October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Whether you decide to have an enormous celebration, or just touch on the life of Martin Luther, it is a subject that is important to share with our children. The Reformation shaped the landscape of Christianity and civilization for the next 500 years - and the Reformation continues to this day.

Martin Luther was ANYTHING but boring - he was fiery, humorous, and shocking. His personal quirks were interesting to say the least. Because of this, kids always enjoy learning about him!

(I also just finished a wonderful Martin Luther biography - well worth your time to read!)

This subject can be HUGE, however, so I like to break it down for kids.

Luther was known for three things:

The doctrine of salvation by faith alone
The belief that Scripture should be translated into the people's language
The birth of congregational singing. He felt that music was of God, not of man. He was determined to restore congregational singing in the German language to the Church.

I've put together this list of resources and also a special free gift for you to help you celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Enjoy!

“You are the worst rascal of all the rascals on the earth!”

— from Against the Roman Papacy, an Institution of the Devil (Martin Luther)

Martin Luther was NOT meek or mild. He could sometimes be offensive. He challenged the religious order of the day.

When I began teaching my children about him, I turned (as I always do) to good books. And remember, I always keeps things SIMPLE. Less is more.

Once we discovered a subject through a book I could then tell if my children wanted to explore further - I would add in notebooking, lapbooking, projects, field trips - as their interest continued.

Books About Martin Luther For Kids

When my children were young we read Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World over a span of two weeks during our Morning Time. I then used the book with my 4th-6th grade Sunday School class. It's a fabulous read aloud and accurate depiction of Martin Luther's life.

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed The World Did Martin Luther Go On a Diet of Worms? (Church History for Kids) (Volume 2)Luther: Echoes of the Hammer [(Martin Luther : A Reforming Spirit)] [By (author) Tamara Leigh Hollingsworth] published on (July, 2012)The Barber Who Wanted to Pray

Movies About Martin Luther

Another simple way to get an overview of a subject is through a good documentary or movie.

The Torchlighters video (if you haven't watched these they are GREAT - and included with an Amazon Prime membership) is perfect for all ages, and the other two videos I recommend are better for upper elementary and older.

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story Here I Stand: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther Martin Luther

This video is EXCELLENT! The Story of Luther & The Reformation -- great for the entire family.

Notebooking & Martin Luther

Notebooking is the perfect way to delve a bit deeper into a subject. Take the knowledge from those books and movies and have your children document what they are learning. (We love to look back at our notebooks now that my children are older!)

We always turn to Notebooking Pages - they have a beautiful set about Martin Luther and other famous people of the Reformation.

Learn About Martin Luther and the Reformation

Learn About Martin Luther & The Reformation

Martin Luther & Music

Luther's first hymnal was published in 1524. It contained eight hymns, four written by himself. Later hymnals were also published for congregational use. He urged people to use the hymns at home and encouraged parochial schools to teach them to their students.

Working with skilled musicians, Luther also created new music for church choirs, organ, and other instruments during his life. And after his death in 1546, the first line of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was inscribed on his tomb.

Here's a simple organ arrangement of the hymn:

Another hymn by Martin Luther - done in a more contemporary style:

For a full listing of Martin Luther's hymns, visit Hymnary.org.

Other Activities to Learn About the Reformation

Free Reformation Unit Study & Lapbook from Homeschool Share

Teach Children a Reformation Hymn -- practical ideas to get your kids singing!

Make a Diet of Worms Cake!

Art Activities and Craft Ideas for Reformation Day

Luther Rose Coloring Sheet and The Meaning of the Luther Rose

Free Printable Martin Luther coloring book (for littles)

The Reformation in LEGOS (kids can build while you read aloud about Martin Luther!)

Make a Luther Rose Snowflake Cut Out

The Words of Martin Luther Copywork

I've created a FREE download to help you teach your children about Martin Luther.

There are print and cursive downloads available. Each download contains 10 quotes from Martin Luther.

Combine this copywork with an engaging read aloud, a craft, and some hymn study and you have a simple celebration of Martin Luther for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation!

