Exploring the Middle Ages Class Summary 10/20/14

with Kim Rodgers

Theodora and Justinian

Mosaic Making

The students then began work on their own mosaic. They mapped out on paper what their picture or design would look like. We filled milk carton bases with plaster and they transferred their designs. They took their time in the planning stage making sure to cover most of the white with color. They will be able to take them home next week.

For homework, each student took home a notebooking page. Since we were working on the same chapter as last class there isn’t any mapwork, unless they didn’t finish it from the week before. Next week we will be studying the Medieval Indian Empire.

Welcome, Astra!

On a side note, our family has just about finished raising our first Seeing Eye puppy. Jack goes back to The Seeing Eye next Wednesday and our hope is that he can someday work as a guide dog. Right after class on Monday we received our second puppy. Astra is adorable! Now that we have raised one puppy we realize that the more they get out into society the better they are at being in different situations. I plan on bringing Astra to class to get her used to being in that type of situation. Her crate will be there so she can go in when she needs to. I just wanted you to be aware. Please let me know if there are any allergies or concerns about that. 

See you next week!

We began class by reading our notebooking page and sharing any drawings we did. Most students drew a picture of the Hagia Sophia. We moved on to our reading for this week, which was about Empress Theodora and her leadership in the Byzantine Empire. She sounded like an amazing woman, partnering with her husband, Justinian, to lead with a brave and wise hand. At one point during a riot, she had to talk her husband into staying when he wanted to flee because of fear for their safety. Basically she said, “You can go ahead and go. I don’t want to give up!” Justinian ended up staying with her. We also read more about the Hagia Sophia and the beautiful mosaics inside the building. We looked at photos of some of them, glittering with gold and silver tiles.