A Medieval Theme

This package contains:

- Information on a Castle, Knights, Family Crests, and Food - Activities for children and/or families to do - Projects to create - Snack and meal ideas - History of Medieval (attached separately) - Word Searches (attached separately) - Colouring pages (attached separately)

Quality Time in a Learning Environment

Inside A Medieval Castle Keep Trim Castle in Ireland ...is a Norman castle on the south bank of the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland, built by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath and his son Walter.

It is a very old structure and it is in terrific shape. Look at the outside of the Keep. See the stairs on the lower right. These stairs lead to the only entrance to the Keep. Note that sole door is up off the ground. This made it much more difficult to attack and nearly impossible to use a battering ram against.

Plan of the keep

This is that massive main door to the Keep. It is very thick and solid. The door and lock are about 250 years old. The key to this door is about a foot in size. Inside that single door into the Keep is a room called the disarming room. This is where all visitors to the castle would give up their weapons. No one was trusted.

A portcullis is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in Medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the doorway.

There are various rooms in the Keep and they look like this. The wooden floor is the same as it would have been hundreds of years ago. The room for the Lord of the Keep and his family would be the room that is the absolute furthest from the main doorway. This gave them maximum protection and defense.

Another fascinating defense measure inside the Keep was the way the stairwells were made. They would have a clockwise rotation so defenders of the Keep could easily use their right hand hand. Attackers trying to go up the stairs would have their sword hand against the inner wall. That made it difficult for them to swing their swords.

And, these stairwells had a trick in that the height and the depth of the steps would vary. Or there would be one particular step that was of a different size. This is called a trip-step and it could trip up an attacker who wasn't familiar with the stairwells.

In the alcove to the left of the window below, there is a hole in the bottom. That is the toilet chute! People had to take care of business in the Keep. The chute goes all the way down to a room in the bottom.

And they were always cautious about chutes like this because sometimes castles were taken over by having people crawl up through these chutes. They would often have metal bars protecting them.

Here is a fireplace inside the castle main room. It was added centuries after the Keep was first built! It was a marvel of an upgrade and renovation! Until then this castle was very cold.

Here is a look up through the fireplace air chute. It is called a fumarelli and it curves and twists on its way up to bring the smoke out. The curving and twisting was to stop rain from coming straight down and into the Keep and put out the fire.

Knights of the Round Table

The Knights of the Round Table are characters in the legends of King Arthur. They were thought to be the best knights in the kingdom and lived with the king in his castle in Camelot. To become a knight of the round table he had to prove he was chivalrous and swore an oath of Chivalry.

Chilvary - the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code. The combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, equality, courtesy, humility, justice, gratitude, discipline, faith, and generosity (a readiness to help the weak).

The table the knights sat at was round because this symbolized that everyone who sat at it was considered equal. This is also the reason why they were called The Knights of the Round Table. They would sit at the table to have discussions about their adventures and quests as well as the safety of Camelot.

Knight in Shining Armor Build your own Knight in shining armor!

Here is what you’ll need – Construction paper Tin/aluminum Glue Black & yellow pipe cleaners Feather, or something similar for decoration Black marker

1. Cut a head, rectangle body, arms and legs out of tin foil. Glue these Pieces onto a piece of construction paper. (alternative – cut out pieces Of cardboard and paint them silver, or any other colour)

2. To make elbows and knees, hand and feet, crumple up some small pieces of tin foil into balls, glue them on, and flatten slightly.

3. Cut out a small rectangle of paper to represent the knight’s face and draw on two eyes. (you could also use two small googly eyes) Glue onto your knight’s helmet. Add a feather or other material to the helmet for decoration.

4. To make a sword, wrap a small piece of black pipe cleaner around a longer piece of yellow pipe cleaner. Glue onto your knight’s hand. (you could also use a wooden toothpick that you paint, or a coloured plastic toothpick, or a cocktail spear, which often come in the form of a sword) *Note for parents – You could also have your child scrounge around the house or the outdoors for items to create their own idea of a sword.

