YEAR 8 IS
MEDIEVAL HISTORY ASSIGNMENT
Name:
Due date:
There are 6 sections to this assignment; you have a choice what tasks you do in each section, although
you must do at least 1 each of those labelled A, B, C, and D. We will be working on this assignment in class,
during that time you are expected to work at your best capacity, and you are expected to do at least two
30-45 minutes homework sessions.
Although, the time I give you in class will not be enough to finish the entire assignment to a level I expect,
which going by your marks last term, I except a high standard. You all know where you need to improve on in
your work ethic, quality and presentation.
If you have any questions DO NOT hesitate to ask. I won’t be marking drafts for this assignment, so I
expect you to proof read your own, or even ask a friend to help you. I will know if you haven’t
checked/read through your work before handing it in and you will lose marks for this.
PLEASE NOTE: WORK HANDED IN LATE WILL INCUR PUNISHMENTS AS LAID OUT IN OUR CLASS
RULES!!!
Good luck. Have fun; there are some great activities throughout this assignment.
When you start your assignment make a list of questions to help you determine what you need to find out.
You can set it out in a table like this:
Topic/Task:
What I know
What I want to know
What I learned
Also make up a series of questions to ask yourself when you look at a source of information i.e. a book,
website, newspaper article etc. to determine whether it is: credible, reliable, relevant and appropriate to
what you are looking for (i.e. based on your research questions).
Remembering – Do # 1 and choose 1 other option
1. Evidence: Collect 3 examples of primary and 3 examples of secondary evidence about the Middle
Ages and explain why you think they are primary and secondary sources of information.
2. A Crime and Punishment: Design a Crime Stoppers booklet for medieval crime and punishment. State
the crime and the possible punishments in your own words. Explain if you think the punishment fit the
crime and give reasons for your answer. You must choose a minimum of five crimes.
3. A Medieval Manor: Make a poster that shows life on a Medieval Manor – label all the important features
and provide a brief explanation. You must cover a minimum of five features.
4. D The Working Life: Explain in a paragraph per role, what each of these people did in Medieval England
in your own words: priest, nun, peasant, knight, baron and king.
5. A Battle or Trial?: Make a cartoon strip showing a series of at least 5 events in a medieval battle or trial
by ordeal.
6. D A Peasant’s Life Comic Strip or Pamphlet: You must describe the lives of medieval peasants in the form
of a comic strip or pamphlet.
Comic strip - There must be 8-10 frames in your comic strip, detailed colourful drawings showing different
aspects of a peasant’s life, speech bubbles showing what peasants would talk about. Pamphlet - A4
double sided, using detailed text and images.
You must include material on the following:

