You are an inventor who has created a time machine that allows you to travel back through time. Using your time machine you will be going on a journey back to the Middle Ages. During your journey you will discover the inside world of convents and monasteries.

You will work with a group to create a hypothetical monastery or convent. Each member of your group will play a different role. Together, each role will represent different aspects of life in the convent or monastery during the Middle Ages.

1.) You will work with a group of four people.

2.) Individual members of each group will be assigned specific roles. Every role represents a different aspect of church life in the Middle Ages.

3.) Role choices and responsibilities are as follows:

A.) Poet - The poet will write a rhyming poem that resembles a chant. The poem needs to describe life in a convent or monastery.
B.) Scribe - The scribe will write a letter from a monk or a nun to his or her family telling about an event that happened to them that took them by surprise.
C.) Artist - The artist will create a mobile of scenes or objects from daily life in the convent or monastery.
D.) Sculptor - The sculptor will design a gargoyle to be used in decorating the church at a convent or monastery. The sculptor will need to explain the purpose of the gargoyle as well as the significance or meaning behind its features.

4.) Once individual tasks are completed, group members will combine their research in order to represent a convent or monastery using their assigned roles.

5.) Groups will need to describe their monastery or convent. The following details need to be included in each description:

A.) Where is the monastery or convent located.
B.) Describe what the monastery or convent looks like.
C.) Explain the purpose of your convent or monastery.
                                                                 

6.) After all projects are complete, groups will present their projects and their monastery or convent descriptions to the class.
 
 

Cathedrals
 

Churches during the Middle Ages
 

Religion in the Middle Ages
 

Religion
 

Monks and Nuns
 

Medieval Monks and Nuns
 

Gargoyles Then and Now
 

All About Gargoyles
 

The History of Gargoyles
 
 

You will be graded individually on your work for your assigned project.
A group grade will be rewarded for your convent or monastery description.
This project counts as a quiz grade and is worth a total of 12 points.
 
 

	3	2	1	Score
Quality  of the Project	All necessary parts of the project are completed to the best of your ability.	All or most of the necessary parts of the project are complete, but poorly done.	Little or none of the necessary components of the project are complete.
Presentation	Information is presented clearly in a well organized and thorough manner.	Information is presented clearly in a somewhat  organized  and thorough manner.	Information is not presented clearly or in an organized manner.
Historical  Accuracy	Lots of historical details are provided with background support included.	Historical details are provided without background support.	Little or no historical details are provided.
Description of monastery or convent. (Group Grade)	Description is supported with a great amount of detail.	Description is supported with a limited amount of detail.	Description is supported with one detail.

 

I hope you enjoyed your journey back to the Middle Ages. Throughout your adventure you should have encountered many sources to help you learn about how and why the church was an important part of life during the Middle Ages.