Goal/Purpose: Students will explore the political structure of feudal society and the impact Christianity had on medieval life. History-Social Science strands addressed include:

1. Historical Literacy: understand the importance of religion and other ideological commitments in history
2. Cultural Literacy: learn about the values and beliefs of a people
3. Sociopolitical Literacy: understand the close relationship between social and political systems, understand the close relationship between society and the law, understand comparative political systems
4. Skills Attainment:
   • develop group interaction skills
   • define and clarify problems
   • judge information related to a problem
   • solve problems and draw conclusions
   • locate select, organize, and apply information
   • organize and express ideas clearly in writing and speaking

(from the History-Social Science Framework published by the California State Department of Education, 1988)

Length of Lesson: approximately 2 weeks

Materials:
art supplies, medieval literature, books, laserdiscs, etc.

Interdisciplinary Connections: Art, Geography

Teacher Resources:

• California State History-Social Science Framework, 1988
• California H/SS Standards Grade 7 - Standard 7.6
• SCA Arts and Sciences Homepage has many links to online resources including academic resources, publications, links to slavic, mongolian, middle eastern resources, and much more.
• Labyrinth Home Page contains links to information on archaeology, various cultures, and more.
• Pre 1700 Works provides links to Medieval books in electronic format.
• Medieval Art and Architecture provides an extensive list of medieval sites including art, architecture, culture, drama, history, law, and more!
  
• Bayeux Tapestry is a famous tapestry depicting events prior to the Battle of Hastings on October 14, 1066.
• The Official Medieval Movies Page has a list of movies set in the medieval time period.
• Transitions: English Feudal Development, 1016-1135 is a thesis analyzing the origins of English feudalism and tracing them through the Norman Conquest to the end of the reign of Henry I.

Prerequisite Learning:

• basic knowledge of feudalism
• medieval history
• medieval Evaluation

Suggestions:

1. Be prepared to support students in the following areas:
   • identifying fact and fiction
   • identifying and validating sources of information
   • writing fictional stories in a medieval setting
2. Consider how your students will present information and how you will set the stage for their presentations. You might have them swear their oath of fealty to the class as part of a medieval ceremony.
3. Remind students to use other resources as well. Provide books, enclyclopedias, laserdiscs, videos, and CD-ROMs that are available at your school site.