Goals and Objectives
Students will learn about the complex
causes and effects of the Crusades. Students will analyze the religious,
economic, social, and political factors that led to the Crusades and outcomes
of the three main Crusades. Students will make a connection between the
religious revival and increasing power of the church in all aspects of society.
Through a discussion, students will evaluate whether or not the decision to
engage in this holy war was justified or not. They will create arguments and
justify their answers with textual evidence.
California State Content Standards
7.6. 6. Discuss the causes and course of the religious Crusades and their
effects on the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish populations in Europe, with
emphasis on the increasing contact by Europeans with cultures of the Eastern
Mediterranean world.
7.6.8. Understand the importance of the Catholic church as a political, intellectual, and aesthetic institution (e.g., founding of universities, political and spiritual roles of the clergy, creation of monastic and mendicant religious orders, preservation of the Latin language and religious texts, St. Thomas Aquinas's synthesis of classical philosophy with Christian theology, and the concept of "natural law").
7.6.8. Understand the importance of the Catholic church as a political, intellectual, and aesthetic institution (e.g., founding of universities, political and spiritual roles of the clergy, creation of monastic and mendicant religious orders, preservation of the Latin language and religious texts, St. Thomas Aquinas's synthesis of classical philosophy with Christian theology, and the concept of "natural law").
Common Core Literacy Standards
ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Driving Historical Questions
What motivated the Crusades, and how did the Crusades positively
and negatively affect Christian and Muslim populations in Medieval Europe?
Lesson Introduction
The night before, students read a
chapter from their textbook giving them background information about the Crusades.
To start off the lesson and review their reading, the teacher will have
students fill out an anticipation guide that revolves around the essential
questions that they will be discussing today:
In this anticipation guide, there are three statements and a T-chart attached to each statement. Students will read the statements and write down evidence to support arguments for and against these statements. Then they will decide whether they, personally, agree or disagree with the statement.
- Were the Crusades successful? Why or why not?
- Were the reasons for fighting in the Crusades justified or not? Why or why not?
- Should the Church be involved in non-religious affairs?
In this anticipation guide, there are three statements and a T-chart attached to each statement. Students will read the statements and write down evidence to support arguments for and against these statements. Then they will decide whether they, personally, agree or disagree with the statement.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary will be addressed
throughout the students' reading from the night before and during the brief
lecture I give in class before discussion. Key terms include:
· Crusade
· Saladin
· Richard, the Lionhearted
· Francis of Assisi
· Pope Leo IX
· Pope Urban II
· Crusade
· Saladin
· Richard, the Lionhearted
· Francis of Assisi
· Pope Leo IX
· Pope Urban II
Content Delivery (Discussion)
The night before, students read a
chapter from their textbook giving them background information about the Crusades.
To reinforce what students have learned from their reading, the teacher will give
a brief lecture about the Crusades, summarizing the main causes and effects of
the Crusades.
After the lecture, students will refer back to their Anticipation Guides and quietly and independently add new information to their T-charts for 2-3 minutes. Then the teacher will bring the whole class together and split students into groups of 4 (There will be about 8 groups total). The groups have been pre-assigned by the teacher to ensure that each group represents mixed abilities. The class will then engage in a jigsaw. 2-3 groups will be assigned one of the three statements from the anticipation guide to discuss within their group and become "experts" about. Each student will discuss their arguments amongst their own group, and then they will summarize and write down their group's main arguments in a large t-chart on chart paper. Afterward, all of the groups will share out to the rest of the class, and after each presentation, students will have the opportunity to add comments or ask questions.
After the lecture, students will refer back to their Anticipation Guides and quietly and independently add new information to their T-charts for 2-3 minutes. Then the teacher will bring the whole class together and split students into groups of 4 (There will be about 8 groups total). The groups have been pre-assigned by the teacher to ensure that each group represents mixed abilities. The class will then engage in a jigsaw. 2-3 groups will be assigned one of the three statements from the anticipation guide to discuss within their group and become "experts" about. Each student will discuss their arguments amongst their own group, and then they will summarize and write down their group's main arguments in a large t-chart on chart paper. Afterward, all of the groups will share out to the rest of the class, and after each presentation, students will have the opportunity to add comments or ask questions.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities)
Students will be discussing one
of these three statements:
1. The Crusades were successful endeavors that did more good than bad. Agree or disagree?
2. There were justified reasons for fighting in the Crusades. Agree or disagree?
3. The Church should not have been involved in non-religious affairs. Agree or disagree?
The discussion expectations will be stated before students are separated into groups.
