(Medieval Europe)
(July 2015)
Unit Statement: In this unit, the student will learn about Medieval Europe. This unit prepares students for the 10-year-old cultural studies S03: Early Modern World: Europe and the Western Hemisphere . Students will explore the major events that characterized Medieval
Europe from the fall of Rome in A.D. 476 to the beginning of the Renaissance.
Five Themes of Geography Focus: Human-Environment Interaction and Movement
Essential Question/s:
What were the events that shaped Medieval Europe?
How have events in Medieval Europe impacted modern Europe?
Essential Outcomes: (must be assessed separately for mastery)
1.
T he S tudent W ill analyze the causes of Rome's decline, leading to its fall in A.D. 476, which eventually led to many changes in Medieval Europe (HSS 270-271; Pearson
Core Knowledge, Chapter 3-Europe in the Middle Ages ).
2.
TSW analyze the arguments in the Catholic Church that led to the formal split of the
Roman Catholic Church into the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox
Church in 1054 (HSS 270).
3.
TSW compare and contrast life as a serf, fief, slave, and/or lord/lady in Medieval
Europe (HSS 270).
4.
TSW create a model of the home of a serf, fief, slave, and/or a lord/lady in Medieval
Europe.
5.
TSW analyze the effects of the Bubonic Plague on Europe’s population.
6.
TSW compare and contrast feudalism with home/host current government (HSS 270-271).
7.
TSW research current events in the Roman Catholic and/or Orthodox Church and share their findings with the class.
Practiced/Ongoing Outcomes: (ongoing development, but not assessed)
1.
T he S tudent W ill identify key terms and concepts.
2.
TSW apply the 5 Themes of Geography.
3.
TSW organize and interpret information presented on maps.
4.
TSW apply age-appropriate research skills to gather information about a topic.
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Key Terms and Concepts: firth land use feudalism
Eastern Orthodox
Catholic lord
Renaissance
Roman Catholic
Church lady nation-state
Medieval Europe manor city-state castle
Roman Empire serf fief territory feudalism knight Bubonic Plauge
Suggested Activities and Strategies:
● Students can list the cause/effect relationships that led to Rome’s decline. Students can make inferences about how history would have changed if Rome had not fallen in
A.D. 476 (TSW 1).
●
Students can hold a debate where one side is the Roman Catholic Church and the other side is the Orthodox Church. During this debate, students can argue the differences in their beliefs (TSW 2).
●
Students can reenact the roles of a serf, fief, slave, and lord/lady and role play each role in a feudalistic system (TSW 3).
● Students can create a model of a manor, castle, serf’s or fief’s home (TSW 4).
●
Students can reenact the Bubonic Plague. Students can be assigned roles as Medieval
European citizens, and 60% of students can “contract” the Bubonic Plague (TSW 5).
●
Students can create a venn diagram comparing and contrasting feudalism with their home/host country (TSW 6).
●
Simulate a modern day tour of the former Roman Empire. Each group will need an atlas and a ruler. Issue students a passport to get stamped along the tour. In groups students can chose to travel by plane for 1.50 Euros a kilometer, 1.00 Euro for a car each km or they may choose to take the train for .75 cents a kilometer. Students pay an additional 150 Euros each day for food and lodging. Student cannot travel over
600 kilometers in a single day by car or train. Students can earn 10 points for each border crossed (20 points to go to another continent) and 10 points for every major river visited. Students can earn 20 points to visit an Ancient Roman ruin or area of
Roman interest. Points may be traded for cash if groups anticipate an early finish.
They will use a ruler and map scale to measure and estimate their daily distance traveled (round to the nearest 100 for groups who find the mathematics of this tour challenging). At the end of each day groups must balance their checkbook or spreadsheet and subtract from their original European Tour Fund of 3000 Euros. The students can keep a travel journal (using research from maps, books, Internet research) which may include details of landmarks, geography, history, travel troubles and countries visited. The group that has a positive balance of money is successful.
●
Students can make a map of Europe using different mediums (clay, chalk drawing outside) including countries, identifying the geographical features.
●
Students can participate in a medieval feast. The kings tables can be set with breads, cheeses and meats. Knights, squires, readers, and minstrels can perform.
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Cross-curricular Suggestions:
Reading:
●
Students can read nonfiction text about medieval and modern Europe.
● Students can read the play Robert the Bruce by Eric Ferguson about a medieval
Scottish king. Students can perform the play (this would align well with 9 year old essential literacy unit 8: Drama: The World of Theatre ).
Writing:
●
Students can imagine they are a serf, fief, slave, and a lord or lady in the castle and write a diary entry about their life.
●
Students can present the information they learned by creating a travel brochure, poster, newspaper article, video, or podcast.
●
Students can write a fiction story about Medieval Europe incorporating what they have learned about the time period.
Mathematics:
●
Students can calculate the area of a manor in Medieval Europe.
●
Students can create a diorama of a manor in Medieval Europe.
● Students can calculate percentage of population decline due to the Bubonic Plague.
Science:
●
Students can research scientists in Medieval Europe and their contributions.
●
Students can create sundials that would have been used in Medieval Europe.
● Students can explore the Medieval Technology Timeline (see technology resources) and choose a Medieval European technological advance to research and create.
