We started off May learning about Celts using Year 1, Unit 17 of Layers of Learning.

We looked at some of the pages from our Ireland trip scrapbook.

We colored a map of where the Celts lived.

We learned about the Celtic calendar.

We made Celtic knots out of paracord.

For the rest of the month (school year), we learned about Rome using Year 1, Unit 18 for two weeks and Year 1, Unit 20 the final week.

We colored a map of how the Roman Empire changed over about 150 years.

Each boy picked a different Roman god/goddess and drew them and then shared with their brothers about the god/goddess they picked. Cameron chose Ceres, Fritz Neptune, and Adrian Jupiter.

We learned about laws in the Roman Republic and the Twelve Tables. We discussed what attributes make a good leader.

We learned about the Roman alphabet and wrote their names without the missing letters.

We learned about Horatius and Fritz acted out jumping into the water and swimming across with his armor on (apparently doing the backstroke).

We drew a picture of the structure of the Roman government.

We learned about Cincinnatus and made a fasces.

We learned about Roman roads and how some were even paved. We talked about what roads today are paved with.

We learned about aqueducts and made one out of clay.

We learned about the Roman baths and took a virtual tour.

We learned about the fall of the Roman Republic leading us right into our final week learning about the Roman Empire.

We did mapwork to show how the Roman Empire shrank over time. While coloring his map, Fritz said, “I know where the Red Sea is!” and pointed right to it. So at least something has sunk in over the course of the year.

We learned the Pax Romana and dressed in togas.

We learned about Hadrian’s Wall. Adrian found his name inside the emperor’s.

And, finally, we learn a little rhyme about the fall of the Roman Empire:

In 476, Rome was in a fix.
Little Romulus bid farewell
And mighty Rome fell.