Castles

This month we feature sites for young medieval scholars, or for kids who are just crazy about castles! (ECB also provides excellent video resources on castles for Wisconsin teachers.)

Lesson Plans | Famous Castles
| Instructional Video Series for Wisconsin Teachers

Medieval Siege is a companion Web site to the NOVA series Secrets of Lost Empires. The site includes sections on life in a castle and the medieval arms race, as well as an activity in which users can build a virtual trebuchet (catapult).

Marcus the Mouse is your guide to learning about castles in Ghosts in the Castle from the National Geographic Web site. Young users may name the castle, which is based on a 13th century British design, before exploring its different parts and the roles of its inhabitants.

Magnificent Medieval Times takes users on a "Medieval Quest" to learn about castles, knights, heraldry, and other topics. It includes an interactive quiz and a crossword with medieval terms. The site was created by elementary students from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, for the ThinkQuest Junior competition.

What Was It Really Like to Live in the Middle Ages? is an online exhibit for teachers from the Annenberg Teachers Lab. It provides detailed information on feudal life, religion, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment, and town life.

In this student-created site, users learn about the Castles of Japan. They can explore the history and design of Japanese castles, and learn about life during different eras. Many photographs of Japanese castles are provided.

Information about the City of Gondar, capital of the Ethiopia kingdom from the 17th through the 19th centuries, and its spectacular palaces is featured in this site from the PBS program Wonders of the African World.

Jordan's Desert Castles actually served various purposes as caravan stations, agriculture and trade centres, and resort pavilions. They exemplify early Islamic architecture, and some are decorated with mosaics, frescoes, stone and stucco carvings and illustrations. This site from the Jordan tourism board also features a photo gallery with photographs of desert castles and crusader castles. of Kerak and Shobak. Additional photographs and information are available at this site created by a frequent traveler to Jordan and at this site from King Hussein of Jordan.

Welsh Castles of Edward I features images, maps and information about of three castles from the reign of Edward I. This is part of a larger site on Medieval Art and Architecture, which also includes images of some French castles.

The Castles of Wales provides lots of general information on castles, as well as photographs and information about many Welsh castles. The site was created by a Welsh-American castle enthusiast, and general information sections include Castle Terminology, Life in a Medieval Castle, and What are Castles?

Castle Resources, from a British high school history teacher, provides an overview of castles and sections on Motte and Bailey castles, the stone keep castle, and concentric castles.

Tower of London: A Haunted Home? from National Geographic Kids Magazine gives a brief description of the Tower of London from the point of view of a boy who lives there. Users may take a virtual tour of the Tower by clicking on a map.

Transylvanian Castles and Citadels provides photographs and information on the history and architecture of several castles, including Bram Castle, famous for count Dracula. Romanian students created this ThinkQuest site.

Learn about castles in Slovakia in this student-created site that introduces the Historic, Cultural and National Monuments of Slovakia. The Castles section includes photographs, descriptions, and histories of several castles.

In KnightQuest, students learn about castles, knights, armor and other topics while playing word games and mazes. The site was created by elementary students for the ThinkQuest Junior competition.

Royal Residences presents information on Buckhingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle and other residences of the royal family of Great Britain. Historic information and photographs are included in this official Web site of the British Monarchy.

Caledonian Castles features photographs, descriptions, and floor plans of many castles in Scotland.

Kids' Castle gives a basic introduction to the parts of a castle, based on the castle of Nottingham. Students can click on different parts of the castle to explore in more depth, find hidden passageways, write a story, do word searches and more.

Lesson Plans

Not everyone lived in castles during the Middle Ages is a lesson from the National Endowment for the Humanities EDSITEment site for students in grades 3-5. In this lesson, students learn about the lifestyle of the wealthy elite and then expand their view of medieval society by exploring the lives of the peasants, craftspeople, and monks. The lesson focuses on art and culture as well as history and social studies.

Famous Castles

Alhambra (Spain)

Blair Castle (Scotland)

Castles of Britain

Chateau de Versailles (France)

Hearst Castle (California)

Japanese Castles

Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany

Palaces of Petersburg (Russia)

Desert Castles (Jordan)

Instructional Video Series for Wisconsin Teachers
Wisconsin teachers may tape these programs for classroom use. Click on each link to find information about the program, teacher guide and broadcast schedule from the ECB Instructional Database.

A Knight-Time Tale from Return to the Magic Library (grades 2-3)

France: My House in Bordeaux from My Beautiful House (grades 2-6)

Scotland: My House in Scotland from My Beautiful House (grades 2-6)

Goblins in the Castle from Cover to Cover (grades 3-4)

Knights of the Kitchen Table from Read On: Cover to Cover (grades 4-5)

Macbeth (grades 9-12)

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