Medieval Studies SOSE Term 3 2010

Aim:

The purpose of this SOSE topic is to enable students to gain insight into the daily life of the Medieval society. Students will also gain a deep understanding of how the Medieval castle played an integral part in the daily lives of the various classes of Medieval people. This lesson will help the students gain a superficial understanding of Monarchy, Feudalism, and serfdom.

Spelling - word bank list of castle terms.

Here are some fun Medieval games.

The Knights Templar Quiz.

The Mr Donn Medieval site.

Medieval Games include:

Colf - medieval golf

Game Ball - medieval football

Kubb - medieval bowling

Hopscotch

Quoits

Horseshoes

Curling with balloons

Shut the Box - a dice game

Stool Ball was similar to our modern baseball.


Illustrated list of castles in Scotland.

Illustrated list of castles in England.

Overview of life in Medieval times.

Life in a Medieval Castle.

Siegecraft and Defence - Armour and Weapons

Challenge topics for Term 3:

1. Merlin
2. Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
3. The role of the jester in castle life.
4. Medieval herbs and plants and thier uses.
5. Medieval games.
6. Illuminated script.
7. Weapons
8. Tournaments and jousting


Method: divide the class into 2 countries and hand out roles such as:

knight, jester, queen/king, prince/princess, bard, spy, captured prisoner, farmer, blacksmith, teacher of crafts.

Activities:

word bank
map with location of castle
role play
craft activities
research
design and construction of weapons and
illuminated script
dragon art
stained glass windows mosaic
food of the middle ages
legend of King Arthur
design a clan tartan
make stuffed scottie dogs in tartan
design weapons
design a shield
hold a tournament

Timeline for Middle Ages:

1066 - Battle of --------
1072 - King ------- invaded Scotland
1086 - The -------- Book was written
1215 - Signing of the ----- -----
1312 - Order of the Knights ------- is abolished
1337 - The ------- years war begins
1347 - The B---- D---- ravages Europe
1455 - The War of the -----

Writing Topics:

Education
Clothing
Bathing
Games
Music
Commerce
Festivals
Village Life
City Life
History
Famines
Food
Health
Literature
Chivalry

"Romeo and Juliet" - by William Shakespeare - use the balcony scene to show medieval language.

Activities:

List 4 things you learned about knights.
Describe how heating was accomplished in the Medieval halls.
Describe the kitchen usually found in Medieval castles.

Reflection:

Describe the research techniques you used to discover about Medieval castles.
Would you have liked to live back in the Medieval times? Explain.
Why do we no longer have structures like castles? Why are they no longer necessary?
Do you think castles will ever be needed in the future? Explain.

Send a castle postcard.

Tour a castle in Scotland or in England.

Design a Coat of Arms.

Handwriting Exercise:



Once upon a time there was a knight who rode
over the hills,
and killed a dragon,
and set fifteen women free
from an enchanter who kept the prisoners in a tower
and found a castle where they could live,
and rode on to the desert
where two kings were fighting a war that never ended
and waved a magic shield over the battle
so all the soldiers stopped fighting and said,
"What are we here for?"
And then the knight turned and rode back,
through the desert, past the tower, over the hills,
and when she got home
she took off her armour, patted the cat and made
herself a cup of tea.

By Anonymous

A plan for building a model of a castle.

Here is a concentration card game.

Here is an excellent Medieval quiz.

You can Create Your Own Dark Ages Character.

Look here for what is inside and around a castle.

Weekly war - tournament:

Activities:

- balloon and straw race - curling
- crab crawling backwards relay
- scissors, paper, rock - renamed as sword, manuscript, cannon ball.
- who can go longest without blinking
- Shut the Box dice game
- coded message from a bard - England Vs Scotland , or Medieval Whispers
- shot put - throw the sneaker/pencil case.
- toss the caber - use a metre ruler/Vortex
- bowling pin game

Assessment and Evaluation for Medieval Studies will include:

for Medieval Studies:

1. Spelling test of word bank words.
2. List 3 medieval sports and discuss their origins and the rules of each.
3. Name a castle built in your country and describe it in detail.
4. Write a paragraph describing everyday life in a medieval castle.
5. Choose three of the roles you played and write about each them, e.g. Jester, Bard, Knight.
6. List the challenges you participated in during the medieval studies unit.
7. Participation (teamwork and cooperation) in weekly tournament events.
8. Technology activities - were they completed successfully?
a) design and construct a castle
b) design and construct a drawbridge
9) Share art work - illuminated script, shield, medieval paintings.
10. Active participation in drama activities.
11. Completion of Dark Ages Character during computer lab time.
12. Retell of viewing - The Sword in the Stone.

