A Knight for a Day
, illustrated by Craig Phillips
Learning intention:
I am learning to research information I learn from texts so that I can expand my knowledge on different topics.
Success criteria:
- I can extract information from a story and assess its accuracy
- I can research related information using different sources
- I can create a presentation of my findings
Based on the information in the text, ask students what they have learnt about knights and life in general in the Middle Ages. Ask them to give examples from the story. These may include:
- Knights wore a suit of armour
- Knights had a shield with their family emblem
- Knights rode a horse and used a lance for jousting
- Knights held important meetings at round tables
- There was no hot running water in medieval times
- Beef stew was eaten with a stale piece of bread called a trencher
Discuss whether students believe this information is accurate even though the narrative is a fictional text, and discuss their reasoning. Ask if they have any prior knowledge about medieval times from other sources such as books, movies or documentaries.
Watch and discuss the video Life in a Medieval Village. Instruct students to conduct their own research into what it would be like to live in the medieval times of the Middle Ages. They may wish to choose a particular job to research, such as a knight, farmer or cobbler, or they may prefer to explore what life was like in general in a medieval village. Students should make notes of aspects that interest them as they are researching. Helpful online sources for this information include:
History for Kids - Medieval Knights Facts for Kids
Students should then create a presentation of their research, either in the form of a poster or a computer slideshow. Their presentation should include at least five clear points explaining the ways that people lived and worked during this period.