We have learned about some of the English and French and Dutch Explorers of the New World and the Native Americans they met there. We built a Wigwam and ate fish, cranberries, dandylion salad, and jerky. 

We learned a little bit about Shakespeare one of the most famous playwrights during Elizabeth's reign. We enjoyed making up insults and learning about pentameter and reading lines from a midsummer nights dream.

We learned that Martin Luther's ideas influenced King Henry the VII to declare his religious independence from the Pope, and divorce his wife in the search for a male heir. He was unsuccessful, but one of his daughters, Elizabeth became one of the most loved and feared Monarchs of England. We made ruffs to show something of the common dress of that time. We got a little carried away but then so did the Elizabethan's occasionally.

Then we learned about Martin Luther and his 91 theses that changed how christians viewed their church leaders. We made faux stained glass windows to represent stories from the bible since that was how many people in the Middle Ages learned their religion, from the pictures in the windows of the Cathedral.

This is one wall of our Cathedral of Gilroy.

Then we moved over to Spain and learned about the exploration and damage done to the America's in the name of the King of Spain, Phillip.

These shields represent the important ideas the Spanish held about thier country and their role in the world as conquerors and bringers of Christianity to the Savage.

So next we learned about Russia's Great unifiers Peter the Great and Ivan the Terrible.

We made black Russian Easter Eggs to show how Russian people's architecture was unique.

I know it itsn't Friday but this is such a cute photo of Jessica on her promotion from Kindergarten to First Grade I had to post it.