
 
Lewin, Ted. Sacred river. New York : Clarion Books, 1995. (INDIA - already requested?) 
 
London, Jonathan. Ali, child of the desert. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1997.
 
Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey. Iblis. San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1994.
 
Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey. The hundredth name. Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mills Press, c1995.
 
Shahrukh Husain. The wise fool : fables from the Islamic world. Cambridge, MA : Barefoot Books, 2011.
 
Tames, Richard. Muslim. Danbury, Conn. : Childrens Press, 1996.
 
Wolf, Gita. The very hungry lion : a folktale. Toronto ;: Annick Press ;, c1996. (INDIA)
 
Yolen, Jane. Sacred places. San Diego : Harcourt Brace & Co., c1996. (BOTH) 
 
Zeman, Ludmila. Sindbad in the land of giants. Toronto, Ont. ;: Tundra Books, c2001.
 
Zeman, Ludmila. Sindbad : from the tales of The thousand and one nights. Toronto, Ont. ;: Tundra Books, c1999.
 
Zeman, Ludmila. Sindbad's secret. Toronto, Ont. ;: Tundra Books, c2003.
 
No books on the Ajanta Caves, but here's a UNESCO website showing pictures of the caves.  A lot of the shrines we are beginning to cover in various chapters of this book are still visited today and many are considered world heritage sites due to the artwork and architecture they contain:
 
 
Books for the chapter on China, Korea and Japan:
 
Beshore, George. Science in ancient China. New York : F. Watts, c1988.
Carpenter, Frances. Tales of a Korean grandmother. Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, 1947. 
 
Chen, Kerstin. Lord of the cranes : a Chinese tale. New York : North-South Books, c2000.
Children of Ancient Japan. Peterborough, NH : Cobblestone Pub., 2006.
 
Climo, Shirley. The Korean Cinderella. New York, NY : HarperCollinsPublishers, c1993. (Let's do some more folklore comparisons) 
 
Farley, Carol J. Mr. Pak buys a story. Morton Grove, Ill. : Albert Whitman & Company, 1997.
 
Flack, Marjorie. The story about Ping [book and CD]. New York, N.Y. : Puffin Books, 1977.  (very easy, but set on the Yangtze River)
 
Goldstein, Peggy. Lóng is a dragon : Chinese writing for children. San Francisco : China Books & Periodicals, c1991.
 
Gollub, Matthew. Cool melons--turn to frogs! : the life and poems of Issa. New York : Lee & Low Books, c1998. (Issa actually lived in the seventeenth century, too, but we won't come back to Japan often so we'll do some poetry now) 
 
Hodges, Margaret. The boy who drew cats. New York : Holiday House, 2002. (We love this one!) 
 
Hong, Lily Toy. Two of everything. Morton Grove, Ill. : A. Whitman, 1993.
 
Littlefield, Holly. Colors of Japan. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c1997.
 
Louie, Ai-Ling. Yeh-Shen : a Cinderella story from China. New York : Philomel Books, c1982.
 
Macdonald, Fiona. You wouldn't want to be a Samurai! : a deadly career you'd rather not pursue. New York : Franklin Watts, 2010, c2009. (some Samurai stuff may be from later, say seventeenth century, but it's impossible to find books that just treat the early info)
 
Major, John S. The silk route : 7,000 miles of history. [New York] : HarperCollins, 1995. (This will talk about Byzantium, too - I don't *think* I have already mentioned this one, but ignore it if I have....)
 
Maples in the mist : children's poems from the Tang Dynasty. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, c1996. (These poems are actually from the time period we are studying)
 
Melmed, Laura Krauss. Little Oh. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books/Morrow, c1997. 
 
Montroll, John. Easy origami. New York : Dover Publications, 1992.  
 
Nakano, Dokuōtei. Easy origami. New York, N.Y. : Puffin Books, 1994. 
 
Park, Louise. The Japanese samurai. New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, c2010. 
 
Pilegard, Virginia Walton. The warlord's puzzle. Gretna : Pelican Pub., c2000. 
 
Potter, Alicia. Mrs. Harkness and the panda. New York : Alfred A. Knopf, c2012. (another story set on the Yangtze)
 
Richardson, Hazel. Life in ancient Japan. New York : Crabtree Pub., c2005. 
 
San Souci, Daniel. In the moonlight mist : a Korean tale. Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mills Press, 1999. 
 
Sinclair, Kevin. The Yellow River : a 5000 year journey through China. Los Angeles : Knapp Press, 1987. (This is an oversize, adult book, but I thought the pictures might be interesting to him.) 
 
The Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). Peterborough, NH : Cobblestone Pub., 2003. 
 
Young, Ed. Cat and Rat : the legend of the Chinese zodiac. New York : H. Holt, 1995
 
Next, the books for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific:

An adventure in New Zealand. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c1992.   
Arnold, Caroline. Easter Island : giant stone statues tell of a rich and tragic past. New York : Clarion Books, c2000.
 
Arnold, Marsha Diane. The pumpkin runner. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, c1998.
Australia's first people : the world's oldest culture?. Peterborough, NH : Cobblestone Pub., 2013.
 
Bartlett, Anne. The aboriginal peoples of Australia. Minneapolis : Lerner, 2002.
 
Bingham, Jane. Aboriginal art & culture. Chicago, Ill. : Raintree, c2005.

Collard, Sneed B. 1,000 years ago on planet Earth. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1999. (This one will make a good wrap-up) 
 
Czernecki, Stefan. The singing snake. New York : Hyperion Books for Children, c1993.
 
Grupper, Jonathan. Destination Australia. Washington, D.C. : National Geographic Society, c2000.
 
Horton, Casey. Parrots. New York : Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish, c1996.
Land of the long white cloud : Maori myths, tales and legends. New York : Arcade Pub. :, c1989.
 
Maddern, Eric. Rainbow bird : an aboriginal folktale from Northern Australia. Boston : Little, Brown and Co., 1993.
 
Marshall, James Vance. Stories from the Billabong. London : Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2008.

Montgomery, Sy. Kakapo rescue : saving the world's strangest parrot. Boston, [Mass.] : Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010.
 
Noonuccal, Oodgeroo. Dreamtime : aborginal stories. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1994. 
 
Strudwick, Leslie. Maori. New York, NY : Weigl Publishers, c2005.
 
Taylor, L. R. The Pacific Ocean. Woodbridge, Conn. : Blackbirch Press, c1999.
 
Walker, Sally M. Seahorse reef : a story of the south Pacific. Norwalk, CT : Soundprints, 2000.
 
Wolkstein, Diane. Sun Mother wakes the world : an Australian creation story. New York : HarperCollins, 2004
 
We began the year anew last week by reviewing the chapters on Japan and Australia (9 and 10).  We are moving into studying the Franks and Merovingians next week, up through Charlemagne (chapters 11 and 13). 
 
Regena

 
 
 
 
 

 




 
 
 
 

 




 
 
 
 

 
 
















 
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