• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The River Houses

A National Network of Local Homeschool Societies

  • Subscribe!
  • Home
  • Topics โ–พ
    • Arts & Music
    • Astronomy
    • Books & Libraries
    • Collections & Collecting
    • Friday Bird Families
    • Great Stars
    • Holidays & Anniversaries
    • Language & Literature
    • Lunar Society Bulletins
    • Maps & Geography
    • Museums & Monuments
    • Natural History
    • Poems-of-the-Week
    • Quick Freshes
    • Research & News
    • States & Countries
    • Terms & Calendars
    • Weekly World Heritage
  • Homeschool Calendars
  • Six Books
  • TWOC โ–พ
    • The Lunar Society of the River Houses
  • About the River Houses โ–พ
    • Our Mascots
You are here: Home > 2020 > November > 25

Archives for 25 November 2020

๐ŸŽต ๐Ÿฝ THANKSGIVING MEMORIES: โ€œWe Gather Togetherโ€

25 November 2020 by Bob O'Hara

Take just a few minutes this week to introduce your homeschool students to a beautiful piano performance of a four hundred year old Dutch tune that is now aย Thanksgiving classic.

โžข

Like many seasonal songs, “We Gather Together” has a complex history. The music is based on a Dutch folk melody that was arranged and given verses by poet and composer Adriaen Valerius (1575โ€“1625) to commemorate the Dutch victory in the Battle of Turnhout in 1597, an engagement in the long Dutch War of Independence (from Spain). The modified arrangement that is best known today is properly called Kremser, after Viennese musicologist Eduard Kremser (1838โ€“1914) who built upon Valerius’ earlier work.

Because the tune is so beautiful it has drawn the attention of many verse-writers over the years. The most common lyrics used in the United Statesย โ€” โ€œWe gather together to ask the Lord’s blessingโ€ย โ€” are those of American musicologist Theodore Baker (1851โ€“1934). In the Netherlands, Valerius’ original Dutch verses are still commonly sung. And of course the tune by itself is now a Thanksgiving staple on radio stations and in shopping venues across the United States. Learning something about its history will enrich and deepen your students’ understanding of the musical world around them.

What musical memories have you made in your homeschool this Cygnus Term? ๐Ÿ˜Š

โกโ€…Gobble gobble: This is one of our occasional posts on Homeschool Holidays & Anniversaries and Homeschool Arts & Music. Add your name to our weekly mailing list (riverhouses.org/newsletter) and get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year. ๐Ÿฆƒ

Filed Under: Homeschool Arts & Music, Homeschool Holidays & Anniversaries

๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Church of St. John of Nepomuk in Czechia

25 November 2020 by Bob O'Hara

Czechia (the Czech Republic) in central Europe is one of our homeschool countries-of-the-week, so why not spend a few minutes today learning about one of Czechia’s World Heritage Sites: the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelenaฬ Hora.

“Wallfahrtskirche Zelenรก Hora (1722)” (Image: Wikimedia Commons.)

This architecturally important church is dedicated to a Czech martyr of the 14th century:

“The Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelenรก hora is situated at ลฝฤรกr nad Sรกzavou in western Moravia, in the Vysoฤina Region, Czech Republic. The church, which was built between 1719 and 1727, is dedicated to the cult of St. John of Nepomuk, a 14th century martyr canonised in the 18th century.

“The property consists of a central-plan church surrounded by a circular cloister. It is one of the most original works by the prominent architect of the Baroque period, Jan Blaลพej Santini Aichel. The ensemble is an outstanding example of architecture of transition between the Gothic and the Baroque styles. The composition of the property is based on the aesthetic concept of a perfect central complex with an explicit central vertical dominant. The centrality of the design is accentuated by the ground plan, which is based on the parallel to two equivalent radials. The number 5, that is a reference to the five stars of the halo of St. John of Nepomuk representing the five virtues of the saint, is dominant in the layout and proportions. The star-shaped ground plan of the church, with five points, is defined by two groups of five radial axes upon which the basic elements of the ground plan and of the composition of the mass are organized. Ten radials, which intersect in the centre of the church itself, determine the arrangement of chapels and gates of the cloister that surrounds the pilgrims’ field situated outside around the church that is situated in its centre. The chapels and the church portals are spanned by ribbed vaults with stucco decorations, inspired by late Gothic style. The influence of this period is also demonstrated by the presence of buttresses on the exterior walls and the pointed form of the windows and portals.