**Alternative for older children – Using newspaper or any paper, have your child create a 3-D version by crumpling the news/paper up into body parts (ie, head/helmet, body, arms & legs) and cover them with tin foil. These 3-D Knights could be poseable. The Family Crest

During medieval times, all families had a motto as well as a coat of arms or crest. The crest showed the identity and status of that family and was displayed on banners, shields, swords, tapestries, even burned into the crusts of bread on special occasions. The family motto basically said `this is who we are and why we are special`. Even today we see mottos and crests displayed on clothing, walls, and in homes…Can you think of anything that you may own with a crest on it? Do you recognize the familiar Coats of Arms below?

Name ______Name ______

Name ______Name ______What Do They Mean?

Everything found on a coat of arms has a meaning behind it: colours, animals, plants, and flags all have a meaning to them. If you were to design your own crest, what would you include? Use the list below to make up your own message!

Colours & Metals Gold or yellow - Generosity Argent, white or silver - Peace, honesty & sincerity Sable or black - Constancy, dependability & sometimes sadness Blue - Loyalty and truth Red- Military fortitude, fairness Green - Hope, joy and sometimes loyalty in love. Purple - Royal majesty, sovereignty and justice, authority Tawny - Worthy ambition, desire, spirit Sanguine – cheerful, hopeful, optimistic, upbeat

Animals and Common Objects Lion - Courage Tiger - Great fierceness Panther - A beautiful & fierce woman who is very tender and loving to her young Horse - Readiness Boar - A fierce combatant Lamb - Gentleness and patience Beaver - Industry and perseverance Fox - Wit or wisdom Snake - Wisdom Dove - Peace Dragon - Defender of treasure Double or Single Eagle - Action, ingenuity, speed Horns and Antlers - Strength Heart - Charity, sincerity Hand - Faith, sincerity, and justice Crown - Royal authority Angel - Dignity, glory, and honor Sun - Glory and splendor Spear or Lance - Knightly service and devotion to honor Horseshoe - Good luck Cornucopia - Bounty of Nature’s gifts Gold Spur - Dignity of knighthood Sun - Glory and splendor Trumpet - Ready for the fray Shield - A defender Trunk of a Tree - An object of veneration Wheel - Fortune ACTIVITY – Using the templates below and the symbols & meanings above, have your child create a Family Crest. As a family, create a Family Motto.

Medieval Foods and Snacks

Agriculture was vital in the Medieval age. Agriculture allowed villages and towns to grow by providing a source of food to feed the people who lived there, and by providing produce which could be sold at the market. General two meals were eaten each day – lunch at Midday and a light Supper.

Diet of Peasants (farmers) ● The main foods eaten by peasants (farmers & villagers) were bread, porridge, and potage, which was a vegetable stew. They grew grains such as wheat, rye, oats, or barley. The grains were boiled whole in a porridge, soup, or stew, or ground into flour. Meat was expensive, so it was rarely eaten. ● They kept chickens and cows, so they had eggs and milk, from which they made butter and cheese. ● Protein was usually legumes such as beans, peas, or lentils; fish was available. ● On very rare occasions, meat such as poultry, pork, or beef was eaten. ● Peasants depended mostly on their harvest for food. Vegetables such as onions, leeks, cabbage, garlic, turnips, parsnips, peas, and beans were staples. ● Fruits were available in season: apples, pears, plums, elderberries, rhubarb, and small wild strawberries. ● Water was not clean, so they drank weak beer or milk.

Diet of the Wealthy (upper class) ● The diet of the wealthy (upper class) was more varied; they ate more meat but fewer vegetables. ● Dairy products were considered food for the poor, so they did not consume them. ● While the wealthy were able to afford more food and a wider variety of foods, they ate poorly and suffered health problems from their unhealthy diet. ● They also had poor eating hygiene and used their fingers to eat.

