MKA Seventh Grade Inaugural Renaissance Fair
On April 16th, the seventh grade held its inaugural Renaissance Fair. As part of an Elizabethan history unit, including a formal research paper and interdisciplinary study of Shakespeare and concurrent reading of Romeo and Juliet in English class, students brought Elizabethan society to life. As students collaborated in small groups to present on a variety of topics ranging from archery to alchemy, seventh grade advisors supported the history teachers in the planning and implementation of the fair. As Haley Blank noted: “It was a nice transition from the big paper to a nice fun activity.”
Students spent two weeks researching and preparing activities for their “booth” at the fair. They researched a topic and presented their findings on colorful and informative display boards accompanied by a short activity for visitors to complete. Paul Korfhage loved the research process: “I had a fun topic, and I enjoyed looking up facts and tidbits about my topic. I also enjoyed "beheading" my friends.” The heraldry group explained how to design and color a coat of arms, a group of talented young gentlemen taught Tom Nammack and others the steps to a courtly dance and jousting, archery and “skittles” could be found alongside candle-making, non-alcoholic homemade mead and juggling.
The day began with a special lunch that consisted of many Renaissance-style foods, including a traditional Norman tarte tatin, or apple tart, generously baked by Middle School history teacher Laura Demaria. Students dined outside in the beautiful spring weather and compared their handmade period costumes. Following lunch, the Elizabethan citizens were permitted time to both teach and learn about aspects of daily life at an interactive fair in the Upper Gym. Jack Skipper enjoyed the festivities, especially the dessert: “It was great to see everybody all dressed up, and it was also fun to try everyone’s activities, especially the candles, the cider, etc… The apple tart was great!”
While the Fair supported curriculum for social studies, fine and performing arts and English, it also had strong connections to the Shakespeare Project that has been a part of the seventh grade level experience for over seventeen years. Students were able to study the culture of Elizabethan England while simultaneously preparing a performance of Romeo and Juliet both in and out of school. Public performances are May 31 at 7:30 p.m. and June 1 at 5:00 p.m.
Brynnae Newman perhaps best captures the sentiments of her peers: “I think this is a great project. MKA should continue to do it for the years to come. it was both a fun and educational experience!”