Student Handouts
Medieval Life Chart
What were the benefits and drawbacks of being a serf/knight/lord/lady/king/queen/etc. in the Middle Ages? Consider all the comparisons with your young historians using this graphic organizer.
Teaching Women's History
Medieval Women
Not all the women in the late Middle Ages (1400-1510) lived lives of quiet desperation. Young historians study images and read primary source documents to gain an understanding of what life was like for the elite class of medieval women.
Council for Economic Education
Business in the Middle Ages: Working in a Guild
Long before modern labor unions, guilds worked to ensure that workers had a fair wage. But, in medieval Europe, they also cooperated with the government. Using a simulation and primary source analysis, young scholars become hatters in...
Curated OER
Exploring Arthurian Legend
Students investigate the evolution of the King Arthur stories and analyze them as a window into the culture that preserved them. They trace the legends through their earliest versions through medieval and Victorian times and into the...
Curated OER
Theology…the Use of Silence in the Classroom
Immerse your class in the Middle Ages with a thorough history lesson. After viewing examples of illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, they discuss how these were the mode of keeping and storing information employed by the...
Curated OER
Horse Warriors
Students compare the Roman Empire, medieval Europe and feudal Japan. In this warrior societies lesson, students research the 3 warrior societies and share their research findings with their classmates.
Mr. Roughton
The Geste of Robin Hood
This isn't your traditional Robin Hood tale! Explore a Middle English ballad with your young historians, and examine the underlying structure and purpose of historical texts.
Mr. Roughton
The Travels of Marco Polo
Were the stories of Marco Polo's travels and interactions with the Mongols actually true? Using an excerpt from the book The Travels of Marco Polo, your young historians will answer guiding questions to discuss the accuracy and...
College Board
2016 AP® European History Free-Response Questions
Why was the Scientific Revolution so significant? What led to Dutch prosperity during the 1600s? To what extent have employment patterns changed in France in the last 100 years? Young historians consider these questions and get solid...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Ancient and Medieval China
This is a thorough lesson on Chinese history that includes readings from primary and secondary sources, guided reading questions, videos, and a take-home final assessment. While it indicates an audience from 9th through 12th grade, it...
100 People Foundation
Feudal Pyramid of Power
Give your young historians a visual representation of the complicated system of feudalism in medieval Europe. This graphic organizer can be used as a learning display in your classroom or printed for each student individually as a...
Curated OER
Medieval Travelers
Tenth graders explore the impact of trade on culture. In this trade lesson, 10th graders compare the travels of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. Students research the explorers and create materials for a gallery walk that feature the impact...
Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc.
Feudalism Research
Working with a partner, young historians research different feudal roles in medieval Europe (i.e. nobles, knights, clergy, tradesmen, and peasants), create a fact sheet about their assigned roles, and present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
World History People Review
Who's who in World History? Help your historians keep track of major figures with this World History People Review, where students match 96 world figures to the appropriate descriptions. The matching questions are grouped by historical...
Curated OER
Where in the World is Camelot?
Students research and plot the various locations of the legendary Camelot from "The Legend of King Arthur." They conduct Internet research, and plot the possible locations of Camelot on a current map of Great Britain.
Cave Creek Unified School District
Crusades and Culture in the Middle Ages
The Crusades sounds like a glamorous time period in the Middle Ages full of glory—but was it? Scholars find and review the truth of the Crusades' influence on the world through the resource. The study guides, separated individually by...
Curated OER
Holocaust Studies: Five Poems by Dan Pagis
Teaching a unit on the Holocaust? Consider using the personal statements of Dan Pagis’s poetry to contrast with the more “distanced” historical accounts found in textbooks. Five poems, discussion questions, and background notes are...
Curated OER
Exploring Arthurian Legend
Learners use the internet to track the growth of the King Arthur legend from the Dark Ages to its arrival on the silver screen.
Curated OER
The Middle Ages Quiz 1
In this Middle Ages quiz worksheet, students complete a 10 question quiz. Page has answers and links to additional activities.
Curated OER
Children's Crusade
In this geography worksheet, students read an excerpt about the Crusaders compromised of two of children. They use the map given to determine how far apart each army marched before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, students...
Curated OER
Visual Arts
Fourth graders study the stained glass produced for the Gothic cathedrals, needlework, castles, and tapestry of the Middle Ages.
Curated OER
Joan of Arc: Virgin Warrior
Students view a documentary on Joan of Arc. She is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic religion, yet she was burned at the stake as a heretic. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and write a newspaper column...
Curated OER
The Lost Frescoes
Students explore the life and art of Giotto and his use of perspective in his drawings. They then write a short paper about how political support needs to be generated for community action to save objects of art. They investigate what...