The Middle Ages
Introduction
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Web Quest Project
British Literature
Mrs. Staples
Adapted from Greg Haskell
Introduction: The Middle Age has been
characterized as the Dark Ages due to
its plaques, loss of literacy, loss of
artistic treasures, Serfdom, Church
Corruption, and wars filled with
pillaging and plundering I.e. The
Religious Crusades.
 On the other hand some historical
revisionists claim that this is an unfair
depiction indeed, but rather a time of
light as evidenced by the Magna
Carta, Charlamagne’s Carolingian
Empire, Schools of Learning
(Benedictine Monasteries), Knightly
adventure, and Chivalry.
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Your mission is to make a compelling case
one way or the other that this is indeed a
time of darkness or rather a time of light..
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You will conduct research and become an
authority on this time period that spans
roughly 600 AD- 1400’s.
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You are responsible for completing the 2
daily assignments and also building an
interactive Power Point presentation with
relevant Internet source material that will
support your case one way or the other.
Your power point should have a Works
Cited page with a minimum of 5 sources in
MLA format.
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Before you can begin your project you must
first conduct the research in this Web Quest
educational journey that will last the next 5
days, and take a detailed look at the
Middle Ages from a Socio-economic,
Technological, Political, Religious-Cultural,
and Literary perspectives. Have a positive
experience!
Learner Task Objectives
 Learner Objectives (Days 1-5)
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Your mission is to select 3 Web Sites per content category (Days 1-5) listed in the rubric below. Please give a
three hundred word paragraph description for each of the three web sites per content area. This equals
three hundred words per paragraph or 900 total words, and three distinct paragraphs per daily content
area. Explain the daily content in the various daily (three) links and how these various sites will make your
case for the Middle Ages, as either a Dark or Bright Age. You are required to incorporate an MLA Citation at
the bottom of each 300 word paragraph description for the web sites (3 in all per category) of your choosing.
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*Remember to describe and provide analysis for each of the various web sites that will make your case for
the Middle Ages as either a Dark or Bright Age.
 Learner Objectives (Days 1-8)
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Your mission is to make a compelling case one way or the other that this is indeed a time of darkness or
rather a time of light..
You will conduct research and become an authority on this time period that spans roughly 600 AD- 1400’s.
You are responsible for completing the 5 daily assignments and also building an interactive Power Point
presentation with relevant Internet source material that will support your case one way or the other. Your
power point should have a Works Cited page with a minimum of 10 sources in MLA format. There is a rubric
on the following page that will further clarify the format for your research project.
Evaluation Rubric
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Point Breakdown
*The Preliminary Research is worth 100 points.
*The Power Point Presentation is also worth 100 points.
*The project total is worth 200 total points.
Preliminary Research Evaluation:
(Days 1-5 Monday – Due Friday) Select 1 of the following topics to address in essay format. Each
Topic will be divided into sub-topics for mini (300 words min.) essays that address selected
components of chosen topic. For example, a group researching Religion/Culture might choose to
write mini essays on (1) role of women, (2) chivalric code, and (3) corruption in the church.
Social/ Economic
Technology/ Architecture
History/ Politics
Religion/ Culture
Education/ Art/ Literature
*Points will be deducted for punctuation and spelling errors. All sites should have a 100 word
descriptive analysis. I suggest using the word count in Microsoft Word to monitor your word count.
Power Point Presentation Evaluation:
Due first thing Monday morning)
(Page #1) Title Page (5 Points)
(Page #2) Subtopic 1 (15 Points)
(Page #3) Subtopic 2 (15 Points)
(Page #4) Subtopic 3 (15 Points)
(Page #5) Subtopic 4 (15 Points)
(Page #6) Subtopic 5 (15 Points)
(Page #7) Summation of your position (10 Points)
(Page #8) MLA Citations (Works Cited) (10 Points)
*Points will be deducted for grammar and punctuation errors.
(Power Point =100 Points Total)
Preliminary Research & PowerPoint = 200 Point Total.
Topic #1
Socio-economics
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Websites of the Middle Ages
Banking in the Middle Ages
Black Death
Black Death 1348
Black Plaque
Dialogue Between Master and
Disciple
Economy
European Agrarian Society
Famines
Feudalism
Introduction to the Middle Ages
Manorial System
Medieval Guilds and Crafts
Production
Medieval Jobs
Money and Coinage of England
During the Middle Ages
Population Through the Ages Timeline
Primogeniture Problem
The Manor
Travel and Trade
 Your mission is to select 3 Web
Sites per content category listed
in the rubric below. Please give a
three hundred word paragraph
description for each of the three
web sites per content area. This
equals three hundred words per
paragraph or 900 total words,
and three distinct paragraphs
per daily content area. Explain
the daily content in the various
daily (three) links and how these
various sites will make your case
for the Middle Ages, as either a
Dark or Bright Age. You are
required to incorporate an MLA
Citation at the bottom of each
300 word paragraph description
for the web sites (3 in all per
category) of your choosing.
Topic #2
Technology & Architecture
Web Sites of the Middle Ages
 Building Materials
 Stairs
 Tools
 Castle Chapels
 Medieval Siege
 Roofs
 Draw Bridges
 Towers
 Building a Castle
 Architecture of the Middle Ages
 Castle Defenses
 Castles
 Gatehouses
 Parts of a Castle
 Wells
 Dungeons
 Cathedral Tour
 Gothic Architecture
 Romanesque Architecture
 Byzantine Architecture
 Kitchens
 Castle Walls
 Moat and Bailey Castles
 Windows
 Gothic Field Architecture
 Your mission is to select 3 Web Sites
per content category listed in the
rubric below. Please give a three
hundred word paragraph description
for each of the three web sites per
content area. This equals three
hundred words per paragraph or 900
total words, and three distinct
paragraphs per daily content area.
