Final PBL Unit on Medieval Times

Medieval Time Period, Europe;Social Studies/Arts PBL Unit

Elizabeth FreedGrade 6

Plan Narrative

I chose this topic mainly because I have always found medieval Europe to be fascinating and the sixth grade social studies curriculum to be intriguing. I really enjoyed sixth grade social studies when I was in school. I think this makes a great PBL unit because I wanted the

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students to really experience and explore the time period. I think the concepts in this unit are relevant and very important to really understand Medieval times. Having the students explore what life was like in this time period allows them to retain this information and experience it first hand. This unit coincides with the sixth grade New York State Social Studies curriculum.

My unit will revolve around a final culminating presentation/project. The presentation/project will be a dramatic reenactment of a five course medieval feast. The students will work towards this by discussions, readings, online research, designing a coat of arms, creating a feast advertisement, creating a cookbook page, and other assignments throughout the unit. They will be graded based upon a rubric that addresses their costume and narrative throughout the feast. One of the main components of the medieval feast will be the coat of arms that they design using MS Word for their costume. They will be graded on both performance during the feast and project (coat of arms) on their costume. The performance will be based on their language used throughout the feast and general presence. For example I will expect them to pretend they are in that time period and not talking about a baseball game that was on TV last night.

Standards

The unit aligns with many New York State Education Standards. The standards it aligns with are the following:

*New York State Social Studies Standard 2: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

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*New York State ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression. *New York State ELA Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

*New York State Arts Standard 1: Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.

*New York State Arts Standard 2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in arts in various roles.

*New York State Arts Standard 4: Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

* New York State Technology Standard 2 – Information SystemsStudents will access, generate, process, and transfer information usingappropriate technologies.

* New York State Technology Standard 5 – TechnologyStudents will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Objectives

The students will be able to:

Listen and visualize what life was like in medieval times.

Create a cookbook page for the time period complete with photographs or hand drawn illustrations of the dish.

Create an advertisement for the feast (computer generated or hand drawn).

Create written diary entries to reflect life in medieval times.

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Use what they already know through research on internet, their textbook, their imagination, and other resources to explore what life was like during medieval times through the use of reader’s theatre and acting out an actual medieval style feast.

Learn about medieval times.

Design their own coat of arms based on their knowledge of medieval times and using MS Word. This coat of arms will be part of their costume for the feast.

Rationale

This unit will address the standards by encouraging students to be actively involved in their own learning and in that time period. Also they address the standards by having the students design their own coat of arms with an understanding that a coat of arms was designed in the past to depict the family’s class, identity, geography, and lineage. They address the standards by encouraging the students to have an overall understanding of the time period in order to write diary entries, develop an advertisement for the feast, develop a cook book page, and lastly as a culminating activity act out a feast from that specific moment in time.

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Content

This unit is geared towards sixth grade students in a regular education setting. However accommodations and modifications are added to accommodate special education students as well.

This unit will discuss the medieval period of time in Europe. The students will be able to use their imagination and explore what life was like during this time period. They will have created their coat of arms for their costume for the feast. Also they will use different sayings from the medieval period of time throughout the feast.

The unit begins by using the textbook. The textbook chapter on medieval times provides the students with a beginning of an understanding on how life was in this time period. The textbook is used as a way to overview and gain knowledge of this time period. The students will be asked to visualize what they think life is like while the teacher reads exerts from the chapter.

The students will learn about a dish from the medieval times and create a page from a cookbook complete with photos of the dish or hand drawn illustrations. They will research on the computer and use library resources. The students will use their imaginations to write diary entries pretending they are individuals from this time period who attended a feast at a big castle. The students will also create an advertisement for the upcoming feast using the internet. The students will also act out scenes from a reader’s theatre script about the medieval times. The students will also design their own coat of arms based on the knowledge of the medieval times and themselves using MS Word. This coat of arms will be part of their costume for the feast.

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The culminating activity for this unit is a medieval style feast. This is where the students will use all of their knowledge obtained from the unit and explore what life would be like during medieval times. They will explore life in this time period by using the proper manners and dialog throughout the five course feast. They will also be required to wear their coat of arms as part of their costume throughout the feast.

Student Preparation

- They will be reading from the internet, library resources, and a textbook. They will have knowledge of how to use the internet and the computer (MS Word).

- The students will be knowledgeable of ELA skills, such as proper grammar usage and punctuation.

