We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

Known as Richard the Lionheart (because he was a fierce warrior),King Richard I is commonly considered a brave king who stood beside his soldiers when standing up to enemies.  A deeply religious man, when he became king, he swore to recapture Jerusalem - a city that had fallen to the Muslims two years prior under Saladin - as a holy crusade.  This became known as the "Third Crusade."  After three years of fighting, a peace treaty was signed in 1192.  It left Jerusalem under Muslim control, but allowed Christians to have access to the land.

Jerusalem was sacred to all three of the major religious groups because :

• Christians saw it as the place where Jesus was crucified and ascended to heaven
• Jews saw it as the site of Solomon's ancient temple
• Muslims saw it as the site where Muhammad met Abraham, Moses, and Jesus

The city has been passed back and forth, captured and recaptured, several times over the course of history.  The crusades began in 1095, when a group of Arabs took over the city and refused to allow Jews or Christians to enter the city.  The Pope called for a battle to recapture the city, and hence began a series of crusades lasting nearly a century, and even included the tragic Children's Crusade.

As the fourth child, Richard never should have been crowned king; nevertheless, due to disease and death, he was crowned in 1189 upon the death of his father Henry II.  Though one of the best-known British monarchs, he did not speak English and during his ten-year reign, he only spent about six months in the British Isles.  Upon his death, he was succeeded by John (the villain from Robin Hood).

Richard I & the Crusades unit :

  Read

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• If All the Swords in England
• Cathedral – David Macaulay
• Men of Iron
• Royal Diaries: Eleanor, Crown Jewel Aquitaine
• Knights Templar & the Crusades
• The Ramsay Scallop

Make / Do

• Two Sides to a Crusade sheet
• Knights in Armour Paper Dolls
• Medieval Tapestries Coloring Book
• Review / Flashcards

Watch

• BBC Heroes & Villains : Richard the Lionheart (about 50 min)
• Lionheart DVD
• Ivanhoe (vintage movie)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (Prime TV)

Listen

• Richard Couer de Lion - Opera
• Richard the Lionheart : Study Guide to the Opera

Define / Identify

• Crusades
• Jihad
• Richard the Lionheart
• Saladin
• Fontevraud Abbey, France
• Rouen Cathedral, France
• Westminster Palace, London
• Jaffa and Acre, Israel
• Jerusalem

Think

• Why were Christians and Muslims fighting over the city of Jerusalem?
• Why would non-soldiers, such as farmers and artisans join Knights and fight in the Crusades?
• Is there a difference between “crusade” and “jihad”?
• Were the Crusades successful for Christians or Muslims?  Why or why not?

Access all 36 living history studies in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

We Were There with Caesar's Legions

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

Julius Caesar raided Britain twice - in 55 and 54 BC - during the Gallic Wars, so we can guess that this book occurs during one of these years. The invasions led to the creation of a Roman government in eastern England, and also brought roads and other 'new' inventions to the area.

The Roman legion had a reputation for being fierce and invincible. They were well-organized and could quickly take over a region. Most soldiers were from the plebian class, and officers had to be able to afford their own horses, as they were not supplied by the government. 

Each man served for a minimum of twenty-five years before retirement. Upon completion of service, he was granted land and a small pension. (This served Rome well, as the landowners were almost all trained military men who could protect the towns.)

Legions were composed of approximately 5,000 infantry, recruited from the ranks of Roman citizens. Most soldiers were volunteers, but during emergencies, they used the draft to obtain more men.

Upon joining the ranks, a man was issued his uniform of rectangular shield, short sword, dagger, chain mail jacket, lorica segmentata, belt, helmet, kilt, shirt, and sandals. The sandals were specially-designed to make loud noises and create sparks on rocky ground, helping to intimidate the enemy.

Each legion had its own name, number, and special banner. Within each legion, the centuries (groups of 100 men) also had special banners. It was similar to the way that Boy Scouts are set up - with each troop being divided into patrols.

As legions moved around, they built camps, towers, and roads -- leading to the saying "All roads lead to Rome." Many of the earliest architectural finds uncovered through Europe can be traced back to these legions.

Our spine novel is We Were There with Caesar's Legions

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

We Were There with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

The Crimean Peninsula is surrounded by the Black Sea and has long been the subject of conflict.  Between 1853 and 1865, the Crimean War was fought here between several groups.  When Russia decided to expand its empire in the 1800s, they overtook this region, which led to the Ottomans declaring war in October 1853.

