This is the last post of our Middle Ages Unit Study which lasted 25 weeks. Each week we added another verse to the song which is to the tune of The Farmer and the Dell. Posts detailing the activities and resources used during each week can be found on our History Page. The song is covered by copyright under this blog, but please have fun learning the words for personal use.
Words:
The Roman Empire Fell
Invaders attacked
The Dark Ages began in Europe
in 500 AD
Justinian ruled the east
at Constantinople
Byzantine, Hagia Sophia
it thrived 1000 years
Moors came to Spain
Across the Straits of Gibraltar
New fruits and water technology
Geometric designed mosques
Charlemagne united Europe
He built roads and schools
Converted to Christianity
Crowned by the Pope
Vikings attacked Brittian
Vikings attacked France
They burned and killed and plundered
Then settled in Normandie
Alfred the Great of England
Fought off the Vikings
Hid in the woods, translated texts
And created new coins
William the Conqueror of France
Descended from the Vikings
Fought the Battle of Hastings
And became the English King
Crusades were wars
Over money and religion
Christians took Jerusalem on the Third Crusade
Saladin took it back
Venetians escaped the Huns
Ruled by the Doge
Laid siege to Constantinople
During the Fourth Crusade
Early Christian, Byzantine
Romanesque and Gothic
Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo
Cathedrals of Europe
Manuscripts were books
Written on vellum and parchment
Miniatures, words, boarder decorations
Illuminated with gold
Pan flute, lute and harp
Hurdy gurdy and zither
Maypole dance and egg dance
Celebrating the Middle Ages
King Arthur and his knights
Sat at the round table
They lived in Camelot
Pulled the sword from the stone
Robin Hood stole from the rich
Arnold Winkleried threw himself into battle
William Tell shot an apple off his son's head
Chaucer wrote tales
Boys were pages from seven to fourteen
Squires from fourteen to twenty-one
Then they became knights
And were ready to fight
Tournaments and jousts
Blind-Man's Bluff and marbles
People slept together on beds of hay
Chamber pots dumped in the street
Book of Heurs from the Limbourgs
Triptychs from VanEych
Halos and angels from Angelico
Botticelli painted in the round
Thomas A Becket of Cantebury
Thought the church should be in charge
He quarreled with King Henry II
Murdered and became a Saint
Richard the Lionhart went on crusade
Bad King John was in control
He signed the Megna Carta
Kings had to follow the laws too
Two years of bad weather
Caused widespread famine across Europe
People learned food preservation skills
Hansel and Gretel were born
Edward III of England
Wouldn't pay taxes to the French
So the had a war for 100 years
And Joan of Arc became a Saint
Descendents of King Edward III
Fought for the crown
The War of the Roses lasted 30 years
Then red rose married white
Henrys and Beauforts wore red roses
Edwards and Richards of York work white
The Plantagenet line died out
Henry Tudor ended the war
Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz
Invented the printing press
First Bibles, then science and literature works
Brought the Middle Ages to an end
by Susan Wise Bauer contains many chapters covering world history of the middle ages.
is filled with simple projects. The stained glass windows we created turned out stunning.
by Rosemary Sutcliff tells the story of a minstrel who adopts a dragon. When the dragon is stolen he travels throughout the land searching for him. A fun story for children ages 5-12.
by Richard Platt follows the journey of a young boy sent to live with his uncle as a page in his castle. This picture book is great for children ages 6-12.
- This short picture book gives a brief introduction to middle age history in Europe.
- On the Magic School Bus, the kids in Ms. Frizzle's class journey to a middle ages castle and learn how castles were built, what life was like and how to deal with a siege. 
by Linda Baily and Bill Slavin - When a modern family visit a time travel agency and head back to the middle ages, they learn what life really was like. The experience sleeping together on beds of straw, bugs, peasant and castle life. This is a great book for kids ages 5-10.
by Karen Cushman is about a young girl, without parents, struggling to survive. Her willingness to work hard and cleverness earn her a home with a midwife.
by Karen Cushman is written in diary format. Catherine doesn't want to get married, but her father is determined to find her a suitor. She does everything in her power to prevent it, including very humorous things such as drooling.
by Margaret Lovett
by Howard Pyle
by Marguerite de Angeli
takes place in Poland. The care of a beautiful jewel entrusted to one family spans generations. When the secret of the stone's whereabouts becomes known the family is in danger. They escape to Krakow, where the father and son work together as the town trumpeters, but their troubles are not over.
by Clyde Robert Bulla is an easy to read book about a boy who's bad uncle returns after many adventures. He then kills the father and attempts to take over the castle.
by Robert Lawson - When Adam's dog is stolen, he tracks the thief throughout the country playing and entertaining as he goes. 
by David Macaulay - The book provides details into how medieval castles were constructed using a fun story format.
- The invention of the printing press marked the end of the middle ages. This book tells Gutenberg's story.
by David Macaulay - Like castle and mosque, Cathedral gives details of how gothic churches were constructed using a story format.
by David Macaulay (Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul)
by Tomie de Paola - This story follows Francis from a rich childhood to a monk who gives away all of his possessions.
by Tomie de Paola - Pascual wants to become a Franciscan, but is put to work in the kitchen. He can't cook, but angles help him.
(King Arthur)
by Howard Pyle
by Marcia Williams (great version for younger kids) 
by Margaret Hodges (A story of King Arthur's Knight Sir Gareth)
by Barbara Cohen- These stories are best for ages 9 and up.
by Margaret Hodges - Each day the people of a small village have to give up one resident to the dragon until Saint George comes to the rescue.
by Howard Pyle
- This small book describes geometric patterns found throughout the Islamic world.
by GA Henty - A young boy from England has many adventures in Venice. He becomes a hero after saving a wealthy merchant's daughter from being kidnapped and goes on to perform many more heroic deeds.
by Donna Jo Napoli - A merchant's daughter does everything in her power to escape the life planned for her and have her own adventures.
by Demi 
by Sandra Markle - This story puts a different perspective on the travels of Marco Polo which is very enjoyable for children.
by Charlotte Mary Yonge is part of the Ambleside On-Line curriculum. The story covers the Vikings settling in Normandy before William the Conqueror takes England.
- This picture book explains all of the scenes of the tapestry.
by Jennifer Olmsted provides a brief overview of art. 
