The PBS Nova series did a 2-hour program in 2000 entitled “The Vikings”.  Even though the program is ten years old, the Nova Online website still provides some good information homeschoolers can use in their history lessons.  You can explore a Viking village through videos of the model medieval village of Birka from the Museum of Natural Antiquities in Stockholm, read about the secrets of building Viking ships that made them so formidable, and learn how to write your name in Norse runes.  There’s also a section with articles about the science of dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating, a technique used to precisely date excavated Viking ships.

“The Vikings” doesn’t provide any curriculum guides or lesson plans, so if you’re looking for pre-packaged lessons, this isn’t the website for you.  But homeschool families wanting interesting activities to add to their history curriculum should explore this website.

Photo Credit: Detroit Publishing Company Collection, Library of Congress