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Motivation

The ideas are fun and fresh so I think the students will really enjoy them. For the launch of the unit the teacher will ask the class what they already know about medieval times in Europe. The teacher will read the textbook chapter or parts of the chapter on medieval times to establish a general understanding of the time period and hopefully peak the students interest by having them listen and try to visualize what life was like in this time period. This reading should give them a small taste of what life was like and then the culminating activity will give them a much more profound taste of the time period. The teacher will also share with the class what the culminating activity is (the feast) which should excite the students about the unit. By telling the students ahead of time about the feast, the students will know that this unit will be fun and not dry. The teacher should be very enthusiastic and inspiring while reading the text that the students will be listening to and visualizing. Also depending on the class and the situation by announcing the feast ahead of time, the teacher could have a sign up sheet for the feast so everyone could bring a food item for the feast so it’s not too costly for one person.

Procedure/Implementation

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The students will work both independently and collaboratively. There will be seven lessons completed over ten sessions. The sessions will vary between 30 minutes, 40 minutes and 60-70 minutes. They will be presented with material and asked to complete a project and presentation. They will be using the internet, library resources, their textbook, and other research materials. When the students are assigned to groups they will be in groups of three or four. The dynamics of the classroom would be the students already seated in groups of three or four. There are more details in the lessons to follow.

Lesson Plans/Activities (in sequence)Lesson 1

Timeframe:thirty minutes

Integrations:

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Art

Standards:*New York State Social Studies Standard 2: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

*New York State Arts Standard 4: Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.”

Objective:The students will be able to listen and visualize what life was like in medieval times as a whole group.

Materials: Social Studies textbook Chart or whiteboard

Launch:Ask the students what they know about medieval times. Create a KWL chart. Fill in the “K” (know) and “W” (what they want to know) part of the chart as a whole group. Announce the culminating activity for this unit to peak students’ interest and encourage participation.

Procedure:The teacher will read and have the students close their eyes and visualize what life was like in this time period.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:Extra help and extended time could be given to special needs children.

Closure:Have a group discussion of what they think life was like in this time period, what they learned and/or visualized. Complete the “L” (what they learned) part of the chart. Address and answer as a whole group the questions from the “W” (what they want to know) part of the chart.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed by how well they pay attention and contribute to the discussion of what they think life was like in that time period.

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Lesson 2Timeframe:60-70 minutes

Integrations:ELAArt


*New York State ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.


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Objective:The students will write 2 diary entries from the perspective of a medieval knight, lord or lady.

Materials: Paper Pencils/pens Construction paper Markers Paper fasteners

Launch:Show the students primary source documents from the medieval period.Procedure:

Discuss with students access to education during the Middle Ages, leading them to see that the vast majority of people who lived then were poor, uneducated laborers and that only lords, knights, and their ladies were literate.

Tell the students that luckily medieval people who were literate left written records, so we know a lot about life at this time. Explain to the class that they are going to pretend they are medieval lords, knights, and ladies who keep diaries (or journals) so that future generations can read about what their lives are like.

Allow students to make up names for themselves as lords, knights, and ladies. Now brainstorm with your class to produce a list of topics that the lords, knights, and ladies would write about in their diaries. Such a list might include the following topics:

1. Their daily lives in their castles—comfort (or lack of comfort), space, lighting, furniture

2. Activities for entertainment3. Attacks on the castle by other lords and knights

Direct students to write two entries in their diaries and to make up the date for each entry. The two entries can focus on one topic (see previous list) or can cover a variety of topics. Advise students to include as many details as possible in each entry.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:Let students create visual diaries instead of written diary entries. The drawings should be taken from the brainstorming session. Also

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extended time may be given to students (they could finish in study hall).

Closure:Share entries and give students sheets of colored paper to decorate as front and back covers for the diaries. On the fronts, they should write the names they chose as lords, ladies, and knights. Using markers and glitter glue, students can decorate the rest of the front and the back cover with signs and symbols they make up to represent their families. Use paper fasteners to hold each diary together.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed on their creativity of the diary entries. They should be writing on the areas brainstormed during class or other time period appropriate areas. Also to receive full credit the students will need to have two clearly written, detailed entries; error-free grammar, usage, and mechanics; and a carefully decorated cover. They will also be graded on the social studies content within their diary entry based on the NYS social studies standard 2.

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Integrations:ArtTechnology






Objective:The student will use their knowledge of themselves and medieval times to create a coat of arms using MS Word that accurately reflects them.

