Chaucer's World Guided Notes

As we explore Chaucer's World, use these notes to help you remember important information from the slides and reading.

Welcome to Chaucer's World!

1. When you hear "Middle Ages" or "Medieval Times," what comes to your mind?
   
   
   
   
2. Today, we're going to travel back in time to England, to learn about life during the time of ______________________.

Who was Geoffrey Chaucer?

3. Geoffrey Chaucer was a famous English ___________________ who lived from _______ to ______.
4. He is often called the 'Father of ___________________.'
5. His most famous work is _______________________, which tells stories about many different people from his time.

Exploring Daily Life (Look for these details in your reading!)

6. As you read, look for details about:
   • Jobs: What did people do for work? __________________________________
   • Homes: Where and how did people live? __________________________________
   • Food: What did they eat? __________________________________
   • Society: How was society organized? __________________________________

Let's Discuss!

7. What were some common jobs in Chaucer's time?
   
   
   
   
8. How were homes in medieval England different from our homes today?
   
   
   
   
9. What was one surprising thing you learned about their food or daily routines?
   
   
   
   
10. How was medieval society structured?
    
    
    
    

Creative Challenge: Sketching Medieval Life

11. For the activity, you will choose one aspect of medieval life to ______________________ and write a short ______________________ explaining your drawing.

Reflect & Share

12. What was one new thing you learned about Chaucer's time that you didn't know before?
    
    
    
    
13. What would be the hardest part of living in medieval England?
    
    
    
    

Life in Chaucer's Time: A Look at Medieval England

Imagine a world without electricity, cars, or even running water in every home. This was life in England during the time of Geoffrey Chaucer, a famous writer who lived from 1343 to 1400. This period is known as the Middle Ages, or Medieval Times.

Daily Life and Homes

Most people in Chaucer's England lived in the countryside, in small villages. Homes for ordinary people were often simple, made of wood, wattle (woven sticks) and daub (mud and straw), with thatched roofs (made of straw). They usually had only one or two rooms. There was no glass in windows, only wooden shutters to keep out the cold.

Inside, homes were often dark and smoky because of the open fires used for cooking and warmth. Families, sometimes including grandparents or other relatives, all lived together in these small spaces. There wasn't much furniture—perhaps a table, benches, and chests for storage.

Food and Drink

What did people eat? For most, meals were simple. Bread was a huge part of everyone's diet, often made from wheat or rye. People also ate pottage, which was a thick stew made from vegetables like peas, beans, and onions, often with oats or barley. Meat, like pork or chicken, was a luxury for many, eaten only on special occasions. Fish was common, especially for those living near the coast or rivers, and on religious days when meat was not allowed.

Water wasn't always safe to drink, so people often drank ale or cider, even children! These drinks were weak and helped keep people hydrated without getting sick from bad water.

Work and Society

Life was mostly about work. The majority of people were farmers, growing crops like wheat, barley, and oats, and raising animals. Their lives depended on the success of their harvest. Other common jobs included blacksmiths (who worked with metal), weavers (who made cloth), carpenters (who built things with wood), and merchants (who bought and sold goods).

Society was divided into different groups. At the top were the King and noble families, who owned most of the land. Then came the knights and lords. Below them were the common people, like farmers and craftspeople. It was very difficult to move from one group to another. Most children grew up to do the same jobs as their parents.

Education and Entertainment

Education was not for everyone. Only a small number of people, mostly boys from wealthy families or those training to be priests, went to school. Most learning happened at home or through apprenticeships, where children learned a trade by working with an experienced person.

For fun, people enjoyed storytelling, music, dancing, and games like chess or dice. Festivals and religious holidays were big events, bringing communities together for feasts and celebrations. Traveling entertainers, like minstrels and acrobats, would visit towns and put on shows.

Medieval Life Sketch Activity

Now that you've learned about life in Chaucer's time, it's your turn to be the artist!

Instructions:

1. Choose a Scene: Think about one interesting aspect of medieval life that stood out to you from the reading. This could be:

   • A farmer working in a field.
   • A busy market scene.
   • A family inside their home.
   • A knight or noble going about their day.
   • People celebrating at a festival.
   • A craftsperson (like a blacksmith or weaver) at work.

2. Sketch Your Scene: On a piece of paper, draw a detailed picture of the medieval scene you chose. Try to include as many details as you can from what you learned in the reading.

3. Write a Caption: Below your drawing, write a short caption (2-3 sentences) explaining what your drawing shows and what it tells us about life in Chaucer's time.

My Drawing Caption:

Medieval Life Sketch Activity Answer Key / Rubric Guidance

This activity is designed to assess student comprehension and creativity based on the Life in Chaucer's Time Reading. There isn't a single "correct" answer, but rather an opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding through visual representation and written explanation.

Assessment Focus:

1. Relevance to Medieval Life:

• Does the sketch depict a scene or aspect of life described in the reading about Chaucer's time?
• Are the details generally accurate for the Middle Ages (e.g., clothing, buildings, tools, activities)?

2. Detail and Effort:

• Does the drawing show effort and include multiple relevant details from the reading?
• Is it clear what the student is trying to portray?

3. Caption Quality:

• Does the caption clearly explain the drawing?
• Does the caption connect the drawing to specific information or themes from the reading about life in Chaucer's time?
• Is the caption grammatically correct and easy to understand?

Examples of what to look for:

• Scene: A farmer plowing a field with oxen.

  • Caption could mention: "This farmer is growing crops, which was a very common job in Chaucer's time. Most people lived in villages and worked on the land to get their food."

• Scene: People gathered around a large table, eating pottage.

  • Caption could mention: "Families often ate simple meals like pottage together. Meat was rare, and they drank ale instead of water because it was safer."

• Scene: A small, dark house with a thatched roof.

  • Caption could mention: "This is a typical home from the Middle Ages. They were usually small, with one or two rooms, and fires inside made them smoky. There wasn't much furniture."

• Scene: A blacksmith working at his forge.

  • Caption could mention: "This blacksmith is making tools. Craftspeople like him were important for making everyday items that people needed, showing the different jobs available then."

Encourage students to be creative while ensuring their depictions are informed by the provided reading material.