Group Name the Gargoyles

GROUP PRE-READING PRESENTATIONS

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?