THE MIDDLE AGES

A unit designed by Pau Tobar & Lola Vallés

THE MIDDLE AGES

INTRODUCTION

● First of all, we should take into account the Middle Ages are a central point in History syllabus. Thus, the Medieval Era is taught at the second level of secondary education.

● Besides, since XIX century, Middle Ages have been recalled as an inspiring period for cultural productions such as cinema, literature, arts, etc. The medieval period has a strong reference in this fields, and this presence in mass culture underlines its importance in education.

● In the end, this unit has been created by Pau Tobar and Lola Vallés in order to essay the CLIL method in History teaching. We hope that you find it interesting.

UNIT INDEX

● Unit plan: The templates.

● Unit lessons:

● Lesson 1 : Approach to the Middle Ages

● Lesson 2: The three medieval orders

● Lesson 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

● Lesson 4: Preparing the final task in group.

● Lesson 5: Group oral explanation about a Medieval area of interest selected by the students.

● Bibliography and webliography

UNIT PLANUNIT

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LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 1

What do we know about the Middle Ages?

Have you ever watched a film set in the Middle Ages?

Have you ever played a video game contextualized in the Medieval Era?

Have you ever read a book that takes place in the Middle Ages?

a) Fill this table with your own cultural grounding:

TITLE

BOOK

FILM

VIDEO GAMEb) Now, get up and look forward a classmate who has watched/played/read the same tittle you have written in the table.

c) Do this activity: ORAL EXPRESSION

Low level: Tell the name of the classmates that have read/played/watched the same as you. Then spell their name. The rest of the mates should correct the mistakes the speller could do.

…........... and me have read the same book entitled... Now, I will spell my mate's name: _ _ _ _ _ …

Thanks for your attention!

High level: With your classmates, try to prepare a brief oral presentation of a tittle you have shared.

We are... and we would like to explain you a book/video game/film we have shared:

The title is set in the Middle Ages and the story line is...

We have (or have not enjoyed) because...Thanks for your attention!

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

Medieval II Total War

Here you are some suggestions for widening your cultural horizons:

Assassin's Creed

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 2

Learning vocabulary with Hangman game!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

_ _ _ _ _

ACTIVITY 2 Learning vocabulary with Hangman game!

_ _ _ _ _ _

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 3

A stratified society

Look at the illustration and match the nouns shown beneath it with its appropriate picture: (high and low level)

* THE CLERGY

* THE NOBILITY

* THE POPE

* THE KING

* THE PEASANTS

* THE MERCHANT CLASS

* THE ARISTOCRACY

* THE KNIGHTS

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 4

A stratified society

Now you have to discuss what the social groups represented in the medieval pyramid do to make a living by completing the sentences with the following verbs: (low level: present; high level: past simple)

*TO PRAISE

*TO WORK HARD

*TO GOVERN

*TO FIGHT

*TO GUIDE CHRISTIANS

*TO MERCHANDISE

*TO INGRATIATE

*TO LIVE OFF RENTS

- THE PEASANTS ……………………………….. to be able to pay the rents to their landlord.

- THE ARISTOCRACY fulfil the king's wishes, they ………………………………..

- THE POPE …………………………………………………………….. forward God's Glory.

- THE NOBILITY………………………………………………………... paid by peasants.

- THE MERCHANT CLASS ………………………….. to became rich and powerful.

- THE KNIGHTS ………………………………….. because they are loyal to the king.

- THE CLERGY ………………………………………………………………... to be close of God.

- THE KING …………………………………………………….. as he wishes.

LESSON 1: Approach to the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 5

The latin cross plan of a medieval church

The next activity consists in reading a definition to guess the missing word in a medieval cruciform church diagram: (high and low level)

APSE: a semicircular termination in a building at the end of a church.

BELL TOWER: the tower at the top of which is the bell.

CENTRAL NAVE: connects the entrance with the altar, where rites are celebrated.

ALTAR: an elevated place or structure at which religious rites are performed.

TRANSEPT: either of the two wings of a cruciform church crossing the central nave.

SIDE NAVE: corridor through which people can walk along the church without bothering the celebration of a rite.

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

Listen these songs:

Lower Level Kids song making a castle

High Level Recapping the Middle Ages Song

ACTIVITY 1

Low Level:● Write the name of the elements we

need to make a castle:

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

g)

High Level: ● Fill the gaps:

“After the decay of the Western _____________ hit the fan but with the end of the Empire the ____________ Ages began.

There was _______________ and chaos which wasn't really cool. There was a little to eat and absolutely no _______________

When __________________ tried to make things right the ________________ sailed and started to fight. But thanks to William, there came an end to the strife. _____________ brought order to life.

King, Lord, __________ and ____________ too, living on a manor was all serfs knew.”

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

ACTIVITY 2 • Reading comprehension:

“Triple then is the house of God which is thought to be one: on Earth, some pray [orant], others fight [pugnant], still others work [laborant]; which three are joined together and may not be torn asunder; so that on the function [officium] of each the works [opera] of the others rest, each in turn assisting all.”

