Knighting ceremony
This is part 5 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period OR is a stand-alone lesson if studying CC Cycle 2: Week 3 on the Crusades. Create a Coat of Arms and swords, hold a jousting tournament, act out a knighting ceremony, and more! These lessons are geared toward elementary level children and their siblings and were used with our weekly homeschool co-op and have also been done at home with just my children. In a co-op setting this was originally done over 2 1/2 hours but when done with your individual family, it takes less time. Use these fun lessons with your classroom, family, after school program, camp, or co-op!
***Tip: Don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t have to do all the below activities. Just pick and choose a few that look fun to you.***
Heraldry
Creating a Coat of Arms
*If desired, dress as squires and ladies in waiting.*
(I dressed my girls in “fancy” dresses. I dressed my boys in white long-sleeved undershirts with red short-sleeved shirts on top over the white shirts. They wore belts around their waists. They wore khaki pants, my husband’s black socks pulled up their shins, and dark tennis shoes.)
- Pray. Read & discuss Ephesians 6:11-17.
- Review what we learned about medieval life & castles.
- Discuss Coat of Arms and the meaning of some of the symbols. Let children design their own. They can either draw them on paper or draw them on cardboard shields.
YOU WILL NEED:
- paper, crayons, & markers
- books showing Coat of Arms such as Coat of Arms by Catherine Daly-Weir (which includes a plastic stencil)
From Squire to Knight
The Making of a Knight: How Sir James Earned His Armor by Patrick O’Brien
- Read about the process of going from a squire to a knight.
YOU WILL NEED:
- a book on the process of becoming a knight such as “Knight of the Middle Ages” by Dorothy Welker (which is our favorite but is out of print) or The Making of a Knight: How Sir James Earned His Armor by Patrick O’Brien (which is our second favorite and is still in print so is much easier to get)
- Briefly discuss the differences between the duties of boys and girls during the Middle Ages.
- If desired, divide the boys and the girls so the boys can receive training on becoming a knight and the girls can receive training on being a proper lady. If you’re doing this with just your family, everyone can join in on all the fun activities.
Boys: Session 1: Create Swords & Shields
Sword and shield bearing the Coat of Arms
- Let the boys design their own cardboard swords and shields using pre-cut cardboard swords and shields. These will be used later for their knighting ceremony.
- Use markers, paint, and/or fake jewels to decorate the handle.
- Tape aluminum foil around the swords to make them look like they are made of metal.
- If you want to create a complex sword that will last longer, visit: http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/cardboard-prop-swords/how-to-make-a-cardboard-sword.htm .
YOU WILL NEED:
- cardboard swords & shields
- markers, paints, paintbrushes, & fake jewels
- glue, tape, & staplers
- aluminum foil
Boys: Session 2: Knight Training
Archery training with Dollar Tree bow and arrow sets
Javelin-Throwing using pool noodles and hula hoops
- Briefly review the process of training to become knights.
- Weapon training. Practice fighting using various weapons. Do some or all of the training.
a. Archery: Use bows and suction-cup arrows — or use real bows & arrows if you have them. Paint bulls-eyes on cardboard and have then boys see how well they can aim.
b. Javelin-Throwing: Use pool noodles as the javelins. We hung hula-hoops from tree branches and had the boys aim for the hula-hoops.
YOU WILL NEED:
- bow and arrow sets from the Dollar Tree and bulls-eyes painted on cardboard
- pool noodles, hula-hoops, and rope (for hanging the hula hoops)
Jousting Training
Jousting practice
c. Jousting: Tape a construction paper circle to the front shirt of each boy. Use stick horses or make your own by taping the drawing of a horse’s head to the straw part of a broom or sponge part of a mop. Use the pool noodles as lances. Have the boys line up in 2 lines facing each other. Have them “gallop” toward each other on their stick horses, holding their pool noodle lances toward their opponent. When they pass each other, they should try to stab their opponent in the circle on their chest with their “lance.” Each boy should try to “score” by hitting the circle on the opponent’s shirt. If a score is made then that squire is out and keep the game going until there is one left. The boys should hold the noodles under their arms and hold the stick horse with the other hand. Line them up on opposite side and have them go.
d. Melee: If you have extra time and extra foam weapons, the boys can participate in a melee. They can choose whichever weapon they’d like (foam swords, javelin/lance, foam mace (cardboard paper tube with a foam ball taped to one end, etc.) The choose whichever weapon they’d like. Then they can go up against one opponent, or you can have a free-for-all. Our boys didn’t get hurting doing this and had a great time, but there is definitely a high potential that someone could get hurt.
YOU WILL NEED:
- construction paper circles and tape
- Dollar Tree stick horses or homemade stick horses (using brooms or mops)
- Dollar Tree foam swords (optional)
Girls: Session 1: Design Hennin Headdresses
Hennin Headdresses
Younger children will need help cutting and stapling their hat but will enjoy decorating it themselves.
