Tools of the Ancient Romans: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Rome (Build It Yourself) - Softcover

Dickinson, Rachel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0974934453 ISBN 13: 9780974934457

Publisher: Nomad Press, 2006

Synopsis

Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view.

About this title

About the Author

Rachel Dickinson has published hundreds of articles on travel, nature, and science in numerous newspapers and magazines. Her work has appeared in publications as varied as The Christian Science Monitor, USA Weekend, Islands Magazine, Audubon, National Geographic Traveler, AARP, Living Bird Magazine, and Dolphin Log. Her book The Witch's Handbook: A Field Guide to Magic was published in 2002. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists.

Shawn Braley is an award-winning illustrator. He attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc. He specializes in cartoon and editorial illustration. Braley is also a world traveler, musician, cat owner, and comic art collector.

From the Back Cover

Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view. Tools of the Ancient Greeks meets common core state standards in language arts for reading informational text and literary nonfiction. Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.

From the Inside Flap

Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view. Tools of the Ancient Greeks meets common core state standards in language arts for reading informational text and literary nonfiction. Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.

Reviews

Grade 5-8-Despite its narrowly focused title, this is actually a lively and entertaining survey of a millennium of Roman history. Dickinson gives due attention to architecture and engineering triumphs, to be sure, and includes full chapters on technology, the army, and forms of entertainment. But the larger part of the narrative conveys Rome's growth from city-state to regional power to multiethnic empire along with the shift from a fairly small independent people to a conquering but still republican government to, finally, imperial rule with only the appearance of representative government. The hands-on craft activities scattered throughout include making an abacus, a laurel wreath, a mosaic, and much more. Informative sidebars and illustrations are profuse and attractive. For the most part, Dickinson handles the simplification required for a book for younger readers with aplomb. However, history teachers may cringe to read that the Roman Catholic Church was established under Constantine or that the Pantheon was built by Augustus (rather than, quite famously, by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus). The snappy tone, mostly a great plus, also occasionally falls flat, as when Dickinson tells readers that the mystery religions are so called because we don't know much about them. Still, the book has a marvelous central narrative, direct, lean, and propulsive, with inviting coverage as well of the arts, daily life, and such popular topics as chariot races, gladiators, Pompeii, and even Spartacus. A worthy addition to any library where students are open to the past.-Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
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Edition details

• Publisher: Nomad Press
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0974934453
• ISBN 13: 9780974934457
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144