“The main impression given by the interior is its loftiness and the upward orientation of the space. This space is divided into two by the conspicuous gallery at the base of the vaulting. The central space opens into five niches; of these, four are partitioned horizontally and the fifth, on the east, is filled by the main altar. The church retains many of its original furnishings, which include the main altar, designed by Santini and representing the celebration of St. John of Nepomuk in heaven and the four side altars, also designed by Santini and depicting the four Evangelists.“ (UNESCO World Heritage Centre #690)

The church’s circular or star-shaped plan was quite unusual for its day, when most churches were built on either a rectangular or a cross-shaped pattern.

IMAGE_CAPTION_TEXT (Image: Wikimedia Commons.)

You can find a gallery of additional photos of the Church of St. John of Nepomuk on the World Heritage Centre’s website.

World Heritage Sites are cultural or natural landmarks of international significance, selected for recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. More than 1000 such sites have been recognized in over 160 countries, and we feature one every Wednesday, drawn from one of our homeschool countries-of-the-week. You can find a complete list online at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and in Wikipedia.

The World Heritage Centre also has a free and comprehensive World Heritage education kit for teachers, as well as a wonderful full-color wall map of World Heritage Sites (riverhouses.org/2020-wh-map), available for the cost of shipping. Why not add them both to your own homeschool library.ย ๐Ÿ—บ

What world treasures did you explore in your homeschool this Cygnus Term?ย ๐Ÿ˜Š

โกโ€…Books in the running brooks: You can always turn to your River Houses almanac, atlas, and history encyclopedia (riverhouses.org/books) for more information about any of our countries-of-the-week. The almanac has profiles of all the nations of the world on pages 745โ€“852; the endpapers of the atlas are indexes that will show you where all of the individual national and regional maps may be found; the history encyclopedia includes national histories on pages 489โ€“599; and you can find additional illustrations, flags, and other mentions through the indexes in each of these volumes. For an ideal little lesson, just write the name of the Weekly World Heritage Site on your homeschool bulletin board, find its location in your atlas, read the WHC’s brief description aloud, look at a picture or two, and you’re done. Over the course of the year, without even realizing it, your students will absorb a wealth of new historical, geographical, and cultural information.ย ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

โกโ€…The great globe itself: This is one of our regular Homeschool States & Countries posts featuring historical and natural sites of international importance. Download a copy of our River Houses World Heritage Calendar (riverhouses.org/calendars) and follow along with us as we tour the planet, and add your name to our weekly mailing list (riverhouses.org/newsletter) to get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year.ย ๐ŸŒ

Filed Under: Homeschool States & Countries, Weekly World Heritage

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

Itโ€™s free! Your name and email address are never shared with any third parties.

CHECK YOUR INBOX (or spam folder) to confirm your subscription. Thank you! ๐Ÿ˜Š

Search the River Houses

Recent Posts

  • ๐Ÿ—“ QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Familiesย โ€“ Week of 24 January 2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ SUNDAY STATES: Illinois, Ireland, Jamaica, and More
  • ๐Ÿ–‹ ๐Ÿš€ HOMESCHOOL HISTORY: Remembering Challenger
  • ๐Ÿฆ… FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: New World Vultures, Ospreys, Hawks, Kites, and Eagles
  • ๐Ÿช™ โœˆ๏ธ AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter
  • ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Sangiran Early Man Site in Indonesia
  • ๐Ÿ”Ž HOMESCHOOL RESEARCH & NEWS โ€“ January 2021
  • ๐Ÿ—“ QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Familiesย โ€“ Week of 17 January 2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ SUNDAY STATES: Mississippi, India, Iraq, and More
  • ๐Ÿ”ญ ๐ŸŒ’ SATURDAY STARS: Telescope Tips from the U.S. Naval Observatory
  • ๐Ÿ–‹ ๐ŸŽต WONDERFUL WORDS (and Music!): Lift Every Voice and Sing
  • ๐Ÿฆ WINTER BIRD-FEEDING SEASON is Here!
  • ๐Ÿฆ… FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Herons, Bitterns, Ibises, and Spoonbills
  • ๐Ÿ—“ ๐Ÿ—ก HAPPY CROSS-QUARTER DAY of Orion Term 2020โ€“2021
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ณ WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Rรญo Plรกtano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras

