A Medieval Festival

Last weekend was a very fun weekend. It was the first part of our Tapestry of Grace Year 2 Unit 1 celebration. It has been a wonderful travel through Medieval History.

Here are the children in their costumes, in the parking lot of the Medieval Fair in Norman, Oklahoma. I have to say that I was expecting something a bit different however, we really enjoyed the human chess game and the blacksmiths. I appreciated learning about medieval blanket pins, a large take on a modern safety pin. As impressed as I was, I really should have take some photos of that, but was so enthralled that I didn't.

Dear son, dressed as Robin Hood, or maybe he was one of Chaucer's Canterbury Tale companions. He could have passed for either.

He worked tirelessly on a fair size piece of home made chainmail. He was wearing it modestly under his cape. Chainmail is not easy to make!

Dear daughter is really growing up, I didn't realize how much until this dress was on her. She is a virtual young lady.

Youngest son, specifically requested a Teutonic Crusader Knight costume. I did my best and he was proud. Big brother even made a chain mail clasp so his helmet would stay on. All the costumes used patterns and clearence fabric, so we did our best to keep the cost down.

Our journey was a long one spanning from about 500 AD to about 1500 AD.

Some of the things the children really enjoyed studying about this period in history included The Byzantine Empire, Rise of Muslimism, Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chauncer, Otto of the Silver Hand, that we read outloud, Catapults, Knights and Castles, Monks and Monestaries, Charlemegne, Viking Raiders,

The Papal System, The Crusades, Marco Polo, The Feudal System of Government, and so much more. It was good for me to run through this list. We did a lot!

We finished our celebration by attending a History and Geography fair with our local homeschool group. We prepared a display board on the Feudal system of government, showing clothing, food and shelter for each level. Dear son wrote a bit at the top that discussed the advantages and disadvantages of this system as well as a written discussion about the constant battle between Pope and King. Dear daughter discussed the different types of food, clothing and shelter. Youngest son helped to cut out the letters and to find the pictures. It was very interesting and we learned a lot.

We will spend tomorrow taking this apart and putting it in a notebook for safe keeping.

We also displayed oldest son's map overlay project from this unit.

We displayed a model castle that the boys worked on together.

At our table, we served pottage (or chicken and barley soup) from cups, without spoons, roasted chicken wings and fresh braided sweet bread that folks could pull apart with their hands.

Overall this unit has been a great success. I really like Tapestry of Grace as the curriculum for our family. It fits our lifestyle very well.

Blessings, Suzie