CKLA Middle Ages Unit Kickoff: Medieval Mystery Objects

I wanted to start our CKLA Middle Ages unit a little differently this year. Instead of beginning with a textbook page full of dates, names, and vocabulary, I wanted my fourth graders to actually wonder about the people who lived during this time. So I decided to let them become history detectives for the day.

We started with Medieval Mystery Objects, and I have to say, this was a hit. I put six everyday objects into bags: coins, a candle, a horseshoe, wool, rye bread, and a quill. Now, I did have to purchase these, as I don't have any middle ages coins or horseshoes laying around my house.  I found them all on Amazon for rather cheap, and now I will have them in the future.  I chose objects that would give the kids clues about what life was really like for regular people during the Middle Ages. I didn't want to start with knights, castles, and kings. I wanted them to think about food, clothing, work, transportation, light, money, and writing.

Inside each bag was an envelope with 6 clue cards. Without looking at the object ahead of time, the kids had to sort through the clues and figure out which ones belonged with their mystery object. I also threw in two red herring clues that belonged to a different object. This was probably one of my favorite parts because they couldn't just grab the first clue that sounded right. They had to talk about the evidence and decide which clues actually went together.

I gave them a little Medieval Mystery Passport to take with them as they worked. They recorded what they thought the object was, which clues were the strongest evidence, how people might have used the object, and what the object told them about everyday life in the Middle Ages.  After they decided what the clues had told them, the students opened the bag to see what the object actually was.  

The conversations were exactly what I was hoping for. They were looking closely at the clues, arguing their cases, changing their minds, and using the clues to back up their thinking. They weren't just learning that people used candles or that horses were important. They were thinking about what those things could tell us about life hundreds of years ago.

It gave us a simple idea that I want to keep coming back to throughout this unit:

Historians look at evidence to learn about people who lived before us.

I think that is a much more interesting way to begin a unit on the Middle Ages than simply handing students a list of facts. They were curious before I ever gave them the answers, and that curiosity made them want to know more.  And when fourth graders are arguing over whether a clue belongs with a horseshoe or a candle, I know we're off to a pretty good start with the Middle Ages!

If you would like the materials I used, you can find them here.