Knights and Castles

Take a step back in history to a time when knights, astride their powerful steeds, jousted in tournaments and kings and queens in long flowing robes lived in castles. Wouldn’t that be neat? Or…….. would it? What was life like in the Middle Ages…..…Medieval times? Take this opportunity to travel back into the past, do some investigating, tour a castle, play a neat game……then you decide! All you will need to begin your quest is your imagination, a clipboard, some paper, and a pencil. Enjoy your journey!

As you travel back through history you will be asked to do several tasks that will enable you to learn about the Middle Ages. We will call this search for knowledge your “Quest.” You will earn points for each of these tasks. (The more points you earn, the better your grade will be.) You will be asked to hand these tasks in as you finish them each day. It is your responsibility to keep track of the points awarded you for your efforts and record them on the back of your Castle Score Sheet. You must also keep the tasks themselves in your notebook until you have finished your Quest. You will turn them all in when you determine that your Quest is through. At that time you will select part of what you have learned to share with the rest of the class.

To help you in your search, there are several web sites for you to use, a short, easy book called Knights and Castles for you to read, as well as a collection of other material from the library. Later you will sign up for a day on which to present some of the knowledge you have gained to your friends. At that time you may select 2 of your favorite tasks to transfer onto poster board and tell us about. This will become the front and back of a page of The Big Book of Medieval Times, which will be published by our class and shared with selected third graders, then donated to the East Woods Library.

To begin your Quest about Medieval times your first task will be to journey through the Middle Ages with James the Jingling Jester.

When you click on the following site be prepared for a LONG downloading time……I mean like really LONG!!!

Go right to the “game” section and try to answer the questions to solve the puzzle. On each picture screen you will have the chance to click on a yellow scroll for more information. Make sure you do that because many of the Jolly Jester’s questions are about the info. that appears on the scroll links.

Good luck solving the puzzle and discovering the secret word! You will earn 10 points for writing a sentence containing the secret word at the end of the first task you hand in. Don’t forget!!!

The next site you will visit has 15 different sections. Each part was written by a fourth or fifth grade student! Browse through the next few pages and notice the topics in red. They are the names of the fifteen sections on the web site. If one interests you look over the tasks that go with it. If you are still interested, click on the shield and sword nearby and gather your information, then complete some or all of the tasks described. To return to this page, you must use the “Back” button in the upper left- hand corner. In some cases you may have to use other resources (books, other sites) to help you. Don’t forget to hand in each task to earn points when you are done.

Knights: How do you become a knight? Is it hard? Would you want to be one? Make an outline on notebook paper describing the jobs or duties of the page, squire and knight. (15)

       A. (sentence describing what he does)
    B. (another sentence describing what he does)
    C. (another sentence describing what he does)
    D. (same)
    E. (same)

Clothing: Pick a person and draw and label what they would wear on a piece of white paper. Mention the materials from which these items were made if you can. (10)

Knights and Castles (p.46 & 67) have good pictures. You may need to do a little more research for this one.

*King

*Queen

*Shoemaker

*Friar

*Peasant

*Manor Lord

Food: If I had been a guest at a Medieval banquet what would it have been like? Draw a picture on a piece of white paper and label it, or write a description. (10)

Knights & Their Armor: Define and illustrate these terms:

~ mail

~ hauberk

~ plate armor

~ basinet

Castles: Draw an entire castle or a section of a castle on a piece of white paper. Put in and label as many parts/weapons/defenses as you can. (5)

Would you like to live in a castle? Why or why not? Make a “T” chart (forms are in the folder) to help you focus in on some of the advantages and disadvantages of castle life. (5)

Compare/contrast castles with modern homes like yours using the Venn Diagram in the folder. (5)

How could you improve on the castle using modern technology? (comfort, furnishings, conveniences, defenses, health conditions, etc.) Explain in a paragraph. Make sure you include a topic sentence, as many detail sentences as you need, and a concluding sentence. Use the "T" chart in the folder to help you organize your ideas before you begin your paragraph. (10)

Cathedrals: Make a list of the 10 most interesting things you learned about cathedrals from the web site. Include illustrations if needed. (10)

Compare churches today with cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Use the graphic organizer in the folder. (5)

Design a stained glass window for a cathedral. If any colors or designs you use have a special meaning please explain. Use 12x18 manila drawing paper. (10)

The Crusades: answer the 5 W’s.* (5)

~ What - were they?
~ Who – took part in them?
~ Why – did they take place?
~ Where – did they take place?
~ When – did they happen?

