Medieval Times Study and Research

Purpose – Students will explore a variety of topics related to The Middle Ages. Students will write a short report based on what they learn.

Task –
Step #1 -- Visit Mr. Donn's Website about The Medieval Era. You are required to read the material on one section in each of the categories listed (Daily Life, Power of the Secular Rulers, Power of the Catholic Church). Try to choose topics that are interesting to you, and that you may not have heard much about. So, for example, you might decide to learn about Vikings rather than spend more time reading about the Manorial System which you already know a good bit about.

Step #2 – Take NOTES. Write down the important information that you find in each section. Your handwritten notes will be submitted as part of your grade for this project. You do not have much time, so you must be efficient with your note-taking. You will not have time to write down every word you read, so you need to summarize the ideas and write them in your own words. NOTES! Do not send material to the printer, and do not copy anything word for word.

Step #3 – After your time in the computer lab, choose one of the topics that you read about and write a short (5-8 paragraph) report. Use the material in your notes to help you write your report. Do not plagiarize, defined as the "use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work -- use your own ideas and your own words, based on your research.

Your written work must fulfill the requirements of Everyday Writing:
**Student restates the question or develops a topic sentence/paragraph. (5 points)
**Student includes 3-5 important details or relevant facts to support his/her opinion/research. (25 points)
**Student organizes the writing so that ideas follow a logical sequence and flow smoothly from one to the next. (5 points)
**Student effectively and correctly uses grade level appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. (15 points)
**Student develops a concluding sentence or paragraph. (5 points)
**Student work is neat, legible, and attractive. (5 points)