7.6 The Late Middle Ages
Most of the videos I use for the Dark Ages unit also apply here. The ones listed below are more specific to this section.
Media Guide
| Name | Type | Description |
Robin Hood | DVD | Disney film that I use as a "break" between the two medieval units. I take a whole week on the movie and accompanying Powerpoint and history lab. We do an exploration of whether or not Robin Hood was likely a real person or not. The movie has plenty of topics that are referenced throughout the notes and gives the students some background on King John who we discuss when discussing the Magna Carta. |
Robin Hood: Men in Tights | DVD | I use a few short clips when discussing the various characters and any evidence that they may have existed in real life. It certainly is not educational but definitely is motivational and gives students a much deeper interest in the subject. |
The Plague | DVD | FYI: If you buy The Dark Ages this documentary is included in the special features! There are a ton of documentaries about the Black Death but in my mind this one is the best. It is very similar to The Dark Ages documentary and features many of the same "talking heads". The reenactments are very realistic and it is interesting throughout. It is long though so again, I only use a couple clips. |
Kingdom of Heaven | DVD | This one is a 2 for 1 deal. I show the opening scene of the movie (heavily edited) to show the motivation some people had for going on the Crusades. Addtionally, the special features disk in this set has two documentaries that are wonderful. I almost always show the full episode of "History Vs. Hollywood" that is included. The information is detailed and the program is interesting for students as well. |
Crusades: The Crescent and the Cross | DVD | Excellent documentary about the run up to the Crusades. As far as the wars themselves only the first Crusade, the conquering of Jerusalem is covered. Wonderfully done but very dense as well. Perfect for high school but will need edits for middle school to keep focus. |
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | DVD | In the past I have shown an edited/shortened version of the ending of the movie to show what a final attack of a siege would look like. There are other movies that show this as well and somewhat more realistically (like Kingdom of Heaven) so I use it less now than in the past. |
Late Middle Ages Teacher's Guide
Powerpoint Lecture Notes
I. Kings Vs. Popes
a. This section is currently too large to post.. I'm working on it. The problem is the part that is taking up the space is pretty much the basis of the whole thing. It is a series of animations telling the story of King Henry being excommunicated by Pope Gregory. It is such a powerful story but the animations really help make it work for 7th graders.
b. Crusades book Qs
II. Kingly Troubles (Magna Carta and the Crusades)
a. While I realize one day may not seem sufficient to cover the Crusades alone let alone adding the Magna Carta it works. My focus on this section is problems with control and both fit into that. I, obviously, don't go into deep detail on either subject but I hit what I need to hit.
b. History vs. Hollywood vid
III. Medieval Weapons
a. Another section that isn't exactly in the standards but is well worth covering. It reviews a series of Medieval weapons ending ultimately with the introduction of the Long Bow which renders the armored knights useless and hastened the end of the feudal system.
b. Castle Design Lab
Let me admit right off there are arguable no academic value to this lab and it only barely can fit into the standards. That said, I’d never skip it. Students draw their ideal castle with views from both the top and the front. They are to include all the necessary parts for survival. Additionally, they write a paragraph detailing specifically how they would defend an attack by 1,000 knights. Whenever two are done pair them up and have them trade papers. They will then write one paragraph explaining how they would attack the other castle. They are to find any weaknesses or oversights (unprotected wells, no extra food stores, etc.) in the opposing castle.
IV. The End of Feudalism
a. Notes about job specialization and the Black Death and how both led to the end of the feudal system.
b. CSI: Black Death
I found this on the Internet a few years ago and I have adapted it. It is very well done in terms of laying out the evidence for the causes of the plague but not making it so obvious that every student will figure it out. Be sure to do the lab before discussing the causes. It is helpful to discuss the disease and its impact beforehand to build interest, just keep the causes out.