Knights & Ladies Lesson Plan

(I dressed my girls in dresses. I dressed my boys in white long-sleeved undershirts with red short-sleeved shirts on top over the white shirts. They wore belts around their waists. They wore khaki pants, my husband's black socks pulled up their shins, and dark tennis shoes.)

1. Pray. Read & discuss Ephesians 6:11-17.

2. Review what we learned about medieval life & castles.

3. Discuss Coat of Arms and the meaning of some of the symbols. Let children design their own.
1: YOU WILL NEED: paper, crayons, & markers

4. Read about the process of going from a squire to a knight, either Knight of the Middle Ages by Dorothy Welker or The Making of a Knight: How Sir James Earned His Armor by Patrick O'Brien.

5. Briefly discuss the differences between the duties of boys and girls during the Middle Ages.

6. Divide the boys and the girls.

7. Let the boys design their own cardboard swords and shields using pre-cut cardboard swords and shields. These will be used later for their knighting ceremony. They can use markers, paint, and/or fake jewels. Tape aluminum foil around the swords to make them look like they are made of metal. To get ideas on how to design these, you can go to http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Play-Sword-and-Shield for a simple version and/or
http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/cardboard-prop-swords/how-to-make-a-cardboard-sword.htm for a more complex version.
1: YOU WILL NEED: cardboard swords & shields, markers, paints, paintbrushes, fake jewels, glue, tape, staplers, & aluminum foil

8. Briefly review the process of training to become knights.

9. Weapon training. Have the boys practice fighting using various weapons. (We bought all our weapon supplies at the Dollar Tree. The bows arrows were used previously when we learned about Africa and the stick horses were left over from when we studied the American War for Independence.)
a. Bow & Arrow: Use bows and suction-cup arrows -- or use real bows & arrows if you have them. Paint bulls-eyes on cardboard and have then boys see how well they can aim.
b. Javelin-Throwing: Use pool noodles as the javelins. We hung hula-hoops from tree branches and had the boys aim for the hula-hoops.

c. Jousting: Tape a construction paper circle to the front shirt of each boy. Use stick horses or make your own by taping the drawing of a horse's head to the straw part of a broom or sponge part of a mop. Use the pool noodles as lances. Have the boys line up in 2 lines facing each other. Have them "gallop" toward each other on their stick horses, holding their pool noodle lances toward their opponent. When they pass each other, they should try to stab their opponent in the circle on their chest with their "lance." Each boy should try to "score" by hitting the circle on the opponent's shirt. If a score is made then that squire is out and keep the game going until there is one left. The boys should hold the noodles under their arms and hold the stick horse with the other hand. Line them up on opposite side and have them go.
d. Melee: If you have extra time and extra foam weapons, the boys can participate in a melee. They can choose whichever weapon they'd like (foam swords, javelin/lance, foam mace (cardboard paper tube with a foam ball taped to one end, etc.) The choose whichever weapon they'd like. Then they can go up against one opponent, or you can have a free-for-all. Our boys didn't get hurting doing this and had a great time, but there is definitely a high potential that someone could get hurt.
2: YOU WILL NEED: toy bow & arrow sets, targets painted onto cardboard, pool noodles, hula hoops, string/yarn, construction paper circles, tape, stick horses or homemade stick horses (using brooms or mops), &/or foam swords

7. Have each girl cut a piece of poster board into a cone shape like a slice of pizza. The two sides should measure about 12" and the rounded bottom should measure about 23". Tape or staple the hat into a cone shape. Let the girls decorate it with ribbons, sequins, lace, and glue. Hot glue guns may come in handy if they're available. Go to www.firstpalette.com for a very good picture of how to make this hat.
3: YOU WILL NEED: poster boards of various colors, scissors, tape, staplers, ribbon, sequins, lace, and/or hot glue guns

8. Read a book on etiquette.

9. Discuss good manners and how they can be applied. Then have them practice saying "please" and "thank you." Teach them how to curtsy. Have them practice walking around the room taking small steps and keeping a book balanced on their heads. Practice stand up straight and sitting with your ankles crossed, with your hands folded in your lap.
4: YOU WILL NEED: 1 book per child

10. Explain how ladies would give knights favors during tournaments as a token of their support. Favors were usually small handkerchiefs, flowers, or ribbons that the knight could tie to his flag or pin to his tunic. Have each girl roll up a small piece of cloth (a "handkerchief") and tie it with a ribbon. Assign them each a boy "knight" for them to give their favor to before the jousting tournament.
4: YOU WILL NEED: small squares of fabric and ribbon

a. Ahead of time select someone to be the king & the queen of the tournament. This can be a mom & dad, older siblings, and/or 2 children from the co-op (maybe the ones with birthdays closest to that day).
b. The "squires" (holding their shields & swords) will line up in one line and the ladies-in-waiting (wearing their hennin hats & holding their favors) will line up in a line parallel to the boys.
c. The king and queen will announce the tournament will begin. The king will give a welcome.

d. The queen will begin by giving her favor to one of the squires. The ladies-in-waiting will each give their favor to their assigned squire. The king will announce what is happening. For example, he will say, "Lady Gwen gave her favor to Squire Trent." After each time, everyone else will shout a loud, "Huzzah!"
e. After all the ladies have given out their favors, you can have a person acting as a priest or monk give a blessing to each squire. (A hooded bath towel or robe works well as a monk costume.)

f. Allow the king & queen to sit on thrones (regular chairs with bed sheets covering them & gold ribbon tied around them) & announce that the jousting tournament will begin. The ladies-in-waiting can sit in chairs near the "thrones."
g. Have the "squires" lay down their swords and shields and pick up pool noodle lances and stick horses.
h. (If you are not limited by time) Hang small rings (like small plastic diving rings used in swimming pools) from tree branches. Have the squires "ride" their stick horses one by one and try to spear their pool noodle lance through one of the rings as they "ride" by. After each attempt, the crowd should cheer with a loud, "Huzzah!"
i. Next, have the squires joust in the same manner they did during jousting practice, each trying to tag the circle taped to the front of each squire.

The squires will gather their swords and shields and will line up before the king and queen. The squires will go before the king one at a time and will kneel before him. The king will take each boy's sword and will tap it on his right & left shoulder and then will declare each squire a knight of a particular kingdom. Afterward, everyone will yell, "Huzzah!"

If you are a lapbook lover, check out these great resources: a free lapbook on knights and a free
lapbook on princesses.

Konos Curriculum
I use Konos Curriculum as a springboard from which to plan my lessons. It's a wonderful Christian curriculum and was created by moms with active children!

Konos Home School Mentor
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