Name:______
English 3 CP
Coat of Arms Project
(15pts.)
Heraldic symbols were important during medieval times. The suit of armor made it very difficult to distinguish friend from foe on the battlefield. Therefore, knights chose symbols as their marks of identification. Each knight had his own design on his shield. The design was known as the coat of arms.
PART I: Design a shield, or coat of arms, to represent you/your family name.
· Your shield must be made on plain paper or poster board.
· You should divide your shield into a MINIMUM of 3 sections. See samples below:
· SYMBOLISM: Add symbols/animals/colors/etc. to symbolically place in each section of your shield. Every item on your shield should tell us about you and/or your family. If you’re stuck, consider symbols that represent your personality, interests, future goals, etc. For example, you may have a lion for strength, purple for royalty, or a book because you simply enjoy reading!
· GENEOLOGY: Your last name, its nationality, and what it means. For example, the last name Sexton is British and means a “caretaker of a church.” To figure this out, search the internet or even more simply… ask your parents!
· CREATIVITY: Since the shield will be displayed in the classroom, it should be as colorful and attractive as you can make it.You will get points for creativity and effort.
STUCK?
Here are some other resources to check out:
Ø Parts of the Coat of Arms and Meanings: http://www.fleurdelis.com/coatofarms.htm
Ø How to Make an Authentic Coat of Arms: http://www.yourchildlearns.com/her_act.htm
Ø Notes on Blazonry for Beginners: http://www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldrygame/gamehelp.htm
Ø Meanings of Surnames: http://genealogy.about.com/library/surnames/bl_meaning.htm
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
PART II: Come up with 3 specific individual goals and briefly explain them on the back of your shield.
· Goal 1 – must pertain to English class and should be accomplished within a month.
· Goal 2 – can pertain to anything you want in your life and should be attainted by the new year.
· Goal 3 – must be an academic goal and should be accomplished by the end of school.
Coat of Arms Blank handout:
http://www.headstartinfo.org/pdf/cultivating_success/Handout17.pdf#search=%22coat%20of%20arms%20handout%22