The reason we associate Florence Nightingale so strongly with this war is that disease was just as deadly as the battlefield in the Crimean War.  Germ theory was very new and many soldiers were dying of infection and disease in the hospitals, too.

Florence Nightingale was an English nurse who dedicated her life to the care of sick and wounded.  She was already working with hospitals in Alexandria and Germany when, in 1854, she organized a unit of women nurses to assist soldiers in the Crimean War.  Her attention to cleanliness and bedside manner both made her a legend among the soldiers.  She became known as "The Lady with the Lamp" because she believed that a nurse's job was 24 hours, night and day.  After the war, she helped establish hospitals for training nurses, such as the Nightingale School.
Our spine novel is We Were There with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

We Were There at the Battle for Bataan

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

This unit would be more appropriate for older children....

Pearl Harbor wasn't the only place attacked on December 7, 1941. The Japanese attacked Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Wake Island Guam and the Philippine Islands. Bataan is a province in the Philippines, located on the island of Luzon. It is across the bay from the capital, Manila.

General Douglas MacArthur was commander of the joint American-Filipino Army in the Philippines. They resisted the Japanese army for several months while waiting for the United States to send re-enforcements and supplies, but the United States attended to Europe first. The President also ordered General MacArthur to leave the island and go wait out the battle in Australia. After this, the troops on the Bataan Peninsula were commanded by Major General King.

Supplies were not getting through to the American-Filipino troops, so many suffered from nutrition deficiencies and endured tropical diseases such as malaria and dysentery. After holding out as long as possible, on April 9, the troops surrendered to the Japanese. With nearly 75,000 men (mixture of American and Filipino troops), this was the largest surrender in United States military history.

The men who surrendered were forced to march 66 miles up the Bataan Peninsula to a prison. The Japanese did not give the prisoners food or water for three days. Those that became weak and fell behind were beaten and killed. Many men died during the Bataan Death March, many more died in the prisoner of war camp from starvation and disease, and even more suffered acute and chronic physical injuries as a result of the march.

The prisoners stayed at the camp until early 1945, when they were rescued when the Allies took the Philippines. Although local newspapers had reported that the prisoners were well-treated, the truth came out when prisoners of war began to tell their stories. The Japanese commanding officer was executed for war crimes against humanity.

Our spine novel is We Were There at the Battle for Bataan

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

A Study of Japan:

• Covers the history of Japan from ancient times to present day
• Examines the Japanese culture and its influences
• Explores the geography of this small, but strong island
• Delves into the technology and pop-culture of the people
• Goes on rabbit trails about art, history, and modern economics of Japan and its fellow nations
• Is the equivalent of one year of high school history

Get the entire World War 2 Bundle!

Includes:

• 
  The Book Thief
• We Were There at the Battle of Britain
• Number the Stars
• The Winged Watchmen
• We Were There at Pearl Harbor
• We Were There at the Battle of Bataan
• Island War
• Red Stars
• The Night Witches
• Mare’s War
• We Were There at the Normandy Invasion
• Code Talkers
• We Were There at the Battle of the Bulge
• The Light Between Us
• We Were There at the Open of the Atomic Era
• A Merry 1940s Christmas

Product samples:

• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era
• Have Yourself a Vintage Little Christmas

We Were There on the Santa Fe Trail

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

Long before I-20, I-40, or I-70, the Santa Fe Trail was America’s first commercial highway.  In 1821, traders established a 900 mile long trail that connected Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It served as the main thoroughfare for trade and travel until the completion of the Santa Fe railroad, and it was a major player in America's Westward Expansion.

After the War of 1812, a Missouri trader named William Becknell learned that Mexico was open for trade, and he loaded up a group of men and wagon train of good to trade and headed for New Mexico.  On the original route, the men followed the Arkansas River to Colorado and then the Raton Mountain Pass into Santa Fe.  They were positively met and encouraged to return with more goods for trading.

As they set back home, the men looked for, and found, a faster route - the soon-popular Cimarron Route - on the Santa Fe Trail.  This route followed the Arkansas River to Cimarron (Dodge City), Kansas before turning into Oklahoma's panhandle and skirting into New Mexico.  The route was about 100 miles shorter than the original route, but came with the added difficulty of Indian raids and being in the desert (leading to water shortage issues).

