Medieval History Fun in Elementary Classrooms

Medieval Europe was a brutal place. It can be tough to teach about medieval Europe when there is so much that may not be appropriate to learn in elementary school. Yet, as a historian, if you are lucky enough to have it in your curriculum or if you homeschool and you are adding it to the curriculum, I have a few fun lessons that will enhance your classroom time.

Medieval Crowns

No one can think about medieval Europe without imagining royalty. Kings, queens, princesses – they are always imagined with crowns. Give your students an opportunity to let their imagination run wild and create their own crown.

This resource is priced very low because it is a cute little add-on but you can count it towards down-time to justify using it in your classroom. Bedazzle them, use pom-poms, or pipe cleaners – or simply color them. No matter what, when your classroom puts their little crowns on for their next medieval lesson, they will all look darling.

Illuminated Letters

Medieval books were art. The illuminated letters, the first letters of books or chapters or pages, were highly decorated and symbolic. Now students can create their own illuminated letters. Print the first letter of their first name and let them color away.

Glitter glue would be a charming addition to this project!

Illuminated letters are very ornate but I chose to keep this resource a little simpler. I was worried about beginner readers or struggling readers having a difficult time if the letters were not clear. I chose a standard font to eliminate letter confusion and left plenty of white space so the letter was clear. You can always encourage students to decorate the page more if you wish.

Coat of Arms

This is a two-part lesson. The first part is a very short steaming TpT video that shows students coat of arms in medieval artwork. The video was created with students in mind so all of the imagery is age appropriate for elementary students as are the explanations.

The second part of the lesson is a chance for your students to design their own coat of arms. Print the shields for your students and let them design something for themselves. These will all look great on your wall while you study medieval Europe and their parents will enjoy something unique when it goes home.