Anatomy of a Castle (Self-Paced)
This class combines history with engineering and cartography to teach students about medieval castles! Along the way, each student will design their own castle on paper, Minecraft, or another method of their choice.
Nelson Dean, M.Ed.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(304)
What's included
11 pre-recorded lessons
10 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1 hour per week. Each lesson is followed by an optional homework assignment, where students submit an element of their designed castle for teacher feedback.Assessment
Teacher feedback is provided for students who complete assignments.Grading
Grades offered upon request.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 5
In this 10-session course taught by an experienced educator and self-proclaimed castle nerd, students will have the chance to learn about historical castles from the ground up. The course will combine historical, architectural, and geographical information to help students design and build their own castles. The course is designed to take 10 weeks, but students can complete the course at whatever pace they desire! After each session, students will have an optional homework assignment that will help them work on the design of their castle, with the goal of presenting a complete design at the end. When a student completes the optional assignment, the instructor will provide feedback within one week. Lesson 1: Why Castles Existed Lesson 2: Castle Location Lesson 3: Castle Construction Basics Lesson 4: Advanced Castle Construction Lesson 5: Castle Architecture Lesson 6: Life in a Castle Lesson 7: Attacking a Castle Lesson 8: Castle Defense Lesson 9: Why Castles Went Away Lesson 10: Castles in Modern Culture Lesson 11: Course Wrap-up
Learning Goals
Students will learn about how historical medieval castles were built and used for everyday life and in war.Students will learn basic cartography and geographic principles behind the placement of castles.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum10 Units
11 Lessons
over 10 WeeksUnit 1: Getting started
Lesson 1:
Understanding why castles existed
Basic history, geography, and social structure that led to the creation of castles, as well as basic principles of mapping and cartography. 1 assignment
Unit 2: Castle Sites
Lesson 2:
Location, Location, Location
Historical castle locations with a focus on defensibility and protection. 1 assignment
Unit 3: Castle Construction Basics
Lesson 3:
Castle Construction Basics
Early types of castle designs (9th-12th centuries). 1 assignment
Unit 4: Advanced Castle Construction
Lesson 4:
Advanced Castle Construction
Later and expanded castle designs (12th-15th centuries) 1 assignment
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2020
4.9
304reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from University of Georgia
Bachelor's Degree in History from University of Georgia
I have more than fifteen years of secondary education experience in Advanced Placement European History, World History, and Art History, and hold a Master's Degree in Education. I also hold a Bachelor's degree in History with an emphasis on Medieval Europe, and wrote my senior thesis on castle construction and the advancement of royal authority in Northern England from the 9th-12th centuries.
In addition, I have been teaching history courses on Outschool and other online platforms for the past four years, and have a wealth of both academic knowledge and practical experience teaching history courses to students across a wide age range.Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$10
weekly or $97 for all content11 pre-recorded lessons
10 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 2 learners
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Ages: 8-13
