The High Middle Ages was an interesting time period that had many influences on the evolving and changing world. In this unit, students work in groups to examine and analyze the different aspects of medieval life, the Crusades, how trade was revitalized, and how those components helped create the conditions necessary for the Black Death. By analyzing the impacts of the feudalistic system and the Black Death, students will determine how the new medieval culture developed. By studying the dynamics of the developing medieval culture, students will be able to gain insights into the development of medieval towns and the importance towns hold for our current social structure.

Curriculum-Framing Questions Essential Question How are people dependent on others? Unit Questions How did the Crusades affect Europe? How can geography play a role in how people live? What opportunities exist/existed to improve one’s economic status? How did education change peoples’ way of life during the Middle Ages? How did people get power, and then keep it (and/or transfer it)? Did the Church hold as much importance for communities towards the end of the Middle Ages compared to the start? Content Questions Why did Europeans Fight the Crusades? Why did trade begin again in Europe during the late Middle Ages? How did life for people in towns change in the late middle Ages? How did the Hundred Years’ War affect governments of England France? How did education start the separation of worldly rulers and the Church?

Middle ages Project details The project will group the students, with each group being assigned a social class (at random), to conduct an in-depth research study. The students will be prompted to explore, record, and analyze the details surrounding daily life for that social class. In addition, the groups will evaluate the impacts of events (the Crusades, Black Death, revitalized trade etc.) on the daily lives of the class they are studying. The sharing of the results will be presented in the form of an interview in which each group will create the questions and then present them and the answers to the other members of the class. The class will use a blog or wiki as a tool to share their results with group members when conducting and creating the interview questions. Finally, each student will choose a current event and compare that event’s impacts on today’s society to the impacts of a Medieval event on the societal classes of that time.

This Project will promote 21 st century skills development by: Initiating student collaboration with peers through group work and peer review. Analyzing, comparing and contrasting daily life for different social classes Critically analyzing impacts on Middle Age life as a result of major events (Black Death, Crusades, and revival of trade) and the comparing to current events. Focusing communication efforts with others through an interview process Promoting writing skills while cross comparing a major event from the Middle Ages and a current event. MIDDLE AGES LIFE PROJECT

GAUGING STUDENT NEEDS ASSESSMENTS