UNIT TITLE: Viking Culture and Contributions                

Author: Steve Webster
E-Mail Address:
School: Eisenhower High School: Blue Island, IL
School Home Page URL:

THEME : Explorers

BROAD CONCEPT: Survival

GRADES: Grade 10 and Up

INTEGRATED SUBJECTS: Social Studies, Reading and Writing

UNIT GOALS AND PURPOSE: Students through this simulation will be cleansed of the Viking stereotype of marauder and will gain an appreciation for Viking culture, history, literature, and seamanship.  The students will be encouraged to work together through cooperative learning and home groups.  The students will also be encouraged to think creatively through the many tasks in this lesson.  Students will be evaluated using a variety of formal and informal assessments and a final project culminating in the Feast of a Dead Hero.
 

TIME FRAME: Two weeks

OBJECTIVES:  

In this lesson, students will:

• Gain a greater understanding of Viking history
• Gain a greater understanding of Viking culture
• Effectively use the Internet to locate information vital to making their Viking character more realistic
• Work cooperatively to decipher Viking Ruins and Create a replica of a Viking ship
• Integrate writing by producing their own version of Viking poetry called Skaldic Poetry

MATERIALS:

• General materials and equipment:  Paper, pencil, markers, colored pencils, textbook (optional), Viking Simulation Student Guide

• Technology tools Computer, projector, Video Recorder, TV, VCR

• Software Used in this Unit  

 Brainstorming (Inspiration)

Word Processing  (MS Word)              

MS PowerPoint or Kid Pix Deluxe

Internet

STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED BY THIS UNIT:

Social Studies

14.B.4 Compare the political systems of the United States to other nations.

16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

16.A.4b Compare competing historical interpretations of an event.

16.D.3 (W) Identify the origins and analyze consequences of events that have shaped world social history including famines, migrations, plagues, slave trading.

18.A.4 Analyze the influence of cultural factors including customs, traditions, language, media, art and architecture in developing pluralistic societies.

18.C.3b Explain how diverse groups have contributed to U.S. social systems over time.

Reading and Writing

1.B.4a Preview reading materials, clarify meaning, analyze overall themes and coherence, and relate reading with information from other sources. 3.C.4b Using available technology, produce compositions and multimedia works for specified audiences.

4.A.4a Apply listening skills as individuals and members of a group in a variety of settings (e.g., lectures, discussions, conversations, team projects, presentations, interviews).

 4.A.4b Apply listening skills in practical settings (e.g., classroom note taking, interpersonal conflict situations, giving and receiving directions, evaluating persuasive messages).

4.A.4c Follow complex oral instructions.

4.B.4d Use verbal and nonverbal strategies to maintain communication and to resolve individual and group conflict

 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES WHICH WILL PROMOTE ENGAGED LEARNING:

LESSON 1 Students will use the Inspiration program to Brain Storm thoughts and ideas on what the Vikings where.  What do the students really know about the Vikings?  After the Brain Storming the groups will be assigned a type of Viking group. (Swedish-Viking, Danish-Viking, and Norwegian-Viking).  Students are told to study their group’s history for a test the next day.

LESSON 2 Students take the test on the history of the Vikings.  After the class is down, each group will read the handout on HOW TO BE A VIKING and will be provided class time to search the Internet for pictures of what Vikings wore.  They will have to be in costume for the rest of the simulation.

LESSON 3 Students will use MS PowerPoint to create a slideshow on how to be a Viking.  They will use the How to be a Viking guide given to them in class as a guide.  Their slideshow must cover all areas of how to be a Viking from Appearance to Behavior providing pictures and descriptions for each section.  Students will also pick a Viking name.

LESSON 4 Students will be introduced to Viking language by having to decipher Viking runes.  After students become comfortable using the Viking alphabet they will create their own runes by using KidPix.

LESSON 5 Students will by introduced to Viking literature called Skaldic Poetry.  The students will read and review various samples of Skaldic Poetry and then using MS Word will create their own Skaldic Poetry.

LESSON 6 Students will be given the assignment of creating a miniature Viking ship.  Students will be given class time to use the Internet to research Viking shipbuilding and be given time out of class to construct their ship.  This is a group project broken up into the 3 Viking groups.  The group leader must use MS Word to documents each group members involvement in the shipbuilding process.

LESSON 7 Presentation of Althing case.  Each Viking group will be given an Althing case to present.  The Althing is the Viking court system.  Each group will be given a case background.  Each group member is then assigned a part and the case is presented and videotaped to be compared to others classes at the Feast to end the simulation.