Materials: Pre-cut coat of arms shields on white paper for brainstorming. Computers with MS Word.

Launch:

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Ahead of time put examples of coat of arms on the board. Ask the students if they know what these pictures are?

Procedure: Explain the history of coat of arms. Explain to the students that how the coat of arms has to reflect

themselves through the use of pictures and they will be making their own coat of arms today.

Explain to them again that they should not be using meaningless designs or doodles. Their coat of arms must describe themselves.

Show them how to use the graphics on MS Word. Tell them they may brainstorm their design on regular paper first.

The teacher will hand out a pre-made guide to completing a coat of arms.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:Extra time and extra help may be given to students with disabilities.

Closure:Have the students complete their own coat of arms that will be used for their costume for the feast.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed by whether they complete a coat of arms that symbolizes them. Also they will be assessed on whether they have created it on MS Word. They should not put only designs or doodles.

Lesson 4

Timeframe:forty minutes each day for three days

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Integrations:ELA Art


*New York State ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression. *New York State ELA Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.


Objective:The students will actively participate in a medieval reader’s theatre play.

Materials: Reader’s theatre scripts

Launch:Day 1- Have the students read the scripts and decide which role they would like to try out for.

Procedure:Day 2- Have the students try out for their roles. Have the other students decide which students get each role and then assign roles to the other students so that everyone has a role. Practice.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:None

Closure:Day 3- The grand performance.

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Student Assessment:The students will be assessed upon their creativity and accurate depiction of their character according to their knowledge of medieval times.

Lesson 5 Timeframe:60-70 minutes

Integrations:Art TechnologyELA


*New York State Arts Standard 1: Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance,

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music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.





*New York State ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.Objective:The students will be able to use the internet and computer resources to create an advertisement for the upcoming feast. They may produce an advertisement on the computer or hand draw the advertisement.

Materials: Computers with internet and MS Word Poster board (optional) Markers/colored pencils (optional)

Launch:The class as a whole group will talk about life in the medieval time period, mainly what medieval feasts were like. Procedure:-The students will break into groups (teacher selected groups) of three or four and use the internet to research more about medieval times and medieval feasts. -Then they will create an advertisement either on the computer or hand drawn that promotes an upcoming feast.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:

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Students with disabilities will be allowed more time and help to complete their part of the project. However this may not be an issue because they will be grouped with peers who can assist them within their groups.

Closure:The student groups will present their advertisement to the class and explain why they put what they did on the advertisement.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed on how well they worked within their groups and their presentation.


Integrations:ArtTechnologyELA





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*New York State ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.

Objective:The students will be able to locate a dish they believe may have been served during medieval times and write a cookbook page for the item. They will complete the cookbook page with a photograph or hand drawn illustration.

Materials: Computers Paper Markers/colored pencils (optional)

Launch:The class as a whole group will discuss what food would be served at a medieval feast/meals would have entailed during the medieval time period.

Procedure:-The students will break into groups (teacher selected groups) of three or four and use the internet to research more about medieval times and medieval feasts. - Then they will work together to create a cookbook page after the teacher has approved their food choice. - They will need to have a description on how to prepare the food (recipe) and an illustration (computer generated or hand drawn) of what the food would look like.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:Students with disabilities will be allowed more time and help to complete their part of the project. However this may not be an issue because they will be grouped with peers who can assist them within their groups.

Closure:

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The student groups will present their cookbook page to the class and then it will be bound together with all the other groups work to have a completed cookbook for the time period in the class library.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed on how well they worked within their groups, grammar, and presentation.

Lesson 7Culminating Activity

Timeframe:60-70 minutes

Integrations:ArtNutrition



Objective:The students will participate in an actual Medieval feast using proper language of the time period and attire.

Materials: Olives Melons Pickles Drumsticks (real or fake) Pewter dishes Dishes (for all) Bowls (for all) Spoons and knives (for all) Linen for the tables Chicken soup

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Poster board Material Bobby pins Dessert

Launch:Hand the boys a poster board shirt so they can put their coat of arms on it and the girls a piece of material for their hair piece Have girl pin their coat of arms on their own clothing. Start the feast by saying “Welcome Lords and Ladies to our medieval feast.”

Procedure: Go over the proper etiquette at a feast and remind them of the

usual order of food served at a feast. Tell the students the menu usually started with the olives, melon,

and pickles. Hand them out. Then the chicken soup Then the drumsticks.

