Teacher's Guide for APPLESEEDS Children of the Middle Ages

• examine a time line of major events during the Middle Ages to gain a perspective of this period in relationship to modern times.
• practice listen skills as the teacher reads a story.
• consider how the turnover from 1999 to 2000 was fraught with anxiety just as the turnover of 999 to 1000.
• read each article with a focus in mind. The focus will be established by the teacher and by peers, at times.
• take notes on the note taking sheets provided.
• engage in discussion, using their notes to stay on topic.
• write a reflective essay that takes a point of view and supports ideas with information from the readings.

1. Have students think what it would have been like to be a child their age during a time long, long ago.
2. Ask students to tell a partner one thing from long ago that would be very unpleasant and different from now and one thing from long ago that would be pleasant and similar to today.
3. Share some ideas whole group.
4. Tell students that they will be exploring what life was like for children who lived during a period called the Middle Ages. This was a 1000-year-long period.

1. Introduce the December 2001 issue of APPLESEEDS. Examine the cover, skim through the table of contents, do a brief "picture walk" through the issue and set predictions for information to be gathered.
2. Draw children's attention to "Middle Ages Time Line." Read aloud as children follow along with the events. Continuously point to a world map, identifying where each event happened. Emphasize that events at the same point on the line were occurring simultaneously.
3. Tell the children that you are going to read a story, "December 31, 999," that helps us understand the fears a child, as well as other people around her, had about the change from the year 999 to 1000. As they listen, the children should think about the fears people had at that time and how these were similar to the fears of people experiencing the change from 1999 to 2000.
4. Discuss the story, the fears of the character and others around her, and the fears of people on December 31, 1999. How were these similar? How were these different?

1. Introduce the article. Read the title and author. Discuss pictures, captions, and / or graphics. Set predictions or "wonderings" to be answered.
2. Introduce the note taking sheet. Provide directions as deemed necessary to ensure that students understand and are comfortable with what is expected of them.
3. Students read the article and take notes. (After reading, students may discuss their notes with a partner. This would allow them to refine and expand their ideas before the discussion.)
4. The teacher initiates a discussion about the article. Students use their notes to guide, direct, and support their contributions to the discussion of each article.

At a later time, students will write an essay. This will be evaluated for content and technical accuracy (spelling, grammar).

Directions for children: Decide if you agree or disagree with these statements. Write an essay to explain your view. Support your ideas with information from the readings. Edit your work carefully.

A child of the Middle Ages lived a much harder life than a child in 2001. Children in the Middle Ages had to act grown-up sooner than most children do today.

1. With a partner, students will verbally share facts about the Middle Ages that impressed them the most (minimum 2 facts each).
2. Student pairs are called on to share their "Impressive Facts" with the class.

• appropriately select and organize information from the reading and record it on the note taking sheets.
• work effectively with classmates in partner work.
• effectively share their work in a way that makes the information and ideas clear to their audience.
• write an essay in response to the statement posed, adopting a point of view and supporting it with information from the readings.
• write in their own voice, with clarity of message, connectedness of thoughts, and technical accuracy.

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Updated: 11/21/08 09:43 am
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