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Middle Ages

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

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I have some Usborne knights and castles books to share and a fun tutorial for a medieval castle. Also, look at my 4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.

The Usborne Knights and Castles books are a popular series.

Our preference is always to use living books but some of the Usborne books are our favorites over the years.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

I find the series is great for history projects.

Too, many of the books have lift flaps and tabs to pull so the books are interactive.

In addition, another favorite of the books are the illustrations.

Kids, not just young ones, have a hard time visualizing a time in the Middle Ages.

So, the pictures in the books are vivid and detailed.

BOOKS ABOUT CASTLES FOR KIDS

Before we create this adorable craft to go with our series of books, look at some other books about castles.

8 Castle Books for Kids

Add some of these fun books about castles to your unit study or learning day.

Castle: How It Works

Every part of the castle has a function. Walls keep the enemy out. Towers protect the lord and the soldiers. From the moat and portcullis to the great hall and dungeon, see how a castle works as an enemy army tries to storm the walls.

The Door in the Wall:

Ever since he can remember, Robin, child of Sir John de Bureford, has been told what is expected of him as the son of a nobleman. He must learn the ways of knighthood. But Robin’s destiny is changed suddenly when he falls ill and loses the use of his legs. Fearing a plague, his servants abandon him, and Robin is left alone.   A monk named Brother Luke rescues Robin and takes him to the hospice of St. Mark’s, where he is taught woodcarving and patience and strength. Says Brother Luke, “Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.”   Robin learns soon enough what Brother Luke means. When the great castle of Lindsay is in danger, Robin discovers that there is more than one way to serve his king.

Knights and Castles and Feudal Life

Knights and Castles and Feudal Life

The Minstrel in the Tower (Stepping Stone)

An adventurous rescue set in the time of medieval knights, castles, bandits, and music. Before their father returns to France from the Crusades, daring Alice and
musical Roger set off on their own journey: to find their long-lost uncle. But on the way, the siblings are kidnapped and locked in an ancient hidden tower. To finish their quest, they need to escape—and fast! Can Alice use her courage to slip away and find help? And can Roger use his musical talents to guide her back before it’s too late?

Look Inside a Castle (Usborne Look Inside)

This is an innovative flap book offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of sports. Lift the flaps to peek behind the scenes at all sorts of exciting sports-thrilling cycling races, athletic events, swimming and diving competitions and soccer matches at a busy sports stadium. 60 flaps to lift!

Make This Medieval Castle

Printed on stiff card, this book contains templates to cut out and construct a superb model of a 14th century castle crammed with authentic detail. The model includes miniature characters for re-creating castle life, including market stalls and jousting knights as well as a portcullis that lifts and falls.

Raise the Drawbridge: Stories and Legends of Welsh Castles

This charming book was originally published in 1938 in Wales. Its main virtue is its historical accuracy; these epic stories are very well researched and are all based on historical evidence. The eighteen stories cover all areas of Wales and deal with some of its most famous castles. From ""The Blind Knight of Whitecastle"" to ""When Harlech Castle was Besieged"", these tales will appeal to all children whose imaginations are drawn to the great castles and knights of old.

Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle

History comes alive in this incredible children's illustrated book about castles.Slicing through different areas of a medieval fortress, extraordinary views reveal the people busy inside, preparing for battle as an enemy army approaches. Packed with facts, you'll find out what it takes to build a massive 14th-century castle, dress a knight in armor, or prepare a feast fit for a king or queen. From the drawbridge to the dungeon, Cross-Sections Castle swarms with the people who keep the castle going--the workers, craftsmen, and servants. And, as you pore over every page, look out for the villainous spy. Is he in the well... the keep... the moat? No? Keep looking, he's there somewhere!

Then, look at these Usborne knights and castles books to add to your homeschool projects.

Grab one or two to add to read along with your living books.

5 USBORNE KNIGHTS AND CASTLES BOOKS

A few I listed above, but here are some more.

  1. Knights and Castles. Takes readers back in time to illustrate the exciting happenings of daily life.
  2. Knights and Castles. (Usborne First Reading. Level Four).
  3. Stories of Knights & Castles. Presents nine stories about brave knights, dangerous quests, enchantments, and epic battles.
  4. Knights and Castles Things to Make and Do (Usborne Activities). Provides instructions for creating knight- and castle-themed crafts, including jousting puppets, a cardboard sword, and a three-dimensional castle card.
  5. 1001 knights & castle things to spot sticker book.1001 Knights & Castles Things to Spot Sticker Book is an interactive sticker book full of busy, detailed illustrations of various scenes from the Middle Ages. Items to spot within the main picture are shown in the border as silhouettes and each has a corresponding sticker which children can find, match and add in the correct place. With over a thousand things for children to find, count and talk about, scenes include a village fair, a fantastic feast, a Spring jousting tournament and a school for young knights.
5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

Next, look at these hands-on middle ages activities.

