Beacon Lesson Plan Library
The Origins of Heraldry
Cynthia Youngblood
Santa Rosa District Schools
Description
Students design shields for personal coats of arms which depict themselves and then explain their shields to the class in an informal presentation.
Standards
Florida Sunshine State Standards
LA.C.3.4.1
The student uses volume, stress, pacing, enunciation, eye contact, and gestures that meet the needs of the audience and topic.
LA.C.3.4.2
The student selects and uses a variety of speaking strategies to clarify meaning and to reflect understanding, interpretation, application, and evaluation of content, processes, or experiences, including asking relevant questions when necessary, making appropriate and meaningful comments, and making insightful observations.
LA.C.3.4.3
The student uses details, illustrations, analogies, and visual aids to make oral presentations that inform, persuade, or entertain.
VA.B.1.4.2
The student understands that works of art can communicate an idea and elicit a variety of responses through the use of selected media, techniques, and processes.
Florida Process Standards
Information Managers
01 Florida students locate, comprehend, interpret, evaluate, maintain, and apply information, concepts, and ideas found in literature, the arts, symbols, recordings, video and other graphic displays, and computer files in order to perform tasks and/or for enjoyment.
Effective Communicators
02 Florida students communicate in English and other languages using information, concepts, prose, symbols, reports, audio and video recordings, speeches, graphic displays, and computer-based programs.
Critical and Creative Thinkers
04 Florida students use creative thinking skills to generate new ideas, make the best decision, recognize and solve problems through reasoning, interpret symbolic data, and develop efficient techniques for lifelong learning.
Materials
- The Origins of Heraldry handout (See Attached File)
- Teacher-made example of coat of arms
- Printed copies of sample coats of arms (See Web Links)
- Printed copies of Examples of Students' Coats of Arms (See Attached File)
- Coat of Arms Evaluation Form, one per student (See Attached File)
- Construction or poster paper
- Colored markers or pencils
- Tempera paint
- Media center/computer lab to view Websites (See Web Links)
Preparations
1. Check out suggested Websites. Jot down addresses to share with students.
2. Search for additional information on coat of arms.
3. Make copies of The Origins of Heraldry handout, Examples of Students' Coats of Arms, and the Coat of Arms Evaluation Form for each student. (See Attached File)
4. Make a model of your personal coat of arms.
5. Arrange to take class to the media center or computer lab to look at suggested Web Links.
Procedures
Note: This project can be used during the study of selections from English literature from the Middle Ages, such as Beowulf, The Seafarer, The Canterbury Tales, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
1. After studying a literary selection concerning the age of chivalry, discuss what the term chivalrous means. Explain to students that today we use the term chivalrous to describe the conduct of well-mannered and sensitive men toward women, but the medieval idea of chivalry, though it included the relations between the sexes, went far beyond this. It sought to make the knightly warrior as devout and tenderhearted off the battlefield as he was bold and fearless on it. Medieval romance consisted largely of tales of chivalry to which were added a love interest and all sorts of wonders and marvels - fairy enchantments, giants, dragons, wizards, and sorceresses. Of course, these chivalrous knights in armor brandished swords and shields, shields that bore their coat of arms.
2. Tell students to read the handout on The Origins of Heraldry (See Attached File) to learn how families began this practice of identifying themselves.
3. Ask students how many of their families have a coat of arms. If any, ask them to bring them in to share with the class.
4. Tell students to each design an escutcheon, a shield, for personal coats of arms, decorating them with three to five features that depict themselves. Include appropriate colors. They should also be prepared to give a three-minute informal presentation to explain their shields to the class. Review skills and strategies for informal speech presentations. Review the Coat of Arms Evaluation Form as well. (See Attached File)
5. Show Examples of Students' Coats of Arms. (See Attached File) Note: Always save a few from each class to show as models. Teacher could also make one for himself or herself.
6. List Website addresses on the board (see Web Links). Tell students that they could look at the Websites on the board for ideas of what they could include on their shield. If students do not have Internet access at home, you could arrange to take them to the media center or computer lab.
7. Give students at least a week outside of class to complete this project.
8. After a week of preparation, have students orally share their shields with the class.
9. Evaluate the shields and informal presentations.
Assessments
Initial Criteria for Shields and Presentations:
-Shield contains 3-5 features that depict individual;
-Shield uses appropriate colors;
-Shiled is approximately 2 ft. x 1 1/2 ft.;
-Presentation is approximately three minutes.
See the Coat of Arms Evaluation Form in the attached file to assess the content and delivery of the students' presentations.
Extensions
Students could do a mini-research paper on the topic of the origins of heraldry.
Web Links
Great information on designing Coat of Arms GeoCitiesGreat information on designing Coat of Arms. HeraldicaGreat information on designing Coat of Arms. DigiserveGreat information on designing Coat of Arms. FleurdelisGreat information on designing Coat of Arms. Free Coats of Arms
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