Week 1: Curtain Rises on Egypt: Gift of the Nile

• Virtual field trip of Egypt. Use anytime during this unit.
• Movie-goers will enjoy Mystery of the Nile, a story of a modern-day expedition traveling all the way down the Blue Nile from its source into the Mediterranean. Even though it is a modern-day expedition, Linda (one of our users), thought it has great value for those studying or preparing to study Year 1. One highlight was an ancient Nubian city that most people have never heard of. The movie was quite fair to Christians, with a very memorable scene of Ethiopian Christians worshipping. It also explained how Christianity was preserved in Ethiopia, and the role of the Nile in tying Christians together. The movie made the Nile very real to my daughter and me. (Click on "Exhibiting Theaters" in the top left corner to see if it is available in your area.)
• Randi recommends the Children's Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Click here and scroll down to the Ancient Egypt information. This information about the exhibit will be very useful to you in planning your trip. There is also a list of books (you can even check them out at the library within the museum and return them to your local library when finished!) that lists Egypt resources. Perhaps some of the books you can't find in your local library, you'll find here.
• The Museum of World Treasures in Wichita, Kansas has incredible displays on their first floor that correlate to Y1 studies. I would have a hard time choosing a specific week to go, because most weeks would apply. The museum has mummies from Egypt, a replica of the Rosetta Stone, as well as coins, pottery, and many other artifacts from ancient civilizations. The mummies themselves make the trip worth it. We now have a family pass and have returned periodically to study a specific civilization.  Last time, we met another TOG family and took our sketch pads. Great learning fun!
• Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. Cheap rates. Teaches youngsters about creation from a Biblical perspective.
  

Week 2: Pharaohs and Pyramids

• Donetta recommends the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. They have a permanent exhibit called "Inside Ancient Egypt". This provides a very good overview of the culture.
• The Children's Discovery Center in San Diego, California, now has a permanent exhibit called "Discovery Egypt."
• California:  The San Diego Museum of Man has a permanent exhibit entitled "Ancient Egypt."
  
• Tasha and Shelley both recommended a field trip to King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs. Click to see if it's coming near you!

Week 3: Egyptian Polytheism and the Judgment of God

• When studying Ancient Egypt, if you are in the Philadelphia area, the University of Pennsylvania has some good displays to reinforce your unit. Recommended by Bonnie.
• The Cummer Art Museum in Jacksonville, Florida has various collections and beautiful gardens, but of particular interest to Year 1 TOG users is their collection of antiquities dating from 2100 B.C. to 300 A.D. This collection has fine examples of the art of Egypt, Etruria, Greece and Rome. Currently, a Cameo Exhibition of Art of the Ancient Mediterranean world and the Ancient Americas is on display in the Millner Gallery. Note: Tuesday evenings are AT&T Free Tuesdays and admission is free from 4-9 P.M.
  

Week 4: Creation Through Noah

• Walk Thru the Bible seminars.

Week 5: Babel to Ur: Early History of Mesopotamia

Week 6: The Patriarchs: From Ur to Egypt

Week 7: In The Wilderness: The Tabernacle and the Law

• The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL is a lot of fun for the whole family! They have musicals, plays, gift shops, authentic Jewish food and much more fun activities! Link contributed by Dee.
• Shawna and her 12 and 14 year olds visited The Tabernacle Experience. Shawna writes, "It is a lifesize replica of the tabernacle and it includes an auditory tour. My kids ages 12 and 14 both enjoyed it. The tabernacle travels from church to church and stays for 2 weeks." There is a $5 suggested donation.

Week 8: In The Wilderness: Holiness: Worshipping God as God

• The Spertus Museum in Chicago, Illinois. You can really immerse yourself in Jewish history and culture here! They even offer Yiddish classes (for a fee, of course). :o) They have different tours you can do as a group so check first to schedule one on the topic you want to focus on: comparing Judaism to other religions, Jewish culture, the Holocaust, archaeology and ancient civilizations. You can also go it alone and set your own pace as well as focus on more than one topic, if you'd like.

Week 9: In The Wilderness: Slaves to Warriors

• Christine recommends the Mennonite Information Center in Lancaster (PA) which is an incredibly detailed replica of the Tabernacle. It will serve as a great Unit closer for Year 1, Unit 1.

