Engineer Your Own

Introduction Design a castle using paper, playdough, LEGOs, or draw your own to explore medieval architecture. This activity highlights three different kinds of from medieval times: 1. Motte and Castle: A type of castle built upon a mound of earth (the motte), generally a wooden surrounded by a . At the bottom of the hill, a courtyard containing homes, stables, or stores. The bailey is then connected to the motte by a bridge 2. Stone Castle: Built with a heavily fortified central tower (the keep) with stone outer walls. Concentric Castle: An extension of the stone keep castle, had more walls (curtain walls) and for greater defense. The inner walls were taller for greater visibility of enemies

STEAM Connections • Science: Engineering and Architecture • Art: Using various materials to build teaches the science that sometimes goes into art

Supplies Setting down the creation on posterboard or wax paper is recommended

Motte and Bailey Stone Keep or Concentric Castle • Popsicle Sticks • Playdough (recipe below) • Glue • Paper • Paper • Crayons/Markers • Crayons

Playdough Recipe - Salt Dough Mix together about 3 cups salt, 3 cups water, 8 cups flour, and 1/2-3/4 cup cornstarch. The cornstarch is optional, but it makes the dough a little softer. If the dough is too dry, add a tiny bit of water, and if it is too wet, add more flour

Revised 8/3/2020

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Instructions 1. Use markers to color the landscape of your castle. Draw/color grass, a beach, or even a to give your castle the perfect landscape 2. Use popsicle sticks or playdough to create a 3D version of your castle. Create and design a castle out of popsicle sticks or playdough 3. Let your castle dry. A popsicle stick version of a motte and bailey castle will need time to dry before you can play with your castle. Playdough can dry out if you do not want to re-use it. 4. Enjoy your castle. Talk about the architecture created and its connection to art and science. This provides opportunities to learn vocabulary for colors, shapes, and actions 5. Create more castles with different designs 6. Optional - Create a castle out of blankets and pillows and pretend you are knight defending your castle from invasion! - Using pillows and blankets creates great opportunity to discuss the practical needs of architecture while connecting it to dramatic play

Review Explore additional STEAM concepts on our website and blog Plano Library Learns/STEAM Learning, including information about library databases for each aspect of STEAM What materials did you use to design your castle? What kind of castle did you create? Who lives in the castle you designed?

Books to Explore Use your library card to checkout more books or download eBooks and continue learning and exploring

Knights and The Knight at Castle Castles: A Dawn by David Macaulay Nonfiction by Mary Pope Companion to The Osbourne Checkout Knight at Dawn by Will Osbourne Checkout and Mary Pope Osbourne Checkout

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