Medieval Mayhem at the Middle School By Tom Mockensturm (we know him as “King”) The medieval marketplace was bustling with activity. Merchants were pushing their wares on villagers and passersby, while jesters and jugglers worked the crowd for spare coins. Nobles could be heard talking of a coming feast, as the religious sect prayed the afternoon vespers. The knights practiced and honed their skills with an assortment of weapons. Groups of peasants huddled in their meager rags. It was a typical scene from a European marketplace, anywhere in Europe sometime between 600 to 1200 AD. Only it wasn’t medieval Europe, and these were not typical medieval villagers, but the seventh grade students from Springfield Middle School.
On May 26, the school’s west gymnasium was transformed into a medieval marketplace as part of an outcome project of an interdisciplinary unit in seventh grade. Students became the villagers that they researched, read and wrote about. This medieval faire was the culminating project on a month-long, integrated unit that spread across English, social studies and science.
This event was attended by most of the fourth, fifth and sixth graders at the school, as well as by parents, community members and school staff. The costumed performers presented their displays to more than 600 participants throughout the day. Besides witnessing the student-constructed projects, students and participants had the opportunity to experience a variety of medieval themed interactive centers that included searching through the castle rushes for gold, pelting medieval heretics with “rotten fruit,” preparing herbal remedies for what ailed them, creating jewelry and challenging an adversary to a jousting match. A traditional feast of roasted game hens on trenchers and a buffet of other medieval delectables was served at a feast by a team of teachers.
Preparation for the faire began six weeks earlier. Students worked in teams to research one aspect of living within the feudal system of medieval Europe. Students were required to research and create an oral presentation, construct a visual display complete with medieval props and put together an authentic costume. It was a month-long lesson in discipline, perseverance, problem solving and team building skills. The entire project was a creative way to meet a set of educational standards for seventh graders set by the Ohio Department of Education.
The success of the faire also was dependent on a tremendous amount of parent and staff support. Parents assisted students in collecting necessary materials, arranging weekly meetings and trips to the library, breaking up team spats and soothing student nerves. Parent volunteers manned interactive centers on faire day and were a huge help in cleaning up afterwards. Parents also served in the vital capacity of spectators.
According to a survey given to students after the faire, most students would do the whole faire all over again, if they could. Seventh grader Madelyn Frankowski said, “It was really fun! I loved how I could work with others and how it taught us that if you work together, you can make an amazing project that you are proud of!” According to comments made by students in an exit survey, her comments were the norm. The students overwhelmingly agreed that the faire was a tremendous amount of work, but well worth the effort. As student Aiden Kirlin put it, “The faire was the absolute best part of the school year, and I think it was the best way to finish out the school year, and if I could, I would like another faire next year!”
