The study of the Middle Ages seems to open the door to a bounty of activities for any grade where it appears on the curriculum. In our imagination, the era is filled with pageantry, chivalry, knights in shining armor and castles on the hill. Forget that the castles were wet and drafty, the Black Death lurked, and most people lived in thankless servitude. We can still learn about the times by staging mock tournaments, banquets, and costume play. The kids will have fun, the teachers will look crea