A Viking Journey

Time Travel Itinerary

1. Before you get started you need to print out and complete your time travel certification by answering the 10 questions on the "What do you think?" quiz. This is to be done individually, before your journey, and immediately after your safe return. If your answer is different when you return, please remember to write down your explanation for why you have changed your mind.

Quiz: What do you think?  

  2. Who were the Vikings? First, read your resource book pages 4 and 5. As you come across new words in bold in your text, please look them up in the glossary on page 62, and add these words and their definition to your journal.
Next, use the links below to look up some more interesting facts on who the Vikings were:
Viking History
Who were the Vikings?


Before you go on to step 3, please write 3 interesting things you have learned about the Vikings so far in your journal. Don't forget to use at least 2 complete sentences for each interesting thing you list.

3. How do we know so much about the Vikings? First, read your book pages 6-9. Remember to look up your new bold words, and write them in your journal. Next continue your journey by reading the following links:
"How do we know about the Vikings?"
"Viking Dig Reports"

Now, that you have learned how researchers "dig into the past", you are ready to dig up some Viking treasures yourself. Click on the link to play the game: "Dig It Up: Vikings". To play the game just click on the link on the right side of the page. Have fun!

Great Job!  Before you move on to step 4, please write down 3 complete sentences about some interesting things you have found out about digging into the past to find out about the Vikings.

4. The Viking Life - Now that you have gotten some background, it's time to really get to know the Viking family. Learn about the daily life of a Viking family and their houses, food, clothes, land and farm. Read pages 12-15, and 18-25 in your book, and keep track of your vocabulary words in bold. When you have finished your readings please visit the sites below to learn some more cool stuff about the Vikes.

The Viking Family             Viking Clothing              


Viking Women                  Viking Farms

Viking Homes                    Viking Food  

Before you continue on in your journey to step 5, your group needs to use the material you learned to create a test for the other groups. Please review the material above (Viking Life), and generate 5 interesting questions, and record these in your journal.

5. Before you begin your selected reading for this section, please look at the following words:

Midsummer   disputes    thing      murder     outlaw    community   belongings 

As a group, please use these words and create a story, to be written in your journal.

Great! Onto section 5 we go: Viking Government and Laws. Please read pages 10 and 11 in your book. As usual keep track of your new vocabulary words and log them in your journal. Then, please visit the links below for some more information on the laws Vikings lived by.

Viking Laws    Viking Rules

6. Viking Writing. Now you will learn about the Viking alphabet and writing with runes. First read page 9 in your book (the yellow text box), and then visit the site below to learn more:

* Writing and Runes

Fantastic!
 Now you are ready to apply your rune writing skills. In your travel journal please write your name in runes....
What? You don't know how?  Well, if you need some help, just click on this link.

In your journal first write your name in runes, then decorate and color it to your liking.

7.The Viking Warrior and his Weapons. OK, you're doing great so far! Now let's get to know the Viking as a fearsome warrior. Please read pages 46-47 in your book, and make sure you don't forget about your vocabulary words. Next, please visit the following sites to learn more about the Viking warriors and their weapons and armour:

* The Viking Warrior      * Weapons and Armor      * Horses and Swords 

* Arms and Armor    * Helmets    * Viking Swords     * Viking Spears   

* Weapons and Protection

Before moving on to step 8, please write down 3 interesting things you have learned about the Viking warrior and his weapons, then draw and color a Viking warrior in your journal.

8. The Viking Ships- One of the most important features of the Viking era was the Viking ship, which allowed the Vikings to travel long distances across oceans and rivers, to plunder, raid and explore faraway lands. Please read pages 38-43 in your book, and record your new vocabulary words in your journal. Next, please visit the sites below to learn more about the ships that the Vikings built:

* Viking Ships and Sailors     * Viking Ships     * Interactive Viking Ship

Awesome! As you are now "sailing" towards the end of your journey, first write down 3 interesting things you have learned about Viking ships in your journal. Then, please work together as a group and create a large poster with a drawing of a Viking Longship. You may design the sail in your own team colors, and give your ship a name, written in runes on the top of the poster. 

9. Raiding, Trading and Exploring. Why is the Viking ship so important? Because it helped the Vikings become very successful raiders, plunderers, and explorers. Please read pages 44-45 in your book, and after you have logged your new vocabulary words, please visit the sites below to learn about Viking raids and journeys:


* Viking Raids   * Viking Raiders      * Travelling Routes

Ready for some fun activities? Quickly, go get your warmest sailing gear, your ship is ready to embark.

* An Interactive Viking Voyage (Click on the middle button (Viking Voyage), and then on "Enter Enhanced Site)

So far you have done great, and handled yourself as a true Viking.
 I think your are ready to test your skills in the Viking Quest Game:

* A Viking Quest (Good Luck!)

Congratulations! It looks like you made it!  Unfortunately your Viking Time Journey has now come to an end, and it is time for your group to hop in the time machine and head back to your classroom.  Before we depart you need to take out your "What Do You Think?" quizz and finish filling out the after journey responses, and explanations for why you may have changed your mind. 

Once back in the classroom your group will participate in a televised press-conference. Please select 2 of the following discussion topics for your group to discuss/answer, while the other Time Journey teams who will now play the roles of reporters, gather around you with notebooks and big ears. This event will be filmed by your teacher. Be ready to answer any questions the reporters may have. When you are done the teams will switch roles.

1. You have learned that the Vikings were great sailors and ship-builders. Discuss the features of the Viking ship in comparison to other ships built during this time. What made the Viking ship so special?
2. The Viking period only lasted about 300 years. What happened to the Vikings?
3. What legacy did the Vikings leave behind?
4. What is the name of the Viking alphabet? What is the name of their written symbols? How do they differ from our own letters today?
5. What made the Vikings such feared people?
6. How could the Vikings sail across the oceans without getting lost?
7. The Vikings were keen traders. What did merchants use before they had coins?
8. Discuss and describe the importance of the Thing to the Vikings.