Lesson III: Portfolio II

Title of Lesson: The Guilded Era

Grade Level: 8th

National Geography Standards: Geography for Life

The World in Spatial Terms, 2: How to use mental maps to organize information about
people, places, and environments in a spatial context
Human Systems, 11: The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's
surface.
Common Core States Standards: Reading Informational Texts
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.3
Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals,
ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the
grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Objective: 1) Students will create an artisan or craft guild organization through role play in
groups of 3-4: a) select a role as an apprentice, journeyman, or master; b) select 2 products to
craft based off of their medium (either paper, cardboard, or popsicle sticks)one of high value
that takes a lot of skill or craftsmanship and one of lesser value which can be produced easier and
quicker; c) Craft the two products and set a price for sale; d) sell or trade the products in the
class. 2) Infer, from the text and the experience of running a guild, why guilds made laws to limit
membership in their trade. 3) Thinking critically, analyze how social service programs helped
guilds succeed. 4) Distinguish between the word trade as a noun and a verb.

Materials List
Popsicle sticks
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks
Tape
Staples
Plain paper
Paper mache
Toilet paper cardboard
Toothpicks
Clay
Popsicle sticks
Chopsticks
Paint (multiple colors)
Student journals
Pencils
 Markers
World History: Connections to Today Volume I (2005), Prentice Hall by Elisabeth
Gaynor Ellis &Anthony Esler
Guild Activity Worksheet (Appendix A)
Electronic devices for research
Candy prize (optional)
Extension T-Chart (Appendix C)
Life in the Middle Ages: The Merchant video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1MNW4TR2zo&index=4&list=PLhXf8P4Xu-
ezEVKqSlZDfW-J-7gJDGgw1

Lesson Body
Engagement:
Problem to PoseHave students watch Middle Ages Guild (11:12 - 15:30) video and
answer the question: Why did guilds make regulations that limited membership in their
trade? Why did they regulate their hours and what tool they can use? Why did guilds
control prices?

Have students write their answer in their journal, then split them into 3 groups to share
their hypothesizes with one another. Have them create a unified response to share with
the class during whole group.

In whole group discussion, write each groups answers on the board. (The question will
not be answered until the end of classas a focal question for the activity and an
informal assessment closing discussion)

Exploration:
Give the groups a Guild Activity Worksheet (Appendix A) with instructions for the next
task. Students will create an artisan or craft guild organization through role play in groups
of 3-4.
A) Select a role as an apprentice, journeyman, or master; (Teacher will guide)
B) Select 2 products to craft based off of their medium (either paper, cardboard,
or popsicle sticks assigned by teacher)one of high value that takes a lot of
skill or craftsmanship and one of lesser value which can be produced easier and
quicker; (Use Google)
C) Craft the two products and set a price for sale; (What would you pay? What
is the price of labor and skill?)
D) Sell or trade the products in the class. (Teacher may offer a prize to
simulate that guiding hand of capitalism)

Explanation:
Whole Group discussionHow does skill and labor affect price? Why do you have to
consider what people would pay for your product when setting a price?
Read Textbook, pg 200-201 Role of Guilds. In groups, start to fill out the graphic
organizer in journals from previous lesson plans (sample of what this looks like in
Appendix B).
 Whole Group discussionShare what was written in the journals with the whole class
fill out organizer on white board together.

Elaboration:
Venn Diagram in journal and on board:
What were the roles of the merchant guilds (refer to book)
What were the roles of the artisan guilds (refer to book)
How are they the same? How are they different?

Evaluation:
Why did guilds make regulations that limited membership in their trade? Why did they
regulate their hours and what tools they can use? Why did guilds control prices? Revisit
this question as whole group and have students alter their responses from before.

Also ask: How social service programs (like hospitals, schools, pensions, etc.) helped
guilds succeed?

Homework: Question 5 part B on page 201. Plus: What guild do you want to be a part
of when you graduate? What education and training will you need? How long will it take
for you to get it? Where will you get it? How will you use it?

Closure - State the objective and relate back to standards: Thank you guys for being part of my
lesson today! You did a great job. I hope that you learned a lot about the guilds of the middle
ages and that this will encourage you to think about what guild you will be a part of when you
are an adult.

Extension Activity:
* Investigate: What guilds are around today that were also around during the Middle Ages?
What guilds are new?

