Looking for some sojourns to take with your students this spring? Why not travel through time? Meander through the Middle Ages or ramble through the Renaissance with the help of The Walking Classroom! We’ve got plenty of podcasts to get you going.
Life in Medieval Times
When was the Middle Ages and what was life like back then? Provide an overview of the era by sharing a timeline of significant events. Once you’ve finished, check your students’ learning with a quick online quiz or a crossword puzzle. Then dive deeper to address specific podcasts!
- Feudalism (4-#84, Combined-#46)
- Castles of the Middle Ages (4-#83, Combined-#47)
- Women and Girls in the Middle Ages (4-#82, Combined-#49)
- Knights of the Middle Ages (4-#81, Combined-#48)
Separate the class into small groups, then let each group select a different podcast. You’ll have resident experts in the time it takes to walk, listen, and learn! Give each group a poster and have the students share what they’ve learned by creating an anchor chart of the top five facts!
Expand your study by having your students get to know a Medieval figure or two.
- Joan of Arc (4-#85, Combined-#50)
- Marco Polo (5-#78, Combined-#53)
Are your students asking for more? Use a ready-made lesson plan to help your students learn about life in the different classes. There are plenty of other resources too — from cross-curricular ideas to some great activities for engaging in some hands-on history!
Relive the Renaissance!
Journey into the Renaissance, the era that spanned the time from the 14th to the 17th century. Get to know this historical period with the help of some online resources. Then introduce your students to some Renaissance figures, making a sideways journey within the era and traveling from the world of science to the world of art.
- Galileo Galilei (5-#24, Combined-#165)
- Leonardo da Vinci (5-#26)
- William Shakespeare (5-#13, Combined-#45)
Art of the Era
Share information about Renaissance art to provide an overview of Renaissance Artists (5-#25, Combined-#52). After you’re through, assess your students’ understanding with a quick quiz, then have them channel their inner artists with one of several art projects inspired by the works of the Renaissance man himself, Leonardo da Vinci.
Be sure to allow ample time for your students to share their creations. That will make your Friday especially fun!
Seeking other ways to bring the Renaissance to life? Plan a Renaissance Faire of your own. Have the students work on their elements over the next several Fridays, and you may even have time to get in another Fun Friday before the school year ends.
Wow! I love this idea of allowing students to choose from a specific selection of podcasts so they can become experts on the topic and then teach each other!