T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

• S h a r e selections from a fi r s t - p e r son account of the Battle of Hastings • www.ub.rug.nl/camelot/ (see www. fo rd h a m . e d u / h a l s a l l / s o u rc e / 1 0 6 6 m a l m e s b u r y. h t m l ) . A f t e r The University of Rochester sponsors “The Camelot Project,” a web site f u r ther re s e a r ching this famous battle, e n c o u rage students to ch o o s e that features information about King Arthur. Students can learn more about either the Normans or the English, and write a letter that describes the the characters, settings and symbols in Arthurian legend, in addition to Battle of Hastings from that point of view. accessing full-text versions of King Arthur tales. • Students can design their own coat of arms to re p r esent themselve s . E n c o u r age students to share their hera l d r y with the gro u p , d e s c r i b i n g Suggested Print Resources what their emblems represent. • B ro o k s , P h i l i p . Knights and Castles. Houghton Mifflin Co., B o s t o n , M A ; • H ave students re s e a rch the armor and we a p o n r y of medieval knights, 2001. and how they changed over the course of the Middle Ages. Students can • C h i l d , Jo h n , N i gel Ke l ly and Martyn W h i t t o ck . The Cru s a d e s . P. B e d r i c k , create a time line, complete with words and images, that illustrates how k n i g h t s ’ a r mor and we a p o n r y ch a n ged over time. (See www. w p i . e d u / New York, NY; 1996. ~jforgeng/plate_armor/index.html for a good medieval armor resource.) • Tames, Richard L. Knights and Battles. Silver Dolphin Books, Berkeley, CA; • L o rds in the Middle A ges often wanted to obtain the service of a knight 2001. for pro t e c t i o n . H ave students imagine that they are medieval lords in • Ta n a k a , S h e l l e y. In the Time of Knights: The Real-Life Story of History ’s s e a r ch of a knight. Students can write a “Help Wa n t e d ” a d v e rt i s e m e n t Greatest Knight. Hyperion, New York, NY; 2000. that clearly defines the job description of the knight. • Yo l e n , Ja n e . The Dra go n ’s Boy : A Tale of Young King A r t h u r. Harper & THE KNIGHT • The Bayeux Ta p e s t r y is a picture woven on cloth that tells the story of Row, New York, NY; 1990.This retelling of King Arthur’s childhood provides the Battle of Hastings. Discuss with students why this important event in a wonderful introduction for students to Arthurian legend. Grades 4–8 the history of England was recorded in this format.Then ask students to choose an important event from their lives that they would like to his guide is a supplement designed for teachers record in “tapestry” format. Using the Bayeux Tapestry as an example, stu- TEACHER’S GUIDE dents should use butcher paper to create a tapestry of their own that T to use when presenting pro grams in the video depicts their special eve n t . After the “ t a p e s t r i e s ” a re completed, d i s c u s s Kristen Lovett Casel, M.S. series Life in the Middle Ages. the pros and cons of recording history in this manner. Curriculum Specialist, B e f o r e Viewing: G i ve students an intro d u c t i o n • Read selections from Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series about Schlessinger Media Ke l a d r y of Mindelan, the daughter of nobles who is on a journ e y to COMPLETE LIST OF TITLES to the pro gram by re l aying aspects of the summary become one of the fi rst female knights. Based upon what students have to them. Select pre - v i ewing discussion questions l e a r ned about knights and medieval society, discuss which aspects of • THE DOCTOR • THE MONK and vo c ab u l a r y to provide a focus for students this story are based in fact and which are based in fantasy. • A HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE AGES • THE NOBLE • THE KNIGHT • THE SERF when they view the program. • THE MERCHANT • SOCIAL STRUCTURE IN THE Suggested Internet Resources MIDDLE AGES After Viewing: R ev i ew the pro gram and vo c ab u- Periodically, Internet Resources are updated on our web site at l a r y, and use the fo l l ow-up questions and activities www.LibraryVideo.com to inspire continued discussion. Encourage students • www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/medieval_heraldry_intro.htm to re s e a rch the topic further with the Internet and This “Introduction to Heraldry” web site offers information about the Teacher’s Guides Included print resources provided. use of emblems in the Middle Ages, including a description of the and Available Online at: 800-843-3620 origins of heraldry and a key to understanding the language of heraldry. • www.essentialnormanconquest.com/home.html “The Essential Norman Conquest” is an interactive web site that pro- vides a wealth of information about the Battle of Hastings and the Bayeux Tapestry. Students can access a detailed time line and maps of Teacher’s Guide and Program Copyright 2002 by Schlessinger Media, a division of Library Video Company the Battle, a frame-by-frame depiction of the Tapestry and illustrations of 3/05 D6843 P.O. Box 580,Wynnewood, PA 19096 • 800-843-3620 V6231 the armor worn by knights during this time. (Continued) Executive Producers:Andrew Schlessinger & Tracy Mitchell 5 Programs produced and directed by Tremendous! Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Program Summary s q u i r e — A knight-in-tra i n i n g . A squire learned the skills of knighthood by 6. Describe the training process for becoming a knight. Knights are we l l - k n o wn and we l l - l oved ch a ra c t e r s from fa i r y tales and serving an existing knight. 7.What was a dubbing cere m o ny, and what we re some of the key ele- legends — but what was the real story of these warriors of the Middle Ages? dubbing cere m o n y — The event at which a squire became a knight. A t ments of this event? The knights of the 800s wo re chain mail, fought on hors e b a ck and used a this time, the newly dubbed knight was presented with his armor. 8.What role did medieval knights play in the Crusades? swo rd and lance for we a p o n s . As time pro gre s s e d , t h e y began to wear plate Crusades — A series of wars fought between Christians and Muslims during 9. How did the nature of tournaments change over time? a r mor over chain mail and to use we a p o n r y like battleaxes and maces in the 11th to the 13th centuries in the hopes of taking possession of Jerusalem addition to swo rds and lances.To serve as a knight during the Middle A ge s and other places considered to be holy by the Christians. 10.Who was William Marshal, and why was he considered one of the most amazing knights who ever lived? was ex p e n s i ve , and so many knights developed relationships with lords — t o u r n a m e n t s — Simulated battles that trained knights for wa r fa re and the lords offe r ing lucra t i ve lands, the knights providing military pro t e c t i o n . enabled them to practice their skills. 11.What was hera l d ry and how did it play an important role in medieva l An unwritten law guided the behavior of medieval knights — the code of j o u s t i n g — Fighting on hors e b a ck with lances, with the goal of knock i n g tournaments? chivalry, which stipulated their honor, bravery, generosity and compassion. In the opponent from his horse. 12.Why did the popularity of using knights in battle decline by the 1400s? order to become a knight, young boys served an existing knight and became his squire , until they we re dubbed knights themselve s . After their dubb i n g battleaxe — A weapon used during the Middle Ages that consisted of an axe c e re m o n i e s , knights practiced their battle skills in competitions known as with a double-sided blade. Follow-up Discussion t o u r n a m e n t s . By the 1400s, the knight’s military value began to wane with m a c e — A weapon used during the Middle A ges that consisted of a heav y • H ave students debate whether or not they feel that knights of this time the introduction of gunpowder. Despite this decline, the knight, with his suit club, which was often spiked. t r u ly fo l l owe d their code of ch i va l r y. E n c o u rag e students to justify their of shining arm o r, has been fi rm ly entre n ched in our imaginations as the pin- surcoat — A cloak often worn by medieval knights over their armor. answers. nacle of gallantry and bravery. heraldry — The use of symbols or emblems during the Middle Ages. Knights • Students can compare and contrast knights of the Middle A g es with often wo re these emblems on their shields, cloaks and cloths draped ove r fighters of today. How are our modern-day methods of defense similar to Vocabulary their horses. and different from medieval methods? k n i g h t — A wa rrior of the Middle A ges who fought on hors e b a ck . K n i g h t s • E n c o u rag e students to discuss the pros and cons of becoming a knight. we re often taken into the service of a lord , whom they swo re to serve by Pre-viewing Discussion Do they feel that the glory of being a knight outweighed the costs? fighting their lord’s enemies. • Knights are often immortalized in fa i r y tales and legends as tri u m p h a n t • Have students discuss the relationships that developed