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The Real Joan of Arc

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The Real Joan of Arc Sample Critical Challenge The real Joan of Arc Taken from Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years’ War Authors Catriona Misfeldt, Stacey Dawson, Matt Driediger, Mike Parker, Richard Rolph Editor Roland Case Synopsis This two-part challenge deals with the life of Joan of Arc and explores the circumstances leading up to her Trial of Condemnation in 1431. To begin the first challenge, students learn a few of the details of Joan’s life and offer an initial assessment of her character. Students are provided with more extensive information including a map, timeline and briefing sheet outlining the places and events of the Hundred Years’ War and Joan of Arc’s role in this period. In addition, students examine positive and negative quotations about Joan’s character taken from trial documents. After looking for evidence and possible counterevidence concerning various claims about Joan, The Critical Thinking Consortium students reconsider their initial assessment of Joan’s Education Building character. After learning more about the political and University of British Columbia cultural climate of the time, students offer a final 6365 Biological Sciences Road reassessment of Joan. Finally, students address the Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 second critical challenge which is to write a five- to six- 604.822.9297 (p) 604.822.6603 (f) paragraph biographical account explaining her “true” [email protected] www.tc2.ca character. © 2006 The Critical Thinking Consortium. Permission granted to duplicate the blackline masters (i.e., briefing sheets, data charts, documents, assessment rubrics) for individual classroom use only. Duplication of the suggested teaching activities or use of the blackline masters for other purposes are not permitted without prior written permission from The Critical Thinking Consortium. The real Joan of Arc AA Critical Challenge Critical tasks A. Assess the character of Joan of Arc. B. Write a five- to six-paragraph biographical account of Joan of Arc explaining her “true” character. Overview This two-part challenge deals with the life of Joan of Arc and explores the circumstances leading up to her Trial of Condemnation in 1431. To begin the first challenge, students learn a few of the details of Joan’s life and offer an initial assessment of her character. Students are provided with more extensive information including a map, timeline and briefing sheet outlining the places and events of the Hundred Years’ War and Joan of Arc’s role in this period. In addition, students examine positive and negative quotations about Joan’s character taken from trial documents. After looking for evidence and possible counter- evidence concerning various claims about Joan, students reconsider their initial assessment of Joan’s character. After learning more about the political and cultural climate of the time, students offer a final reassessment of Joan. Finally, students address the second critical challenge which is to write a five- to six-paragraph biographical account explaining her “true” character. .Objectives Broad Joan of Arc is a mysterious and controversial historical character. understanding Requisite Background knowledge tools • knowledge of the Hundred Years’ War • knowledge of the life of Joan of Arc • understanding of the historical context Criteria for judgment • criteria for character assessment (e.g., open-minded, empathic) • criteria for biographical account (e.g., historically accurate, supported with corroborating evidence, balanced assessment) Critical thinking vocabulary • counter-evidence Thinking strategies • data chart Habits of mind • open-mindedness • historical empathy Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years’ War 1 The Critical Thinking Cooperative Suggested Activities Pre-planning ® This critical challenge and the one following may be completed separately or in sequence. You may want to decide before starting the first challenge whether to use the next challenge, which involves simulating the initial Trial of Condemnation of Joan of Arc. Session One Blackline Masters #1–5 Introduce ® Begin the class by asking students to guess which female historical Joan of Arc figure has inspired more books about her life than any other woman. After students have exhausted their suggestions, indicate that the person knowledge of is Joan of