Canterbury Tales

Resources and sites Collection of updated sites with lesson plans and resources at English Teacher’s Friend Delicious

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Audio file of reading in Middle English

Site that features Canterbury Tales with side by side translation to modern text

Authentic medieval recipes and cooking related items

Pronunciation guide for the general prologue

Webquest on Canterbury Tales

Lesson Ideas Ye Olde Advert.

Have students create a poster or travel brochure advertising Canterbury pilgrimages starting from the Tabard Inn in Chaucer's day. Tell them to include appropriate details from The Canterbury Tales, such as the name of the inn's proprietor.

A Distant Mirror.

Chaucer lived during a fascinating, but tumultuous period in British history. Have students create parallel time lines, one listing important national events and the other listing important personal events that occurred during Chaucer's lifetime.

The Unknown Pilgrim Students create a new character that was left out of the stories. Tell this character’s story in the same style.

The Life of Becket. Instruct students to find out more about Thomas â Becket and his shrine at Canterbury. Have them present their findings in a biographical essay on Becket's life, achievements, and the importance of his shrine as a place of pilgrimage.

The Chivalrous Code. Point out to students that Chaucer wrote for a courtly audience that was familiar with such traditions as the code of chivalry. Have students use textbooks, the library, or the internet to find out more about this tradition and its influence upon the literature of the Middle Ages. Instruct them to write a short feature article to share their findings.

Host the guests at the Inn This lesson asks students to take what they know from the Tales and create a table setting, record a

conversation and menu for the guests.

Use Wikis to explore the Prologue

HERALDRY

eraldry was first created in order to

help tell who was who beneath layers

of armor. After all, you wouldn't want

to accidentally kill a knight that was really your

neighbor. Emblems of geometric shapes as well

as the more recognizable birds, beasts and

symbols were then used to decorate shields. The

shield not only offered protection, but

identification as well. The shield offers a big, flat

surface— perfect for painting a design on.

Shields, then, became the medieval version of a

driver's license. Though you could not see a

knight’s face, it was possible to tell the morals

and the way his family acts through identifying the colors and symbols on his shield. Heraldry

fully developed not on the battlefield but within the tournaments. The tournaments were like

present-day ESPN, where the nobility (or athletes, in our case) competed. Since the peasantry

who watched these "games" were unable to read the scoreboards like sports fans do in present-

day games, heraldry was developed to identify knights based on their shield design.

COLORS

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YOUR SHIELD SHOULD HAVE

AT LEAST ONE CHARGE

A GEOMETIC DESIGN

THREE COLORS

COAT OF ARMS In Medieval times the Coat of Arms was placed on banners and

shields to signify a knight’s allegiance. On it was a representation of their lord’s heritage, values, and accomplishments. It was used to

identify friends and foes during battle. Here is how you should create your coat of arms.

Section 1: Draw an animal that you feel represents you

Section 2: Draw a picture of your greatest accomplishment

Section 3: Draw a picture of what you see yourself accomplishing in life Section 4: Draw a picture of your most prized possession Section 5: Draw a symbol of your strength that is not an animal Section 6: Draw a picture of one of the most important people to you in the world and label them

Remember: Fill every space completely. This way, each section will work together to make a whole composition.

1 2

3 4

5 6

8 Graphic Organizers for Active Reading Elements of Literature

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Graphic Organizer for Active Reading

from The Wife of Bath’s Tale, from The Canterbury TalesGeoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill Pupil’s Edition page 138

From Sketch to Portrait

We get to know fictional characters in the same way we usually learn about real people—gradually.In “The Prologue,” you were briefly introduced to the Wife of Bath. After reading her tale, youknow her better. In the chart below, summarize your more thorough knowledge of the Wife of Bathby listing her strengths and weaknesses as well as your general observations of her. In the blankarea at the bottom of each list, you might want to sketch an example from that list.

1. Which of the Wife of Bath’s traits do you most like or dislike? Why?

2. In your opinion, how do the other pilgrims feel about the Wife of Bath? Choose one pilgrim anddescribe what you think his or her reaction to the Wife of Bath and her tale would be.

General Observations Strengths Weaknesses

Elements of Literature Words to Own 5

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Words to Own

from The Wife of Bath’s Tale, from The Canterbury TalesGeoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill Pupil’s Edition page 138

Making Meanings with Synonyms

Use a dictionary or a thesaurus to look up each Word to Own below. Find a synonym and write itunder the Word to Own. Then, on the lines provided, use the synonym in a sentence that containsclues which make the synonym’s meaning clear.

EXAMPLE: sauntered:

Synonym Sentence

1. bequest:

2. prowess:

3. lineage:

4. pestilence:

5. concede:

6. implored:

7. extort:

8. void:

9. temporal:

10. suffices:

his wares.strolled

The Pardoner strolled leisurely down the street, calling people to look at