Weblinks for History Quest: Early Times Study Guide
History Quest: Early Times Study Guide
Main Spines
1. History Quest: Early Times
2. The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History with Internet Links
Hygge History Literature
There are four units in this study guide that employ the Danish concept of hygge—a joyful mix of coziness, togetherness, and a general feeling of well-being—where enjoyment of classic literature is your only assignment for the week.
1. Gilgamesh (Sumer)
Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean
or choose,
The Gilgamesh story told in a series of three books by Ludmila Zeman:
Gilgamesh the King
The Revenge of Ishtar
The Last Quest of Gilgamesh
2. Greek Mythology
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff
or choose,
D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
3. The Ramayana (ancient Indian epic and Hindu mythology)
Ramayana: Divine Loophole by Sanjay Patel
4. Chinese Mythology
Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories by Mingmei Yip
or choose any number of the following from the Stories of the Chinese Zodiac series by Li Jian,
The Water Dragon: A Chinese Legend
The Snake Goddess Colors the World
The Horse and the Mysterious Drawing
The Sheep Beauty
The Little Monkey King’s Journey
The Magical Rooster
The Bronze Dog
The Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes
10 Prehistoric Cave Paintings: https://www.touropia.com/prehistoric-cave-paintings/
Ted Ed History of Dogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_KWmzLObQ4 – This brief video explains this history of our best friends. The vocabulary is quite advanced, but the animation clarifies the meaning.
Watch a demonstration of how to make Neolithic pottery in this YouTube video.
Use this website to see how your name looks in cuneiform: https://www.penn.museum/cgi/cuneiform.php
A video from TeacherTube that explains how writing got started (contains an ad at the beginning): https://www.teachertube.com/video/cuneiform-250885
Learn how to make a mummy from National Geographic Kids. The illustrations are cartoonish, making them easy to use with those who might be squeamish about mummies: https://www.natgeokids.com/au/discover/history/egypt/how-to-make-a-mummy/
Information on many of the ancient Egyptian gods: https://www.historyforkids.net/egyptian-gods.html
Watch a TedEd video about a day in the life of an Egyptian doctor: https://youtu.be/2rvLEJrQm7g
A fun game Birmingham Museums. This site covers ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and later time periods: https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/schools/bmag-for-kids?fbclid=IwAR0z3LnKJwjbaIfUsojhcjku_3TjPr4CrVjAOEiq4PXHVu5V9DLjEwiCv6o
You met her in your History Hop! Here’s Hatshepsut’s very own Ted Ed video about the attempts to erase her reign:
A video about Peruvian weaving:
This site from DK has lots of kid-friendly information about Maya culture: https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/mayans/
The creation story of the Maya:
The Creation Story of the Maya
Check out the famous Maya ball game in action (with a softer ball than the traditional):
Here’s a mesmerizing virtual YouTube tour of the Hanging Gardens of Assyria:
TedEd videos on the rise and fall of Assyria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pa54hWROpQ
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-assyrian-empire-marian-h-feldman
This website summarizes some of the main facts about the Persians:
TedED Video about why purple is never used in any country’s flags – includes background on the Phoenicians and their famous purple dye: https://ed.ted.com/featured/Zeu6QxKu
TedEd video that explores the question: Did Troy Really Exist?
Information on what it was like to be a child in ancient Greece:
http://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-greek-children.html
This TedEd teaches us more about our friend Herodotus, and also includes some information on Sparta:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A542ixwyBhc
A TedEd about the origin of the Olympics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdHHus8IgYA
This TedEd video goes more in depth about Sparta:
A TedEd video about life in Athens:
A website with more information on Alexander the Great:
A highly interactive website about the Indus Valley from the BBC:
YouTube video shows how Rome changed the map year after year, very interesting:
History Quest does not have in depth coverage of Cleopatra. If you’re interested in learning more about her, check out this TedEd video:
History vs. Cleopatra – Alex Gendler
A TedEd video for those who can’t get enough on Roman soldiers:
A day in the life of a Roman soldier – Robert Garland
For those interested in architecture, here’s a video about how arches work:
This 8-minute video is a virtual time-lapse video of what it was like the day Mt. Vesuvius erupted in Pompeii:
A Day in Pompeii – Full-length animation
A TedEd video about the assassination of Julius Caesar:
The great conspiracy against Julius Caesar – Kathryn Tempest
A kid’s song that teaches Roman numerals:
This week’s craft project is to make and play a game of Mancala. Here’s a lot more information about the game:
This YouTube video demonstrates Chinese calligraphy:
Learn Chinese Calligraphy of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth
After you meet Empress Leizu in your History Hop, check out this YouTube video about silk-making:
A TedEd video about the history of tea. Only the first minute takes place during ancient times. The rest of the video covers developments regarding tea in later times:
A brief National Geographic video about the terracotta army:
The Terra-Cotta Warriors | National Geographic
Check out this TedEd video about the famous terracotta army:
The incredible history of China’s terracotta warriors – Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen
TedEd video will teach you more about the Silk Road:
The Silk Road: Connecting the ancient world through trade – Shannon Harris Castelo
This 30-minute video could serve as an extra lesson on ancient China for those who want to review or learn more:
A brief overview of the fascinating history of the Hagia Sophia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRPp3jzv1Tw
A video of walking through the Hagia Sophia in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJZuvgnrdp4&t=2s
TedEd video covers the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire. Only the first part of the video deals with events from ancient times:
TedEd video will show you more about Islamic design and makes a great connection for those studying geometry:
