Julia Burke

SLM-521

Assignment: Weblink Bibliography

June 19, 2009

The Medieval Age

As a prospective school librarian, I feel that it will be of the utmost importance to help enrich the educational experience of students and to support the goals of their teachers. By providing supplemental resources on various topics, which due to time constraints may be difficult to incorporate during regular classroom time, I feel that the school librarian has the opportunity and responsibility to engage students’ curiosity and, hopefully, inspire continued scholarly exploration.

My selection of the medieval time period as a topic is, in part, a personal one: as a young student, I found the richness and breadth of this subject fascinating. Although probably starting within the realm of entertainment (fictional stories, films, etc.), I was inspired to find out what the “real” story was and thus was able to pursue a continued interest in history, not to mention literature, architecture, science, etc. The school librarian is in a rather unique position in being able to assist in this exploration through the navigation of a library’s resources. With this annotated weblink bibliography I hope to provide an example of this endeavor.

Note: Due to the plethora of resources on the Web, I have primarily focused on the United Kingdom for some of the more specific topics (i.e. castles). Since there is a tendency for sources to branch out, seemingly infinitely, I have decided to start with general websites and then provide examples for some subcategories.

General

Journey Through the Middle Ages: A Collaborative Work Designed by the Students and Coaches of Salford Hills Elementary School for the ThinkQuest Junior Program Geared to elementary school students this site provides a user-friendly and engaging overview of the Middle Ages. This interactive site provides various options (game playing, taking a tour, going right to the information page) for the user to navigate and explore the site. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://library.thinkquest.org/4051

Medieval England (Britain Express) This page provides an excellent list of more specific topics (major events and rulers, art and architecture, the Church, society, etc.) which the user can select and receive a succinct overview of the topic as well as links for further research. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval_britain_index.htm

Medieval History—Life in the Middle Ages and Renaissance This main page provides entry into a site containing an unbelievable amount of material exploring the topic. From articles explaining the “basics” for any subcategory to providing links to sites for further research, this site is beyond comprehensive. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://historymedren.about.com/

Mr. Dowling’s Middle Ages Page. Visually geared to elementary students this page also provides valuable material for older students and educators as well. This site provides excellent overviews of the major subjects within this topic—i.e. feudalism, the Normans, the bubonic plague, etc. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.mrdowling.com/703middleages.html

The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Studies For older and/or more advanced students this page provides links to academic articles and sites for more comprehensive research into the topic. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://labyrinth.georgetown.edu/

The ORB: On-line Reference Book for Medieval Studies Also for more advanced research, this page provides links to articles, sites, and other sources of material to investigate this topic. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.the-orb.net/

Exhibits Collection—The Middle Ages Geared toward middle school students this page also seems appropriate for younger students. Clearly presented, with engaging graphics, and easily navigated, this page provides an excellent general introduction to the topic along with easily accessed links on each page for further information available within the site itself—quite comprehensive. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/

Architecture (Castles, Cathedrals, Dwellings)

Build a Medieval Castle (Owl and Mouse) This page provides access to instructions for building a medieval castle in addition to background history—origins, purpose, technical specifications, materials, etc. Geared towards elementary students this page also provides valuable information for older students. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.yourchildlearns.com/castle.htm

Castles of Britain This page provides access to comprehensive information concerning the castles of the United Kingdom. The link on the home page entitled “Castle Learning Center” connects directly to an index of articles giving information on a wide range of topics concerning the Middle Ages. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.castles-of-britain.com/

Castles of the World This page provides links to specific castles and tours, in addition to other forms of medieval architecture (monasteries, abbeys, etc.) Also provided is a specific link for “kids castles” which gives pertinent information in a very engaging manner. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.castles.org/

The Castles of Wales This page provides spectacular photographs along with detailed information concerning the castles, abbeys, and other historical monuments in Wales. Colorful and engaging, this site inspires further exploration. Dates visited 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.castlewales.com/

Castles on the Web This page provides a database for the exploration for all facets of medieval architecture (castles, abbeys, churches, etc.) In addition to photo galleries, this site provides all sorts of supporting source material (i.e. glossaries) for all ages. This page gives a comprehensive fount of information. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.castlesontheweb.com/

Medieval Church Architecture This page provides links to material pertaining to the abbeys and cathedrals of England, Wales, and France. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://historymedren.about.com/od/churcharch/Church_Architecture.htm

Mediaeval Culture as Evidenced by Gargoyles This page does a wonderful job of connecting the architectural features with the cultural aspects of the time period. Easy to navigate, with different levels of focus available, this page is great for all ages. This page provides fun and engaging activities which encourage further exploration. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://puffin.creighton.edu/museums/archive/gargoyle/

Historic Sites and Buildings (St.Edmundsbury) This page provides access to specific medieval sites and structures along with their histories and architectural changes (the Guildhall and Moyes Hall). On a smaller scale than castles, these structures provide insight into a different level of society. Photos, drawings, as well as explanations of purposes for specific architectural features are included on this site. Dates visited: 6/19-6/21/09 http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/visit/Historic-Sites-and-Buildings.cfm

Society at Large

Medieval Daily Life—Social History in the Middle Ages This page provides an index to additional pages dealing with a range of categories including: various aspects of life, clothing, food, children, games and pastimes, feudalism, economics, etc. (Some of this material is also provided by previously listed sites.) Easily accessible, this page encourages continued exploration. Dates visited 6/19- 6/21/09

http://historymedren.about.com/od/dailylifesociety/Daily_Life_and_Social_History_in_the_Middle_Ages.htm

Medieval English Towns This page provides historical information about cities and towns in Medieval England with specific examples and related primary source documents. For each town specified, this site provides a detailed history of its origins, significant events, governmental structures, maps, etc. which all serve to give the user a window through which to glimpse concrete information concerning societal organization. Dates visited: 6/19- 6/21/09 http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/culture/towns/towns.html

The Medieval Technology Pages This page provides an index allowing the user to access information concerning medieval technology. Ranging from agricultural tools to weaponry, building construction to rat traps, weaving to metal working, this site brings this age closer to our modern experience—some of these technologies are still with us today. This is an excellent site exemplifying history’s relevance. Dates visited: 6/19- 6/21/09 http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Subjects.html

Medieval Science—Technology—Mathematics—Medicine in the Middle Ages This page provides overviews of the subjects listed in its title. Along with additional links, this page provides specificity and further intriguing avenues of investigation. Dates visited: 6/19- 6/21/09 http://historymedren.about.com/od/sciencemedicine/Medieval_Science_Technology_Mathematics_and_Medicine.htm

The Black Death: What You Need to Know About the Black Death of the 14^th Century This page provides an excellent overview of the origins, progression, and repercussions of the plague and its effect on medieval Europe. With added pages of maps, statistics, connected articles and a multitude of links and avenues for further study, this site definitely invites inquiry. Dates visited: 6/19- 6/20/09 http://historymedren.about.com/od/theblackdeath/p/blackdeath.htm

A Site Unto Itself

The Battle of Hastings 1066 With dramatic graphics and attention to detail, this site provides the background, execution, and repercussions of this event in European history. Names, dates, geopolitical factors, etc. provide specific information which, in turn, leads to greater detail. The “Advised Chronological Link Order” lays out an informational “plan of attack,” which allows the user to navigate an immense amount of information in an orderly way. The link to its “sister” site, The Bayeux Tapestry, gives the user visual access to the entire Bayeux Tapestry, in detail, and with translation from the Latin original. This site also provides extensive background material concerning theories about its construction, provenance, etc. This site is entertaining as well as educational. Dates visited: 6/19- 6/21/09 http://battle1066.com/