LESSON 8 Students will be introduced to Viking geography.  Using MS PowerPoint each group will create a slideshow of what the Viking world looked like.  Each group will provide information on the routes of the three Viking groups assigned earlier.

LESSON 9 Students will be provided class time to use the Internet to research Viking food and cuisine for the upcoming Viking Feast.

LESSON 10  THE FEAST OF A DEAD HERO Students will create a feast in which to celebrate the passing of a Viking chieftain.  Each student must be in costume and bring either a Viking dish or provide so sort of beverage.  Students will also present their Skaldic poetry.  Students will be graded based on their participation or lack there of in the feast.  Point will be awarded for being in costume and providing a dish, along with presenting their Skaldic poetry.
 
SHARE YOUR IDEAS:

Students will share their experience of Viking culture through the FEAST OF A DEAD HERO.  The students’ work will be on display including their ships, slideshows, Video of their Althing case, presentation of Skaldic poetry, and the feast.  Students will be graded as follows:

Providing dish for the feast (15) ____

Being in costume (10) ____

Presenting Skaldic Poetry (10) ____

Making sure that each groups’ projects are displayed at feast (15) ____

Total out of 50

GRADE ____ 
 

STUDENT AND TEACHER ROLES:

Student Roles:  Students will be explorer, Cognitive Apprentice, and Producers of Knowledge for this project.  These roles will be defined through cooperative learning, presentations, and use of technology.

Teacher Role:  The teacher will act as a facilitator, guide, and co-learner during this simulation.  The teacher provides the material for the students to produce the work and thought through group work, presentations, etc. 

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE PRINT RESOURCES STUDENTS MAY USE :

Textbook, Teacher Handouts

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC:

The Everyday Life of a Viking Settler by Giovanni Caselli

A History of the Vikings by Gwyn Jones

The Vikings: Rise and Fall of the Norse Sea Kings by Rudolf Poertner

The Viking World by James Graham-Campbell

The Northmen by Thomas C. Chubb
 
 

FOR ADDITIONAL ONLINE INFORMATION AND MEDIA PERTAINING TO THIS UNIT, TEACHERS MAY WANT TO USE THE FOLLOWING INTERNET ARTICLES:   

Title1: Elementary Themes The Vikings

URL1: http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/vikings.htm

Description1: Provides information on the Viking and themes used by a teacher in a fifth grade class doing a Viking project.
 
 

Title2: Who were the Vikings?

URL2: http://www.regia.org/vik1.htm

Description2:  Provides a background on the Vikings and there history.
 
 

Title3: Norse Literature

URL3: http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/literature/text/literature.htm

Description3: Provides a description of Viking literature, language, and runes.
 
 
 

Title4: Viking Children

URL4: http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/v_childhood.htm

Description4: Provides a description of life expectancy and what life was like for Viking children.
 
 
 

Title5: The Vikings Timeline

URL5: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/vikings/timeline.shtml

Description5:  Provide a timeline of Viking Age.
 

Title6: The Viking Activities

URL6: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/vikings/activities/index.shtml

Description6: Provides links to activities and games related to Viking life.
 
 
 

RELEVANT INFORMATION, STUDENTS WILL VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITES

Title1: NOVA Online The Vikings

URL1:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/

Purpose of Use1: To look for information on shipbuilding, writing name in runes

Description1: Provides background information on Viking history and culture
 

Title2: Viking Clothing

URL2: http://www.viking.no/e/life/eclothes.htm

Purpose of Use2: Help students find information on how to build costume.

Description2: Provides information on what Vikings wore.
 

Title3: Viking Expansion

URL3: http://viking.hgo.se/Files/VikHeri/Viking_Age/expansion.html

Purpose of Use3: Help students locate information on Viking history.

Description3: Provides a look at how the Viking expanded and explored.
 
 
 

Title4: Runes, Alphabet of Mystery

URL4: http://sunnyway.com/runes/

Purpose of Use4: Help students understand writing in Viking language.

Description4: Provides information on Viking runes and translate for you.
 
 
 

Title5: Viking Food

URL5: http://www.gridclub.com/have_a_go/what_if/viking/bb_food.shtml

Purpose of Use5: Help students to find information for Viking feast.

Description5: Provides information on Viking food.
 
 
 

Title6: Make your own Viking food

URL6: http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/vikinglife.htm

Purpose of Use6: Help students to make own Viking food.

Description6: Provides information on Viking food along with recipe