Suggested Materials: (provided by school)
Harcourt Social Studies World Regions Teacher Edition Volume 1 Unit 4, Chapters 8-9
Harcourt Social Studies World Regions Student Edition Chapters 8-9
Additional Harcourt Social Studies World Regions Teacher and Online Resources
Pearson Learning History & Geography Chapter 3: Europe in the Middle Ages
Down to Earth Geography , Grade 4, Teacher Created Resources
Core Knowledge Lesson Plans from Teacher Binder:
●
Gargoyles, Black Death, and Scary Music (2007)
●
The Mythical, Magical Middle Ages . . . NOT! (2005)
●
History of the Christian Church (2002)
●
Faire Time, Middle Ages Come to Life (1999)
●
Europe in the Middle Ages (1998)
Additional Resources: (may not be provided by school)
Harcourt Leveled Readers
All Roads Lead to Rome (R)
Built to Last (S-T)
Daily Geography Practice , Grade 4, Evan-Moor EBook
Geography of the World , Kindersley Publishing Book and CD-Rom Pack
Medieval Life, DK Eyewitness Book
Crafts in Medieval Europe , Barbara Brooks Simons
Adventures in the Middle Ages, Bailey, Linda, Kids Can Press Ltd., 2000
The World in the Time of Leonardo da Vinci, Macdonald, Fiona. 2011
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Catherine, Called Birdy. Cushman, Karen. Econo-Clad Books, 1999
Classroom atlas
Videos and DVDs
Living in Medieval Europe, United Learning, 2000
Technology Links:
Destiny Webpath Express (see Librarian)
Use this search engine to find age-appropriate websites that align with your unit.
Harcourt Social Studies http://www.harcourtschool.com/socialstudies
This is the companion website for the textbook. It includes activities, primary sources, multimedia biographies, virtual tours, videos, technology links, and online references.
BrainPop https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/
This website has videos and resources about The Black Death, Fall of the Roman Empire,
Middle Ages, feudalism, and more.
National Geographic Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
This website has information about the culture, history, and geography of Europe.
History Channel http://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages
This website has articles and videos about the Medieval Europe.
World History Reading List http://www.abookintime.com/middleages/middleages1.html
This website has a list of books about Medieval Europe for elementary students.
Medieval Technology Timeline http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Timeline.html
This timeline lists significant technological contributions from the years 500-1600.
Education World: Ages http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson156.shtml
This website has a list of cross-cultural activities and resources for learning about
Medieval Europe.
Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/
This website has a variety of videos, lesson ideas, and articles that can be used with this unit. Use the search feature for specific resources.
DOGO News http://www.dogonews.com/
This website has articles and videos about current events around the world written in kidfriendly language.
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Suggested Assessment Tools:
1.
Attached rubric or teacher-generated rubric that assesses ALL essential outcomes
(TSWs). An effective rubric is presented and discussed with the student at the beginning of the unit, referred back to throughout the unit, and used to assess at the end. Students will collaborate with peers and the teacher to assess mastery of the unit with final judgement by the teacher.
2.
Textbook resources can be used to evaluate student mastery of TSWs.
RUBRIC FOUND ON FOLLOWING PAGE………………………
QSI CULTURAL STUDIES-9 S06
Copyright © 1988-2014
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Student Name:________________________________________________ Date:_____________________
CULTURAL STUDIES-9 S06 RUBRIC
(Medieval Europe)
To receive a ‘B’, the student must show ‘B’ level mastery on ALL Essential Outcomes (TSW,s).
To receive an ‘A’, the student must show ‘A’ level mastery on 5 out of 6 available TSWs and ‘B’ level mastery on all TSW,s.
The Student Will (TSW)
‘A’ Level ‘B’ Level ‘P’- in progress
1.
TSW analyze the causes of
Rome's decline, leading to its fall in A.D. 476, which eventually led to many changes in Medieval
Europe.
I can also make inferences about how history would be different if Rome had not fallen.
2.
TSW analyze the arguments in the Catholic Church that led to the formal split of the Roman
Catholic Church into the Roman
Catholic Church and the
Orthodox Church in 1054.
I can also make connections to how the split impacted
Christianity (i.e. the creation of the Roman Catholic
Church and the Eastern
Orthodox branch of the
Catholicism).
3.
TSW compare and contrast life as a serf, fief, slave, and a lord/lady in the castle in
Medieval Europe.
I can also debate the effectiveness of feudalism in
Medieval Europe.
I can make inferences about why Rome fell and how life changed in Medieval Europe based on information I have studied.
I can make inferences about the arguments in the Catholic
Church that led to the formal split of the Roman Catholic
Church in 1054.
I can make comparisons between life as serf, fief, slave, and a lord/lady in a castle in
Medieval Europe.
4. TSW create a model of the home of a serf, fief, slave, or a lord/lady in Medieval Europe.
I can also explain my model to a classmate.
5.
TSW analyze the effects of the
Black Plague on Europe’s population.
I can also make connections between the Bubonic Plague and modern day health epidemics.
6.
TSW compare and contrast feudalism with home/host current government
7.
TSW research current events in the Roman Catholic and/or
Orthodox Church and share their findings with the class.
I can also make connections to what I have learned in this unit.
I can create a historically accurate model of the home of a serf, fief, slave, or lord/lady in Medieval Europe.
I can analyze the causes and effects of the Bubonic Plague on Europe’s population.
I can compare and contrast feudalism with the government in my home/host country.
I can summarize current events in in the Roman Catholic
Church and/or Orthodox
Church and share my summary with my class.
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QSI CULTURAL STUDIES-9 S06
Copyright © 1988-2014