Travel to London...

Old Jul 7th, 2006, 09:06 AM
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Travel to London...

Hi all! Newbie here...will post on London forum, too. We are a homeschooling family that is planning our first "educational" historical trip to England in September. We plan to take advantage of all the free museums, Buckingham Palace/Mews tour, visit Hadrian's Wall (we're studying a Latin program that uses historical references from that part) and try to get to the Roman Baths.

I have some ideas to keep this educational...have each child carry a travel journal that they can use. We've been reading several books aloud set in England, "Robin Hood" by Howard Pyle, finished The Chronicles of Narnia series, Mary Poppins, Door in the Wall, Adam of the Road and others.

Wondered if anyone else had some creative ideas how to maximize our first overseas trip as a family. We plan on going to Paris/Rome on the next trip (in 2 years) and hopefully to Greece and Egypt for another trip...our kids are 11, 8 & 7...so by the the time they fly the coop we hope to have given them a good understanding of world history.

Thanks!
Tara
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Old Jul 7th, 2006, 12:47 PM
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My suggestion would be to give each child a disposable camera to take pictures with on the trip. Then, when you return home, they can create a "filmstrip" of either their trip as a whole or of a historical icon they have been studying.

To assemble the filmstrip, use empty shoeboxes, dowals, and paper (to create a roll) and affix the pictures to the paper and have the children create a script for each frame on the filmstrip.

This activity can be used in conjuction with their travel journal -- which I think is a great idea. The trip and the learning will continue once they are back home!

Have a great trip!
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Old Jul 7th, 2006, 01:45 PM
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Boy, are your kids lucky! Not only because of the travel (which is impressive enough), but because of the care you're taking with their education!

Since you say you're seeing Hadrian's Wall and the Roman Baths, and since you plan to go to Rome next time, then that suggests you might focus on Roman Britain. You could do that by looking at one historical figure, say Julius Caesar, and then trace the time he spent in all the various countries that interest you (Britain, Greece, Egypt, France...well, Gaul), and what each country was like in his time and in the centuries after.

If the emphasis on Caesar's history seems too martial and violent for your use (it certainly is violent), then you could look at a fictional character from the "misty" time between classical antiquity and true medieval times--you mention Robin Hood, or another possibility would be King Arthur. While preparing for the trip, you can read up and also watch movies and videos (I'm sure there are plenty of age-appropriate movies about each figure). Get some picture-heavy books from the library (I'm thinking of The Reign of Chivalry, by Richard Barber--though I can't put my hand to it--but really, there are many books like that).

For what it's worth, my own favorite book in childhood was The Once and Future King, by T.H. White. It's Arthurian legend which, in a roundabout way, inspired the musical Camelot; incidentally, Robin Hood appears as a character in it.

Your eldest child could read it--it might be too advanced for the younger ones. It might also be too long for any of the three of them--you're already doing lots of reading. But some excerpts might be nice.

Whatever you wind up doing, have a great time, Tara! I bet this will be a wonderful trip for you all!

smalti

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Old Jul 7th, 2006, 02:18 PM
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Just some resources for you to consider...

Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved of Loathed by Priscillas Calloway

Great illustrations with text and timelines.

Hands-On History Middle Ages by Scholastic Publications.

Great art projects with bits of historical information.

And if you are a homeschooler you probably know about "Homeschooling Companion" They have a great issue on Medieval Times.

If you can, take a trip to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest. My kids loved it when they were young boys.
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Old Jul 7th, 2006, 04:14 PM
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Seetheworld makes a good point. As you've done some reading on Robin Hood, or if you decide to read on King Arthur (and maybe watch a movie on either), that's really just a preliminary step to making a related visit while on your trip.

Sherwood Forest does sound like the place to go for Robin Hood lore (I haven't been there), and there are Arthurian sites in England as well.

Glastonbury Abbey is reputed to be Arthur's burial site (though, no, Arthur's not a real historical character), and there are other sites, some near Hadrian's Wall.

For knowlegdeable info on worthwhile Arthurian sites, your best bet may be the European Forum.

Happy Travels!

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Old Jul 9th, 2006, 07:10 AM
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Thanks smalti for reminding me to check here! Great ideas! We studied King Arthur about 2 years ago but need to go to our bookshelf and pull some of them out again!

My favorite book for a looong time was The Sword and the Stone by T. H. White...I wanted to save that for them for when they can read it on their own...my 11 year old is probably ready for it but now that I'm thinking of it, it might be a great read aloud for the next 10 weeks.

We love Roman Britain...a lovely lady in Bristol created a latin program (Minimus) for elementary children...I've been teaching it to families for 4 years now and my kids feel like they know life in Vindolanda near Hadrian's wall...now that I look at the map, we may not make it that far north...we're staying at Chipping Norton for 5 days and London for 5 days...we'll have a car in Chipping but don't think we'll drive as far to Hadrian's wall or the museum at Vindolanda...but we would love to see the Roman Baths so I think that will be a must see.

Love the camera idea! I know my kids would love it! We're going to try and take our video camera and splice together a movie to show to family and friends...we could insert some of their fave shots in there, too.

