Medieval Castle Research Activity, History Comprehension & Design, Digital-Print

No-prep medieval castle research activity worksheets designed for middle and high school history students. This hands-on, print-and-digital resource explores the evolution of castles—from Motte and Bailey to Concentric designs—through guided comprehension, visual sketching, and structural analysis. Students investigate key defensive features like moats, drawbridges, battlements, and portcullises while building skills in historical reasoning and visual interpretation. Includes editable slides, digital worksheets, and a full solution key to support flexible use in any classroom.

What’s Included:

• Editable slide presentation (PPTX)
  Introduces the types of medieval castles and the function of their features
• Castle types research worksheet (PDF + digital)
  Students describe, sketch, and compare Motte & Bailey, Stone Keep, and Concentric Castles
• Castle features comprehension activity
  Covers drawbridges, moats, battlements, arrow slits, and portcullises with labelled diagrams
• Cause and effect discussion prompts
  Focus on how weapons and military threats shaped castle evolution
• Sketch-and-label tasks
  Students visually represent castle designs to reinforce learning
• Solution key
  Includes model answers for descriptions and diagrams
  

Skills Developed Through This Activity:

• Historical comprehension of medieval architecture
• Research and summarisation of structural purposes
• Visual literacy through diagram labelling and design
• Cause-effect reasoning in relation to historical technology
• Engagement through hands-on and creative learning

How to Use this Activity in your Classroom:

• Begin with the editable slides to introduce castle types and defense needs
• Assign the research worksheet as individual or group tasks
• Use sketch-and-label sections to reinforce feature understanding visually
• Facilitate a discussion or exit ticket based on how military threats changed architecture
• Review work using the solution key for quick feedback or self-assessment
  

Extension Activities with the Resource:

• Design your own castle using historically accurate features
• Create a class display of labeled castle diagrams
• Compare castle features to modern fortifications
• Interactive station task: Match diagrams to their defense functions
• Debate: Which castle type was most effective and why?

Learn more about this product’s features, care instructions, and other useful details to help you make an informed choice.

Learn more about this product’s features, care instructions, and other useful details to help you make an informed choice.