The Canterbury Tales Project

Objectives To familiarize students with the milieu of Medieval England from which Chaucer created his masterpiece through group research projects and reports To have students read the Prologue and selected Tales To familiarize students with the author and characters of The Canterbury Tales by having them assume a role To have students learn and recite the Middle English of the Prologue To write a Compare/Contrast essay using two pilgrims

Preparation

Some preparation is necessary before assigning readings from the Tales, such as scheduling due dates on a calendar, running off directions, work sheets, additional tales, and other materials. Ideally, the unit should last at least 2 weeks. This gives students enough time to do the required readings, do the research, work and report in groups, report individually and write their essays. Also during this time the teacher should present background information about the Tales, including organization, style, the cross section of Medieval society represented, etc. Readings Most high school literature books include the Prologue and selected tales, often the less controversial. This project is geared to the reading of the entire Prologue by all class members. Individual reports by each class member will provide support for the students as they read through the prologue. If the literature book does not offer parts of the Prologue in Middle English, the teacher must provide students with copies of at least the first part. I have had success in assigning the students to read additionally The Reeves Tale and The Millers Tale (not often found in literature texts) which they enjoy, but each teacher must judge the effects of assigning these racy stories (which are no more racy than some of the movies on TV). Components This unit is comprised of several activities besides reading: research, group work, memorization and recitation, individual reporting, art work, writing essays. The attempt is to immerse the students in Chaucers England to better understand and appreciate the

Tales. It also allows students to use their own strengths: speaking, artistry, memorizing, etc. Because the number of pilgrims will exceed the number of students in a class, students may be assigned more than one Pilgrim (perhaps for extra credit). Chaucer and the Host, Harry Bailly were included. Essay The Monk and the Parson were chosen for the compare/contrast essay because of the great number points in each category. Other pilgrims may just as easily bechosen for this essay, such as the Friar and Pardoner, Prioress and Wife of Bath. Evaluation Quizzes on each tale and a test on the entire unit are options, but students work in groups and their individual performance should also be evaluated. A sample Project Evaluation Form is offered. Resources *A Chaucer Coloring Book. Bellerophon Books, 1997. ISBN 0883880172 (Contains reproductions of wood cuts by William Caxton, Wyken de Worde and Richard Pynson in the earliest publications of the Tales) Chaucer, Geoffrey. Selected Canterbury Tales. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. (ISBN 0-486-28241-4) Dudeney, H. E. The Canterbury Puzzles. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. (ISBN 0-486-42558-4) Kokeritz, Helge. A Guide to Chaucers Pronunciation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1978. (ISBN 0-8020-6370-5) *Morris, William. Ornamentation and Illustrations from the Kelmscott Chaucer. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. (ISBN 0-486-22970-X) 100 copy-right free pages

*very useful for the art/visual component

Handouts and Evaluations Forms Below 1 for each student: Project Description; Pilgrims on the Way to Canterburythis becomes a study aid; Project Grade Sheet 1 for each group: Group assignment (or 1 for each student); Group

Evaluation Form

The Canterbury Tales Project

Reading Component
Students and The provided. All of the All students must read the Prologue and all of the Canterbury Tales included in your literature book and any introductory material included. must also read The Reeves Tale Millers Tale which will be reading assignments are subject to quizzes and will the subject of a test at the end of the unit.

Writing Component

At the conclusion of this project, students must turn in an essay of no less than five paragraphs compareing and contrasting the Monk and the Parson. This essay must be typed. More instructions along with the due date will be provided in class. The worth 40 points.

essay is

Oral Component
from The

Students will be asked to read a selection Prologue in Middle English. Instruction in the pronunciation will be given in class in addition to the aids given in your text. Students will also be required to read aloud from The Prologue those sections which concern their character.

Visual Component
The

Each student will be assigned a Pilgrim. student must become familiar with this character from a number of aspects, such as personality, motivation, and physical description. Students must be able to describe their characters to their classmates. Students must also do an illustration of their character, and they must color this drawing

according to Chaucers description. These colored illustrations are worth 15 points and are due at the time of the students individual report.

Group Work Component

in order information on

Students will be assigned to work in groups to prepare and present to the class

related topics from Medieval England. These topics will be assigned at a later date. The Group Presentations are worth 20 points, and every member of the group will receive the same score. Groups will be graded on thoroughness, creativity, total involvement of group members, clarity, audio and visual aids. Some class time will be given for research and coordination of the presentation.

Teacher Input

During the course of this unit, I will give additional information concerning The Canterbury Tales. Students are responsible for this information for the test on the Tales.

My Pilgrim Date of Report on my pilgrim and visual component:

Our Group Name Group Members

Date of Group Presentation Essay due Date of Unit test

Pilgrims on the Way to Canterbury

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Group Assignments
Group Name The Gargoyles
Your topic is the Medieval Cathedral Focus primarily on the English Medieval Cathedrals. Look at the way they were built, the time and money needed to construct these structures. Why were they built? What role did the guilds have? What characterizes an English Gothic Cathedral? What role did the Church members have in their planning, etc.?

Group Name The Long Bows

Your topic is the Crusades, Knights and the Code of Chivalry Describe the degeneration of the idealism of the First Crusade into the blatant opportunism of the later crusades. What specific advances did the returning crusaders bring back to England with them? What were some of the important aspects of the code of chivalry? What was the position of the Knight in English Medieval society?

Group Name The Glastonburians

Your topic is King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table Are the stories of Arthur and Camelot just legends, or is there some historical basis to these stories? Does Arthur have Celtic origins? How did these stories come to us today? What is there in these stories that humans of all ages find intriguing? What are examples of modern retellings of the Arthurian legends? Why Glastonburians?

Group Name The Motets

Your topic is Medieval art and music What kind of art and music was popular in the Medieval period? Who were some of the great artists and composers (you may discuss Europe, but try to focus more on English art and music when possible)? Who promoted the spread of art and music? Can you show examples of this art and play samples of this music? Can you dance as they did then?

Group Name The Black Death

Your topic is the role of the city and town in Medieval English life. Discuss the development of the English city and the migration from the rural, pastoral life. What role did trade, commerce, the growth of cart and trade guilds play in the growth of these cities? How large were English cities? What was life like for the average city-dweller. How did houses, shops, streets look? Why your name?

Evaluation Form for Group Presentation

Group Members

Thoroughness, accuracy, clarity in covering the topic: Comments:

_____out of 5 points

Creativity: Comments:

_____out of 5 points

Use of audio/visual aids: Comments:

_____out of 5 points

Total involvement of group members: Comments:

_____out of 5 points

Total: _____out of 20 points

The Canterbury Tales Project Grade Sheet

Name I. Character Description and Illustration
Comments: out of 15 points

II. Group Presentation

Comments: out of 20 points

III. Essay Grade

Comments: out of 40 points

IV. Extra Credit

Total points

out of 75