DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE
Teacher Candidate: Michael Wellhoff
Grade Level: 4th grade Content Area: History Europe in the Middle Ages
Step 1 DESIRED RESULTS
A. Contextual Factors
Contextual Factors:
12 Boys & 12 Girls
1 IEP Reading/Resource
1 IEP - Speech
Maybe 5 considered slow readers
Classroom environment:
Very organized environment Students sit in groups of 4-5 in one of the 5 crescent tables
in the classroom, all of which face the front of the class. The classroom has a whiteboard
and Promethean board at the front of the classroom for large group instruction. The far
front corner of classroom houses reading books for the reading block as well as group
readers housed on the back room shelves. There are also Mac-books for Reflex Math and
Typing Web, soon to be used for Success Maker. Small group instruction takes place at
the front crescent desk especially for reading while the other desks are utilized for other
small group instruction, such as spelling (cursive) spelling packets, writing centers, as
well as computer centers to assist with online instruction.
B. Utah State Core or Common Core Curriculum Standard
Objectives:
Understand ways a womens lives differed from men in Europe during the
Middle Ages
Recognize the achievements of Hildegard of Bingen and Christine de Pisan
Recognize 1066 as the date of the Battle of Hastings and understand the
significance of that battle
Identify the Bayeux Tapestry and the Domesday Book
Identify Henry II as the first Plantagenet king
Describe the characteristics and achievements of Henry II
Identify Thomas Becket
Understand the circumstances of his murder
Identify Eleanor of Aquitaine as an important ruler of France and England
Explain why Henry II and Eleanor were such a powerful couple
Recognize the major events in Eleanors life
Describe the role Joan of Arc played in driving the English out of France
Identify and describe the major events and accomplishments of Joan of Arcs life
C. Enduring Understanding/Big Idea
Men and Women from the Middle Ages have contributed greatly to life as we know it.
D. Essential Questions/Guiding Questions
How have their contributions bettered our life?
What are the significant contributions they have made?
What were the differences between men and women during the middle ages?
Why are their contributions important to us?
Why is it important to learn of the past?
E. Concepts
1. Though life was difficult, women contributed greatly throughout the middle
ages.
2. William the Conqueror was a great ruler. The Bayeux Tapestry was an important
historical document. The Domesday Book was one of the original census
documents ever created.
3. Henry was the 1st Plantagenet king He was intelligent and volatile, he helped to
create a better court system.
4. Thomas Becket was a good friend and Archbishop to Henry II sadly he was
murdered. He stood up for what was right regardless of peer pressure.
5. Eleanor was a beautiful and intelligent woman who promoted education and
chivalry amongst her subjects. She ruled over England in the absence of her sons
and was very loyal to her family.
6. Joan of Arc helped drive the English out of France she was a female who
communed with heavenly hosts. She was betrayed by the King she saved, and
was burned alive at the stake for standing up for her beliefs, however she
inspired a nation to stand up for their beliefs.
F. Skills
a. Students will complete a poem about woman in the middle ages.
b. Students will create a Bayeux Tapestry of the history of their class.
c. Students will write a chronicle of Henry II contributions and characteristics.
d. Students will create a Venn diagram labeling similarities and differences
between Becket and Henry II.
e. Students will read about King Arthur and the chivalrous knights.
f. Students will create a foldable graphic organizer (with 6 squares) and in each
square, identifying and describing with words and pictures the major events and
accomplishments of Joan of Arcs life.
Step 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
1. Pre-Assessments
Pretest about Europe in the Middle Ages.
2. Formative Assessments/Evidence
Observations.
Poems, writing organizers,
Bayeux Tapestry
Graphic Organizers
Table discussions
Venn diagram
Test Review
3. Summative Assessments/Evidence
Posttest about Europe in the Middle Ages
Step 3 Lesson Objectives with Instructional Strategies
Lesson 1:
Read : Women in the Middle Ages
Listen to the Music of Hildegard of Bingen from Antiphons and Songs
Create poem/limerick, Haiku, describing a womans life during the middle ages.
Lesson 2:
Reenact the Battle of Hastings in class.
Relate Domesday book to our records that we keep.
Discuss Bayeux Tapestry students create a classroom tapestry to hang in hallway.
Lesson 3:
Read: Henry II
Write a chronicle of Henry IIs achievements and important events in his life.
Lesson 4:
Read: Thomas Becket
Venn Diagram use diagram to list traits that are similar to both Becket and Henry, and
traits are strictly unique to them.
Debate! - Whos responsible for Beckets murder? (Mock trial alternative)
Lesson 5:
Read: Eleanor of Aquitaine
Review how land determined wealth.
Read stories from King Arthur.
Discuss Eleanor and Henry IIs powerful relationship. (relate to modern couple)
Lesson6:
Read: Joan of Arc
Create graphic organizer detailing major events in her life using words and pictures.
Discuss betrayal and loyalty and standing up for your beliefs.
