Castle Builder
A Performance Assessment Task
Purpose: Students have already researched castles in the Middle Ages.
They will use the information gleaned through their research to construct a
concentric castle conforming to certain given specifications.
Show Me Standards Addressed:
Goals: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8
Standards: CA3, CA6, FA1, MA2, SC2, SS6
Objectives:
Students will be able to read and follow multi-step directions to complete a task
Locate and use multiple resources to acquire information, answer questions, and support
purpose
Record relevant information using a self-selected note-taking or organizational strategy
Investigate Europe in the Middle Ages
Grade Level Range: Middle School Gifted
Subject Area: Gifted
Time Needed for Task: 5 90-minute class periods
Materials Needed:
Assorted sizes and shapes of boxes
Paint
Brushes
Cardboard cutters
Instruction for Administration: Present students with the Performance
Task Packet and make sure they understand what to do. Read all
instructions aloud and discuss expectations. Go over the scoring guide so
they will know how the product will be assessed.
Pre-Assessment: Completion of “If You Build It, I Will Knock It Down”
task.
Castle Builder
Student Prompt
The people in your group are Medieval Castle Builders living in Scotland in the year
1165. You are hired by Lord Snooty to build a fantastic castle in Annan. The
population of Annan is approximately 300 serfs, 150 soldiers in residence, a
household staff of about 50 people and approximately 20 noble family members.
1. Find Annan on the map of Scotland at
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/maps/I242.IMAGEMAP?410,173
and consider any geographical features you might want to include in your plans.
2. Lord Snooty wants his castle to be not only beautiful, but also the strongest castle
in the Scottish borderlands. You already know much about the defense of a castle,
but you are not so sure about how to make a castle livable and beautiful. Visit these
websites to help you think about the insides of the castle:
http://castlewales.com/life.html
http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle33.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/castle.html
http://kotn.ntu.ac.uk/castle/view.html
Take notes for your castle design.
3. Once you have taken notes on the life of the castle inhabitants, you are ready to
review the Lord’s requirements for his castle. He wants a concentric castle, with a
round keep. He also wants one each of the highlighted items from your vocabulary
page, as well as living quarters and outbuildings suitable to hold all of the people in
Annan in case of siege.
4. Draw an outline plan of the main castle and all of the outbuildings you will need.
Include gardens and food storage facilities. Use a ruler. Be sure your drawing is
clearly labeled as to each part and its function.
5. Make “interior decorator type” drawings of at least 2 of the main rooms in your
castle. Include furniture, functional tools, fireplaces, etc. Color your drawings.
5. Begin construction of the class model. Use the cardboard and boxes we have
collected. Build to scale, meaning that your blacksmith shop is not bigger than your
castle keep. Paint your castle. Using sticky labels, label each part of your castle.
Castle Builder
Checklist/student response sheet






I have researched castle life on the 4 Internet sites given
I have drawn a plan for a concentric castle
I have included all of Lord Snooty’s requirements
Our castle is built to scale
Our castle is neatly painted with details
All parts of our castle are clearly labeled
Castle Builder
Scoring guide
Preparation: Small Group Grade
90-100 Plan for assigned rooms of concentric castle are to scale and neatly drawn.
Clear thought was given to Lord Snooty’s requirements.
80-90 Plan for assigned rooms of concentric castle are to scale and neatly drawn.
Lord Snooty’s requirements weren’t well considered.
70-80 Plan for assigned rooms is not to scale and Lord Snooty’s requirements
weren’t well considered.
60-70 Plan for assigned rooms is both not to scale and sloppy. There is some
evidence that Lord Snooty’s requirements might have been considered.
30-60 Plan for assigned rooms is poorly drawn, not to scale, and there is little
evidence that Lord Snooty’s requirements were considered.
0
No plan
Interior Design: Individual Grade
90-100 One room of the castle is drawn with colorful detail. Evidence of clear
thought to the times and resources available. Evidence of research of the
time period.
80-90 One room of the castle is drawn with colorful detail. Probably wouldn’t be
able to create some of the room during this time period. Maybe some
research was done.
70-80 One room of the castle is drawn but little thought given to time period. No
evidence of research.
60-70 One room of the castle is poorly drawn with little thought to time period. No
evidence of research.
30-60 Something was slopped together at the last minute.
0
No room design
Castle: Group Grade
90-100 Castle is neatly built to scale and painted with details and all parts are clearly
labeled.
80-90 Castle is built to scale and painted and all parts are clearly labeled.
70-80 Castle is built and painted but is not to scale or some parts are missing.
60-70 Castle is built and painted but is not to scale and some parts are missing.
30-60 Castle is built poorly, not painted, not to scale, with parts missing.
0
Castle is not built.