Castle Builder

A Performance Assessment Task

Purpose: Students have already researched castles in the Middle Ages. They will use the information gleaned through their research to construct a concentric castle conforming to certain given specifications.

Show Me Standards Addressed:

Goals: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8

Standards: CA3, CA6, FA1, MA2, SC2, SS6

Grade Level Range:Middle School Gifted

Subject Area:Gifted

Time Needed for Task: 5 90-minute class periods

Materials Needed:

Assorted sizes and shapes of boxes

Paint

Brushes

Cardboard cutters

Instruction for Administration: Present students with the Performance Task Packet and make sure they understand what to do. Read all instructions aloud and discuss expectations. Go over the scoring guide so they will know how the product will be assessed.

Pre-Assessment: Completion of “If You Build It, I Will Knock It Down” task.

Castle Builder

Student Prompt

The people in your group are Medieval Castle Builders living in Scotland in the year 1165. You are hired by Lord Snooty to build a fantastic castle in Annan. The population of Annan is approximately 300 serfs, 150 soldiers in residence, a household staff of about 50 people and approximately 20 noble family members.

1. Find Annan on the map of Scotland at

and consider any geographical features you might want to include in your plans.

2. Lord Snooty wants his castle to be not only beautiful, but also the strongest castle in the Scottish borderlands. You already know much about the defense of a castle, but you are not so sure about how to make a castle livable and beautiful. Visit these websites to help you think about the insides of the castle:

Take notes for your castle design.

3. Once you have taken notes on the life of the castle inhabitants, you are ready to review the Lord’s requirements for his castle. He wants a concentric castle, with a round keep. He also wants one each of the highlighted items from your vocabulary page, as well as living quarters and outbuildings suitable to hold all of the people in Annan in case of siege.

4. Draw an outline plan of the main castle and all of the outbuildings you will need. Include gardens and food storage facilities. Use a ruler. Be sure your drawing is clearly labeled as to each part and its function.

5. Make “interior decorator type” drawings of at least 2 of the main rooms in your castle. Include furniture, functional tools, fireplaces, etc. Color your drawings.

5. Begin construction of the class model. Use the cardboard and boxes we have collected. Build to scale, meaning that your blacksmith shop is not bigger than your castle keep. Paint your castle. Using sticky labels, label each part of your castle.

Castle Builder

Checklist/student response sheet

 I have researched castle life on the 4 Internet sites given

 I have drawn a plan for a concentric castle

 I have included all of Lord Snooty’s requirements

 Our castle is built to scale

 Our castle is neatly painted with details

 All parts of our castle are clearly labeled

Castle Builder

Scoring guide

Preparation: Individual Grade

90-100 Plan for concentric castle includes all of Lord Snooty’s requirements and is neatly drawn.

80-90 Plan for castle includes all of Lord Snooty’s requirements.

70-80 Plan for castle is missing some requirements.

60-70 Plan for castle is missing many requirements.

30-60 Plan for castle is poorly drawn, missing many requirements

0 No plan

Interior Design: Individual Grade

90-100 More than two rooms of the castle are drawn with colorful detail.

80-90 Two rooms of the castle are drawn with colorful detail.

70-80 Two rooms of the castle are poorly drawn

60-70 Two rooms of the castle are poorly drawn and not colored

30-60 Less than two rooms are drawn

0 No room design

Castle: Group Grade

90-100 Castle is neatly built to scale and painted with details and all parts are clearly labeled.

80-90 Castle is built to scale and painted and all parts are clearly labeled.

70-80 Castle is built and painted but is not to scale or some parts are missing.

60-70 Castle is built and painted but is not to scale and some parts are missing.

30-60 Castle is built poorly, not painted, not to scale, with parts missing.

0 Castle is not built.