Which Part Will Protect?

Transcription

1 Which Part Will Protect? Students will: Learn about the different parts and purposes of a medieval castle, particularly those used to protect inhabitants from attacking armies Choose which part of the castle will protect them in a hypothetical situation Discuss who and what keeps us, our homes, and communities safe today Missouri Grade Level Expectations (GLEs): Social Studies 3b. Knowledge of continuity and change in the history of the world 7. Knowledge of the use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps and documents) Communication Arts Reading (optional) 1. Develop and apply skills and strategies to the reading process Communication Arts Listening and Speaking 1. Develop and apply effective listening skills and strategies Time Requirement: minutes Supplies: Five castle cards (included) Problem/Solution chart (included) Guided Discussion: 1. Many centuries ago, what were castles used for? While they were personal residences for wealthy members of the nobility, their main purpose was as military sites, which protect nearby people and places. 2. There were several parts of the castle that provided protection in special situations. Introduce the five castle cards: a. The moat was a large ditch, sometimes filled with water. Many medieval weapons required soldiers to directly attack the castle walls. The moat was designed to keep enemy soldiers away from the walls so they could not use these weapons. b. The tower was high, allowing guards to keep watch over the area, so they could see an approaching army from very far away. c. The curtain wall was a large, strong wall built around all the structures in the castle area. The wall provided an extra layer of protection against an enemy s weapons, and could be up to 20 feet thick!

2 d. The gatehouse was built into the curtain wall. The gatehouse controlled who and what could come in and out of the castle. It contained an iron gate, which could be shut if enemy soldiers approached. e. The keep is the strongest and safest area of the castle. In cases of emergency or enemy invasion, you would go to the keep. As you go over each card, display them on the board so all are on view for the class to see. Classroom Activity: 1. After reviewing the functions of each, refer to the included Problem/Solution chart. For younger students, you can read the situations aloud; you may wish to divide older students into small groups to work together, giving a copy of the Problems column to each group. 2. For younger students, read one situation aloud at a time, asking students which defensive feature would be most useful in the situation. Give older students time to discuss their answers as well. Allow discussion: why do they think their answer is correct? Is there any disagreement? 3. After completion, have students think about how our homes and cities are protected today. Who are some people, and what are some things, that keep us, our homes, school, and city safe from harm? Extension Activities: Learn about life in and around the castle walls using primary source illustrations in a medieval Book of Hours in As the Seasons Change (Fine Arts). Use your five senses to experience what people might have seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted in a medieval castle in Sense (and Scents) of the Past (Communication Arts)

3 Moat

4 Tower

5 Curtain Wall

6 Gatehouse

7 Keep

8 Problem You are a guard on duty. The castle has received a message that an enemy army may be approaching. Where in the castle would you go to get the best possible view of the surrounding landscape? Solution Tower Pretend that you are shooting an arrow would you rather be ten feet away from your target, or 100 feet? The farther away an attacking army is from your castle, the less likely they will hurt someone inside. You want to make it as difficult as possible to get near the walls of your castle. What would you build? Moat You discover that the enemy army has catapults, large machines that can throw huge stone boulders, causing serious damage. What feature will protect the buildings of the castle (and its soldiers) from this danger? Curtain Wall It s certainly important to protect the castle from an invading army, but people that live in or around the castle need a way to get in and out, and new supplies occasionally need to be brought in. What structure would control who and what goes in and comes out of the castle? Gatehouse Disaster! An enemy army has invaded. You are an inhabitant of the castle, and need to find the strongest, safest area to hide. Where would you go? Keep