Year 998, Adalberon, bishop of Laon, Carmen ad Rotbertum regem

• Answer the questions:

a) According to the text which are the three medieval kinds of people?

b) According to the text write the suitable function beside the three social groups existing in the Middle Ages. Do it in English and Latin:

Aristocracy (King, Lord, Knight):

Clergy (priests, monks, etc):

Workers (peasants, artisans and merchants):

c) Which social group represented the majority in the Middle Ages?

d) Which medieval social group was the most powerful?

e) Which medieval social group was the most influential?

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

ACTIVITY 3

● Watch this video: LEGO: The Feudal System and fill the gaps:

The Feudalism had been used in France since_______________

The Knights were given lang by the ____________ in return of ___________ service when demanded by the ___________

Villeins, sometimes known as _________, were given land by Knights. They have to provide the Knight with free __________, food and Service whenever it was demanded.

Villeins have no rights and were __________. They were not allowed to leave the ____________ and have to get their Lord's permission before they marry.

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

ACTIVITY 4● Writing: Look the social

pyramid and remember what you have learnt in this lesson. Then write a brief composition: “The Medieval three social orders”.

● Do not forget to use the appropriated connectors: First of all, Secondly, Besides, On the one/other hand, Otherwise, Although, Thus, Hence, Therefore, Finally, etc.

LESSON 2: The three medieval orders

ACTIVITY 5:

Watch this video and do the activities: The Middle Ages in 3 1/2 minutes

a) When did the Middle Ages start? When did they finish?

b) Write four big progresses the Humanity gained in the Middle Ages.

c) Do a timeline with the main historical events happened in the Medieval period.

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 1

● In pairs, remember last lesson and answer these questions:

a) Do you remember the three feudal orders? Write them below.

b) Who gives land and protection to the peasants?

c) What do the peasants give in exchange for land and protection?

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 2 ● Look this drawing and answer true or false:

Answer true or false:

a) The Manor House seemed a castle V / F

b) The church was in the outskirts of the Manor V / F

c) The peasants grew potatoes in their own gardens V / F

d) The villagers used sheep wool to make clothes V / F

e) The flour was obtained in the mill? V / F

f) The blacksmith only worked for the knights V / F

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 3 ● Look this XVIth century drawing from Valencia and fill the gaps in the text

using this list of words: Medieval cities; Roman Empire; dirty; cathedral; trade; walls; Mediterranean; guilds.

València in 1563, by Anton van der Wyngaerde

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 3: ● Look this XVIth century drawing from Valencia and fill the gaps in the text using this

list of words: Medieval cities; Roman Empire; dirty; cathedral; trade; walls; Mediterranean; guilds.

After the fall of the_____________ the population of cities fell. Trading between cities stopped.

____________ were small in size. The centre was often occupied by a Gothic __________, the city’s main church. It was the most expensive building in the city and showed that religion was very important during the Middle Ages.

As in ancient cities, medieval ones were __________ and diseases spread quickly. Land in the city was very expensive. Cities could not expandbecause of the ________ around them. In some cases, city governments tore down the walls and rebuilt them farther away from the city.

During the Middle Ages members of the family, servants and workers often lived in the same house. Craft workers and merchants were organized in ________, a new economic class in the cities. There were guilds for bakers, goldsmiths, tailors and other groups.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages __________ started to become important again. Venice, one of the biggest cities of the time, became a centre of trade in the Mediterranean region. Other trading centres included northern German cities, Hamburg and Lübeck, Antwerp in Belgium and London.

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 4

Find the track of the Middle Ages guilds in the names of the streets of Valencia:

LESSON 3: Living in the country and living in the city in the Middle Ages

ACTIVITY 5

Watch this short video and then write an explanation to this joke:

LESSON 4: Preparing the final task in group

LESSON 4: Preparing the final task in group

ACTIVITY 1

● Warming up!

First of all, discuss in groups or pairs what aspects you want to know more deeply about Middle Ages choosing a medieval area of your interest.

In the end, you should explain it to the rest of your classmates.

LESSON 4: Preparing the final task in group

ACTIVITY 2

● Prepare for work

Then we provide you not only with documentaries so you can seek together information and specific vocabulary but also guide you through the right structures to develop your exposition such as:

* Hello we are………………….. and we are going to talk about………………….

* We have chosen this area because …………………..

* First of all……………

* In second place……………………

* Thirdly……………………………..

* Finally…………………………………

* To conclude……………………………

* On one hand……………………………. On the other hand…………………………… Next, read all the information, summarize it, and

organize the group for the final task.

LESSON 5: Group oral explanation about a Medieval area of interest selected by the students

LESSON 5: Group oral explanation about a Medieval area of interest selected by the students

Final task: ● Explaining together a Medieval

area of interest

Our students should do an oral statement. Besides, they should show their knowledges in the selected area. Finally, they should link that with the knowledge they have achieved during this unit.

This final task will be assessed not only by the teachers but also by their classmates (peer-assessment) and by themselves (self-assessment).

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND WEBLIOGRAPHY

● Wordreference● Cambridge Dictionary● CEFIRE● Recursos Professor Aula Activa● Wikipedia● Valencia Cityguide● Murallas de Valencia● The Middle Ages Viz● Medieval reactions● Youtube● Agora 2. Vicens Vives.

Thanks for your attenttion!