Discovering Democracy Unit - an overview of Integrated Unit

An integrated unit
Year 4 Term 1 2010

Program written by SN, of TPS.

UNIT OF WORK – DEMOCRACY RULES

ELA’s and Essential Content
Markers of Progress
Teaching and Learning Activities
Skills Assessment and Moderation

- The student understands and values what it means to be a citizen within a democracy.
- Understand the rights and responsibilities associated with being a citizen in Australia.
- Identify the roles and principles of key institutions underpinning democracy in Australia and understand the role of each level of government.
- Understand that laws exist to protect rights and freedoms in a democracy.
- Understand the difference between a democratic government and non- democratic government.
- Describe the general process of elections and how governments are formed.
Know ways that individuals and groups can influence decisions at school.
Describe the qualities of effective leaders in democratic society.


CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP – AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS HANDBOOK ‘THE AUSTRALIAN’ PP. 15 – 18.
Establishing a mythical society on Planet Z
 List 10 things that ensure the citizens get along and get things done rank in order of importance and give reasons for the rankings
 In pairs share above lists. Decide on and record a list of RIGHTS the citizens of Planet Z will have and rank these 1 – 10 in order of importance and give reasons for the rankings.
 Arrange a Summit with the whole colony to discuss the rules/ laws and the rights. Decide on and record a list of 10 RIGHTS the citizens will enjoy as inhabitants of Planet Z.
 As an individual write an entry into a PIONEERS JOURNAL describing the summit and the decisions that were made.

Australian Symbols
Coat of arms and flag – Class discussion about these icons. What is on them and why these symbols have been included. Discuss Australian icons and colours.

 Students design a new Australian flag.


The Origins of Australian Government.
 What is government?
 What is the purpose of government?
 How did Australia’s government originate?
Read text ‘What is government? - 1’ Students highlight key words and facts relevant to the origins of Australian Government.
In table groups discuss what types of groups the students belong to and the rules they must follow in order to be in that group. Share discussion as a whole class.

Complete the activities
‘What is government? - 2’
‘What is government? - 3’

Timeline – Create a time-line using information provided from ‘Let’s Talk About Government’ p10 to show the development of the Australian government.

How Does The Australian Government Operate?
 What do you know about the government? What would you like to find out?
 What is a constitution
 Why do you think it is important to share the power between the federal government and the states?
 Why is it important to develop laws that reflect the interests and needs of the citizens?


Three Levels of Government
Read text ‘Three Levels f Government – 1’ View diagram at the bottom of the page. Discuss the components that come together to make up the federal government.

Students complete ‘Three Levels of Government-2’ individually or in pairs. Research materials or access to internet will be required for question 2. Individually create a graph to represent the outcome of the 1999 referendum.

In groups of 4 students discuss one of the components of federal government. Groups may discuss the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Constitution, Governor-General, Prime Minister, cabinet, opposition government, coalition and various departments.

Read text ‘Three Levels of Government-3’ State Government. Highlight key words. Complete the activities individually or in pairs. Research materials or access to internet may be required for questions 1 and 3.

Read text ‘Three Levels of Government-4’ – Local Government. Direct relationships with your own community and local government members can be readily drawn to demonstrate the reality of government to the students. Students then complete the questions. Research materials or access to internet will be required.


Separation of Powers.
Read the text and view diagram Separation of Powers – 1. Discuss difficult terms. Using key words and phrases students write about one body in their own words, explaining its role in the system.
Students complete Separation of Powers – 2. Access to the internet will be required for questions 3 – 6.

Read and discuss the information on page entitled
An act of parliament – 1. The students to work in small groups to show the movement of a bill through parliament. The students will need to develop a bill of their own to use as an example. Students then present flow charts to the class.

Students then complete page 43 An act of parliament – 2 individually. Before they attempt Q4, the class could make a list of community needs. Share individual answers to Q 4. This could be used for class debates, time permitting.

A visit to Parliament House
• Excursion to the Australian Electoral Office and Old Parliament House. Various related activities at these two venues.
• A visit to Parliament House #1, #2. Students to complete questions in pairs researching information from the internet using Parliament House web site and ACT Legislative Assembly website.


HISTORICAL FACTS
A summing up of some facts pertaining to Australian government and democracy.
Students divide into pairs and work together to research and collect information.
Once all groups have their information, join together as a class and share the facts. Students record information on Historical Facts #1 and #2 pp53 and 54.


CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP – AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS HANDBOOK ‘THE AUSTRALIAN’ PP. 32
 Differentiating between RULES and LAWS. Identifying what groups have laws/rules why we have them and who makes them.
 Complete activity writing a definition for both a rule and a law. Identify what the possible consequences are for breaking a law and the consequences for breaking specific rules.
 Draw a cartoon showing a law that has been broken and the consequence and a rule that has been broken and the consequence.
 Pick the rule, pick the law , rule or law Handout 3 & 4 Discovering Democracy
 What is government 3 p33 Rules the reasons for them and an alternative.

THE CONSTITUTION – Planet Z
What is a constitution? Decide on a system of government and create a constitution.
 With a partner draw up a constitution for Planet Z. This must include the type of voting system and some basic laws.

‘Let’s Talk About Government’ p9

Democracy
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Dictatorship

Nelson Mandela – ‘The Long Walk to freedom’ Read article from Rigby Literacy Collections 7 pp. 12 &13 answer questions related to the article BLM 10.

Martin Luther King – ‘I Have A Dream’ Read article from Australian Readers – ‘Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Collection’ p 12. Answer questions from teachers guide p3 on prepared sheet.

View Movies – Over two weeks
• The Power of One
• Remember The Titans
Discuss The differences and similarities between the movies.
Some discussion Points:
• How has the film - maker identified the time in which each of these movies was set?
• How are the black African and black American people treated by the white people?
• Are all white people racist towards the black people in the movies?
• What are some of the lessons that we learn from both of these movies?
• Further questions will come up during the discussion.

ELECTIONS
Identify different types of voting systems. Discuss the pros and cons of each
Complete Elections 1 pp. 45 and 46
What happens in an election
Complete Elections 2 p 47
Class discussion about voting systems. identify in which situations different voting systems could beused. Complete activity BLM’s from Ready to Go Civics and Citizenship (Upper Primary)
• First Past the Post p32
• Approval voting p33
• Counting Senate Votes p34
• Preferential voting p35

The Australian Civics and Citizenship Teachers Handbook pp 4 - 11
Communities – Where do you belong?

 Students complete mind map identifying groups they belong to e.g. families, local communities, ethnic groups etc.
 Choose 1 group from above mind map and complete table identifying who is in the group, what are the benefits of being in the group, who makes the decisions in the group and how are they made, are there rules in the group and how are differences and disputes resolved.
 Decisions


AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL LEADERS
Prime Ministers word search
Complete # 1 pp. 50 and 51
What are the qualities of a good leader? Interprets information or data in charts & diagrams to show sequence or relationships.

Collects & interprets information from tables.

Compares data in tables.

Recognises different tables

Selects and extracts information from the media

Locates information sources


Summarises from various sources

Extracts main ideas from text

Selects and extracts information from the media

Prepares for excursions/ field trips (independently)

Locates information sources

SOSE - Australian Mapping

In our mapping we will get a black line master of a map of a state or territory of Australia. Trim and glue it into your SOSE (Studies of Society and the Environment) book.

On it, put the capital city and three other cities. Put in any mountain ranges, rivers and lakes. On the side of the map, do a key which will list all the things you have placed on your map, and a compass.

On the next page you will do your writing about the state or territory. Include information about the emblems, and make lists of coastal towns, rivers, lakes and all the famous tourist spots.

List flora and fauna (animals and plants) that are found in the state or territory.

Lastly, write a short story, using descriptive words about a time you visited one of the locations.

Canberra Mapping Treasure Hunt

Using a post from Pyewacket's Party, we worked in teams to decipher the clue beneath each picture of a Canberra tourist site. We needed to name the tourist spot and to discover its location.

We marked the locations on a map of Canberra we printed from Google Maps. We listed the 11 places and locations in our SOSE books and discussed each place with our team members.

Teams worked on two Smartboards, 5 classroom computers and a student's personal laptop.

Word bank:

fish, lake, location, flowers, green, tourists, aquarium, map, museum, earth, interesting, national, land marks, water, park, fountain, buildings, area, library, places, mountain, zoo, trees, travel, animals, parliament, capital, tower, educational, road

Africa

During our studies of who we are, and where we have come from in Australia, we discovered that some of our students are from Africa.

We made an African unit of work with the following:

• Write a haiku about Africa
• It's Great to be a Cheetah
• Choose a country in Africa to focus on
• Watch an IMAX Africa DVD
• Draw an African animal and the flag from your country you chose
• List of facts about the country we chose
• Word bank list
• African Grasslands foodweb
• Study the Big Five

Word bank list:

Africa, cheetah, big five, safari, giraffe, hippopotamus, captivity, deserts, savanna, continent, desert, flag

Discuss the Big Five:

- lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, elephant

Flags of Africa