Teaching Students About Life as a Medieval Page
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Medieval pages were the young boys who acted as servants for noblemen in medieval times. They were responsible for tasks such as running errands, carrying messages, and serving food and drinks. Teaching students about medieval pages is not only interesting but also helps them understand the social structure of medieval society.
The first step in teaching about medieval pages is to give students some background information about the medieval era. This period, also called the Middle Ages, extended from the 5th to 15th centuries and was characterized by feudalism, the Crusades, the rise of the Catholic Church, and the Black Death. Pages played an important role in this period as they were an essential part of the household of a nobleman.
To make the lesson more engaging, teachers can use visual aids such as pictures, maps, and diagrams to show students how pages lived and worked. For instance, teachers can show pictures of medieval castles or manors and highlight the areas where pages lived and worked. Teachers can also introduce students to the different roles that pages played such as page of honor, courier, or squire.
Another way of teaching students about medieval pages is through role-play. Teachers can divide the class into groups and assign different roles for each student. For example, one group can be the household of a nobleman, while others can be the pages carrying out their various tasks. Students can act out the different activities that medieval pages carried out, such as running errands, serving food and drink, and even assisting knights during duels.
Furthermore, teachers can incorporate literature into the lesson by reading stories or poems that feature medieval pages. One well-known example is “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott, which features a squire named Gurth who serves his master, Cedric the Saxon. By engaging with literature, students can gain a deeper understanding of the daily life of medieval pages.
In conclusion, teaching students about medieval pages is not only informative but also intriguing. By providing a glimpse into the everyday life of pages, students can better understand the different social classes that existed in medieval society. By employing various teaching techniques such as visual aids, role-play, and literature, teachers can make this lesson engaging and memorable.