MEDIEVAL CASTLES---HOME PROJECT
Dear Visual Art Parent,
Visual art students in seventh and eighth grade are required to
create a “model” project based on the new Texas TEKS for Art Education.
This project will be assigned during the 2nd and 5th six weeks of the fall
and spring semester.. It is an “at home” project and family members can
assist with the construction of the project.
Our project will be based on “Medieval Architecture”. The will be
required to create a medieval castle that reflects the time period of the
900’s -1500’s. The castle must be made out of 90% found materials and only
10% can be made of purchased materials. The base (or fief) of the castle
can be no larger than 36 X 24 and no smaller than 24 X 24. I suggest that
the base be made of heavy cardboard, foam-board or wood. No Styrofoam for a
base. No part of the castle can be taller than 34 inches high.
No Lego castles or pre-made castles will be accepted. However, they
can use Lego people, army soldiers, or other toy fixtures (farm animals,
etc.) that can enhance their theme of the castle. Students can not spend
more than $20.00 on purchase of materials to create the castle and this
includes the price of paint, landscaping, or mechanical parts. No food
products or liquids of any kind can be used on the castle…this includes
candy or sugar cubes. Nothing “live” can be used on the castle (i.e. fish
in the moat). You can have electrical parts on your castle…but electricity
for display is not a guarantee.
Deliver and pick-up of the project is the responsibility of the
parent and student. Projects can not be carried on the bus for the safety
of all students and the project itself. Castles will be displayed in the
Commons Area of the north building Castles can be delivered from 7:30 AM
until 3:45 AM on or before the due date.
Due Date: ________________________________
CASTLE PROJECT DIRECTIONS
1. Teacher Overview
****CASTLE CRITERIA:
*Your castle must reflect Medieval Architecture (900-1500).
*Your "fief" or land can be no longer than 36 X 24 and no smaller than
24 X 24.
*No part of your castle can be taller than 36 inches high.
*Your castle must be made of 90% found materials and only 10% can be made of
purchased materials.
*No lego or pre-made castles will be accepted. You can however use lego
people, army soldiers, or other toy fixtures that fit the theme to enhance
your castle.
*You can spend no more than $20.00 total in creation of your castle
(This includes the price of paint, landscaping, or mechanical parts.
*NO FOOD PRODUCTS or LIQUIDS of any kind can be used on the castle.
*NOTHING "LIVE" can be used on the castle (ie. fish, etc).
*You can have electrical parts, but electricity for display is not
guaranteed.
***WE WILL DO THE FOLLOWING IN CLASS:
2. Powerpoint Presentation of castle examples and student projects.
3. Pencil Drawing of castles and medieval kingdoms
4. Two days of computer lab research to get ideas.
5. Brainstorm what type of castle you are going to build:
Examples:
a. Early Motte and Bailey Castle
b. Stone Keep Castle without a motte or outer bailey
c. Stone Keep Castle with a motte and outer bailey
d. Stone Keep Castle on a mountain cliff.
e. Concentric Castle with outer and inner bailey
f. Medieval Kingdom:
1. Castle
2. Inner Bailey
3. Outer Bailey with a town or village
4. Guard gate with drawbridge.
5. Garden area
Castle and Kingdom Parts:
***You can look up definitions to the castle parts at:
http://www.britcastles.com/casgloss.htm#gloss
1. Keep
2. Outer Wall
3. Outer Bailey
4. Inner Wall
5. Inner Bailey
6. Moat
7. Drawbridge with Portcullis
8. Wooden Door with Portcullis
9. Rampart
10. Drum Towers
11. Support Towers
12. Guard Tower
13. Bridge
14. Village Buildings (Blacksmith, Cook Hut, etc)
15. Garden area (flowers)
16. Farming area
17. Water Well
18. Ladders to the Rampart and/or Guard Tower
19. Coat of Arms
20. Flags
Tools:
1. pencil
2. marker or sharpie
3. ruler or yard stick
4. box cutters
5. scissors
6. hot glue
7. hot glue gun
8. extension cord
9. multi-plug (optional)
Building Materials:
1. Cardboard or wood for your fiefdom (land).
A. large fief
B. medium fief
C. small fief
***This will depend on your castle design.
2. Cardboard, wood, or stone can be used for outer and inner walls of
the kingdom. Again, this will depend upon your castle design. Some castles
do not have kingdom walls. ***If using wood or stone...watch the overall
weight of the castle.
3. Craft sticks can be used to make the following:
a. outer and inner walls
b. buildings in the kingdom
c. ladders
d. ramparts
e. portcullis
f. drawbridges
g. bridges
4. Castle Keeps are the tallest part of your castle. Placement of the
keep depends on your overall castle design.
a. They can be located inside the “inner” walls or inside the “outer”
walls if you do not have an inner wall castle.
b. Keeps can be located on top of a cliff, a mountain, or a mound.
c. Some castles are created only with a keep.
d. Keeps of early castles were located on a mound (motte and bailey).
5. Castle Towers can be made out of the following:
a. boxes
b. toilet paper/paper towel rolls
c. tennis ball cans
d. water bottles
e. soda cans or other types of cans
6. Other buildings of the kingdom can be created out of the following:
a. cardboard boxes
b. milk cartoons
c. craft sticks
7. Drawbridges or other bridges can be created from the following:
a. cardboard or cardboard boxes
b. craft sticks
c. rocks
8. Tower tops can be created by the following:
a. plastic cups
b. tin cardboard
c. ping pong balls
9. Misc. additions (ramparts, ladders, etc) can be created out of the
following:
a. cardboard strips
b. craft sticks
c. wooden toothpicks
10. Painting the castle:
a. Acrylic Paints
b. House Paint
c. Spray Paint
11. Landscaping Materials (The next to the last thing you do!)
a. Pine Cones (all sizes) are used as scrubs and trees.
b. Rocks are used for moats, on mountains, and around the walls of the
castle.
c. Green Construction Paper (grass and lawn)
d. Brown Construction Paper (mountains and fake rock for the mountains)
e. Dry moss
f. Green moss
12. Final Touches:
a. Coat of Arms from your assigned country
b. Flags from your assigned country
c. People (created or purchased)
d. Animals (created or purchased)
Grading Criteria:
1. Quality of craftmanship.
2. Originality of ideas.
3. Use of creativity and imagination.
4. Constructive use of materials.
4. Neatness of overall project.
5. Project completed by due date.
6. Extra effort.
***See next page for parent/student contract
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MEDIEVAL CASTLES---HOME PROJECT
Dear Parents,
Castles must be delivered to the school between the hours of 7:45AM and
4:00PM...starting _____________________________________ and ending
___________________________________________________. All castles must
No castles can be transported on the bus...this is for the safety of all
students and the care of the project.
Please bring the castle projects to the Commons Area of the North Building
or to Room 103N. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Penney at
903-839-5590 or email me at penneyt@whitehouseisd.org.
Sincerely,
Ms. Tina Hannon-Penney
Visual Arts Instruction
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Please sign and return for a Free 100.
I have read and understand the instructions for the Middle Ages Castle
Assemblage Project. I am aware that I am responsible for getting my child's
project to the school on or before ______________________ and that it can't
be transported on a school bus. I am also responsible for picking up this
project before________________________________.
Parent Signature: ___________________________
Student Signature: __________________________________
Class Period: ______________________
Date: ____________________________________
***Note
Any student who is caught on inappropriate websites while conducting
research for this project will be referred to the office and will receive a
zero for the project