Plans for Students with Special Needs:None

Closure:Hand out dessert and then salad.

Student Assessment:The students will be assessed on their capability to use their manners and act in an appropriate way throughout the feast following the rubric. They will also be assessed on the wearing of their coat of arms.

Assessment

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There are several different tools used in this unit to assess the students and what they have learned or how they have met the objectives of the lessons throughout the unit. They are the following:

Observation that all class members were actively engaged in class work, volunteering, and group discussions.

Proper use of grammar and mechanics of the essays and diary entries.

The student’s quality of their coat of arms. The coat of arms must reflect things about themselves.

Projects must be neat and the students should not rush to finish them.

Diary entries reflect accurately what might have been said at that time period and show creativity.

Creativity is used when acting in reader’s theatre and at the feast.

Rubric for feast behavior. Presentation of advertisement and cookbook page.

Lesson 1- The students will be assessed by how well they pay attention and contribute to the discussion of what they think life was like in that time period.

Lesson 2- The students will be assessed on their creativity of the diary entries. They should be writing on the areas brainstormed during class or other time period appropriate areas. Also to receive full credit the students will need to have two clearly written, detailed entries; error-free grammar, usage, and mechanics; and a carefully decorated cover. They will also be graded on the social studies content within their diary entry based on the NYS social studies standard 2.

Lesson 3- The students will be assessed by whether they complete a coat of arms that symbolizes them. Also they will be assessed on whether they have created it on MS Word. They should not put only designs or doodles.

Lesson 4- The students will be assessed upon their creativity and accurate depiction of their character according to their knowledge of medieval times.

Lesson 5- The students will be assessed on how well they worked within their groups and their presentation.

Lesson 6- The students will be assessed on how well they worked within their groups, grammar, and presentation.

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Lesson 7- The students will be assessed on their capability to use their manners and act in an appropriate way throughout the feast following the rubric. They will also be assessed on their wearing of their coat of arms.

Project based learning product/presentation

The culminating feast activity is the presentation of this unit, while the coat of arms could be considered an additional project of this unit. The students will be in costume and expected to act like real lords and ladies from the medieval time period. This will be achieved from the lessons described in this document prior to the feast as well as class discussions. They will be assessed on their performance and the use of their coat of arms as part of their costume at the feast. The rubric for the feast is on the next page.

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Rubric for feastRubric for the Medieval Feast Score__________

Amateur Acceptable Admirable ExceptionalParticipation The student

did not participate at all.

The student participated occasionally with not much enthusiasm.

The student participated most of the time with enthusiasm.

The student actively and enthusiastically participated the entire time.

Quality of Interaction

The student displayed little interaction; student showed disinterest or was easily

The student displayed some ability to interact; attentive listening.

The students showed lively interaction and attentive listening; showed

The student showed excellent listening and leadership skills; students show awareness of time period

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distracted. some awareness of the time period.

through their discussions.

Effort The student did not show any effort to participate. They did not stay in costume and did not recite any of the medieval mutterings.

The student participated in the celebration but did not show much effort. The student did not stay in costume and did not repeat any of the medieval mutterings.

The student participated in the feast in an above average manner by staying in costume but could have been in character more by reciting the medieval mutterings.

The student gave an effort above and beyond the requirements. The student stayed in costume, recited medieval mutterings, and tried to stay in character for the entire period.

Overall Manners

The student was disruptive and had to be reminded to stay on task several times.

The student was disruptive part of the time and had to be reminded to stay on task.

The student was attentive and on task for the whole time.

The student was attentive and on task for the whole time with NO reminders to stay on task or to stop talking.

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Bibliography

Eagan, R. (2002). Exploring Ancient Civilizations; Medieval Times. Teaching and Learning Company; Carthage, IL.

Gaylord, S.K. (2002). Hands on History; Middle Ages. Scholastic; New York.

Kallay, Z. (1997). Kings, Queens, Castles, and Crusades; Life in the Middle Ages. Good Apple; Torrance, CA.

Ross, C. (1992). Thematic Unit; Medieval Times. Teacher Created Materials; Huntington Beach, CA.

Social Studies: The World (2005). Volume 2. Scott Foresman. Pearson Education, Inc.;Glenview, IL.

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/timesmedieval/

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/cde-letters.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2186556_plan-medieval-feast.html.

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http://www.ehow.com/how_2186556_plan-medieval-feast.html

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/cde-letters.html



family home

food school

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Documents

Final PBL Unit on Medieval Times