The Canterbury Tales Prologue
SOL: 12.3 a,b
12.4 e,h
12.5 a,b
12.6 a,d,g
Objectives:
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The student will be able to define Lessons 2 & 3 Root Word Vocabulary: anarchy,
anguish, animosity, anomaly, anamnesis, anthropology, anthropogenic, anthropomorphic,
anthropophagus, anthropoid
The student will be able to analyze the characters in The Canterbury Tales to extract the
social commentary made on those roles in medieval society.
The student will recognize and define: medieval society, Geoffrey Chaucer, pilgrimage,
Canterbury Cathedral, Thomas Becket, characterization, social commentary, frame story,
types of tales, and heroic couplets
The student will create a poster of a character from The Canterbury Tales and be able to
describe that character’s role in medieval society.
Materials:
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Vocab Lessons 2 & 3 PowerPoint and worksheets
Chaucer PowerPoint
Chaucer PowerPoint notes
Large white construction paper
Markers and crayons
Laptop cart
Lesson:
The teacher will present the vocabulary lessons 2 & 3 PowerPoint and have students complete
the worksheets. The teacher will review the worksheets with the student.
The teacher will distribute notes to accompany the PowerPoint then introduce the subjects of
medieval life, Geoffrey Chaucer, and The Canterbury Tales to include: medieval society,
Geoffrey Chaucer, pilgrimage, Canterbury Cathedral, Thomas Becket, characterization, social
commentary, frame story, types of tales, and heroic couplets with the use of a PowerPoint.
The teacher will ask students to describe difference social types who walk through the school.
Ask them what each of those social types “looks like.” Note that clothing is part of that
description and explain that Chaucer uses clothing to share information about his characters. The
teacher will assign the Character Analysis Assignment for The Canterbury Tales Prologue: In
this task, students will be assigned a character and that character’s lines from the prologue. The
student will read the lines making bullet notes on the character from the story. The student will
then choose a modern actor to play that character if a movie were to be made. The student will
either draw, print, or cut a picture out of that celebrity and illustrate the actor’s clothing
according to the description given by Chaucer. The student will then research their character’s
place in medieval society and add that character’s role in medieval society, what life would be
like for that character, what that character would dress like, and so forth on the poster to present
to the class. The teacher will present her example of the character of the prioress.
Students will be allowed to work in pairs on the assignment until the bell.
The Canterbury Tales Prologue Day 2
Materials:
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Lessons 2 & 3 Vocabulary
Laptop cart
Paper, crayons, markers
Lesson:
The students will play Guess This Word as a vocabulary review
The teacher will present Brain Pop videos including feudalism and the black death to enhance
student understanding of the Middle Ages.
Students will complete their Canterbury Character assignment and present each character to the
class. The teacher will aid in discussion focusing on life in the Middle Ages, how it influenced
literature, and Chaucer’s social commentary on the social groups in his prologue.