(Recorded Course) Living History through Literature (Medieval): The Door in the Wall with Jackie de Laveaga, B.A., M.Ed.

 

This is Part One of a four-part course. Students can register for one, two, three, or all four courses.

  • Total Class Recordings: 6
  • Duration: 50 minutes
  • Prerequisite: None.
  • Suggested Grade Level: 5th to 9th grade
  • Suggested Credit: 1/2 semester History or Literature
  • Instructor: Jackie de Laveaga, BA, M.Ed.
  • Instructor Email: delaveaga.hsc@gmail.com

 Course Description: Living History Through Literature is a project-based course series. These courses weave the study of literature into a meaningful and engaging encounter with a specific era of history. In LHTL: Medieval History 2: The Door in the Wall,  we meet Robin, a fourteenth-century boy who suffers a physical ailment that keeps him from training to be a knight. With his father away fighting in the King's war and his mother serving the queen, Robin is taken in by a monastery and slowly learns what it means to be an authentic hero.  Students will study the historical context of the novel and participate in engaging literature discussions. In this project-based course, students will engage in short quizzes and in projects of their choice. Project options will include fiction writing, preparing period-specific food and/or costumes, creating lapbooks, recreating scenes from the novel (Legos, clay, K’nex, digital drawing, hand-drawing, etc.), building a timeline, mapping, and more.

Course Outline:

Class 1: Overview of Historical Context and Novel Introduction

Class 2: Literature Discussion; Project Introduction

Class 3: Literature Discussion; Cultural Overview

Class 4: Literature Discussion; Fiction Writing Tips

Class 5: Literature Discussion; Final Project Instructions

Class 6: Literature Analysis and Historical Connections; Student Project Showcase

Course Materials: The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli. (Laurel Leaf Publishing). ISBN-10: 9780440227793, ISBN-13: 978-0440227793

Homework: Weekly quizzes and reading assignments. Each week, students will work on the project-based assignment that will culminate in a final novel project submission (due at the end of week 6). Homework (including novel reading) will take approximately 1.5 hours per week. Parents are encouraged to support younger students by reading texts aloud and helping with project planning and execution.