MEDIEVAL LIFE AND CAREERS, BUNDLE 1 - Reading Passages and Enrichment Activities

31 reading passages cover Medieval Kings and Queens; Jesters; Barbers and Apothecaries; Pages and Squires; Knights and Heraldry; Cooks, Bakers and Brewers; and, Astrologers and Astronomers, and more. Classroom and enrichment activities keep students engaged as they learn. Great for use by substitute teachers, or for homeschooling or co-ops!

EACH LESSON IN THIS BUNDLE INCLUDES:

• Reading Passages
• Comprehension Worksheet
• Teacher's Key
• Classroom and Enrichment Activities

MEDIEVAL KINGS AND QUEENS

When people think of the middle ages, they frequently envision Kings and Queens living in castles; knights who fought for their lords or for their religion; and peasants, working the fields and doing manual labor. All of these images are accurate and they were all part of a system known as the “Feudal System.”

READING PASSAGES:

8 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

The Feudal System

• Becoming King; Becoming Queen
• The Coronation
• Qualities and Abilities of Royalty
• Famous Medieval Kings
• William the Conqueror
• Richard I
• King John
• Famous Medieval Queens
• Matilda of Flanders
• Eleanor of Aquitaine
• Other Classes of the Feudal System

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

This product includes the following classroom activities:

• Job Application
• Feudalism Pyramid
• Worksheet: “Kings, Queens and Feudalism”
• Coloring Pages
• Feudal System Role-Playing Activity
• Review Game: Bingo Words and Clues
• 2 Graphic Organizers
• Suggested Books

MEDIEVAL JESTERS

A good way to describe the job of a court jester is to think of him as a clown for the king! Sometimes known as a joker or fool, a Court Jester’s main responsibility was to entertain the royalty and their guests. In this lesson, students will learn about the job of a jester, their history, and some of the ways that a jester might entertain.

READING PASSAGES:

3 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• What is a Court Jester?
• History of a Jester
• A Jester’s Uniform and Freedom of Speech

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Job Application
• Coloring Page – Court Jester
• Make a Jester’s Hat
• Review Worksheet and Teacher’s Key
• Juggling Web Links
• Memorize a Few Jokes
• Learn to Mime Activity
• 2 Graphic Organizers
• Suggested Books

MEDIEVAL BARBERS APOTHECARIES AND PLAGUE DOCTORS

During the Middle Ages, effective medicine was almost non-existent. Medical treatments were frequently based on superstitions, old-wives tales and religious beliefs. Very little was known about the human body, germs, and disease. Because of this, most treatments were ineffective. In this lesson plan student will learn about the jobs of Barber, Apothecary and Plague Doctor.

READING PASSAGES:

4 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• Barber and Apothecary; The Black Death
• The Black Death
• Bubonic, Pneumonic and Septicemic Plague
• The Plague Doctor - Curing the Plague

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Job Application
• Be an Apothecary: Make Your Own Medicine!
• Plague Doctor Picture and Chart
• Prevent the Plague!
• Review Worksheet and Teacher’s Key
• Play “Plague in a Bag”
• Review Game: Bingo Words and Clues
• Three Coloring Pages
• Two Graphic Organizers
• Suggested Books and Movies

MEDIEVAL PAGES AND SQUIRES

Around the age of six or seven, a young boy training to be knight was sent to the estate of a wealthy lord to be a page and to learn how to ride, fight, hunt and behave. This lesson plan covers the life and training of a page and squire.

READING PASSAGES:

2 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• Pages and Squires
• The Melee and Joust

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Job Application
• Train to be a Page – Strategic Games
• Train to be a Squire – Deliver a Message!
• Participate in a Melee!
• Coloring Page – Page-in-Training; Squires in Training
• Pages and Squires Worksheet and Teacher’s Key
• Review Game of Bingo Words and Clues
• Writing Prompt

MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS AND HERALDRY

What were the responsibilities of a knight? The main responsibility of a knight was to serve their king or lord. A knight can be thought of as a soldier for the king. During a time of war, the knight would go to battle against the enemy or guard the castle; during times of peace, the knight would continue to train and prepare for war and also run his estate. At all times knights were expected to be chivalrous (well-mannered and courteous). This lesson plan covers the respectable medieval career of a Knight and touches on Heraldry.

READING PASSAGES:

4 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• The Job of a Knight
• Chain Mail and Plate Armor
• Coat of Arms and Heraldry
• The Dubbing Ceremony

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Job Application
• Coloring Pages – Medieval Knight
• Coat of Arms Banner Craft
• Mock Dubbing Ceremony
• Code of Chivalry Writing Activity
• Review Game: Bingo Words and Clues
• Participate in a Melee (Capture the Flag) Rules
• Graphic Organizers
• Suggested Books and Movies

MEDIEVAL COOKS, BAKERS, AND BREWERS

Food during the Middle Ages tasted quite different than it does today. Much of the food was boiled and without a great deal of taste. A major difference between what the peasants ate and what the nobles ate was the way the food was prepared. This lesson plan covers the medieval careers of those who prepared food: cooks, bakers and brewers.

READING PASSAGES:

4 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• Food in the Middle Ages
• Food Presentation and Preservation
• Cook, Baker, and Patissier
• Brewer and Brewster: What Would You Like to Drink?

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Read a Medieval Recipe!
• Job Application
• Review Worksheet and Teacher’s Key
• "I Witness" History - Test Your Memory
• Play Review Game – True/False
• Recipes to Try: Fruit or Meat Pie, Mead, Butter
• Coloring Pages With Summary Lines
• Graphic Organizers

MEDIEVAL ASTROLOGERS AND ASTRONOMERS

Astronomy is the study of the universe including the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Astrology is the study of how the movements of those celestial bodies influence human and worldly events. This lesson covers the science of space during the Middle Ages and the jobs of the Astronomers and Astrologers.

READING PASSAGES:

6 one-page reading passages covering the following topics:

• Science and Space in the Middle Ages
• Astronomy and Astrology
• Islamic Astronomers
• European Astrologers
• A Medieval Astrologer’s Job
• Medieval Tools Used in Astrology and Astronomy

CLASSROOM AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

• Job Application
• Make an Astrolabe
• Learn Some Constellations!
• Medieval Astrologer Joke
• Review Game: Bingo Words and Clues
• Review Chart of Zodiac Personality Traits; Complete Handout
• True/False Review Game
• Writing Activity: Be an Astrologer!
• Read your Horoscope
• Create your Own Constellation Craft
• Create a Child-Centered Universe
• Astrological Constellation Memory Game
• 2 Graphic Organizers

To purchase these careers separately:

Medieval Careers: Kings, Queens and the Feudal System

Medieval Careers: Jesters

Medieval Careers: Barber, Apothecary, and Plague Doctor

Medieval Careers: Knights and Heraldry

Medieval Careers: Astrologers and Astronomers

CHECK OUT MY OTHER MEDIEVAL CAREERS PRODUCTS!

Medieval Careers in Medieval Times Volume 2

Individual Medieval Careers Lesson Plans from VOLUME 2:

Medieval Careers: Religious Jobs - Monks, Nuns and Almoners

Medieval Careers: Scribes, Illuminators and the Magna Carta

Medieval Careers: Pilgrims and the Canterbury Tales

Medieval Careers: Explorers and the Age of Discovery

Medieval Careers: Embroiderers, Bayeux Tapestry and William the Conqueror

Medieval Careers: Architects and Engineers - Castles, Cathedrals and Siege Engines

Medieval Careers: Alchemists

Medieval Careers in Medieval Times Volume 1 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.