Learning Target(s): Students will examine themes of honor, love, and rivalry introduced in The Knight’s Tale and connect them to modern perspectives on competition and relationships.

Bell Work: Before we begin A Knight’s Tale: Imagine living in a society where your future is already decided by the class you were born into. What challenges might you face if you wanted to rise above those limits? Do you think talent and determination are enough to overcome social barriers, or do rules and traditions hold more power?

Assignment: Watch The Knights Tale/ Reflect: "How do the rivalry and choices of Palamon and Arcite reflect both the values of friendship and the pressures of love? Do you think Chaucer is criticizing or supporting their actions?"

Learning Target(s): Students will analyze how The Knight’s Tale presents ideas of fate versus free will, considering how characters respond when their choices seem controlled by forces outside their power.

Bell Work: "Do you believe in fate, luck, or destiny? Why or why not? How much control do you think people really have over their lives?"

Assignment: Watch The Knights Tale / Reflect: "Where do you see the tension between fate and free will in The Knight’s Tale? Do the characters shape their own destinies, or are they controlled by forces beyond their control?"

Learning Target: Students will evaluate how The Knight’s Tale reflects medieval values of chivalry and courtly love, and compare them to modern ideas of love, honor, and justice.

Bell Work: "If someone were to win your affection in a competition, would you see that as romantic or unfair? What does that say about how society views love and relationships?"

Assignment: Watch The Knights Tale/ Reflect: "What do the ideas of chivalry and courtly love in The Knight’s Tale reveal about medieval society? In what ways are those ideas similar to or different from modern views of love and honor?"

Objective: Students will analyze a central theme in The Pardoner's Tale or The Wife of Bath's Tale, utilizing evidence from the text to support their claims. They will apply at least two literary terms from the class chart to explore how Chaucer's use of literary devices helps develop the theme.

Bell Ringer: Answer the following question: What is one universal message or truth (theme) that you think Chaucer communicates in either The Pardoner's Tale or The Wife of Bath's Tale? How does he use characters or events to express that message? Write 3-5 sentences. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class.

Assignment: In-class written response to Theme Analysis prompt.

Objectives:  Students will

1. Define medieval romance and its key characteristics

2. Understand the concept of chivalry and its importance in medieval romances

3. Identify common elements and themes in medieval romance literature

Bell Work: After watching the following video on Medieval Romances, answer the question that follows: https://youtu.be/0DDzb5hVsVA. Based on the information provided in the video about medieval chivalry, explain one misconception about the chivalric code and discuss how it differs from the historical reality.

Assignment:  Watch and discuss bell ringer video. Read over the notes for Medieval Romance. Read History.com article and complete Exploring the Code of Knights.