MEDIEVAL ACTIVITIES TO PAIR WITH USBORNE KNIGHTS AND CASTLE BOOKS

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

Finally, look at how to make this medieval toilet roll paper castles.

HOW TO MAKE A MEDIEVAL TOILET ROLL CASTLE

Supplies:

  • Ruler.
  • Toilet Paper Roll.
  • Construction Papers.
  • Pencil.
  • Scissors.
  • Glue.


Step 1:
To make the toilet paper roll castle craft, first you will need to take 3-4 toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 2

We will be taking 2 toilet paper rolls, and then we will cut the paper towel roll into three pieces.

Two pieces should be slightly smaller (shorter) than the toilet paper rolls and the third piece should be smaller than the second one.

Use the template to cut the top part of the three smaller rolls.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 3

Then, use the templates to cut out the windows, doors and roofs.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 4

Use colorful marker pens to draw outlines and details to the windows and doors.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 5

Take one of the toilet paper rolls and glue the window on the top and door at the bottom.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 6

Similarly, glue the door and window on the other piece.

Glue only one window on the taller toilet paper rolls each and glue only a door on the smallest piece.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 7

Now, glue the smallest one with one of the medium sized ones. Allow the glue to dry.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 8

Then glue the other medium sized one in the other side of the small one.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 9

Glue the two larger ones in the back slightly towards the center.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 10

Cut the round paper cut out according to the templates

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

STEP 11

Glue the two ends to make a cone-like shape.

5 Usborne Knights And Castles Books | How To Make A Medieval Toilet Roll Castle

Then, glue the paper cones on the top of the two toilet paper rolls that are in the back (tallest
ones).

And your toilet paper roll castle is ready.

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4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free 4-week Middle Ages unit study for kids. Look at these other Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning.

The Medieval or Middle Ages is a period in history that is full of legend and myth.

This Middle Ages unit study is about medieval Europe.

4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

We’ve studied other periods like Medieval Japan which can make for a great comparison with this one. That is an idea for a co-op with maybe a mix of middle and high school kids.

However, for today we’re focusing on the castles, knights, and King Arthur of medieval Europe.

Next, it’s important to understand that a way of life doesn’t just stop and another one begins at an exact date.

So many periods of history, customs, way of life, and events overlap. This period of Medieval we’ll cover is approximately 500 to 1400–1500 ce.

BOOKS ABOUT THE MIDDLE AGES HISTORY FOR KIDS

First, look at some of these books.

Using a living book as your spine or main text is a fun way to bring this time to life.

9 Medieval History Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add a few of these books to your Middle Ages or Medieval unit study.

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table (Puffin Classics)

King Arthur is one of the greatest legends of all time. From the magical moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger Lancelyn Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life. One of the greatest legends of all time, with an inspiring introduction by David Almond, award-winning author of Clay, Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and The Fire-Eaters.

A Castle with Many Rooms: The Story of the Middle Ages

This covers people and events and covers a larger period of time.

Days of Knights and Damsels: An Activity Guide

Kids can re-create a long-ago world of kings, castles, jousts, jesters, damsels, magic fairies, and Robin Hood—all they need are their imaginations, materials they can find at home, and the activities in this book. Dressing up in a coat of armor made from plastic milk jugs, whipping up a batch of curds and whey, writing secret messages in invisible ink, and telling time with a sand glass made from soda bottles are just some of the fun projects. Every activity is illustrated, and sidebars highlight colorful facts about life hundreds of years ago.

The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History

This newly updated book will introduce you to world history, from prehistoric times to the start of the 21st century. Find out about dinosaurs, the first humans, Ancient Egypt, the Aztec Empire, Medieval Europe, the First World War and many more fascinating subjects.

The Door in the Wall

Set in the fourteenth century, the classic story of one boy's personal heroism when he loses the use of his legs.

The Kitchen Knight: A Tale of King Arthur

The Knights of the Round Table were in their glory. When an unknown stranger visits the castle and asks Kin Arthur's favor, he is allowed to serve in the kitchen for his meat and bread. Little does anyone suspect that he is of noble blood and will soon be knighted by the famous Sir Lancelot. Lush illustrations bring the reader into the book, as Sir Gareth meets adventures and battles to free a princess from the fearsome Red Knight of the Plain.

Castle: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner

In this 1978 Caldecott Honor Book, award-winning author and illustrator David Macaulay explores the history and construction of castles in a richly illustrated resource for curious young readers. The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.

The Middle Ages: An Interactive History Adventure

I like to incorporate a wonderful and informational book to support our topic while making it fun and engaging. The Middle Ages, choose your own adventure style book is fantastic for middle elementary.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (First Edition): Illustrated Classics

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood was written and illustrated by Howard Pyle and published in 1883. It is the best known version of the story of Robin Hood which had been popular throughout the previous century. Pyle popularized Robin Hood, his adventures, and his band of merry men in a way that influenced most later depictions in writing, drawing, and film. The book consists of a series of episodes pitting the outlaw Robin Hood, Little John, Friar Tuck and the rest of his band against corrupt authorities epitomized by the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

Also, understand why the Middle Ages are also called Medieval Times.

