Em's Viking Adventure: Craft Your Own Viking Shield!

A fun, hands-on lesson for a homeschool student named Em to learn about Vikings by designing and crafting her own Viking shield, fostering creativity and understanding of Viking culture.

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Em's Viking Adventure: Craft Your Own Viking Shield!

Hello Em! Get ready to travel back in time to the age of Vikings! Today, we're going to learn about their amazing shields and then you'll get to make your very own!

Materials You'll Need:

  • Large piece of cardboard (an old box works great!)
  • Scissors (please ask for help from an adult if needed!)
  • Markers, crayons, or paint (whatever you like to use to decorate!)
  • Aluminum foil (optional, for a shiny shield boss)
  • Glue or strong tape
  • Ruler or measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Optional: String or a sturdy strip of cardboard for a handle

Lesson Activities:

Part 1: What Were Viking Shields Like? (Approx. 10-15 minutes)

Vikings were famous warriors, explorers, and traders from Scandinavia (countries like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark) a long, long time ago (from around the late 8th to late 11th centuries). Their shields were super important! They weren't just for protection in battles; they were also a way to show who they were.

  • Shape and Size: Most Viking shields were round and made of wood. They were big enough to protect a good part of their body.
  • The Shield Boss: In the middle of the shield, there was a metal bump called a 'shield boss.' This made the shield stronger and could even be used to punch an enemy's weapon away!
  • Colors and Designs: Vikings loved to decorate their shields! They used bright colors like red, yellow, blue, and white. They painted cool patterns, symbols of animals (like ravens, wolves, or dragons which represented strength or wisdom), or geometric shapes. Sometimes, the edge of the shield was covered with leather or metal to make it tougher.
  • More than just protection: Vikings also used their shields when traveling on their longships. They would hang them along the sides of the ship for extra protection from waves and wind, and it also made their ships look very impressive!

Think about it: If you were a Viking, what would you want your shield to say about you?

Part 2: Craft Your Viking Shield! (Approx. 45-60 minutes)

Now it's time for the super fun part – making your own shield! Follow these steps:

  1. Create the Base: Ask an adult to help you draw a large circle on your cardboard using a pencil. A dinner plate or a round tray could be a good template, or you can use a ruler to measure out from a central point. Carefully cut out the circle. This is your shield!
  2. Design Your Shield Boss (Optional): If you want a shield boss, you can make one! Take a piece of aluminum foil, crumple it slightly into a dome shape, and glue it to the center of your cardboard circle. Or, you can cut a smaller cardboard circle, paint it silver or grey, and glue that in the center.
  3. Plan Your Design: Think about what symbols, colors, and patterns you want on your shield. Remember, Vikings used symbols that meant something to them. What symbols are meaningful to you? Maybe your favorite animal, a symbol for bravery, curiosity, or adventure? Sketch your ideas lightly with a pencil first.
  4. Decorate! Now, bring your design to life using your markers, crayons, or paint. Make it bold and vibrant, just like a real Viking shield!
  5. Add a Handle (Optional): Once your shield is decorated and dry (if you used paint), you can add a handle to the back. Glue or tape a strong strip of cardboard or a loop of string across the back so you can hold it.

Part 3: Tell Your Viking Story! (Approx. 10-15 minutes)

Your shield is complete! It looks amazing!

  • Show and Tell: Present your shield! Tell me about the designs you chose. What do the symbols mean? Why did you pick those colors?
  • Viking Adventures: Now, imagine you are a brave Viking with your shield. What kind of adventure would you go on? Is your shield going to protect you in a mock battle, journey across the sea on a longship, or discover new lands? Create a short story (just a few sentences is fine!) about an adventure featuring you and your newly crafted shield. Let your imagination run wild!

Wrap-up:

Great job today, Viking Em! You learned about Viking shields and used your amazing creativity to build your own. You should be very proud of your unique shield and the story it tells!

Want to explore more about Vikings? You could try:

  • Reading some Norse myths (stories about Viking gods like Thor and Odin).
  • Drawing a Viking longship.
  • Learning a few fun words in Old Norse (the language Vikings spoke!).

Keep exploring and having fun learning!