CHANDLER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUGGESTED RESOURCE GUIDE FOR REQUIRED TEXTS
EXTENDED TEXT:
GRADE LEVEL:
Castle
Title
David Macaulay
Author
978-0-395
ISBN
7th Grade and Honors 7th Grade
SYNOPSIS:
CASTLE tells the story of a 13th-century Welsh castle. Author David Macaulay leads readers on a castle tour, explaining
its cultural and sociological significance and its architectural design. Detailed animation dramatizes the building of the
castle and portrays the lifestyle of the early inhabitants.
BACKGROUND:
In this book, text and detailed drawings follow the planning and construction of a "typical" castle and adjoining town in
thirteenth-century Wales. This book would appeal to the child who likes to know exactly how things are created. Going
step by step, Macaulay explains each leg in the process of creating a castle. More importantly, with each construction the
author goes even further, explaining the purpose of that piece. The reader never loses sight of the fact that castles were
both antagonistic and defensive. Macaulay's drawings are just as interesting as his text. Pencil drawings label and list every
tool, brick, and worker.
TEXT COMPLEXITY ANALYSIS:
In the Reader and Task section, include specific concerns, modifications, scaffolding, or opportunities for differentiation—
address how the text should be approached for diverse learners (gifted, honors, ELL, SPED).
Quantitative: This text is listed as an exemplar text with 1180 Lexile, and 7.9 ATOS.
Qualitative: While the language in the text is straight-forward and neutral, the complexity lies in the details,
illustrations, and ideas.
Reader and Task: Readers at this grade level possess the cognitive abilities and reading skills to comprehend this
text. Their visualization is aided by the sketches in the book which help bring the words to life.
Students that have seen the Lord of the Rings movies might be very interested in knowing more about
the construction of these structures and how difficult they were to defeat. Others who have no such
interest might be challenged by solving some of the practical problems presented.
MOTIFS AND THEMES:
List a series of significant themes/motifs.
Building a community
Individuals functioning as a unit
Surviving and thriving
Technical planning and construction
War and destruction
Essential Questions:
What is a community?
What does it mean to be part of a community?
How can communities function as individuals?
LANGUAGE:
Identify important vocabulary. Provide a focus standard for grammar/mechanics that works nicely with the extended text.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Tier 2 Vocabulary










Vital, page 7
Simultaneously, page 23
Resumption, page 27
Spanning, page 51
Parallel, page 57
Adjacent, page 8
Fortified, page 11
Preliminary, page 11
Mason, page 34
Vertical, page 30
Tier 3 Vocabulary
(if applicable)
Conventions of Standard English or Knowledge of Language focus standard:
Standard
Code
7.L.3
Standard Text
Use knowledge of language and its conventions
when writing, speaking, reading, and listening.
a. Choose language that expresses ideas
precisely and concisely, recognizing and
eliminating wordiness and redundancy.
Description of where and
how it fits with the
extended text
On page 7, second
paragraph, “Both castle
and town were intended as
tools of conquest, but each
had its own distinct
function. The castle and
wall built around the town
were primarily defensive
structures.”
This statement of
Macauley’s central idea
shows how his style is
precise, concise, and clear.
This is a great text to
model straightforward,
unambiguous
communication.
COMPANION TEXTS:
Provide a series of short companion texts that will supplement the extended text and provide students with a deeper
understanding of the themes, motifs, or context of the extended text.
1-3 Short Informational Texts
Text Title and Author
A short description of the text
and how it relates to the extended text
Label Difficulty:
 Advanced
 Grade Level
 Meant for Scaffolding
1.
Mural Making Manual: Get the
Big Picture.
1. InterActive Reader and Writer for Critical Analysis, pages
76 to 77.
1.
Grade Level
2.
PBS Video - Castle - David
Macaulay
2. A dramatic video based on Castle that is part animated and
part real footage that brings the book to life. Depending on
the scaffolding needs of the class, this might be good to use
as preview before reading the book. It can also be used to
help students visualize scenes and concepts during reading.
2.
Grade Level
3.
www.castles-for-sale.com
3.
3.
Grade Level
Students can browse website to look at pictures and read
detailed descriptions of actual castles for sale or rent.
1-3 Short Literary Texts
Text Title and Author
1.
War of the Wall by Toni Cade
Bambara
A short description of the text
and how it relates to the extended text
1.
McDougal Littell Literature book, pages 326-336. A short
story centered on building community through construction
of art. Narrated in first person point of view, the story
touches on how communities often reject outsiders before
rejecting them. Could be useful as an anchor literature tie
in.
Label Difficulty:
 Advanced
 Grade Level
 Meant for Scaffolding
1.
Grade level
2.
Crispin – The Cross of Lead
by Avi
3. Young Arthur retold by Robert
D. San Souci
2. McDougal Littell Literature book, pages 687-691. An
excerpt from the novel, this piece takes the reader to
England in the year 1377 and adds personal drama and
suspense to the medieval setting.
2.
Grade Level
3. McDougal Littell Literature book, pages 662-666. The
legend of King Arthur is presented and courage, honor, and
destiny are the main themes. The medieval time period and
British setting set the tone for this story.
3. Grade Level
STANDARDS-BASED ACTIVITIES:
Description
ACTIVITY #1 PREDICTING AND CONFIRMING
This activity can be done before students read particular pages of the text.