- Create hennin headdress:
- Have each girl cut a piece of poster board into a cone shape like a slice of pizza. The two sides should measure about 12″ and the rounded bottom should measure about 23″.
- Tape or staple the hat into a cone shape.
- Let the girls decorate it with ribbons, sequins, lace, and glue. Hot glue guns may come in handy if they’re available.
YOU WILL NEED:
- poster boards of various colors
- scissors, tape, staplers
- decorations: ribbon, sequins, lace
- hot glue guns (optional)
Girls: Session 2: Ladies-in-Waiting Etiquette Training
Walking with a book balanced on your head
- Read a book on etiquette.
YOU WILL NEED:
- a book on etiquette such as Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank You Book by Richard Scarry (what we read because it’s short) or “A Little Princess in the Making: A Royal Guide to Becoming a Girl of Grace” by Emilie Barnes
- Discuss good manners and how they can be applied.
- Then have them practice saying “please” and “thank you” with each other as they pass around objects.
- Teach them how to curtsy.
- Practice standing up straight. Have them practice walking around the room taking small steps and keeping a book balanced on their heads.
- Practice sitting down gently and then crossing your ankles and folding your hands in your lap.
YOU WILL NEED PER CHILD:
- 1 book for them to balance on their head
Girls: Session 3: Lady Favors
Lady favor
- Explain how ladies would give knights favors during tournaments as a token of their support. Favors were usually small handkerchiefs, flowers, or ribbons that the knight could tie to his flag or pin to his tunic.
- Have each girl roll up a small piece of cloth (a “handkerchief”) and tie it with a ribbon.
- Assign them each a boy “knight” for them to give their favor to before the jousting tournament.
YOU WILL NEED:
- small squares of fabric and ribbon
Jousting Tournament
Lining up before the jousting tournament
- Ahead of time select someone to be the king & the queen of the tournament. This can be a mom & dad, older siblings, and/or 2 children from the co-op (maybe the ones with birthdays closest to that day).
- The “squires” (holding their shields & swords) will line up in one line and the ladies-in-waiting (wearing their hennin hats & holding their favors) will line up in a line parallel to the boys.
- The king and queen will announce the tournament will begin. The king will give a welcome.
My “Lady in Waiting” daughter giving my “squire” son her lady favor before the jousting begins
- The queen will begin by giving her favor to one of the squires. The ladies-in-waiting will each give their favor to their assigned squire. The king will announce what is happening. For example, he will say, “Lady Gwen gave her favor to Squire Trent.” After each time, everyone else will shout a loud, “Huzzah!”
- After all the ladies have given out their favors, you can have a person acting as a priest or monk give a blessing to each squire. (A hooded bath towel or robe works well as a monk costume.)
Jousting tournament
- Allow the king & queen to sit on thrones (regular chairs with bed sheets covering them & gold ribbon tied around them) & announce that the jousting tournament will begin. The ladies-in-waiting can sit in chairs near the “thrones.”
- Have the “squires” lay down their swords and shields and pick up pool noodle lances and stick horses.
- (If you are not limited by time) Hang small rings (like small plastic diving rings used in swimming pools) from tree branches. Have the squires “ride” their stick horses one by one and try to spear their pool noodle lance through one of the rings as they “ride” by. After each attempt, the crowd should cheer with a loud, “Huzzah!”
- Next, have the squires joust in the same manner they did during jousting practice, each trying to tag the circle taped to the front of each squire.
Knighting Ceremony
- The squires will gather their swords and shields and will line up before the king and queen. The squires will go before the king one at a time and will kneel before him. The king will take each boy’s sword and will tap it on his right & left shoulder and then will declare each squire a knight of a particular kingdom. Afterward, everyone will yell, “Huzzah!”
- Review what we learned today.
More of our favorite picture books and YouTube video clips
We read many books while studying this lesson. Below are the books that we found to be both educational and enjoyable to read.
Our Favorite Books on the Crusades and Knights
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Crusader! by Fiona Macdonald
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The Crusades:
- You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Crusader! by Fiona Macdonald was the first book my children picked up. They love this series. Even my younger ones enjoy listening. It follows a knight who goes off on the Crusades and includes lots of “handy hints.” This does a great job of packing in lots of interesting information while holding the attention of all ages.
- Richard the Lionheart: The Life of a King and Crusader (Graphic Nonfiction) by David West was our favorite book specifically on Richard the Lionheart and is written in graphic novel (comic book style) format.
- Crusades (Graphic Medieval History) by Gary Jeffrey is also written in graphic novel (comic book style) format and appealed to my older elementary children.
- My older son (age 9) also really enjoyed the chapter book We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades by Robert N. Webb.
Medieval Knights:
- The Errant Knight by Ann Tompert was our favorite picture book on knights. It has a fabulous message. While on his way to the castle, a knight is met by various people who need his assistance. When he finally arrives at the castle, he is old and worn. The king declares that by serving his people, he was serving the king.
- The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop focuses less on the process of becoming a knight and more on the character of a knight. As a squire guards his heart from evil, he is able to conquer the dragon, save the many knights who were led astray, become a knight, and marry the princess.
- Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges is a great picture book adaptation of the famous historical tale on Saint George and the Dragon.
- Days of the Knights: A Tale of Castles and Battles (Eyewitness Readers) by Christopher Maynard is a good book with photographs rather than drawn illustrations. It’s an advanced easy-reader book, so if you’re like me and like to assign reading that’s related to what you’re studying, this is a good option.
- My 9 year old son especially enjoyed Real Knights by Christopher Gravett, which gives brief introductions to a variety of different historical knights.
- You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Medieval Knight!: Armor You’d Rather Not Wear by Fiona MacDonald is another absolute favorite. With much humor, the author explains how being a knight is risky business. Meanwhile, you’ll read plenty of historical information about knights.
- There are so many great books on knights! We also enjoyed The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie dePaola, The Bravest Knight by Mercer Mayer, Knights (All Aboard Reading) by Catherine R. Daly, The Knight Who Took All Day by James Mayhew (silly/just for fun), Good Knight Sleep Tight by David Melling (silly/just for fun), Midsummer Knight by Gregory Rogers (silly/just for fun), What If You Met a Knight? by Jan Adkins (kind of long), Perceval : King Arthur’s Knight of the Holy Grail by John Perkins (long but good), How to Become a Perfect Knight in Five Days by Pierrette Dube (silly/just for fun), & Arms & Armor (Eyewitness Books) by Michele Byam (good for pictures).
Princess Etiquette and Character:
- A Little Princess in the Making: A Royal Guide to Becoming a Girl of Grace by Emilie Barnes
- The Princess and the Kiss: A Story of God’s Gift of Purity by Jennie Bishop focuses more on purity than manners but is a delightful book to read with nice illustrations
- The Princess and the Three Knights by Karen Kingsbury has a similar message and is also a nice picture book to read.
My children enjoyed watching Disney’s Sword in the Stone based on Legend of King Arthur
CC Cycle 2 Week 3 History Sentence to Memorize
Crash Course History: The Crusades
Ready for the other lessons?
Looking for My Other Medieval Period Lessons?
Bake medieval meals, create a medieval village, design stained glass window cookies, hold a jousting tournament, and more during this fun 5 or 6 week hands-on unit study of the medieval period!
- Medieval Life Lesson – Cook & eat a Medieval meal, play Medieval games, create Medieval crowns, and more! This is part 1 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Castles Lesson – Build model castles, weapons, and more! This is part 2 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Medieval Art Lesson – Mix together and paint with egg yolk paint, design and eat stained glass window cookies, create colorful tapestries, and more! This is part 3 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Cathedral Lesson – This focuses on Cathedral design and architecture. Decorate stained-glass cookies, design a dome using blocks, sketch each type of cathedral, sing about the true foundation of cathedrals, and more in this fun lesson on cathedrals! This is part 4 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Knights & Ladies Lesson – Create a Coat of Arms and swords, hold a jousting tournament, act out a knighting ceremony, and more! This is part 5 of a 5 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Medieval Feast Lesson Plan (Option A: Learn as a Lesson) – Decorate a banquet hall, prepare the feast (recipes included), provide entertainment, and more while learning about Medieval Feasts. This is part 6 of a 6 (or 6) part hands-on unit on the Medieval Period.
- Medieval Feast and Field Trip Ideas (Option B: Culminating Dinner Event) – This is the culminating activity we did after a 5 week hands-on unit on the Medieval Period. Hold a festive medieval feast dinner complete with entertainment and much merriment. Also included are the field trips we took during our unit.
- My World History Lessons and Unit Studies (8 unit studies & 40 lessons): Tabernacle, Medieval Period, Leonardo da Vinci, Protestant Reformation, Explorers, China, Russia, & Africa
© 2012 Shannon
Comments, questions, & ideas – Please leave a note to let me know you dropped by! I LOVE getting feedback from you!
Lorelei Cohen from Canada on February 25, 2012:
I cannot ever remember being taught medieval history in school. Reading this lens I realized that most of this I learned through television rather than the formal education system. How strange that it is so neglected in classrooms.
Herman IV on February 19, 2012:
Such a neat lesson. Really cute pictures of the two boys being “knighted”. Love your lesson plan lens.
Shannon (author) from Florida on February 01, 2012:
@anonymous: What a neat idea! My kids would love doing that! I’ll add the link soon.
anonymous on February 01, 2012:
Hi!
I love your unit studies! I am a homeschool mom that used unit studies all the way through. Mine are all teenagers now. I would like to suggest that you check out my sons’ business, Warfare by Duct Tape. (www.warfarebyducttape.com) It was inspired by their study of ancient history. They sell ebooks with instructions on how to make safe, fun, duct tape covered weapons, shields, helmets and much more! Download the free Throwing Axe Booklet to see their work. Would you be willing to add it to your list of suggested resources? We are trying to get the word out about their ebooks.
Thanks! And keep up the good work!
Blessings,
Gloria Erickson
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