Topic: Ah, to be a knight…

Target group

4th grade student of elementary school.

Core curriculum

Additional, optional contents, to be chosen by the teacher in consultation with the student.

5. Castles and knights. Meaning, armament, customs.

General aim of education

Students learn about the life of the knights in the Middle Ages.

Key competences

• communication in the mother tongue;

• communication in foreign languages;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Lesson objectives

Student:

• tells about the principles and values of the knight's code,

• talls about the characteristic elements of knights' clothing, the basic types of weapons used and the features of defensive castle buildings;

• knows the model of emotional relations between men and women in the knightly world, is able to compare it with contemporary models;

• recognizes that living in a particular culture shapes the way people experience and express their feelings, needs and values.

Methods/techniques

• programmed methods: using e‑textbook;

• problematic methods: activating methods: discussion, preparation of presentation, written assignment;

• practical methods: exercises concerned, working with text and film;

• exposing methods: comments and explanations from the teacher.

Forms of work

• collective activity;

• activity in groups;

• individual activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/ felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• excerpts from the film “Krzyżacy” (Teutonic Knights) directed by Aleksander Ford (minutes: 10.41–15.49; 18.33–19.05; 28.50–31.00).

Before classes

The teacher divides the students into four groups and informs them that individual groups will be responsible for preparation of four parts of the presentation entitled “Ah, to be a knight...”. The task of each group is to prepare a 5‑minute presentation (verbal, pantomime, multimedia, including using extracts from the e‑textbook, etc., in any form - e.g. advertising, public speech, scientific presentation, presentation of the real estate agent) on the subject:

Group A – “How to become a knight?”;

Group B – “What does a knight look like and what does he need?”;

Group C – “Where does a knight live?”;

Group D – “What kind of person a knight is?”.

The groups prepare their presentations on the basis of the content from the e‑textbook (group A - “How to become a knight?”, “Knighting”; group B - “How was the medieval knight armed?”, “Horse - the best friend of the knight”; group C - “Where did the knight live?”, “Living in a medieval castle”; group D - “Being a perfect knight - a knight code”; “Strength and dexterity - a knight tournament”; “Zawisza Czarny”).

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

1. The teacher determines the purpose of the classes. He/she gives the students the criteria for success.

Realization

1. Groups present their presentations. The teacher coordinates the activities: watches the time of the presentations as well as their content and substantive correctness (e.g. in case of too poor presentations, the teacher may ask auxiliary questions).

2. Students perform Exercise 1. Then, in a conversation with a teacher, the students wonder what is left of the knightly culture today?

3. The teacher informs about passage to the next stage of their joint project “Ah, to be a knight...” – “Ladylove and knight - how did love look like in the shadow of the sword?” (the teacher may explain the metaphor of the title of this part). Students fulfill Instruction 1 and Instruction 2, and then the teacher displays excerpts from the film “Krzyżacy” (Teutonic Knights) directed by Aleksander Ford (minutes: 10.41–15.49; 18.33–19.05; 28.50–31.00).

4. The teacher asks questions and initiates a short discussion: What features of the knight did you see in Zbyszko when he fell in love with Danusia? Did he show any feature unworthy of a knight? And how would you describe Danusia and her behavior towards Zbyszko, who adorned her? Was the knight love (for the knight, from the knight's side) similar/easier/more difficult/more beautiful/ uglier... than today? When summarizing the discussion, the teacher points out that our feelings, desires, what we value (values) are expressed differently in different times - other behaviors are associated with e.g. sense of love, sense of honor, sense of fidelity.

5. Students fulfill Instruction 3, and then perform Exercise 3. The teacher comments on the exercises performed.

Summary

1. The teacher explains the homework to the students: Answer questions in writing: Would you like to be like a knight (living in modern times)? In the answer: a) write what you think it means to be like a knight; b) explain why you would like to be or not to be like a knight.

2. The teacher gives students evaluation surveys, in which they evaluate their own work during the lesson, the work of the teacher and their colleagues.

Summary of the most important contents of the lesson

1. Learning the principles and values of the knight’s code.

2. Reflection (in the form of discussion and written assignment) on the topicality of these values in the contemporary world.

3. Learning the characteristic elements of knight's clothing and the basic types of weapons used.

4. Learning the characteristic features of defensive castle buildings.

5. Learning the model of emotional relations between men and women in the knightly world.

6. Reflection on how the culture in which people live shapes the way they experience and express their feelings, needs and values.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Men of sword – knights

The social estate of knights was established in the Middle Ages. Knights were first of all warriors. They pledged allegiance to a king or a duke, and were obliged to help their feudal superior in armed combat. In return, they received land. A knight fought on horseback. His equipment included body armour, a helmet, a shield, a sword and a lance. A knight lived in a castle, for example a tower encircled by defensive walls and a moat. Castles were built in places difficult to access. A special knightly or chivalric culture emerged over time. Its key element was a code of conduct (ethos), which obliged a knight not only to faithfully serve his lord, but also to help the weak and the needy, and to fight for Christianity against unbelievers. To become a knight, one had to undergo long training as a squire. Only then was it possible to be knighted. Knightly tournaments became popular in the late Middle Ages. At the tournaments, knights showed off their skills and tried to win favour with women. The most famous knight of the Polish Middle Ages was Zawisza the Black.