Explain the daily content in the
various daily (three) links and how
these various sites will make your case
for the Middle Ages, as either a Dark
or Bright Age. You are required to
incorporate an MLA Citation at the
bottom of each 300 word paragraph
description for the web sites (3 in all
per category) of your choosing.
Topic #3
History & Politics
 Web sites of the Middle Ages
 Development of Europe During the
Middle Ages
 Charlemagne’s Significance
 Magna Carta
 Magna Carta Exhibit
 Medieval Kings
 Women in Politics
 Primogeniture Problem
 Tradition in the Middle Ages
 Medieval Law
 Pirates Articles of Agreement
 Wars of the Roses
 100 Years War
 Crime and Punishment
 The secret of papal power
 Your mission is to select 3 Web Sites
per content category listed in the
rubric below. Please give a three
hundred word paragraph
description for each of the three
web sites per content area. This
equals three hundred words per
paragraph or 900 total words, and
three distinct paragraphs per daily
content area. Explain the daily
content in the various daily (three)
links and how these various sites will
make your case for the Middle
Ages, as either a Dark or Bright Age.
You are required to incorporate an
MLA Citation at the bottom of each
300 word paragraph description for
the web sites (3 in all per category)
of your choosing.
Topic #4
Religion & Culture
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Web sites of the Middle Ages
Church in Moral Crisis
Gregorian Chant
Gregorian Chant Home Page
Bathing and Washing
Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica)
Food
Life in a Castle
Stained Glass of the Middle Ages
Art of the Middle Ages
Intellectual Life
Code of Chivalry
Medieval Education and it s
Implications
Problems of the Church
Halloween in the Middle Ages
Religious Order
Life of Women
Crusades Chart
Women
Knight Life
Islam
Byzantine Culture
Byzantine and Medieval Studies Links
Entertainment
Guide to Early Church Documents
 Your mission is to select 3 Web Sites
per content category listed in the
rubric below. Please give a three
hundred word paragraph
description for each of the three
web sites per content area. This
equals three hundred words per
paragraph or 900 total words, and
three distinct paragraphs per daily
content area. Explain the daily
content in the various daily (three)
links and how these various sites will
make your case for the Middle
Ages, as either a Dark or Bright
Age. You are required to
incorporate an MLA Citation at the
bottom of each 300 word
paragraph description for the web
sites (3 in all per category) of your
choosing.
Topic #5
Education, Art, and Literature
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Web sites of the Middle Ages
Anthology of Middle English Literature
Byzantine Art
Literature of the French Middle Ages
Thomas Aquinas
Middle Ages Painting
Antiquity of the Early Middle Ages
Chaucer
Stained Glass of the Middle Ages
Sculpture of the Middle Ages
Art
Pieter Bruegel
Medieval Art Tour
 Your mission is to select 3 Web Sites
per content category listed in the
rubric below. Please give a three
hundred word paragraph description
for each of the three web sites per
content area. This equals three
hundred words per paragraph or 900
total words, and three distinct
paragraphs per daily content area.
Explain the daily content in the
various daily (three) links and how
these various sites will make your case
for the Middle Ages, as either a Dark
or Bright Age. You are required to
incorporate an MLA Citation at the
bottom of each 300 word paragraph
description for the web sites (3 in all
per category) of your choosing.
In Conclusion……
 For Friday, each student will submit one 900word essay that evaluates and analyzes 3 subtopics
for selected topic. The 900-word typed essay
requires an MLA-citation section that includes at
least 3 sources. Quoting & paraphrasing
acceptable (copy-paste is not!!!)
 For Monday, each group will submit one 8-slide
power-point analysis that includes an MLAcitation slide.
 Monday’s class will be spent linking student
presentations to the class website AND printing
student handouts of power-point for the class.
Conclusion Cont’d…….
 Peer-reflection & assessment of posted powerpoints should be completed by Wed., October 24th.
Valid arguments and support for Socratic
Discussion should be prepared for Friday, October
26th when we discuss the essential question for the
project.
FYI: Textbooks will not be needed in class until
Tues., October 23rd when we begin our study of
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
Student Scheduling: Middle Ages
Student
Assigned
(group
members)
Task
Tues. Goal
Thurs. Goal
List of Web sites
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Anthology of Middle English Literature
Art History Resources on the Web
Australian Catholic University
Castles of Britain.com
College at Oneonta
Department of Astrology at University of Maryland
E Museum at Minnesota State University
End of Europe’s Middle Ages University Calgary
Gregorian Chant
History Link 101
Humanities at UC Berkely
ICLnet
Internet Medieval Sourcebook Fordham University
Index to Kansas University
Killeen Harker Heights Connections
Labyrinth at Georgetown University
Music Department at Princeton University
National Archives and Records Administration
New York Carver.com
Oz Ed Web
Texas AM at Corpus-Christi
The History Guide
Timelines.Info
Utah Museum of the Fine Arts
Web Museum Paris
Welcome to History Today Western New England College
Womens Ordination Catholic Internet Library