Anatomy of a Castle - Summer Camp
This class combines military history with principles of engineering and cartography to teach students about medieval European castles! Along the way, each student will design their own castle on paper or Minecraft using information from class.
Nelson Dean, M.Ed.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(306)
What's included
5 live meetings
4 hrs 35 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. After sessions 1-4, students will have brief homework assignments to complete that should take around 10 minutes each (perhaps slightly longer on the fourth day). Students will also have access to short videos from the instructor that provide guidelines and examples for each assignment.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 5
Session 1 - students will learn why building castles became so popular in medieval Europe, and why builders selected particular sites to place their castles. Students will then design the site for their own castles using basic cartography skills learned in class. Session 2 - students will learn about the evolution of castle construction throughout the Middle Ages, understanding how engineering and construction choices made castles stronger. Students will then complete the first part of their castle, considering how to make it best fit their chosen site as well as the resources its construction would require. Session 3 - students will learn about the function of the castle in medieval communities, and learn about how specific parts of the castle reflected the needs and status of its occupants. Students will then start filling in their castle with everything from stables to dungeons! Session 4 - students will learn about techniques used to both attack and defend castles, and the role played by castles in medieval warfare. They will then evaluate their own castle's defensive capabilities to look for possible vulnerable points. Session 5 - students will learn why castles eventually lost their central place in Europe as society and technology changed. Students will also have the opportunity to present their finished castle to the group. One last note: for the safety of all of our students, and to ensure that I can work with each student effectively, I do require students have their cameras turned on and be visible at all times. Students who cannot comply will be moved to the waiting room.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2020
4.9
306reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from University of Georgia
Bachelor's Degree in History from University of Georgia
For the last decade, I have taught a variety of Advanced Placement classes in a brick-and-mortar high school including AP World History, AP European History, AP Art History, and AP English Language so I have many years of experience teaching this material to a diverse array of students. I also hold a Bachelor's degree in Medieval History with a minor in French, focusing on 12th and 13th century French literature, and have taught a wide variety of classes on Outschool.Reviews
Live Group Class
$97
for 5 classes5x per week, 1 week
55 min
Completed by 31 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-12
4-10 learners per class