Post Calendar

November 2020
S M T W T F S
« Oct   Dec »
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  

Post Categories

  • ๐ŸŽต Homeschool Arts & Music
  • ๐Ÿ”ญ Homeschool Astronomy
  • ๐Ÿ“š Homeschool Books & Libraries
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Homeschool Collections & Collecting
  • ๐Ÿ“… Homeschool Holidays & Anniversaries
  • ๐Ÿ“– Homeschool Language & Literature
  • ๐ŸŒ• Lunar Society Bulletins
  • ๐Ÿ—บ Homeschool Maps & Geography
  • ๐Ÿ› Homeschool Museums & Monuments
  • ๐Ÿž Homeschool Natural History
  • ๐Ÿ—“ Quick Freshes for Homeschool Families
  • ๐Ÿ”Ž Homeschool Research & News
  • ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Homeschool States & Countries
  • ๐Ÿ—“ Homeschool Terms & Calendars

Astronomy

  • Amazing Space (Space Telescope Education)
  • American Meteor Society
    • โ€“ Fireball Reporting System
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day
  • Homeschool Astronomy (Sky & Telescope)
  • NASA
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Our Solar System
    • โ€“ Spot the Station
  • The Planets Today
  • The Sky This Week (USNO)
  • Space Weather
  • Time and Date
    • โ€“ Eclipses
    • โ€“ Meteor Showers
    • โ€“ Moon Phases
    • โ€“ Seasons
  • Tonight’s Sky (hubblesite.com)

Books & Libraries

  • Baldwin Library of Children’s Literature
  • Biodiversity Heritage Library
  • Classic Children’s Books (read.gov)
  • Folger Shakespeare Library
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Shakespeare’s Plays Online
  • HathiTrust Digital Library
  • In Our Time (BBC Podcasts)
  • New York Public Library Digital Collections
  • US Library of Congress
    • โ€“ Children’s Book Selections
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ LC Blogs
    • โ€“ LC Digital Collections
    • โ€“ Minerva’s Kaleidoscope
  • US National Archives
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Founders Online
    • โ€“ Kโ€“5 Resources
    • โ€“ Teaching With Documents
  • Vatican Library Digital Collections
  • WorldCat Library Catalog
    • โ€“ WorldCat Library Finder
  • World Digital Library

Museums, Parks, & Monuments

  • British Museum Collections Online
  • Google Arts & Culture Collections
  • Smithsonian Institution
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Smithsonian Museums
    • โ€“ Smithsonian Open Access
  • Timeline of Art History
  • US National Park Service
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ National Memorials
    • โ€“ National Monuments
    • โ€“ National Parks
    • โ€“ Wild & Scenic Rivers Program
  • US National Wildlife Refuges
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US State Parks

Natural History

  • All About Birds (Cornell University)
    • โ€“ Bird Identification Guide
    • โ€“ eBird Online
  • Biodiversity Heritage Library
  • BirdCast Daily Migration Maps
  • Time and Date
    • โ€“ Seasons
  • UC Museum of Paleontology
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service
    • โ€“ Conservation Curriculum
  • US Geological Survey
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Latest Earthquakes
  • US National Weather Service
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
    • โ€“ Nationwide River Conditions
  • Wild & Scenic Rivers Program

Maps & Geography

  • Mapquest World Maps
  • Printable Outline Maps (d-maps.com)
  • USGS Topographic Maps
  • World Factbook (cia.gov)
  • World Heritage Sites (UNESCO)
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • Zoom Earth

Civics & Social Science

  • 1776 Unites
  • Constitution Center
  • C-Span Classroom
  • Economics Education from FEE
  • iCivics.org
  • Learn Liberty
  • MyMoney.gov
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • Online Library of Liberty
  • US Founding Documents
  • US Government Portal
    • โ€“ The Congress
    • โ€“ The Supreme Court
    • โ€“ The White House
  • US Mint
    • โ€“ Coin Activities for Kids
    • โ€“ Educator Resources
  • US Postal Museum
    • โ€“ Activities for Kids
    • โ€“ Explore the Collections
    • โ€“ Stamps Teach (from APS)

Post Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • April 2017
Sign up for our free newsletter and get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox every week!

All original content ยฉ 2017โ€“2021 by The River Houses ยท The River Houses and the River Houses emblem are Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.