between knights Middle Ages — Also known as the medieval peri o d , the time period that h e ro e s , fighting the bad guy. B r a i n s t o r m with students the connotations and lords during the Middle Ages, emphasizing the costs and benefits for s t re t ched ro u g h ly from the 5th to the 15th century.The term was coined to that the wo rd “ k n i g h t ” has for them. E n c o u rage students to indicate the each of the participants. describe the era in between the time of ancient Rome and the Renaissance. origins of these meanings (i.e. specific legends, fairy tales, movies). • The majority of medieval knights we re male. Based upon what students a r m o r — A pro t e c t i ve cove r ing for the body, wo rn by knights during the • M e d i eval knights we re trained fighting men who swo re to do battle with h ave learned about the Middle A ge s , discuss why women did not often Middle Ages to shield them during battle. their lord s ’ e n e m i e s . H ave students discuss what the presence of a tra i n e d fill this role in society. l a n c e — A long spear that was carried by medieval knights on hors e b a ck fighting force might tell them about society during the Middle Ages. during battle. • Knights during the Middle A ges fo l l owe d a code of ch i va l r y that guided chain mail — Protective armor worn by medieval knights that was made of their actions. Encourage students to discuss why it might have been impor- Follow-up Activities rows and rows of tiny metal rings linked together. tant for knights to adopt a code of ch i va l ry. Do students think ch i va l ry still • The stories of King A rthur have inspired the imaginations of people fo r Battle of Hastings — A battle that took place in 1066 to determine the exists today? centuries. Share selections from King Arthur legends, and encourage stu- ruler of England.The English, led by Harold II, were defeated by the Normans, • M e d i e val tournaments we re simulated battles that trained knights fo r dents to discuss what can be learned about the Middle A ges from these led by William, Duke of Normandy. wa r fa re , but eve n t u a l ly they became a fo rm of entert a i n m e n t , attended by s t o ri e s . (See sunsite.berke l ey. e d u / O M ACL/Lancelot/ for legends wri t t e n large groups of people. Have students compare tournaments in the Middle by Chrétien de Troye s , or www. l i b . ro ch e s t e r. e d u / c a m e l o t / ge o f h k b . h t m Bayeux Ta p e s t r y — A medieval embro i d e r y that depicts the Battle of for those written by Geoff rey of Monmouth.) Then students can use Hastings in 1066. A ges to similar fo r ms of entertainment today.W hy do students think that events like these are popular and have been enjoyed by people for so many what they ’ve learned about medieval knights to write their own King c h i v a l r y — The code of conduct fo l l owed by medieval knights. C h i va l r y years? Arthur tales. described the qualities that a knight should have, like respecting the Church, • Encourage students to write their own modern-day code of chivalry that being brave and acting with courtesy. Focus Questions could serve as a guide for their behavior today. C o m p a re this modern troubadours — Traveling medieval musicians. code to the code of the medieval knights. (See www. w m i ch . e d u / crossbow — A weapon used during the Middle Ages that shot arrows called 1. Describe chain mail, and explain its importance for medieval knights. m e d i eva l / m d v l 1 4 5 / re s o u rc e / ch i va l r y.htm for an example of a medieva l b o l t s . These bolts could be shot right through a knight’s pro t e c t i v e ch a i n 2.What does the Bayeux Tapestry tell us about the Middle Ages? code of chivalry.) mail. 3. H ow did medieval knights obtain the money they needed to pay for their • Conduct a class research project on the Crusades. Small groups can each plate arm o r — Pro t e c t i ve armor wo rn by medieval knights that was made horses, armor and weaponry? be re s p o n s i ble for one of the eight major medieval Crusades betwe e n of large pieces of metal linked together. 4.What was chivalry, and how did it affect the behavior of medieval knights? 1095 and 1291.To present the info rmation that they have re s e a rch e d , l o n g b o w — A weapon used during the Middle A g es that consisted of a 5.Why did knights start wearing plate armor, and how did this change affect groups can act as newspaper re p o rt e r s and write art i cles that detail the wooden bow that shot arrows. (Continued) knights? (Continued) “who, what, when, where and why” of these wars. (Continued) 2 3 4