METHODS OF FOOD PREPARATION ● Using fire or ovens ● Cooking in pots ● Frying fish ● Roasting pork ● Boiling beef

COMMON BEVERAGES IN THE MIDDLE AGES ● Beer ● Milk ● Wine ● Juice ● Water (if it was clean)

EXAMPLES of TYPICAL FOODS Main Courses: Meat Pies, Venison Pies, Roast Rolls, Lamb Shanks, Chicken Drumsticks, Stew, Quiche Desserts: Warm Apple Pies, Warm Berry or Custard Tarts, Cold Caramel Tarts Snacks: Warm Roasted Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts & almonds), Cheeses, Olives and chunky bread, and Toffee Apples ACTIVITIES: - Plan a Medieval Feast using some of the food ideas above - While using good hand hygiene, eat your Medieval feast using only your hands/fingers - Draw a picture of two meals a day for each, ie one for peasants, and one for the wealthy OR - Create a collage of Medieval foods using pictures of food from magazines - Make a homemade soup or stew using typical Medieval vegetables - Bake rye, barley, or oat bread to eat with the soup or stew - Make a Medieval snack - Make Toffee Apples

Snack Ideas • Hard boiled eggs • Cheddar and a soft white cheese (eg, Laughing Cow or Brie) with chunky bread • Cheese with nuts (if no allergies) or figs • Fig Newtons or Scottish Shortbread (eg, Walkers) • Open-faced grilled cheese (cook under the broiler until the cheese melts); add bacon for fun & flavor • Individual mini (muffin pan) quiche • Apple slices with nuts or nut butter • Battered and fried apple slices or rings; sprinkle cinnamon sugar on while hot

Toffee Apple Recipe Ingredients: 4-5 apples, e.g. Granny Smith or MacIntosh, one or two for each child or person Craft sticks, short skewers, or short wooden sticks sharpened on one end Individually wrapped caramels (340 g bag of Kraft caramels), unwrapped 2 Tablespoons of Water (1 Tablespoon if using microwave method) Wax or Parchment paper

Prepare apples by washing & drying them well. Insert a craft or wooden stick into each apple at the stem. Set apples out on the wax or parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine unwrapped caramels with 2 T of water, and melt on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until all caramels are completely melted. (Alternative – Melt caramels in microwavable dish with 1 T water, on high 2 ½ - 3 minutes, stirring after every minute, until fully melted.)

Remove from stove or microwave and set on hot mat. Using an oven mitt, tip the dish so the caramel pools to one side, and dip apple into caramel, rolling it around to coat it completely. Spoon additional caramel over if necessary. Allow excess caramel to drip off. Scrape bottom and set on wax or parchment paper to set. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Let caramel apples sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before eating. ENJOY! (Up-level your treat – Dip apples into crushed nuts, chopped Reese Pieces, granola, sprinkles, Skor bits, etc)

A Medieval Theme

This package contains:

History of Medieval Swords

Quality Time in a Learning Environment The History of the Medieval Sword

The first swords are generally considered to have appeared around 2,000 years B.C. For many, many years the dagger was the predominant weapon. With advances in metal working, the dagger was slowly transformed into the sword.

The Bronze Age

During the Bronze Age (approx. 2,000 BC to 1,400 BC) the advent of working with bronze changed the dagger significantly. The major change was the ability to make it longer and it is in this that the Medieval Sword was born. Notice how very thick the blade is at the handle, and how it tapers to the point. This thickness was necessary for strength. This sword is 23 inches long and it is a good example of the transition from dagger to sword, although it is a rather short sword.

The Iron Age Around the 13th century BC Iron working skills brought forth the Iron sword. And although it is mostly inferior to the well-made bronze sword it was an easier sword to make and could be produced in mass quantities. This meant that an army could be supplied with swords. The Iron sword made a tremendous advance when it was discovered that by adding a small amount of carbon during the smelting process steel could be made. This created a sword far stronger and durable than the iron sword.

Note there was no cross piece or hand guard. These swords were often made by pouring the metal directly into stone casts then shaping them. The handles were often made of wood. This type of sword dates back 2,000 years and its predecessor was the Bronze sword.

The Medieval Sword The development of steel was a dramatic improvement in the advancement of the sword. With steel being much stronger than Iron the sword could now be made longer, and it could be made to hold sharp edges along both sides. For over 1,000 years there were relatively few changes in the Medieval Sword.

