Middle Ages Ballad Project - 6th Grade

You can learn more about the Middle Ages by researching the people who influenced it the most. It is important to realize the role of an historic personality, as it affects current and future events.

Each student will research an important medieval person and present a biographical sketch in the form of a ballad. Finished reports will be presented to the class on Wednesday, January 27th.

You are to research one of the individuals listed below and tell about them in the context of medieval times and demonstrate how he/she influenced history. For example, after King John lost all lands in the north of France and increased taxation, he fell out of favor with the church and nobility. As a result of increasing hostility, he reluctantly signed the Magna Carta in June of 1215. This document had far-reaching implications and would be an important addition to the biography of King John.

Suggested historical figures to research:

Eleanor of Aquitaine	King Henry I	Fra Angelica
Henry II	Thomas Becket	St. Bernard
Leif Ericson	Joan of Arc	Dante
St. Francis	Richard the Lionhearted	Chaucer
Botticelli	Giotto de Bandone	Boccacio
William the Conqueror	Pope Gregory III	Pope Gregory IX

Your project will be a poster that includes the following elements:

1. Biography Ballad - 50 points - 20 lines total telling the story of your figure's life, including their significance or contributions to medieval society.
• This must be completely in your own words. If I can any portion of your paper word-for-word online, you will not be eligible for this 50 points.

2. Portrait - 25 points - A picture of what your figure may have looked like.
• This must be hand-drawn. Do not worry about artistic ability, but try to make this as accurate as possible.

3. Map - 25 points - Illustrating where the story takes place.
• You may print a map, but I want you to draw significant parts on it.
• Make sure your map is appropriate. I don't need to see a map of South America in this.

• We will work on this project during class on Monday, January 25th. Come prepared to work (type, color, etc.) You will have to do a little research at home though.
• This will count as one test grade.