The Middle Ages was a favorite period in history that we studied. I am always trying to find ways to add in hands on activities to my curriculum. I have found that hands on activities coupled with solid living historical fiction round out a history curriculum to make for an exciting year. My kids used to hate history until I made it an experience for them. Now we all look forward to history!
One project we all enjoyed was making our own coat of arms. They not only loved the project but learned quite a bit that day about the history and significance behind a coat of arms. To make your own you simply need paints, cardstock or cardboard and a stencil of the shape of your coat of arms. Doing a search for images of coat of arms will help guide you.
Once we finished a coat of arms it seemed only logical to begin making castles. The castle lesson and project was enhanced by the book, Castle by David Macaulay. This is a wonderful book that describes the construction of a castle in the 13th century in detail. The castle depicted is fictional but the explanation and details of construction are accurate.
We gathered a bunch of cardboard boxes, paints, packing tape, and material, then headed into the the living room where the floor was protected by a tarp and began our construction of a castle. We built our castle while watching a show about King Arthur which was airing on the History Channel. The older kids were instructed to write a narration based on the King Arthur episode. My daughter said working while she watched somehow helped her absorb more rather than being bored by simply sitting and watching. My son wrote a decent narration but the working and watching was not as absorbing for him.
History is a focal point in our homeschool, so I try to make it come to life. Projects, activities, narration, solid living history books, historical dvds, and a good text are the key elements. It may sound like quite a bit but it all comes together naturally.