Grade Levels:  Nine through Twelve Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies

• Identify and have an understanding of the use of tapestries during the Middle Ages
• Design a tapestry with a tessellated border
• Take a digital picture of the tapestry, which will be displayed on the school web site
• Present and display the tapestry to the class

Materials:  White construction paper Colored construction paper Glue Scissors Colored pencils or crayons Rulers Index Cards
Technology Tools/Course Work: Computer Lab Digital Camera Internet sites: 4 Middle Ages Encarta Bayeux Tapestry

Teacher notes:

• The teacher will schedule the use of a digital camera and computer lab
• The teacher should become familiar with vocabulary such as tapestry, loom, and embroidery
• The teacher will gather the above needed materials ahead of time and prepare
• The teacher needs to determine how students will be divided into groups of four

• Random numbering
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Personalities
• Intelligences as defined by Thomas Armstrong in Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

Procedures:

• The teacher can use the learner outcomes for this lesson to explain the project
• The teacher will explain that tapestries were wall hangings used to explain the historical events
• The teacher will direct the students to the subject of the Bayeux Tapestry, which was designed to show scenes from William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066
• A complete set of the tapestries can be found at Bayeux Tapestry
• The class needs to discuss this tapestry
• The teacher needs to have the students go to Encarta and type in the word: “tapestry”
• The students need to read the descriptions of different types of tapestries
• The teacher will distribute an instruction sheet to each group
• The students will research, design, write an explanation of the tapestry, make tapestry from paper, and present the tapestry to the class
• The class will decide on the best tapestries
• The students will take pictures of the best tapestries, edit the pictures, and display them on the school web site

Modifications:

• The teacher should establish cooperative groups in such a way that all students should reach a level of success

Enrichment Activities:

• Use the Internet to find other examples of tapestries and display the pictures for the class

Evaluation:

• Students will evaluate each other using the rubric evaluation
• The students will present their tapestries
• The teacher will evaluate the tapestries based on the criteria established on the instructions sheet

• Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process

• Understands and applies basic and advanced properties of the concepts of geometry

• Understands the political, social, and cultural redefinitions in Europe from 500 to 1000 CE
• Understands the redefinition of European society and culture from 1000 to 1300 CE

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

• World History 9: 10.38, 10.42
• Computer Technology: 10.63, 10.64, 10.65
• Mathematics: G.19, G.16
• Language Arts/English: 12.1, 12.4, 12.54, 12.43

West Virginia Career Clusters:

• Fine Arts and Humanities

References:

• Encarta
• The Middle Ages
• Bayeux Tapestry

• Mary J. Phillips
• Paula L. Polosky  (Additional e-mail address: ppolosky@access.k12.wv.us)
• James C. Wendling

Lesson Links
[ Main Page ] [ Tapestries ] [ Medieval Romance ] [ Peasant Life ] [ Knights ] [ Bubonic Plague ]

Images Provided By:
Medieval Clip Art
Medieval Clip Arts