Thanks so much for the help! It's only 10 days but I'm trying to make this as memorable as possible!
Thanks!
Tara
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Old Jul 17th, 2006, 04:26 PM
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We're homeschoolers who are headed to London in April with an 11 yo and a 14 yo. I hope you do a trip report so I can learn from your experience.

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Old Jul 18th, 2006, 08:12 PM
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Heather...you can count on it! We are trying to pack a lot in, but honestly, one of my greatest motivations for taking them is to broaden their exposure to the world...remove a little bit of comfort in their comfort zone or to bring more flexibility and adaptability in any situation...foreign travel seems to do that for you and it makes you appreciate the little things in life..although cultures may be different, a smile and a thank you go a long way in connecting with others.

I hope you have a wonderful time planning!!
Tara
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Old Aug 21st, 2006, 02:19 AM
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I have seen some of your posts on the Europe board.

Gloucestershire is a veritable treasure trove of Roman sites!

Chipping Norton is not much more than an hour's drive from Bath so you can definitely see the Baths. You would probably drive down the Fosse Way (ancient Roman road) via Cirencester (around 20 miles from Ch N) where there is the Corinium Museum - Cirencester was the 2nd most important Roman city in England, after London.

http://www.cirencester.co.uk/coriniummuseum/

Also in Cirencester is the remains of the amphitheatre,

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/s...onProperty.248

and at Chedworth (just off the A429 near Cirencester) is a marvellous Roman villa - well worth seeing with children and they have various activities there too which are fun.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...romanvilla.htm

www.chedworthromanvilla.com

There is another villa at Great Witcombe, nearer Cheltenham.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/s...onProperty.258

www.thecotswoldgateway.co.uk

Close to Great Witcombe on the A46 is Prinknash Abbey (pronounced Prinnidge). The Orpheus pavement, one of the best and most complete mosaics is buried at Woodchester and has been since 1975, but a replica has been lovingly built over time and is now installed at Prinknash.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire...pavement.shtml

http://www.grahamthomas.com/orpheus1.html

I hope you have wonderful trip, and that some of these suggestions are of interest.
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Old Nov 20th, 2007, 12:37 AM
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I never visited London but I can tell you that your visit to Visakhapatnam would become a thrilling experience by having a perfect stay at http://www.fortunehotels.in/hotel_visakhapatnam.aspx budget hotels in Visakhapatnam.
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Old Dec 10th, 2007, 03:25 AM
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Hello, I am just back from a (rainy) weekend in London. I attended a cooking demonstration at The Art Of Hospitality, near South Kensignton. Julia, the Chef and Owner, has a real talent to communicate what she does! One of the main activities of the school is cooking classes for children and I think you should check out what she can offer on your dates.
Julia Chalkey [email protected]

Laurane
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Old Mar 13th, 2008, 11:52 AM
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Agreat place half way between London and Hadrians Wall is Ripon, one of Englands smallest cities, steeped in history, and dating back to the 1100's.

Famous people associated with the City are...Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. His father became a residentiary canon of the Cathedral in 1852. During his many visits to Ripon, Carroll wrote Ye Carpette Knyghte and several pages of Through the Looking-Glass.
Wilfred Owen, (1893-1918) was perhaps the finest English poet of the First World War. In March 1918, he was posted to the Northern Command Depot at Ripon. A number of poems were composed in Ripon, including 'Futility' and 'Strange Meeting'. His 25th birthday was spent quietly in the Cathedral.

Also close to Ripon is beautiful green countryside, Fountains Abbey (a world heritage site) and Jervaulx and Riveaulx Abbeys, not to mention the magnificent Cathedral.

A great place to stay in Ripon is www.boxtreecottages.com, and a great place to eat is www.lockwoodsrestaurant.co.uk

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Old Mar 30th, 2008, 05:08 AM
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We're a homeschooling family of mother and daughter and have been to London twice. My daughter's favorite spot in England is the Tower of London. The movie, "Lady Jane" made it all the more poignant. Also, the National Portrait Gallery has portraits of all the kings. London Walks does all sorts of histopry themed walking tours (www.walks.com).
My daughter absolutrely hated the Dickens House museum but loved the Science Museum and the British Museum. The little guys will also get a kick out the London Transport museum if you have spent some time on the tube.
Bath is a must-we were there in September and had beautiful, sunny days. Mad Max tours does day trips from Bath to Stonehenge, Avebury and the Cotswolds.
Congratulations on getting out and seeing the world. I'm confident it's been worth every dime I spent to give my daughter a perspective on how big the world is and how diverse the people and lifestyles in it.Another tip you've probably started is getting the kids involved in the planning.
Each family member makes a list of their must-sees; everyone gets their #1, then you negotiate from there.
Recommended books:
London for Families
A Reader's Guide to Writers'
Britain
Heidi's Alp
Family Travels
Storybook Travels
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Old Mar 30th, 2008, 02:48 PM
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Many museums have interesting things for you to go to that are educational. Greenwich Maritime Museum is one example http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/nav.2909/f[]/c:2799:2802/f[]/c:2799:2801/by/2
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