To aid weary travelers, respite locations were developed along the trail.  These included Bent's Fort, along the Arkansas River, which was originally a fur trading post.  When it had to be abandoned (due to disease), a new site, named Bent's New Fort, was built downriver.  The new fort was a trading post, as well as a meeting site for Indian tribes and government men.  The military even used the site, renaming it Fort Wise (also Fort Fauntleroy).

The military used the fort during the Mexican-American War, as the Americans occupied New Mexico, and then used it as an outpost during the Civil War. The trail stayed very busy with immigration, fortune seekers for the gold rushes, stagecoach travel, and as part of the Pony Express.  Ultimately, however, the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad in 1880 led to the demise of the Santa Fe Trail.  Covered wagons couldn't compete with speeding trains.

Our spine novel is We Were There on the Santa Fe Trail

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

We Were There On the Chisholm Trail

***Pick up your FREE Activity Pack***

On our list of 'places to visit soon' is the Chisholm Trail Museum in Duncan, OK.  We're going to start studying it ahead of time, and are sharing the unit with you now, too!

The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland, from ranches in Texas to railroads in Kansas.  The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post, near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas.

The trail was the route to take for moving livestock.  Although it was used only from 1867 to 1884, the longhorn cattle driven north along it provided a steady source of income that helped Texas recover from the Civil War.  At the time, cattle were only worth $2 / head in Texas, but upwards of $20 / head in the north.  Moving the cattle helped bring much-needed funds into the area. 

It would take as long as two months to travel from a ranch in Texas up to the railheads (where cattle were loaded onto trains and shipped to large cities). At approximately 1,000 miles long, it took about two months to drive a herd of 3,000 cattle north.  In spite of the costs for cowhands, the trail helped bring Texas out of the depression that followed the Civil War.

Our spine novel is We Were There on the Chisholm Trail

Access the complete unit in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era

Homeschool on the Range

About Yvie
With 20+ years experience in education and counseling, I have a passion for helping other homeschool moms!

I've worked in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as at the collegiate level, in both a teaching and school counseling capacity. For over ten years, I have been homeschooling our two boys - one gifted and one special needs - and understand the struggles that many moms face.

I teach blended online classes for high school language arts and history, as well as offer school counseling assistance, at Sparks Academy.

Download the Media Kit!

About the Homeschool On the Range
After years of constant travel with work, our family has settled onto a small acreage in the country and is looking forward to practicing the art of simplicity.

We homeschool our boys and are learning about homesteading, and we will be sharing our adventures here.  We utilize a combination of Charlotte Mason and unit studies methods, and love reading aloud together - even with teens! 

Here you'll find homeschool posts (mostly aimed at middle and high school age, as that's what we have), animal husbandry and gardening posts, recipes, and the occasional book review.

Visit my Published Works

Welcome to our little slice of heaven!

 

Vacationing in Cabo - 2017                     Teaching an Online Class - 2021

Email to grlrunner82 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Want to Guest Post?

We request that all posts:

• be 800+ words long
• have no more than 3 relevant links back to your blog
• all should be no-follow links
• contain no affiliate links
• have no more than 2 pictures
• fit with the theme of homeschooling the upper grades - OR special needs homeschooling
• include an author biography
• be shared by the author in at least 2 social media locations upon publication

Upon article submission, we will review and determine if it is a good fit for the blog.  If accepted, we will schedule and send you the date it will be published.

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I am willing to work with family-friendly products that homeschooling and homesteading families would benefit from.

Platinum Sponsorship ***$1050***

This package includes:

• One year of advertising on my blog. Banner size of your choice.
• One blog post per month for 12 months. Post will feature your brand/latest products, deals and/or specials.
• Posts of your choice can be Tweeted out and pinned to Pinterest weekly for one year.

Gold Sponsorship **$650+**

This package includes:

• Six months of advertising on my blog. Banner size of your choice.
• One blog post per month for six months. Post will feature your brand/latest products, deals and/or specials.
• Posts of your choice can be tweeted out and pinned to Pinterest every other week at peak times for six months.

Silver Sponsorship *$350+*

This package includes:

• Three months of advertising on my blog. Banner size of your choice.
• One blog post per month for three months. Post will feature your brand/latest products, deals and/or specials. Included in the post will be any links back to your site.
• Posts of your choice can be tweeted out and placed on Pinterest weekly during peak times for three months.