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MIddle Ages Castles

TITLE:  Castle Building

GRADE:  7

MATERIALS/TIME REQUIRED:  Index cards (at least 20 packs, varying sizes:  3×5, 4×6 – get some different colors, if possible – the good news is that you can re-use, once you have this supply); 20-30 minutes.

PROVIDE FOR INCLUSION – A You Question, Energizer, or Linking Strategy:  Ask students, “What makes a castle? – What characteristics define a castle?”

IDENTIFY THE OBJECTIVES:

Content Standard:  Students understand characteristics of castles of the Medieval Age

Collaborative:  working together on tasks, valuing diversity of ideas, solving problems creatively

Personal: communicate successfully, non-verbally

IDENTIFY THE STRATEGY: Tower Building, using index cards instead of paper and tape.  Use students’ castle characteristics and/or add you own, that each castle must have.

Example:  drawbridge, moat, keep, turret, gatehouse, etc.

This strategy is as much about working together cooperatively (non verbally) as it is about difficulties encountered and the huge undertaking castle building was.

REFLECTION:

Content:  What did you learn about building?  How does your experience, building with cards, reflect or relate to building with stone and wood?  How does design affect the strength and stability of your castle?

Collaborative/social:  How did you treat and respect one another?  How did the non-verbal requirement help or hinder you?

Personal:  What did you like about this?  What was your level of participation?  What can we do differently next time?

PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR APPRECIATION:  Invite statements

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT:  Students can write a reflection of what it took to design and build a castle, and why or why not feudalism was necessary for society in the Middle Ages.

LEARNING COMPONENTS

►Group Development Process  (Influence)

Cognitive Theory

Multiple Intelligences

►Cooperative Learning

Constructivism

Reflective Practice

►Authentic Assessment

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