Make It Work! History

If your family enjoys a truly hands-on approach to history, if the trite, cardboard-and-markers approach to imitating the ancient people's crafts disappoints you, of if you want to get in there with the kids and actually do some history, then this series is sure to excite you. In each 64-page book, a basic timeline and some facts about life in that culture form the backdrop for the activities, and then we jump into more "everyday life" topics, such as clothing, food, home, work, education, the arts, religion, inventions, and more about each civilization. That's where it starts to get interesting. With each of these topics, very impressive projects are included so the student can truly "make their own" item from history. For instance, in the Ancient Egypt book, after learning about transportation, they will make their own model reed boat, when learning about food, they can make their own fig cakes, when reading about Egyptian entertainment, they'll make a harp, a sistrum (a type of rattle), and so on. By the time they're done, they will have amassed an impressive array of projects including a workable loom, Egyptian clay pots, a model chariot, a model villa, their own game of senet, a mummy mask, and more. And I haven't even covered clothing! Far from having them create dinky armbands and crowns out of aluminum foil, boys and girls alike can transform themselves into ancient Egyptians by making simple tunics, sandals, wigs, chest jewelry, and even weapons such as battleaxes and shields. Add a little of Mom's makeup, and "poof," you're now teaching a classroom of eager little Egyptians. Each project is detailed in step-by-step instructions, accompanied by pictures demonstrating what to do. The materials used are mostly things you already have around, except you may need to stock up on raffia, balsa wood, plaster of Paris and a few other items. Throughout, the books are abundantly illustrated with full-color photos of kids in their traditional gear, models of the homes, scenes, artifacts, and 3-D maps of the land, and pictures to guide you through the projects as well. For kids who want to go all out, these are some of the best history activity books I've seen. - Jess