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Lesson 49: Athens and Sparta
We began, as usual, with the MOH reading, and followed that up with two segments of Drive Thru History Ancients: Greece 2:1, and Greece 1:5. As the Companion Guide suggests, knowing Greek Myths is beneficial to understanding the beliefs of the ancients. My kids enjoy Greek mythology. They are reading the D’aulaire’s Greek Myths for about 1/2 an hour per day. For a little something extra (okay, it’s not a little project), this “fan” is an extension activity could be used.
We also did the “paint a pot” activity in the Companion guide. I purchased tiny clay pots and the kids used Sharpies to create Archaic period designs on their pots (from some samples I found online). Here’s another similar project done on paper.

My teens read Chapter 56 of History of the Ancient World: Conquest and Tyranny.
Lesson 50: Manasseh
Follwing our reading of the MOH lesson, we also read in the Bible. The story of King Manasseh is told in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 32:33-33:20, and he is also mentioned briefly in Jeremiah 15:4. My youngest child also read this story in Chapter 96 of the Children’s Story Bible.
So many of the Kings of Israel and Judah did not repent of their wicked ways, despite warnings from the prophets, so this is a great story of someone who listened!
Lesson 51: The Powers of Mesopotamia
Before beginning this lesson, we reveiwed a map showing the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and discussed how the Israelites were carried away by the Assyrians. We watched an interesteing video entitled, “Where are the Ten Lost Tribes?”
Next, we read the MOH lesson, and mapped the activity in the Companion Guide, as well as researching a bit about the Aramaic language. My younger kids read portions of the Usborne history books where applicable, so in the Usborne Book of World History, they read p. 52-59. Usborne always has the best illustrations for history! Finally, we studied Then and Now Bible Maps, pages 18-22, noting the changes in this region.
My teens read Chapter 58 in The History of the Ancient World.
To finish up, we added these events to our timelines, did the mapwork in the Companion Guide, my 9 & 12 year olds added the corresponding sections to their labpooks (folder books), and everyone did the Week 17 review quiz.
Be sure to check out all the great book suggestions and activity ideas in the Mystery of History Companion Guide! Follow the entire course with us at the main Mystery of History Volume 1 page here.
Do you have some fun ideas for these lessons? Comment below!
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