Kathryn's+Learners+Activity

The activity that my students will work on for my curriculum web deals with the middle ages. Students will have to research the early middle ages and determine whether that time period can really be considered "dark." Since most people call that period of time, the Dark Ages, I want my students in groups of four to research different events that occurred during that five hundred year span. They must focus on events that can be considered "dark" and "not so dark." Students must decide which category these events (such as things going on with way of life, disease, famine, weather, intellectual development) fall in and justify their decisions. Once the information has been collected about the early middle ages, the groups will then have to debate amongst themselves on whether the term Dark Ages is appropriate for that time and give the period a new name that either considers the negative or positive aspects of the time period. Additionally, students will have to come up with a newspaper that discusses the events that happened over that time period for the class. Lastly, once the students have made a decision about what the time period should be called, they must present their new title for the period to the class with facts to back themselves up.

List below are my objectives that I included with my teaching guide part A

With the completion of this curriculum web, students will be able to: -Identify at least 5 different features of the Early Middle Ages that influence a dark connotation -Identify at least 5 different features of the Early Middle Ages that influence a lighter connotation -Appreciate what it means to say, “What’s in a name?” and the Early Middle Ages -Evaluate the term Dark Ages with the information that was researched -Analyze the significance of different events in the Early Middle Ages toward the aim of the curriculum web -Discuss as a group and explain their arguments for deciding whether the dark ages were really that dark -Present their rationale for what the period should be called in a coherent matter in front of the class -Evaluate website appropriateness for this curriculum web

I like this idea, especially the part about the students being able to create a new name for that time period based on what their information has told them. But what happens, if they still ultimately feel that is a Dark Age? Can they leave the title then as is or do they still need to re-name it? I also like the newspaper idea but also maybe then can add pictures/drawings to what they feel like it looked like during that time period (i.e. dark age being really cloudly and/or rainy, or partially cloudy, or others pictures such as the creation of universities and other mainpoints during that time frame). - Laura

If a group wants to keep the name the Dark Ages, that is find, but I want them to defend why the use of that name with information. Artwork for expressing what they believed it looked like during that time would be great. Especially if they can tie with an article that is being written for the newspaper. Thanks, Kathryn.

I also like this idea. It allows the students to look back at, practically, a different world, see how people used to live, and see how they fought to survive during the events you mentioned. The only aspect of the learner's activity that I thought could be changed is the part where the students of the group debate the term "Dark Ages." I could see that expanding into a debate that involves the entire class instead of just in groups. As Laura said, I really like the newspaper idea. It allows the students to be creative, as if they were living during that time period. Overall, it looks like this'll be a fun and informative curriculum web. - Paul

I was actually thinking about whether or not they should debate within the group or with the class. I was thinking of either having the groups debating individually and then creating a entire class debate once the groups have a side. This way they are better prepare with information from that period. Thanks, Kathryn.