Cedric the Forester {Free eBook} or Knights & Castles Unit Study

Cedric the Forester by Bernard Marshall takes place during the time of King Richard the Lionhearted and troublesome Prince John.

Cedric of Pellham Woods, a Saxon yeoman, is an expert at the crossbow. This humble, valiant young man ends up saving the life of Dickon Mountjoy, a Norman nobleman. And that act of selfless bravery is never forgotten. The two share many adventures, interceding to do justly for those who are treated unjustly.

Wonderful, action-packed tale of knights, barons, and the common people with an interesting, historical ending.

Winner of Newbery Honor.

Free eBook

Further Investigation

The Medieval Knight
Explains what a knight was, how he became a knight, the code of chivalry, and his armor and weapons.

Medieval Arms Race
Diagrams and explanation of a siege from Nova.

The Magna Carta
Full text.

Activities

Castle View
Interactive way to explore a castle.

Medieval Life — Feudalism
Explanation and simple activities.

Shields, Knights and Heraldry
Free educational software to help you make your own coat of arms.

Heraldry Game
You are a young aristocrat who needs to know friend from foe.

Castle Builder
You are the castle builder. Research, design, model and layout your castle at this interactive site.

Build a Medieval Castle
Free educational software to help you build your own.

Castles Lesson Plan
The “plan” is to create 3-dimensional castle art work. From Dick Blick.

You Are There: The Signing of the Magna Carta
From the old radio series.

How to Build a Marshmallow Catapult
Great idea and go-along!

Attacking a Castle
Walk through a castle’s defenses in this interactive from PBS.

Books

The Magna Charta by James Daugherty
The story of the real men who stood up to King John, demanding a “document of freedom.” Robin Hood, King Richard the Lionheart, Queen Eleanor, Stephen Langton, Hubert de Burgh — all here. Fast-paced story by Newberry and Caldecott winner, James Daugherty, tells the story of the famous document and its future implications.

Castle by David Macaulay
A favorite book by a favorite author with a passion for explaining how things work. Caldecott Honor winner.

The Defense of the Castle by Tudor Jenks
Wonderful, lively tale of defending an English castle during thirteenth century siege. A perfect example of how much easier it is to learn the names of things and understand how they work by reading a living book! Free public domain work.