A History Example

Last time, I promised to give you an example of how an event can be beneficial in the study of history. A couple of years ago we had the opportunity to see the King Tut exhibit, and while in that city, took the opportunity to enjoy a Medieval Times dinner theater.
Prior to leaving for the King Tut exhibit, we studied ancient Egypt. We learned about the math and geometry behind the pyramids. We learned about the religions and customs of the period. We tried to write in hieroglyphics. And used an online program that was available at the time to go through the steps of mummification. We even studied papyrus plants, and the Nile River. And we studied about King Tut. When we got to the exhibit, my child chattered continuously, pointing excitedly at different things, and explaining what she knew about that item. It was a joy to behold.
Now the Medieval Times dinner theater was not exactly historically accurate. However, after returning home from the trip, we went ahead and studied the Medieval period. We talked about how knights really behaved, built lances and shields, let my daughter create a coat of arms, talked about feudalism, and built a detailed castle replica. Throughout the study phase my daughter remembered the knights, king, ladies, and horses she had seen at the dinner theater. The theater experience had an impact that made the book learning so much more exciting.