Jousts & Tournaments: You are a reporter for Sports Illustrated – Time Warp Division. Your assignment is to travel back in time and write an article about Knight Mare and his experience at a Jousting Tournament. Be sure to date your article and make it as realistic as possible. Your reader should be able to see and hear the events as if he/she was right there. (25)

Draw a knight on his horse ready for a joust. Label and explain as much as possible on your illustration. (10)

Write a persuasive letter to the King either for or against jousting. Make up a name/title for yourself and state why he should listen to what you have to say. Let the graphic organizer in the folder help you organize your thoughts. (10)

Design a banner and shield for your knight. Explain what the colors and symbols mean. You may need to do a little more research here. (10)

Pretend you are one of these three people (king, lady, or doctor). Give yourself a name then write a diary entry for one day in your life. (Don’t forget the date.) You might include something about life in the castle (comfort - or lack of comfort, space, lighting, furniture, temperature, etc.), activities for entertainment, romantic relationships, or attacks on the castle by other lords and knights. (10)

Make a “T” chart listing the advantages/disadvantages of being a monk. (forms in folder if you need one) (5)

Monks & Nuns: Read about the lives of these religious people, then write a letter from a monk or nun to his/her family telling about how their life is, or about one event that happened to them. You may make up any events as long as you think that they could have really happened from what you’ve learned. Remember to write in the first person and date your letter. Check out the research organizer in the folder to help you begin. (10)

Weapons: Make a sales catalog from the Knight Mare Weapon Company listing its products and what they were made of, used for, etc. You may be creative and use your sense of humor if you like as long as you stick with the facts. Use notebook paper or computer paper. Use the top half of the front of one piece of paper for the definition and illustration of one weapon and the bottom half for another. Use the back of the paper as well. You should have four weapons per piece of paper.

Medieval Weapons of Foot Soldiers: Select your favorite weapon and tell me as much as you can about it in just ONE sentence! Be careful not to create a run-on!

Now, write a letter to the king persuading him that you really need this weapon and asking him to get it for you. Give as many reasons as you can. (10)

Women of the Middle Ages: Choose one of the women described to you. Write a five-day diary about what you think could have taken place in her life. Remember to write in the first person and to date your entries. (25)

How do the lives of Medieval women compare/contrast to the lives of modern day women. Which jobs and activities are similar? Which are different? Write a paragraph to explain. (10)

Commoners: Pretend you are a commoner. Give yourself a name and write to the King telling him about your life and persuading him to do something to make your situation better. Be specific in your complaints and your requests. (10)

Compare the life of a medieval child with your life by writing a paragraph. How are they similar or different? Would you trade places? Why or why not? There is a graphic organizer in the folder to help you get started.(10)

Since you are just a commoner, are you entitled to any education? Write a letter to the King persuading him that all children are entitled to learn to read and write – not just those born into wealth or royalty. Give reasons why you think so. Be specific. Convince him to change the laws! Use the form in the folder to get you thinking. (10)

As a commoner, write a letter to the King telling him why he should not be able to take your money for taxes. Give as many reasons as you can why that money should be yours to keep. Use the research organizer in the folder to help you organize your thoughts before you write the letter. (10)

Design a crossword puzzle to share with the class. Use notebook paper for your rough draft of the clues and graph paper for the puzzle blocks. You may type the clues on the computer when you do your final copy. (25)

You are an artist and have been commissioned by the King to create a tapestry for a wall in the castle depicting some event from life around the castle. Use 12x18 manila drawing paper. (10)

You are minstrel who travels from castle to castle playing music, telling stories, and bringing news. Create a poem, song, story, etc. about medieval life to share with the people you visit. (15)

You are a T.V. producer and you have been hired to produce a children’s special on the feudal system. Make it simple, short and easy to understand. It is only a 30 minute show. Commercials should be for things used in the Middle Ages , so use your imagination! (Follow the production guide in the folder.) (30)

You are the King! Write a proclamation defending your right to rule and collect taxes from the commoners. State reasons why you should have absolute power and be able to take any money you want. (10)

You will have fun solving the castle maze in the folder by following the directions linked to the swords. (10)

You will be evaluated on the tasks you hand in each day. You may earn anywhere from 0 to the number of points in the ( ) listed after the description of each task. You are not guaranteed the number of points in the ( ). (For example if there is a (15) after the task explanation, then you might earn anywhere from 0-15 for completing the task. You will get the maximum of that number of points only if you earn them.

You may not earn all of your points by doing only one type of task. For example, you may not do all drawing and labeling to earn all your points. Select a variety of tasks.

You must earn 90-100 for an EE, 70-89 for a PS, and 0-69 for an ED. You have a great variety of ways to earn those 100 points and complete your Quest! Choose wisely and work well!

When you have finished your Quest you will not only have gained knowledge about Medieval times, but had the opportunity to practice:

~ Reading to solve problems	~ outlining
~ illustrating & labeling	~ researching
~ comparing/contrasting	~ sequencing
~ using graphic organizers	~ ordering
~ creating original designs	~ classifying
~ writing a personal narrative	~ decision making
~ writing a persuasive letter	~ summarizing
~ writing realistic fiction	~ writing an acrostic
~ writing a friendly letter	~writing in the first person
~ writing an advertisement

WOW…… you are AWESOME!!!

Congratulations! You have just introduced yourself to Medieval times. You have begun to understand what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. So….. can you answer the original question now……the one back in the Introduction? Would it have been neat to live back then?

If you still don’t know the answer or would just like to learn more about this period in history, there are plenty more books out there to read, and a lot more information on the Internet (see Resource page) to investigate. Happy hunting!

A special “thank you” to the 4^th and 5^th grade children in Mrs. Sunda’s class for putting together such a wonderful site on the Middle Ages. It was very informative and especially useful as it was written by children for children.