For our study of Iceland, our gross motor activity was the toga hönk (tuga war) which was an important competition to the Vikings. The name literally means tugging on a loop, or a hank. Not much is known about the exact details, but it is believed that two men sat on the floor or the … Continue reading Toga hönk [Tuga War] – Viking Gross Motor Activity
As we concluded our study of Iceland, I wanted to include a science experiment, and thought that the traditional Mentos & Diet Coca Cola would be perfect, and a great way to visualize what a geyser looks like. A geyser is a spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by steam. … Continue reading Mentos & Diet Coca Cola – STEM Science Experiment
The króna is the currency of Iceland. Iceland is the second smallest country by population, after the Seychelles, to have its own currency and monetary policy. I remember visiting Iceland in 2014, and the exchange rate was crazy for the USD. I bought a pizza and salad for thousands of króna, and was scared how … Continue reading Iceland Unit: Icelandic Króna [Compare/Contrast Coins]
In all my country units, I like to include a visual of the country and mark important major cities. First I cut out my map from a simplified pattern. You can download the map and city tags HERE. We attached our city/town names with map pins. I had a lot of fun with the map … Continue reading Iceland Unit: Interactive Foam Map [Geography]
Icelandic Folklore has a rich history of trolls & elves - during the long dark winter nights of old, storytelling was the chief form of Icelandic entertainment, with each region fostering its very own bulk of tales and legends that were passed down from generation to generation throughout the centuries. These creatures were commonly referred to as Huldufólk, meaning … Continue reading Icelandic Troll Dolls – Dried Apple Art / Craft.
I like to include a native toy or vintage toy for each county in my unit studies. As the world has become smaller through the invention of technology, unique toys to certain cultures become difficult to find. As I prepped for our Iceland unit, I stumbled upon the history of the Völuskrín. Years ago, children … Continue reading Völuskrín – Early Icelandic Children’s Toys [Iceland Unit Study]
I love to make models or replicas, especially out of upcycled things. My poor hubby has to put up with me and my collection of "trash" - you could say I'm a bit of a junk modeler. For our Iceland Unit, it made sense to also explore the Viking history of this island country. I … Continue reading Milk Carton Viking Long Boat Ship Craft
One of my go-to activities when the tiny ones are melting down is a warm bath. I guess it only makes sense as this is also my go-to when I need to recharge and calm down. A few months ago I was thinking of how I would incorporate aurora borealis into my learning activities as … Continue reading Glowstick Sensory Bath – Aurora Borealis
Iceland is such an unique habitat, that it only makes sense that the animals there are also unique. Much of the wildlife has adapted to water in some fashion as well as cold temperatures. I'll admit, it was very hard to choose just six animals to feature! You can download these three-part printable matching cards … Continue reading ICELAND Unit Study: Fauna – Montessori 3-Part Matching Cards
As we continued our study of Iceland and the Viking history, we took some time to examine the language of that time period. Iceland's language has been centuries in the making, originating from Old Norse. Archeologist have discovered many examples of this, much of which was written in Iceland, including poems and stories about gods, … Continue reading Iceland Unit Study: Viking Runes Stones Matching Activity
