The Vikings Have Landed!

While school officially began 2 weeks ago, today we began inquiring about the first European explorers to see North America. Yes, the vikings. From Norway to Iceland to Greenland and eventually to Vinland (Newfoundland) we mapped the voyages of Erik the Red and his son Leif Erikkson. While Leif seems to have been a good guy, his father and grandfather were quite the hotheads both having been exiled from their homelands for murder. Leif followed in their footsteps, not as a murderer but as one who sought new land to explore and settle. The boys were thrilled with the study of vikings since it led to the construction of weapons. Here you can see them making their very own viking shields.

And of course if you have a shield, you must have a sword. Here they are in battle.

Each with his own shield.