The First Farmers & The First Towns
We will be studying the Fertile Crescent area in our history studies for quite some time.
In the very beginning, I have them draw in features from an already prepared map; the seas, the first cities of Jericho and Catal Huyuk, the rivers and also the area called the "fertile crescent." For the young ones, I went over what a crescent was. We read about the city of Jericho in the Bible. We played with cardboard blocks, knocking down the walls of Jericho.
Later on in the year, after they have worked with this map many times, I will begin getting them to sketch their own maps, putting in what they remember and afterwards, tracing what they do not remember.
We also made things with clay.
Archaeologists have found in Jericho pieces of clay bowl with the patterns of the weave of baskets in them. They believe they made baskets, and then pressed the clay into them and then fired them. The baskets burned away in the firing and left the bowls with the weave pattern. So we made a bowl in a basket.
We made all sorts of other things...
all with care.
In the very beginning, I have them draw in features from an already prepared map; the seas, the first cities of Jericho and Catal Huyuk, the rivers and also the area called the "fertile crescent." For the young ones, I went over what a crescent was. We read about the city of Jericho in the Bible. We played with cardboard blocks, knocking down the walls of Jericho.
Later on in the year, after they have worked with this map many times, I will begin getting them to sketch their own maps, putting in what they remember and afterwards, tracing what they do not remember.
We also made things with clay.
Archaeologists have found in Jericho pieces of clay bowl with the patterns of the weave of baskets in them. They believe they made baskets, and then pressed the clay into them and then fired them. The baskets burned away in the firing and left the bowls with the weave pattern. So we made a bowl in a basket. We made all sorts of other things...all with care.