It was in the Middle Ages that the sword saw its first real changes. These changes were in several different aspects. Sword designs changed based on real needs in combat and in particular in combat against other sword wielders.

The Early Middle Ages Around the 11th to 13th century the sword had its first major change. The quillon or cross guard was added. The swords of this period were both single and double edged.

This is a replica of an early Celtic sword. The blade is longer and the sides are sharpened. This Medieval Sword was more effective. See a hanges in the handle - the crosspiece, made of brass, protrudes a bit from the handle. The crosspiece became an effective defense against an opponent’s blade and would stop an opponent’s blade.

This sword is a good example of how design in swords changed throughout the early and late middle ages. The blade is quite long and sharpened on both edges. The crosspiece is significant in size which made it very effective at parrying an opponent’s blade, which protected the wielders hand.

The Middle to Late Middle Ages After the 13th Century, armor made advances to protect Knights, so the sword also made advances in its ability to thwart the defenses. One of the advances is the longer handle which allowed for two handed use. The sword was getting bigger, longer and stronger.

These ages saw the rapid spread of the technology and techniques of metalworking and smithing (by blacksmiths). Many different types of medieval swords were created all over the world. They varied quite significantly from the highly streamlined Katanas of the Samurai to the sweeping curves of the Persian swords.

Parts of a Sword – or Quillon

The Shapes of Medieval Swords

Swords from the Medieval Period went through changes as the tools and technology of metal working changed. Here is a look at some of the major shapes of swords and a little explanation of them.

From Left to Right 1. The Katana: This sword has a beautiful line with a delicate curve that is continued through the handle. Sharp on only one side its wielder considered the blunt side also a very effective tool for subduing an enemy without maiming or killing. (14th century to modern day) 2. - The height of the late middle ages. The blade was very thin and strong yet flexible. Notice the very large hand guard. It began its development around the 15th century, predominantly in Spain, and had its heyday in the 17th. Think “The Three Musketeers”. 3. Cutlass - Popular around the 16th Century and among sailors and pirates because its curved and thick blade was sturdy enough to quickly cut through ship ropes. 4. Bronze Age Sword - This size, shape and style of sword was very common for two thousand years dating all the way back to the early bronze age and surviving into the early iron age (roughly 15th century). This type of sword is an extended version of a dagger. This is the typical styling of a Roman Centurion sword. 5. Typical Middle Ages Sword – Used in the 16th to 18th centuries, this is the common refined form of the sword and what we most picture when we think sword. The blade is strong, long, and well edged. It had a solid and extended cross piece and was the typical sword of the medieval knight. 6. Two handed Sword - This was a large sword wielded with two hands. This sword shows the development of swords as art and not just function. Swords became a piece to show symbolic meaning and wealth. This sword has a fancy crossguard. It could also have detailed carvings in silver and gold and even gems embedded in it. (see pictures of on next page) 7. Flamberge: The flamberge was a unique type of sword. Its normal function was a two-handed weapon that could be wielded in large arcs. The flamberge had a unique leather wrap just beyond the crossguard that allowed the wielder to choke up and swing it in smaller arcs.

ACTIVITY – Using cardboard, have your child (or help them to) cut out a sword in their favorite shape. Cover it with foil or paint with metallic paint, and decorate with found or purchased items, such as buttons, jewels, sequins, small stones, glitter, etc. See how fancy your child can be with their Medieval sword. *NOTE – Our K4K rule is that anyone can make a ‘weapon’ as a creative activity, but it cannot be used or pointed at someone as a weapon.

EXAMPLES OF MEDIEVAL SWORD CROSSGUARDS AS THEY BECAME SYMBOLS OF FAMILY, STATUS, MEMBERSHIP IN AN EXCLUSIVE ORDER (e.g. Knight of the Round Table), OR EXPRESSIONS OF PERSONAL TASTE

Knight Templar Crusader Short Sword w/ Custom Scabbard

*A Scabbard is the protective sheath into which a sword is carried for protection of both the sword and the owner.

Dragon Templar Medieval Fantasy Sword w/ Scabbard

Medieval Sword of the Black Prince