Medieval Europe

Big Question: Who should control government?

In this unit on Medieval Europe, students will use United Kingdom National Archive to examine the Magna Carta. Students will use video interviews with historical characters and examine primary source documents to answer the focus question above.

Time Frame two weeks.

Culminating activity: Students will take part in socratic seminar answering the question, "Who should control government?"

CALIFORNIA HISTORY CONTENT STANDARDS

7.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe.

7.6.5. Know the significance of developments in medieval English legal and constitutional practices and their importance in the rise of modern democratic thought and representative institutions (e.g., Magna Carta, parliament, development of habeas corpus, an independent judiciary in England).

COMMON CORE READING STANDARDS FOR LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES 6–12

RH 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

RH 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

RH 6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

RH 7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

RH 8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Students will work to complete six chapters of work on the website earning badges that tally all of their work along the way. Students will see how the document of the Magna Carta in its four versions from 1215 to 1296 challenges the nobles and royalty of the time. They will examine primary source documents and see videos with actors portraying real people from the period to see how they are personally affected. They will then become a chronicle of history and record their finding and their opinions to help explore the question, "Who should control government?"

The website can be found here