Week 10: The Indus Valley, Hinduism, and Buddhism

Week 11: Ancient China: Confucius and Taoism

• The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts in Elmhurst, Illinois. The works are exquisite and you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about rocks, lapidary arts, and more. They have a terrific variety of displays (one talks about evolution and fossils, so be forewarned) but they have a large number of Chinese/Buddhist goddess pieces which can give you a feel for that culture. Fridays are free! If you go as a group they have a video they show you which explains a lot and a quiz for your students to fill out as they explore the museum. (They give the teachers the answers. ;o) I do believe there is a fee if you officially go as a group--more than free but less than their stated rate. You might want to call ahead and ask about the video and quiz if you are going alone. Really worth the trip. This is another great recommendation by Donetta!
• If you are in Texas, check out the Forbidden Gardens in Houston. Diana recommends this and says it is a "must-do" while studying China! The display of the temples, etc. is scaled down to about the size of doll houses and the terra cotta men are about 60-75% to scale. They also have exhibits of tools, armor, weapons, etc. We had a guided tour and it was well done and very informative. While the tours are fascinating to everyone ~ even little ones are awed by all the various displays ~ the ones who truly benefit are those who are old enough to appreciate all the speaker is sharing. They tell wonderful stories and give you rich history about the inner workings of this empire.

Week 12: Ancient Americas: Inuit, Mound Builders, and Mayas

• Donetta recommends the Field Museum of Chicago in Illinois. They have a permanent exhibit called "Early American Indians"
• Also in Illinois, Collinsville has a terrific historical site called Cahokia Mounds.
• From Gina: Louisiana and Mississippi are full of Indian Mound Sites. Louisiana State University has 2 mounds on its campus. We took a trip to the Grand Village in Natchez, MS where we were able to see and climb on two different types of mounds. We were also able to see an abandoned mound. North Louisiana is home to Poverty Point which has 11 mounds on site. If you contact the Archeology Dept. of Louisiana, you can check out an amazing teaching kit on Poverty Point Indians and their mounds. Louisiana Dept of Culture, Recreation & Tourism.

Week 13: Early Greeks: Cycladic, Minoan, Mycenaean, and Trojan Cultures

• Can't quite make that field trip to Greece happen this year? Hidden in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon that houses an awe-inspiring 42-foot replica of Athena (complete with Nike in her palm). A full day can be made of this field trip as it is located in Centennial Park with a lake, bench swings, and even a stage (which hosts Shakespeare in the Park each summer). Visit the website to schedule a field trip and download excellent educational resources. Thanks to Shonna for this recommendation!

Week 14: Early Greeks: Everyday Life, Religion, and Mythology

Week 15: The Promised Land: Conquest and Settlement

• The Explorations in Antiquity Museum (LaGrange, GA)

Week 16: Judges, Samuel, and Minor Neighboring Cultures

Week 17: The Rise of Saul and the Philistines

Week 18: David, Shepherd of Israel; the Phoenicians

Week 19: Solomon's Divided Heart

Week 20: The Divided Kingdom

Week 21: The Assyrian Scourge: The Northern Kingdom Is Deported

Week 22: The Chaldeans (New Babylonians) and the Babylonian Captivity

• Visit an Observatory: Leander McCormick Observatory is located in Charlottesville, VA

Week 23: The Medes and Persians: The Israelites Return Home

Week 24: Persians and Greeks: The Persian Wars, Athens, and Sparta

Week 25: The Golden Age of Greece and the Peloponnesian War

Week 26: Greek Achievements: Science, Mathematics, and Philosophy

Week 27: Alexander the Great: Preparation for Proclamation

Week 28: The Etruscans and the Founding of Rome

Week 29: The Roman Republic: Everyday Life

• The Cummer Art Museum in Jacksonville, Florida has various collections and beautiful gardens, but of particular interest to Year 1 Tapestry users is their collection of antiquities dating from 2100 B.C. to 300 A.D. This collection has fine examples of the art of Egypt, Etruria, Greece and Rome. Currently, a Cameo Exhibition of Art of the Ancient Mediterranean world and the Ancient Americas is on display in the Millner Gallery. Note: Tuesday evenings are BellSouth Free Tuesdays and admission is Free from 4-9 P.M.

Week 30: The Roman Republic Expands: The Punic Wars

• Diana shares the great suggestion of taking a trip to the zoo and talking with the elephant trainers. She has arranged this trip ahead of time for her Lower Grammar students. Maybe you'll even get to see baby elephants!

Week 31: From Republic to Empire

Week 32: Imperial Rome: Backdrop to the Atonement

Week 33: The Zenith of Imperial Rome: Backdrop to the Early Church

Week 34: Rome Decays: Saints and Martyrs of the Early Church

Week 35: Christianity Conquers Rome: Of Church Hierarchies

Week 36: Western Rome Falls: Theology and Church Councils