1. Before reading page 16, have students make a list of the different
types of laborers who would need to be hired in order for the castle to
be constructed. They should describe each laborer’s skills as well.
2. Before page 18, have students make a list of the tools necessary for
the construction of the castle. You can have them think of two lists,
one for modern tools and another for medieval tools.
3. Before page 68, make a plan for the defense of the castle in case it is
attacked.
4. Before page 71, make a plan for an assault to overtake the castle.
Resources:
 Castle
Standards Addressed:
 7.W.9
Description
ACTIVITY #2
Choose another structure (baseball stadium, swimming pool, skate park,
mansion, airport, etc.) and in similar style to Macaulay, create a PowerPoint
detailing its construction. Use organizational structures as well as visuals to
enhance your presentation.
Description
ACTIVITY #3
Page 62 states that after the walls and towers of the castle are finished, the
exterior of the entire structure was whitewashed with lime, giving it the
appearance of having been carved from a single enormous piece of stone
and greatly enhancing its already powerful image. Imagine you are
travelling and see the castle for the very first time. Write a paragraph
describing the thoughts from each traveler’s perspective:
1. A master mason
2. A soldier
3. A farmer
4. A small peasant boy
5. The queen
6. A prisoner on his way to the castle’s dungeon
Resources:
 Castle
 Technology
Standards Addressed:
 7.W.2
Resources:
 Castle
Standards Addressed:
 7.R.6
Description
ACTIVITY #4
K.I.M. Vocabulary Strategy (Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2002). Instruct students
on the following acronym:
K represents the key word; students record the word to be learned.
I represents important information; students record what they have
learned about the key word in "their own words."
M represents memory clue or mnemonic (Drawing, picture or symbol)
By making a sketch (or other memory clue) students synthesize and interpret
the new information and make it their own.
Description
ACTIVITY #5
Sum It Up Read an entire selection (chapter, article, handout, primary source,
etc.) and, as you read, list the main idea words on the “Sum It Up” sheet.
Write a summary of the selection using as many of the main idea words as
possible. Put one word in each blank. Imagine you have only $2.00 and that
each word you use is worth ten cents. You’ll “sum it up” in 20 words!
Resources:
 Castles
 K.I.M. chart
Standards Addressed:
 RI 7.4
Resources:
 Castles
 Sum It Up sheet
http://www.readingquest.org/pdf/sumitup.
pdf
Standards Addressed:
 RI 7.3
WRITING PROMPTS:
Argument/Opinion Prompts:
o Page 22 discusses the funding of the castle. Compose a letter to Lord Kevin’s tenants persuading them to
voluntarily pay their taxes which will be used to pay for the castle. The letter should encourage them to view
the taxes as a positive contribution to the well-being of the community. It should also send a subtle message
that non-compliance may result in a visit from the soldiers.
o Page 50 says that when the population of Aberwyvern reached several hundred it was granted the status of
parish and given a priest. A church would be built using free labor and generous contributions. Write a letter
from the priest to the townspeople encouraging them to donate their time and resources for the church’s
construction.
o At the end of the book it becomes clear that the “conquest” of Wales would finally be achieved through
nonviolence and cooperation. What lessons could this teach about modern day conflicts?
Informational/Explanatory Prompts:
o Choose one way that the castle was designed to resist attacks and withstand sieges. Write an essay
explaining why this strategy was chosen and why it is effective. Suggest improvements.
o Choose one strategy an attacking army could use to breach the castle’s defenses. Write an essay detailing the
strengths and weaknesses of this plan and its intended outcome.
o Google ancient, medieval, and modern siege weapons. Write a compare and contrast essay discussing the
merits and drawbacks of each.
Narrative Prompts:
o You are a soldier/general in the army who is attacking/defending the castle. Write a narrative describing the
experience.
o Page 67 tells of a great banquet where the kings and lords celebrated with food and entertainment. Write a
narrative of this night from the point of view of Master Johnson or Lord Kevin or Lady Catherine.
Research Prompts:
o Choose one from the following list: masonry, carpentry, blacksmithing, or quarrying. Research the
development and advances of the trade throughout history. Write a paper tracing the methods and techniques
as they moved from their beginnings into modern times.
o Research the siege of Sterling Castle, Rochester Castle, or Kenilworth Castle. Include the background
history, the castle’s defenses, and the siege.
o Research the history of the trebuchet, a siege weapon used to attack castles. Trace its development through
time and discuss the interest modern people have in reconstructing them.
As outlined by PARCC, the prompts above may occur in a variety of writing environments. Teachers should consider:
 Incorporating a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments
 Including routine writing, such as short constructed-responses to text-dependent questions, to build content knowledge and provide opportunities for reflection on a
specific aspect of a text or texts
 Integrating of a number of analytic writings that places a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display some logical integration and
coherence. These responses can vary in length based on the questions asked and task performed, from answering brief questions to crafting longer responses,
allowing teachers to assess students’ ability to paraphrase, infer, and ultimately integrate the ideas they have gleaned from what they have read. Over the course of
the year, analytic writing should include comparative analysis and compositions that share findings from the research project
 Include narrative writing to offer students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences; craft their own stories and descriptions; and deepen their
understandings of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama) through purposeful imitation.