*Compare and Contrast: How have the womens guilds changed over time (T-Chart)

Adaptations for ELLs and SpEd:

* Using graphic organizers as a visual scaffold for information is not a typical strategy for
middle school studentswho are at the stage of being weaned off of tangible supports and
moving into abstract thinkinghowever, this is still a very important element to use when
teaching Tier 3 vocabulary and concepts to ELLs and SpEd students.
*Role play is also an important strategy for ELLs and SpEd students because it gives them a
concrete experience with an abstract social communication or issue.

Table 6: Standards & Vocabulary Lesson Scaffolding Planning Chart Micro Lesson
BICS BICS / CALP CALP Definition
(Tier 1) (Tier 2) (Tier 3)
Engagement & Engagement & Explanation,
Exploration Exploration Elaboration &
Evaluation
 An association of merchants
Guild or artisans who cooperated
to protect their economic
interests.
A worker in a skilled trade,
Artisan/Craftsman especially one that involves
making things by hand
A young person learning a
Apprentice trade from a master
Salaried worker who was
Journeyman employed by a guilded
master
Noun. A skilled job,
Trade typically one requiring
manual skills and special
training.
Verb. The action of buying
Trade and selling goods and
services.
General excellence of
Quality standard or level
The ability to do something
Skill well; expertise
A skilled practitioner of a
Master particular art or activity
licensed by guild.
A rule or directive made and
Regulation maintained by an authority
 References

Bybee, R & Landes, N. (1990). Science for life and living: An elementary school science

program from Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS). American Biology

Teacher. 52(2). 92-98.

Ellis, E.G. & Esler, A. (2005) World History: Connections to Today Volume I. Boston: Prentice

Hall.

Life in the Middle Ages: The Merchant. (2015). YouTube. Guruburgess. Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1MNW4TR2zo&index=4&list=PLhXf8P4Xu-

ezEVKqSlZDfW-J-7gJDGgw1
 Appendix A

Guild Activity!
Congratulations! You have been accepted to the ________________________

guild in Chiang Mai City. You are a part of an artesian guild that hand crafts the

finest products in the city! You are an artist and a skilled worker of

______________________. What will you design?

1. Work with your guild team to made 2 different products from

_____________. Use Google or Pinterest to help you find your artistic
inspiration.
a. ONE product must be quick and easy to make!
b. ONE product must take time to make and skill to design!

______________________________ and ______________________________

2. Make your products! Master, Journeyman, apprenticeuse your role to make

your goods!
a. Remember people must want to buy themwho are you making them
for? Peasants, nobles, merchants? There is a reward if you make a
worthy product!
b. The master is the most skilleddont forget this when you make your
products.

3. Make prices for your products. What are they worth? How much time did you
spend on them? How much skill did they require? How many materials did you
use? Who is buying it? Can they afford it?

_________________________________ and _____________________________

(price $) (price $)
 Role Play Cards

Master- You are the master of your guild. The master is

the most skilled in his or her trade, who trains apprentices
and employs journeymen. In this activity you:
* Decide what products are made and sold
* Decide what the price will be for the goods
* Train the journeyman and the apprentice (who cannot perform any tasks until
you show them how!)
*Make the final touch or artistic quality of each product

Journeyman- You are a journeyman in your guild. The

journeyman has been trained for 4-12 years by a master and
can perform a variety of tasks and crafts, but is not a teacher
or the master of his own shop. In this activity you:
* Follow the instructions of the guild master
* Make products for sale, only by approval of the master who may add to your
product to ensure high quality.
*Give instructions to the apprentice

Apprentice- You are an apprentice. An apprentice is

new to the trade and must receive training and education
from a trade master for 4-12 years. In this activity you:
*Follow instructions from the master and journeyman.
* Remember you dont have any skills so you will grab supplies, clean up messes,
and do busy work to help the journeyman and apprentice.
*You CANNOT perform any trade skills unless the master teaches you and
approves of your work!
 Event Cards

Congratulations!You have been promoted

from Apprentice to Journey Man!

Congratulations!You have been promoted

from Journeyman to Master. You now have
your own shopdont forget the guild
regulations!

Disaster CardYour Apprentice broke

his/her leg while working for you.
Give him/her 10 Terry Bucks for a speedy
recovery!
 Appendix B

Journal outline

Economic Recovery of Europe (Middle Ages 1000 to 1300)

New New Trade New Business *Guilds and New Towns and
Technology Routes Practices Skilled Labor Cities
 Appendix C

*Extension Activity

Womens Guilds

Middle Ages Now (Modern Ages)