Topic: Building Castles

Objectives:

• Students will develop researching skills via the Internet.
• Students will be able to describe many different elements of a castle.
• Students will gain an appreciation for castle architecture.
• Students will expand their creativity in designing their own castle.

Materials Needed:

• Paper and pencils
• Available computer lab
• Computer link to Castle Builder web site http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/castle_builder/
• Marker for marker board
• Graph paper
• Castle picture books
• Construction paper
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue and tape
• Clay
• Cloth scraps
• Stones and sticks
• Toothpicks and popsicle sticks
• Paint and brushes
• Markers and crayons
• Styrofoam
• Poster board
• Newspaper
• Castle terms handout
• Adult aide (?)
• Castle evaluation rubric

Strategies/Activities:

1. Introduction—keep this classroom atmosphere lighthearted!
   • Walk in with costume from introductory lesson.
   • Tell students that your name is Lady Whinesalot and you need a castle built immediately.  Since you have heard that your students are competent castle builders, you are relying on them to build you a great castle. 
   • Break them up into groups of four or five, give them a list of castle “specs,” and tell them that these are all components that you need in your castle, and, therefore, they should make sure to include them in their castle plan.
   • Give them a hint that if they do not know what a certain term means (and it is okay if they don’t know very many of them), they need to make up a definition for the term and then incorporate that idea into their castle plan.
   • Allow the groups about ten minutes to come up with a plan and then return their attention to the front.
   • Ask for volunteers to present their castle plans to you and the whole class in hopes that you will choose them to build your castle.
   • True to your name--Whinesalot, make sure to whine about the different definitions that are incorrect or about the castle specs that you do not see incorporated in their plans.
   • Then ask the class what they think is the importance of researching a project before beginning.  (Anticipate answers like “Then we know what we’re doing.”)
2. Explain to the class that they will become expert castle builders today, but they will be researching castles before they begin the real building.  Also, tell them that the “specs” on the sheet you handed out are the same terms they will learn in their castle-building project.
3. Tell them each to bring paper and a pencil, gather them up, and bring them to the computer lab.
4. Write out the website they need to go to on the board and then instruct them to type that down to reach the Castle Builder web site.  http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/castle_builder/
5. Before they begin, ask them where Wales is located (because that is where they’re building their castle).  After they answer correctly, have them click on the website’s first link together to show them a map of Wales and have them locate Aberytswyth.
6. From there, allow the students to work at their own pace.  As they are working pass out graph paper for them to use to draw the blue print spoken of in Step 4.  Tell them when they reach Step 5 to let you know.  Walk through the computer lab and answer questions that come up.
7. As the students complete the guided research, allow them to return to the classroom and start their castle-building project under the supervision of the aide.
8. When all the students have completed the research, return to the classroom and offer guidance where requested.

Closure:

• Bring class attention to the front.  Let students know that you realize this is a very big art project and it may take a long time.  Because of this, tell them that next week’s art project will not be as extensive, and, therefore, they will have two weeks to work on this castle project.
• Pass out the castle terms sheet to the students again and remark that this time those words probably look easier.  Tell them that they should write one sentence about each term and how they included it into their castle design.
• Finally, tell them that the baron who gave them this castle-building assignment will be at the festival at the end of next week, so their castle must be completed and displayed so the baron can see their work.

Assignment:

      Basic:  Complete castle building project by next week Friday and fill out the castle terms sheet to be handed in.

      Extension:  Journal about some reflection questions:  Why do we no longer have structures like castles?  Why are they no longer necessary?  Do you think castles will ever be needed in the future?  Explain.

Evaluation:

• Monitor student participation and interest.
• Assess castle terms worksheet and formally record a score based on completeness.
• Observe students’ good time use and effectiveness of Internet research.

Using rubric, evaluate castle projects based on displaying creativity, research done, and fulfilling baron’s requests.