Story of the World and Vikings

Last week's history lesson found us studying the Norsemen or Vikings as they are more commonly known. As recent archeological evidence suggests, the Vikings were rather adventurous in looking for new lands and found their way over to what is present-day Newfoundland. In addition to this, we looked at what led up to the Vikings exploring so far away, reading about their settlements in Iceland, then Greenland and finally into Newfoundland (which, by the way, they did not stay there long as the natives there were not keen to share the land with these invaders). We wrapped up the study with the making of a Viking longboat and finally a Viking funeral, held in our decidedly moist sandbox.

David with his Viking longboat. It was very...red.

The kids working on their worksheets-coloring pages and maps

Grace was very exacting in her coloring.

Grace, holding our funeral boat. I made this one and the kids were so sad to see such creativity destroyed. haahaa...

Inside, we have our Viking. You see, Vikings were burned with their finest, most treasured possessions. Ruth made him a brick of gold. And, I have it on good authority that Vikings really do wear hats with horns on them and their eyes do, indeed, turn to X's when they are dead.

Waiting to burn.

We've got a small flame, but the wind was fierce and the boat would not catch fire. It was exasperating, to say the least. I need to burn something here!

So, I soaked it with lighter fluid...

And we have ignition!

Oh yeah! BURN!!!

So, all this talk of Viking funerals, being buried with treasured possessions and David asks me what happened to their possessions. I can see the wheels turning as he asks. I tell him that whatever didn't burn would have sunk. "So, Mama...can we take a vacation and go diving for sunken Viking treasure?" he asks me. I'm giving it some serious thought.