1. Be respectful - do not talk while others are talking.
2. Stay on task. - Listen to your facilitator, no outside homework or conversations.
3. Everyone must participate equally to discussion.
The teacher should appoint a facilitator to each group too, prior to the start of discussion. Their role will be to keep students on task, keep the discussion moving forward, and ensure that all students in the group are participating equally (not too much, not too little).
After students are split into groups, they will meet up in a designated area, be assigned their statement by the teacher, and start their discussion. Each statement will ask students to explore the causes and effects of the Crusades and to look at the Crusades in multiple perspectives (from the point of view of the church, knights, civilians, Muslims, etc.). The small group setting will allow all students to talk and participate. They will then synthesize what they have learned through their small group discussion by summarizing the group's main points and putting them into a t-chart on the large piece of chart paper.
The teacher will have the groups present in chronological order (based on which statement they were assigned). Two groups will have the same statement so that they can share differing perspectives. As groups share, students can add to their anticipation guides, ask questions, and add comments. The teacher will facilitate whole-class discussion and ask more questions or bring up new perspectives. For example, if the conversations seem too one-sided, the teacher will "play devil's advocate" and inform students of possible counterarguments that they have not addressed yet (Ex. If the group says there was nothing good about the Crusades, the teacher might bring up the cultural exchange and rediscovery of Ancient Greek and Roman science, philosophy, and literature that eventually inspired the Renaissance). The teacher will also extend thinking by always making sure students support their claims with historical evidence.
1. The Crusades were successful endeavors that did more good than bad. Agree or disagree?
2. There were justified reasons for fighting in the Crusades. Agree or disagree?
3. The Church should not have been involved in non-religious affairs. Agree or disagree?
The discussion expectations will be stated before students are separated into groups.
1. Be respectful - do not talk while others are talking.
2. Stay on task. - Listen to your facilitator, no outside homework or conversations.
3. Everyone must participate equally to discussion.
The teacher should appoint a facilitator to each group too, prior to the start of discussion. Their role will be to keep students on task, keep the discussion moving forward, and ensure that all students in the group are participating equally (not too much, not too little).
After students are split into groups, they will meet up in a designated area, be assigned their statement by the teacher, and start their discussion. Each statement will ask students to explore the causes and effects of the Crusades and to look at the Crusades in multiple perspectives (from the point of view of the church, knights, civilians, Muslims, etc.). The small group setting will allow all students to talk and participate. They will then synthesize what they have learned through their small group discussion by summarizing the group's main points and putting them into a t-chart on the large piece of chart paper.
The teacher will have the groups present in chronological order (based on which statement they were assigned). Two groups will have the same statement so that they can share differing perspectives. As groups share, students can add to their anticipation guides, ask questions, and add comments. The teacher will facilitate whole-class discussion and ask more questions or bring up new perspectives. For example, if the conversations seem too one-sided, the teacher will "play devil's advocate" and inform students of possible counterarguments that they have not addressed yet (Ex. If the group says there was nothing good about the Crusades, the teacher might bring up the cultural exchange and rediscovery of Ancient Greek and Roman science, philosophy, and literature that eventually inspired the Renaissance). The teacher will also extend thinking by always making sure students support their claims with historical evidence.
Lesson Closure
After all groups have presented, the
teacher will have students return to their seats and reflect on their
anticipation guides. The students will write a summary at the bottom of their
handout of the discussions they had in class. They will write about what they
learned, whether or not any of their opinions changed, and any interesting
points that were brought up by their classmates.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative Assessments: Small
group discussions, small group presentations to the whole class, Jigsaw chart
paper, students' anticipation guides and discussion summaries
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The teacher will provide multiple
ways to access the content. Not only will students read about the Crusades,
they will also learn about it through a lecture and powerpoint presentation in
class. The powerpoint presents pictures and maps to help students visualize the
historical events. The anticipation guide will help students focus on the main
themes in this chapter. By working in small groups, they also get assistance in
filling out this anticipation guide. The graphic organizer also helps students
organize their thoughts and see the benefits and costs of the Crusades.