Adventures from the Book of Virtues - Diligence

Michelangelo learned the value of diligence.

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Resource: cartoon
Running Time: 23:44

Time: 1500s
Place: Italy

Summary:
Adventures from the book of virtues is a cartoon about Zack and Annie, two children who run afoul of many morality issues in their lives.  In this episode Zack wants to become a photographer, but must be diligent to learn how.  The children's animal friends share with them two stories that illustrate the virtue of diligence.  The first story is a morality tale about a pig who goes on a journey.  The second tale is about Michelangelo.  In two parts the story is told first of Michelangelo's  good relationship with Lorenzo de Medici and his poor relationship with Lorenzo's heir. Then the story shifts to the Sistine Chapel.  How Michelangelo, who was a sculptor, took on the enormous painting job.  He diligently worked for four years.   The actual history story is only about 10 minutes.  The entire series is available from the producers on YouTube.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none


Format Link:
YouTube

Related Teaching Resources:

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Extra History 02 - The Second Punic War Begins

This is the one with the elephants.



Resource: YouTube Video
Running Time: 11:05

Time: 219 BC
Place: Italy, France, Spain, Northern Africa

Summary:
This is one of the coolest things I've run across so far. Here is the story: There is a YouTube channel called Extra Credits devoted to games and gaming. They have nothing to do with history. This gaming company, Creative Assembly, calls them up and tells them that they will use some of their budget from their latest game (Total War: Rome II) to underwrite a short series of videos about Roman history. This is the second of four parts, the beginning of the second Punic War.  This is the episode with the elephants crossing the alps.  They do a good job of narrating a blow by blow beginning of the war with two battles waged and a brief explanation of Roman politics and how they come into play.  It is an almost animated, drawn cartoon figure with other still pics and a narrator.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
There is a painting of half naked women for about 3 seconds.


Related Teaching Resources:

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Extra History O1 - The Punic Wars

A fun rundown of the causes and effects of the first Punic War.



Resource: YouTube Video
Running Time: 9:12
Rating: N/A

Time: 264BC
Place: Italy, Spain, North Africa/Tunisia

Summary:
This is one of the coolest things I've run across so far.  Here is the story: There is a YouTube channel called Extra Credits devoted to games and gaming.  They have nothing to do with history.  This gaming company, Creative Assembly, calls them up and tells them that they will use some of their budget from their latest game (Total War: Rome II) to underwrite a short series of videos about Roman history.  So Extra Credits did.  This is a fast paced info packed 9 minutes.  It is an almost animated, drawn cartoon figure with other still pics and a narrator telling the back story, and the consequences of the first Punic War between Rome and Carthage.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none


Related Teaching Resources:


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Starry Messenger by Peter Sis

Galileo was a man with stars in his eyes and on his mind.
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Resource: picture book, biography
Time: 1564 - 1642
Place: Italy

Summary:
Galileo Galilei was a curious boy who became a brilliant man.  He thought about the stars from a young age.  He studied mathematics and physics.  He became a professor as a young man.  He developed many theorems that are still in use today. He also invented many useful scientific instruments.  His star rose.  He made for himself a telescope and used it to make many observations.  From those observations he wrote and published a book called Starry Messenger.  He put forth the idea that the Sun is the center of the solar system, not the Earth. He was tried by the church, condemned and sentenced to house imprisonment for the rest of his life.  The church pardoned him in 1992. This book is extraordinarily illustrated by the author in full color. The pictures are the greater part of the tale.  I spent more time pouring over the detailed images than I did reading the text.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
none

Reading Level: grade 1 - 3
Lexile Measure: 830L
Guided Reading Level: P


Format Links
Kindle
Book

Additional Resources:

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Drive Thru History with Dave Stotts - Columbus, The Pilgrims, and Early Boston

History from the passenger seat of a car, or a Jeep.

Resource: Documentary
Running Time: 86 minutes
Rating: not rated

Time: 1400 - 1770s
Place: Spain, Italy, America, England, Netherlands

Summary:
The first in the American History series.  Three episodes about 30 minutes each.  Dave Stotts drives around Europe and America telling the history story from the places where the history took place.  Occasionally he drives off in a totally different direction, like Columbus has a piazza in Genoa, ok? With the help of maps and illustrations the story is made clear.  Produced in collaboration with Focus on the Family as might be expected the history is explained from a Christian point of view.  I really like that Dave connects the dots, giving the the back story in each episode.  For instance do you know what Ghengis Khan, Marco Polo and Mohammed have to do with Columbus sailing for the New World?  Dave tells you how.  This video also gets high praise from my kiddos.  They watched it with me and laughed out loud, then asked to watch it again.

Each episode is listed on the timeline separately.
Episode 1 - Columbus
Episode 2 - Pilgrims
Episode 3 - Boston and the Beginning of Revolution

Potentially Objectionable Content:
None


Format Links:
DVD

Renaissance Man by the History Teachers

A brief overview of Renaissance Men set to the tune "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes



Resource: YouTube Video
Running Time: 3 minutes

Time: roughly 1300 - 1600
Place: Italy, England

Summary:
Singing to the tune "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes the History Teachers explain what the Renaissance was and highlight some of the bright stars of that time including DaVinci, Dante, Michelangelo, Thomas Moore, Shakespeare and others.

Potentially Objectionable Content:
Nudity: There is some nude artwork and sculpture.