MYP YEAR 2 THIRD TRIMESTER PROJECTS
Medieval Europe
Project Goal To understand the feudal social structure of
medieval Europe by writing a journal focused on a particular
social role. Students will write a journal entry about a day in
the life of a lord, a vassal, a knight, or a peasant, and read the
journal aloud to the class.
The Big question: How did feudalism in Medieval Europe affect people’s role in their society?
Step 1: Research
You will be writing a journal dramatizing what life was like in early medieval Europe under the feudal
system. You will conduct background research and write a journal entry about a day in the life of a lord, a
vassal, a knight, or a peasant. You will present the journal entry to the class, and dress the part. Finally, you
will include a bibliography documenting your research and a copy of the journal entry.
Activate Background Knowledge
Research how Medieval European society was structured and what social roles existed under the feudal
system. Be sure to review the following points and raised related questions:
• Medieval Europe was very socially stratified, with tightly defined roles, inequity between social classes,
and little social mobility.
• The Roman Catholic Church was the dominant social institution; church and state were not separate, but
tightly intertwined.
• Would a person living in medieval Europe see himself as being in control of his own position in life or
being controlled by more powerful forces? Would this culture encourage people to strive to improve their
socioeconomic status—or to accept their position in society and hope to enjoy eternal paradise in the
afterlife?
Look at how lords, vassals, knights, and peasants fit into the following social structure:
• Lords (or nobles) owned land and governed the people who lived on their land. They provided protection
in exchange for services, such as farming the land or fighting in the nobles’ army.
• Vassals were lower-ranking nobles who provided military service to a lord in exchange for a portion of
land called a fief. Vassals had to swear their loyalty to their lord.
• Knights served a feudal lord. Trained for battle, they were expected to adhere to certain ethics and
behaviors known as the “code of chivalry.”
• Peasants lived in villages near a lord’s manor house and farmed nearby lands. A minority were freemen
who paid for the right to farm the land and had legal status. Most were serfs who legally bound to the
noble whose land they worked.
Step 2: Writing the journal
Now that you have researched and gathered information on your role, apply what you have researched to
write your journal and create the presentation. Be sure to demonstrate your knowledge and answer the big
question.
A) Include an introduction, so the reader understands who you are.
B) Separate your main ideas about the responsibilities of the role into paragraphs.
C) Include a conclusion that summarizes the main ideas and answers the “big question”.
D) Include works cited page (list of sources) with your journal in order to prove that you have
fulfilled the INVESTIGATION criteria.
E) The script should be at least 250 words. Be creative and create good props or costume to bring
your character to life.
F) PROJECT ASSESSMENT: This project will be assessed using the criteria for investigating and
communicating information. You will be graded on overall quality, proper use of sources, historical
accuracy and how well you answer the BIG QUESTION.
Step 3: Present the Journals
You will present your journals to the class. Consider the following activities to enhance the presentations:
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Prepare costumes and/or props to enhance the presentation.
Rehearse your scripts so you can speak clearly and show you are familiar with your role.
Be in character to give the audience a good interpretation of life in Medieval Europe.
Green slips/Commendations for excellent work!