Middle Ages Think Dots

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    Art

    		  

    Art took on many forms during the middle ages : stained glass windows; sculptures; paintings and mosaics; pottery; metalwork; weavings/tapestries; and beautiful books.

    During the early part of the middle ages, monks were the only people creating art. Around 1100, artisans began to take over the making of art.

    Art was created for the church or the Kings and their nobles. The art was made to honor god or Kings, therefore the artists were not important and they did not sign their artwork. 

    Task:

    1.Go to the following website and look at the different pieces of medieval art. The Cloisters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    2. There are different themes represented in

        medieval artwork. After exploring the  museum

        website, write down the themes you identified

        and your favorite pieces of artwork that

        represent those themes in the chart on your

        handout.

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    Illuminated Manuscripts and the Printing Press

    		  

    Beautiful books made by hand with brightly colored illustrations called illuminations were luxuries during the Middle Ages. Only the nobles and clergy had access to books. The invention of the printing press in 1440 by Gutenberg revolutionized Europe because more people were able to afford books, learned how to read, and had access to all kinds of information never available to them before.

    Task:

    1.View Discovery  Education video streaming movie – click on the hyperlink to the video Times Medieval and scroll down to select the segment “Medieval Manuscripts”.
    2.Why did the printing press revolutionize (drastically changed) the world?
    3.Write about or draw a picture on your handout of a modern invention that has revolutionized our society.

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    Castles

    		  

    The Medieval castle was more than a symbol of power and wealth for the lord who owned the castle. It was primarily a way to defend the lord’s family and territory.

     

    Task:

    1.Have the Castle worksheet ready.
    2. Watch the following video clip Castle Design.
    3. .Go to the following website Timeref.com.
    4.Click on the 1st castle listed on your worksheet. Look at the castle and record your observations on the worksheet. When you have finished the 1st example move on to the 2nd, etc.
    5.When you have completed your worksheet discuss with your group how the castles have changed and why.

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    Technology

    		  

    According to the American Heritage Student Dictionary, technology is defined as “the methods and materials used to solve practical problems.”

    Technology did exist in the Middle Ages and it was continually developing to the support the needs of an evolving society.

     

    Task:

    1.Choose a tool or technology from the list on the website Medieval Technology Pages.
    2.Draw a picture of one of the tools/technology as it was then and what it looks like now

      OR

         Write about the similarities and differences of the middle aged tool and the modern day tool.

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    Cathedral Architecture

    		  

    Cathedrals were built to honor God and were a symbol of a city’s importance.

    At the beginning of the Middle Ages cathedrals were built in the Romanesque style. By the 1100’s the cathedrals were built taller and filled with light from stained glass windows. They were said to have made people feel like they were looking up to heaven.

     

    Task:

    1.Watch the video clip from CATHEDRAL at the TV/VCR.
    2.On the Venn Diagram in your packet, compare and contrast Greek and Roman architecture to that of the Middle Ages.