daily activities,

working – jobs peasants performed, other daily activities

what the village and manor was like

food

housing

relationship with their lord and

any other areas you would like to include
7. D Timeline: Draw a timeline to show the different stages of becoming a knight and explain in your own
words what each stage meant.
Understanding – Choose 1 of the options from this section
1. A Battle of Hastings: Write a front page for an imaginary newspaper from Medieval times on the Battle
of Hastings (Minimum 300 words)
2. A The Bayeux Tapestry: Re-tell the story of the Bayeux Tapestry in your own words, you may include
pictures. (Minimum 300 words)
3. C Peasant Propaganda: Create an advertisement aiming to convince the English peasants of the great
value of the feudal system. (Minimum 300 words)
Analysing – Choose 1 of the options from this section
1. B The Doomsday Book: Make a Venn Diagram comparing the Doomsday book and the modern day
census. Write your conclusions about the similarities, differences and differences. (Minimum: 150 words)
3. B Medieval Women: Design a poster to show in pictures and words the differences between the lives of
poor and rich females and compare their lives to the lives of females in Australia today. (Minimum: 150
words).
Evaluating – Choose 1 of the options from this section
1. A&C The Magna Carta: Write an essay. The topic is: Explain What the Magna Carta is and how it can be
viewed as the beginning of our type of modern government. You must set the essay out properly with an
introduction, main body and conclusion. (Minimum 200 words)
2. D Knight’s Rules: Make a booklet of the five most important rules a knight would have to live by –
explain each one in detail (Minimum 200 words).
3. C Letter to the King: Write a letter to the King advising of the changes needed in the feudal system and
why they are needed. Create a suitable persona. (Minimum 200 words)
4. C Time Travel: Imagine that you have been transported back to Saxon England. Explain how you would,
using modern knowledge, improve the health system you find there (Minimum 200 words)
5. A Equality: Do you believe men and women were treated equally in Medieval Times? Explain your view.
(Minimum 200 words)
Designing and Creating – Choose one option from this section
1. A A Model’s Life: Create a model of a motte and bailey castle, OR stone keep castle, OR the façade with
drawbridge of stone castle and include a 250 word explanation in your own words.
2. D Knight’s Clothing: Dress a doll in OR create a two dimensional model of OR draw a detailed coloured
picture of a knight in their armour and helmet. Include a 250 word explanation in your own words.
3. D Filthy Rich: Dress a doll in OR create a two dimensional model of OR draw a detailed coloured picture
of a the clothes worn by wealthy and peasant men, women and children and include a 250 word
explanation. (You can choose men, women or children but you must do both wealthy and peasant to
compare)
4. A Village Life: Create a model of a peasant’s hut OR a model of a small village and surrounding fields and
include a 250 word explanation.
Oral Presentations – Choose 1 option from this section
1. A Europe and Japan: Compare European knights and Japanese samurai comparing two of the following
features: qualifications, training, code of conduct, uniform, armour, weapons, their role during a war, their
role during times of peace (Individual Activity)
2. D Knight and Day: Interview a knight for “Knight and Day” (a Medieval performing show). Include a brief
biography of the knight (include historical events, figures etc), interview questions and the knight’s
responses. (Paired Activity)
3. D You are a Viking OR a King OR a peasant in Medieval times. You have been transported through time
and must find employment. Think of a suitable job that you have the necessary skills and relevant
experience in and apply. Present your oral as an interview, one person playing the role of the interviewer,
you can conclude by letting the applicant know whether they have been successful or not. (Paired
Activity)
Assessment Criteria – what you will be marked on
Historical knowledge and understanding
 Analysis of social and political structures in past societies (relating to A choices)
 Comparison between aspects of past and present societies (relating to B choices)
 Analysis of concepts; e.g. the meanings and values associated with ‘the rule of law’, ‘democracy’ and
‘feudalism’ (relating to C choices)
 Analysis of the role of leaders and other key individuals in societies, and evaluation of their contributions and
legacies (relating to D choices)
Historical reasoning and interpretation
 Planning for historical research based on development of key research questions, and revision of those key
questions as inquiry progresses
 Analysis of the context, purpose and completeness of sources in answering particular inquiry questions
 Use of a variety of oral and written forms to present historical findings, including evaluation of evidence
supporting a viewpoint, use of historical language and concepts, and provision of accurate bibliographies
English -Writing
 Control of writing, including correct spelling, grammar and punctuation
 Strategic use of headings, subheadings, graphics, photographs and art work to support the meaning of the text
 Use of a variety of software packages to plan, organise, revise and present electronic texts
 Edit writing for clarity, coherence and consistency of style, and proofread and correct spelling, punctuation and
grammatical errors
Oral Presentation – English Speaking and Listening & Reading
 Selection of appropriate features of spoken language to shape a text for a specific audience and purpose
including: clear & projected voice, eye contact
 Use of a range of strategies to influence and connect with audiences; for example, imagery, humour, anecdotes
or emotive language
 Development of extended personal responses to texts in oral and dramatic presentations
ICT for Communicating
 Location of targeted websites, using general and specialised search engines to broaden or narrow searches
 Selection and justification of information contained within websites, using self-generated criteria
Thinking Processes
Reasoning, processing and inquiry
 Use of self-generated selection criteria to locate and critically assess information from varied sources for
investigative purposes
 The ability to think, understand, and form judgments when researching, presenting and applying knowledge,
when working on the assignment
 Completion of assignment by due date
Creativity
 With teacher support, the ability to be creative in ways of presentation, application and research
Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
 Appropriate use of a range of thinking tools and strategies (brainstorms, thinking maps, plans)
 The ability to realise errors and correct them: proof reading, adjusting ways of researching, writing, planning,
presenting, when working on the assignment