Download Print Copywork

Cursive Copywork - Words of Martin Luther

Download Cursive Copywork

Do your children know who Martin Luther is? Have I missed a resource that you'd like to suggest?

Let me know in the comments below!

Learn About Martin Luther - including free copywork download

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When we abandoned the ideal of public school for homeschooling, one of the most eye opening experiences for me was teaching history.

It was then that I realized the INACCURACY and LACK OF DEPTH in the public school history curriculum.

Homeschooling gave us an opportunity to go so much deeper in our studies of the Pilgrims than we ever did in public school. We only learned the "textbook" version -- and there is so much more to the story.

I was also first introduced to "living books" when we studied the story of the First Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims - my eyes were opened even further! (We all have fond memories of The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh!)

We made our first notebooks during this time, too - so many wonderful memories.

Below are some resources to help you teach your children all about the Pilgrims.

Have fun, and remember -- if your kids are super interested in this, take time and stop to learn for a while. You won't regret it.

Learn About the Pilgrims

Concise history about the Pilgrims - This site gives a good overview of the story of the Pilgrims for children.

Mayflower History - In depth website offering information about the Mayflower and it's passengers. You can find the Mayflower Passenger List, the Mayflower Genealogy, and much, much more.

Plimoth Plantation - Visit this page to learn all about Plimoth Plantation and find activities designed just for kids. Don't miss how to Talk Like a Pilgrim. I know my kids would love it if we all started talking like Pilgrims for a day. You can also take a Virtual Field Trip, find coloring pages, and an Interactive activity where you are the Historian.

A Pilgrimage to Plymouth - Read about Brandi (from Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood) Ferrell's visit to Plymouth and her family's experience visiting this historical location first hand.

Stories of the Pilgrims - You can read these wonderful stories for free at The Baldwin Project. These stories follow the journey of the Pilgrims. Read about how Mary used this resource in her homeschool when her children were younger.

Children on the Mayflower - You can read some brief information about the children who were on the Mayflower and the important role they played.

Beyond the Pilgrim Story - This site provides many details that help you go deeper in your studies about the Pilgrims. You can read the Mayflower Compact, what has been said about the Pilgrims over the years, about their relationship with the Native Americans, their provisions lists, and more.

Videos about the Pilgrims - list of short videos about the Pilgrims, from various websites. There are a few Ted-Ed videos about the Pilgrims such as The Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving and When is Thanksgiving? Of course, as with any videos online, please preview to see if they are appropriate for your family.

Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim's Progress Videos - You can watch this book come to life.

This Charlie Brown video is an educational classic.

Hands on Pilgrims Activities

Unit Study About the Pilgrims - These fun activities will enhance your student's knowledge about the Pilgrims. Make a pocket, document your family tree, play games that the Pilgrims may have played, and make a pilgrim-inspired meal.

How to Draw Cartoon Pilgrims - Anything that involves art, my kids are going to love.

Pilgrim Unit Study - Unit study resources designed primarily for preschool through fifth grade. Links to plenty of crafts and other ideas to engage your children in learning about the pilgrims.

Lego Pilgrims History Lesson - Great idea for using Lego mini-figs to act out the story of the Pilgrims. Anything involving Legos is a hit in our house!

Clothespin Pilgrims - this tutorial shows you how to make beautiful clothespin Pilgrims.

Dye a shirt using onion skins - This activity shows your children just how resourceful the Pilgrims had to be. They can dye a shirt or other fabric using onion skins.

Copywork for Younger Children - You'll find pilgrim copywork and other activities here for younger children from Mama's Learning Corner.

Thanksgiving Hymns - While this site isn't specifically about the Pilgrims, it lists hymns for Thanksgiving that could be a beautiful addition to your morning time while you are learning about the Pilgrims.

Pilgrim Crafts and Activities - There are so many fun hands on crafts and activities you can do about the Pilgrims. Here's a list of some to pick and choose from.

Make Pilgrim Recipes - Engaging your children in learning about the Pilgrims through cooking can be a fun way to incorporate history into your day.