Merriam-Websters defines Middle Ages like this: With its roots medi-, meaning “middle”, and ev-, meaning “age”, medieval literally means “of the Middle Ages”. In this case, middle means “between the Roman empire and the Renaissance”—that is, after the fall of the great Roman state and before the “rebirth” of culture that we call the Renaissance.

In summary, I explained to my sons it’s the time between Ancient Rome and The Renaissance.

However, if you have older children, the Middle Ages can be broken down further into the Early Middle Ages (c. 400 to 900), the High Middle Ages (c. 900 to the mid-1200s) and the Late Middle Ages (c. mid1200s to 1500).

Each of these time periods have significant events, people and places which emerged. This helps to narrow your study if you want to dive deeper.

Because this is only 4 weeks, I’m teaching a general overview of the Medieval Times.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY MIDDLE AGES UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 1

The Roman Empire had provided stability for centuries in the region. It had spread its culture, the Latin language, and Christianity across the continent.

But the Roman grew weak and worse it had been invaded.

So, it was a time when kings and feudal lords ruled the land and when castles appeared.

Castles were both a residence for the noble and a defensive structure.

However, the majority of people were poor people or peasants.

They learned a trade and survived off the land living in thatched huts and farming on land they did not own.

The lands were normally owned by a feudal lord.

And it’s important to help your child understand what we mean when we say Middle Ages Europe. All the countries did not have the same name as they do today but we’ll use the modern day names so our kids will understand the geography.

During the early Middle Ages, Europe included the islands of Britain and Ireland.

Also, much of the land that we now call Italy, Germany, and France was included. It also included the Vikings and the Scandinavian countries. The countries are we now called Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

MIDDLE AGES HISTORY VOCABULARY WORDS

Too, look at a list of words to define.

  • noble – A person of high social rank, often owning large amounts of land and having titles like lord or lady.
  • feudal society – a social system in which land is owned by a small ruling class and is worked by peasants in exchange for protection and other services.
  • vassal– A person who receives land from a lord in exchange for loyalty and service.
  • papacy – the office or the position of the pope
  • fief – A piece of land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service
  • manor – a Iarge estate, often including farms and a village, ruled by a lord
  • knight – a man who received honor and land in exchange for serving a lord as a soldier

NATURE & SCIENCE MIDDLE AGES UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 2

Next, in the Middle Ages people decorated their heads with flowers and leaves. Make a crown of flowers with any long stem flowers. Daisies are a good choice.

Medieval Chemistry had early beginnings although we don’t always think about the medieval period as that time.

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS MIDDLE AGES UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 3

During this period, it was hard for people to separate myth from reality.

But that is why the book King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is fun to read to get a taste of the time.

Also, we don’t have as many primary sources which is why this is called the dark period.

But be sure to pore over what we do have from that time which are the famous stories like “Beowulf” and “The Canterbury Tales”.

  • Fun Dragon Unit Study Ideas and Salt Dough Dragon Craft. My dragon unit study is a fun way to introduce make believe versus reality.
  • Discuss what is meant by BC and AD or BCE and CE. AD means “Anno Domini,” or “in the year of our Lord,” and is used for dates after the birth of Jesus. These refer to ancient times and modern times.

Too, here are some history makers and events during this period.

Research one or two that interests your child.

FAMOUS PEOPLE AND EVENTS

  • knights – men who fought for and protected the lands of their lord, baron, count, or king.
  • barbarians – people that the Romans thought were primitive.
  • King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table – No one knows if they’re real or not.
  • Medieval minstrels – Musicians who traveled from place to place, singing songs and reciting poetry. Look at this beautiful site Luminarium for Lyrics (make sure your sound is on) and look at the English Anthologies too.
  • Henry II of England – In 1154, Henry II was crowned King of England. Under his rule, England prospered. He brought common law to England.
  • court jester – the court’s official entertainer
  • bubonic plague – infectious disease carried by rats and mice that spread to humans.
  • Charlemagne – “Charlemagne” is French for Charles the Great. Charlemagne used the great wealth and strong military organization that he had inherited from his father and brother to build his empire.
  • Crusades – A series of wars fought between Christians and Muslims during the 11th to the 13th centuries in the hopes of taking possession of Jerusalem and other places considered to be holy by the Christians.
4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas

ARTS & CRAFTS MIDDLE AGES UNIT STUDY WEEK 4

Also, look at this list of craftsmen and trades during the Middle Ages.

  • Tanner – Made leather from animal hides for clothing and goods
  • Fletcher – Made arrows for archery and hunting.
  • Weaver – Created cloth and textiles using a loom.

Also, look at a few more Middle Ages resources.

MORE MIDDLE AGES RESOURCES

Of course, as I mentioned this is a huge quick overview and just touches the fringe of this expansive time.

There are more colorful characters and events to explore.

What are you studying about and doing hands-on?