A Europe Middle Ages global studies unit for homeschool, worldschool or just for fun.
This week was inspired by visits to several Medieval towns on our recent trip to Romania. Castles, knights and princesses have never been that big for my kids but I was happily surprised at how this topic drew them in regardless.
Printables
All of this week's information in an easy-to-read printable.
On the Dining Room Wall
This Medieval Pyramid diagram explaining who did what.
Various pictures from old calendars, read where I get them here.
Pictures from Mont Saint Michel,
A poster that came with this book that shoes the historical timeline of Europe.
Books
One from each category plus an assortment of picture books is usually just perfect.
Not all book series are as good as the next. Get the scoop on some of our favorites here.
Library Haul
Not all of these books will get read. Most library systems allow you to browse online and put books on hold. They'll round them up for you and deliver them to your local branch. It's a big time saver!
Base Non-Fiction Books:
Read every word or simply flip through and reach what catches your eye.
Top Pick:
What are Castles and Knights? (Who HQ Book)
Knights and Castles (Magic Treehouse Fact Tracker #2)
Other Ideas:
Castles (DK Find Out! Book) A good option to flip through and read what catches our eye.
Medieval Life (DK Eyewitness Book) Similar to above, it's good option to flip through and read what catches your eye.
Base Fiction Chapter Book:
Some of these books are part of a series but all of them work as standalone books.
Younger Learners:
The Knight at Dawn (Magic Treehouse #2) Jack and Annie go back to Medieval times and have adventures in a castle and meet a knight. This is one of the first in the series and it's perfect for the youngest of learners.
The Door in the Wall (By Marguerite de Angeli) We didn't actually read this one but I wanted to include on that fell somewhere between my two other picks. It has good reviews and looks like a solid choice.
Older Learners:
The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog (By Adam Gitwitz) This book about the Medieval adventures of three unlikely companions and their dog packed in a lot of hard-hitting themes while somehow remaining light and silly. It's probably not for everyone, what with it's themes of religion, religious indifference, martyrdom, classism, prejudice and racism. Proceed with caution but we liked it and so do a lot of reviewers on Goodreads. Kids under nine might have a hard time following this one.
Other Notable Books
Have more time? Try these too.
You Wouldn't Want to Be in a Medieval Dungeon! (You Wouldn't Want to Be series) These books are always a hit in our house. They're funny and have a lot of good information. They're easy ones to flip through and just read what appeals to you.
The Middle Ages (You Choose Book) We always end the week with a You Choose book. My kids love following various paths. Fair warning that in these books, you will die in about half of the endings.
Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle Lots of intriguing pictures to examine in this one!
Picture Books
Library inventories vary so much with picture books. Rather than wasting time tracking down specific ones, I like to do keyword searches and just grab what's available.
Search these keywords: Middle Ages, Medieval Times, Castles, Knights.
We liked these books:
The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of Medieval Falconry (By Danna Smith)
The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane (By C.M. Millen)
A Medieval Feast (By Aliki)
Things to Listen to/Watch*
My YouTube Playlist for the Week
We listened Medieval music while we built our Lego creations. Here's one of many.
*Always vet material before watching it with your kids, especially if they are sensitive viewers. I try to note any potential issues but everyone has different parenting thresholds of what they consider appropriate.
Interactive Learning: Crafts, Food, Activities
We built a Lego Medieval kingdom using a book from the library: Build it! Medieval World
End of Week Movie Night Ideas
Robin Hood (G, 1973) It's not new and flashy but the kids liked it anyway and it didn't age as poorly as some. Bonus is that it mentions the Crusades which was a big part of the Middle Ages.
The Hunchback of Notre Dam (G,1996) Medieval Paris animated beautifully. Also, a classic story and a good movie. Some parts might be a little dark and scary for sensitive viewers.
Segue Ideas... Black Plague Week, France Week, England Week
Wrap Up
This week could go in so many different directions depending on what interests you and your kids! All of this material would work great for a Middle Ages homeschool unit or, in our case, just some fun, extra learning.
Here we are in Brasov, Romania.
Final Moment
Here's a few pictures from some Medieval towns from our Romania trip, summer 2023.
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