Arc. (The University of British Columbia Library has 91 Joan’s life book titles.) At this point, provide a brief introduction to Joan’s life by reviewing the facts outlined on Overview of Joan’s life (Blackline Master #1) or by reading aloud a short published biography (see References for print and on-line sources). • Ove born rview a pe of as Jo Bla • ant an cklin h in ’s e Ma ea 14 life ster Introduce rd an 12 in #1 ® Explain to the class that not only has En gelic Dom glish voic rem from es a y, Fr controversy right Fr t age ance Joan of Arc inspired more books ful h ance thi ; eir; and rteen • p to s , tel rese ecur ling nted e the her than any other woman in history, • her Fre to d af self nch rive ter e to th crow the xam e Fre n fo dete inat nch r the she is famous throughout the rmin ion b Cou d e w y a rt at evil, heth coun age was er h cil o seve world. However, she is a very • foun er vo f Ch nte giv d to ices urch en; en a be cam sch rmo pure e fr olars Engl ur, a and om G to controversial person. Despite the ish Nam ba go od ; e(s):nn od o ___ e ; r ____ r fr • ____ a o ____ n m s ____d u ____ t th cc ____ro e e ____ o ss ____ p fu ____s enormous amount of informa- l ____to ly ____ f le ____ ig • d a ___ ht capt rmie agai ured s ag nst t an Diff ain he tion about her, she remains a • d erin st i tur g pe the Th mp ne rcep E e ri d o tion ng re son ve s of lish al Bla ed r t Joa f Jo cklin f o n’s or an e M • or the char tw ? aste mystery; many questions about pu ove En acte o y r #2A t on r a y glishr ears tr ea visi ; ; ia r; onar l fo gro y fr • r und om G fo he brea od u r ki L her motivation and mental n esy ng f d g a emin u nd dedi ist il cat L ty wi ed p • an tc atri L c d sh hc ot le b re ra L a u wd ft visi r rn s le L on health are still unanswered. ed e elf- ader wi ary d sa t fr o cr L h om f c at ificin ou tro de ha th g sa t L uble vil • rg deve int leg d yo d In e oust L u e itia s t Chak al dis th cla l a 25 rist e coL loya re sse ye ian in un l tra d ss L 1 s it a menars 43 de el or Biographers have struggled P s t 1 L lu ; o ai lat ; ded pe nt er peas B oM a se ant en vy ie t a L lf-se ed nirtia f se rvin ic l aossu co g ma t. essrm n evil- nip ehntu d doin ulato to uncover the layers of ofn J tri g h r odanre al; eret of dA ic rc yis ea rs h K lat ighl er y po (1 truths, myths and legends siti 92 ve 0 exc ) b Joan epti K y of A h ona mo rc a ono lly stly nd t urab po he H divin le; sitiv undr ely b e ed Y mot asic in order to find the real ears ivat ally m K ’ e w o War d inte ell stly be ntio - ne cau for ned gati se . the and ve . si mo som ncer st pa ew v K 1 e rt de hat ery 1 viou neg Joan. The challenge is an s s an ativ tra d e nge c ins , but lear ane not ly un or d stab T rive le he C ‘e n b ritic vil’ f y al Th orce attempt to get at the “real” Joan. inkin s g Co oper ative Record initial ® Present the first of three assessment invitations to consider the first critical task: Joa Assess the character of n of A rc an d th e Hu ndre d Ye ars’ Joan of Arc. War 12 The Criti cal T hink ing C Invite students to offer this initial oope r ative assessment, based on what they have heard thus far. Distribute The real Joan? (Blackline Master #2A– B) to each student (or each pair of students). Read aloud the list of Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years’ War 2 The Critical Thinking Cooperative six pairs of opposing perceptions of her character, informing students that disputes over Joan’s character are at the root of much of the controversy surrounding her. Direct students to complete only the “initial assessment” section of Blackline Master #2A. Explain that they will learn more about Joan and be asked to re-consider their initial assessment. As a class, briefly discuss students’ initial judgments. Provide background ® Introduce the Hundred Years’ War by asking how long students on the war think the war lasted (nearly 120 years). After discussing what students might know, provide an overview of the places and events that figure prominently in the war, and Joan’s role in knowledge of the war this period, using the following materials: Na me(s ): __ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ • map of France during the Hundred ____ Fran ce du (Blackline Master #3); ring Years’ War the H un Bla dr cklin ed e Ma Ye ster ars’ #3 • Hundred Years’ War briefing sheet War (Blackline Master #4A–B); • Hundred Years’ War timeline (Blackline Master #5A–E).
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