7 Engaging Ideas For The Canterbury Tales

The king of British literature can be celebrated any time of the year, but we tend to teach our Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales unit around the winter months. We bring in the sarcasm, irony, and parody, and satire with some Saturday Night Live clips along with some in-class performances . Are you looking for new and exciting ways to celebrate one of the best literary masterpieces of all time? Introducing The Canterbury Tales’ activities into your classroom will make for a fun and memorable unit. Even though it was written during he medieval time period, Chaucer’s work is timeless and humorous in nature. Students will love how their teacher will guide them along the pilgrimage to Thomas Becket’s shrine into their ELA classroom.

The Canterbury Tales Body Biography Project

The Canterbury Tales Body Biography Bundle For Print and Digital is filled with all you need to teach and promote the amazing pilgrims from the medieval timeless tale. Your students will experience the unique approach of using a collaborative poster, Geoffrey Chaucer’s collection, The Canterbury Tales, textual evidence, research, and the body biography project!

** The Canterbury Tales Body Biography Bundle includes the digital body biography file. Includes Google Slides for distance learning**

This middle ages literary project can be used any time of the year. The project bundle includes 16 pilgrims from The Canterbury Tales. Give your students a relevant and modern experience while promoting the 4 C’s, Chaucer, and achievement. Leave the body biographies up all year long! I adapted the body biography concept to align with citing textual evidence, character traits, research, and inference skills.

Here is your list:

• The Knight
• Wife of Bath
• The Squire
• The Merchant
• Man of Law
• The Cook
• The Doctor (physician)
• The Miller
• The Prioress
• The Yeoman
• The Monk
• The Friar
• The Summoner
• The Pardoner
• The Oxford Cleric
• The Plowman

Geoffrey Chaucer, Author Study, Body Biography Project

Geoffrey Chaucer, Author Study, Body Biography Project is filled with all you need to promote this British author and poet. My love for The Canterbury Tales truly inspired this classroom project. This biography study is a collaborative research activity. This is truly unique, has high-quality vector graphics, and is the most inclusive group project for bringing together a growth mindset, author study, British Literature, and a Geoffrey Chaucer biography study. Learn all there is to know about one of the most influential authors in the world.

Geoffrey Chaucer Author Adventure

This Geoffrey Chaucer Author Adventure is a perfect activity to engage your students in learning about Chaucer and Canterbury Tales, his life, his accomplishments, and his poetry.

In this activity, your students will going on an adventure, and learn all about the esteemed poet. In these five activities, your students will go on a road trip to where Geoffrey Chaucer lived, learn about his life, watch a short video about him, analyze his poetry, and dive deeper into his famous quotes.

This activity is perfect for…

• Independent Work & Collaborative Work
• Author & Poet Studies
• Stations or Centers
• Reading Comprehension
• Distance Learning

Canterbury Tales Hexagonal Thinking Activity

Students will love this engaging Hexagonal Thinking Activhttps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Canterbury-Tales-Hexagonal-Thinking-Activity-Print-and-Digital-7578181ity focusing on key vocabulary and concepts from Geoffrey Chaucer’s, Canterbury Tales. This resource includes both a DIGITAL and a PAPER version.

What is Hexagonal Thinking? Hexagonal Thinking is a visual tool to help students make connections and organize ideas on a topic. This activity is great for strengthening and deepening understanding of content, and utilizing different learning styles! Students will be engaged and having fun!

Activity Description
This resource could be used in several ways. This activity could be used throughout a unit (with students assembling hexagonal clusters after each lecture, discussion, activity, or chapter. Or, use this activity as a review before an exam or as a summative assessment.

After students have finished arranging cards into clusters, students write a short essay using words from their completed clusters. In their essays, students will explain the relationships between the words in their clusters. Or, you may choose to have students write a RAFT-style piece as a summative assessment.

The Canterbury Tales Reading Literature Guide Flip Book

The Canterbury Tales: Interactive Flip Book. Most famous British literature medieval collection of tales. Enjoy the sarcasm, parody, and irony! Each “flap” is ¾ inch and is ready for you to easily line up by using the directions on how to assemble the organizer. Includes:

• British Author Geoffrey Chaucer’s Background
• The Prologue questions and answer key
• The Wife of Bath’s Tale questions and answer key
• Wife of Bath writing prompt
• The Pardoner’s Tale questions and answer key
• Literary Devices Frame Story, Satire, Parody, and Irony
• Sarcasm quotes analysis fill ins
• Pilgrims chart and answer key
• Living in a Medieval Society fill ins and answer key
• Medieval Romance fill in and answer key

Medieval Theatre Background and Everyman Creative Writing Assignment

This is a great creative writing assignment that goes really well with The Canterbury Tales. I used this assignment while teaching theatre. The Everyman is timeless and universal. Make connections to our Everyman in today’s society.This pack includes:

• Medieval Drama / Theatre Terms and Notes Handouts
• -morality plays
• -miracle plays
• -passion plays
• -robin hood plays
• -pageant wagons
• -medieval theatre background and history
• -floor plan of a cathedral for medieval drama performances
• Everyman Background
• Everyman Assignment Details for Writing the Script or creative short story, focuses on high school issues and the Everyman of today.
• Everyman Creative Writing Assignment Rubric
• The Medieval Period Test and Key 

The Canterbury Tales Task Cards and Student Assignment

This differentiated activity is intended to get students excited about literature in a creative way. Students will create trading cards featuring Pilgrims from The Canterbury Tales.

• The activity is flexible and can be adapted to fit the needs of each student and each class.
• Begin the activity by talking to the students about the Prologue, and some exciting details.
• hands-on activity
• study guide

Check out these great activities to enhance your students understanding of this amazing author and The Canterbury Tales! Explore medieval Europe, celebrate literature with the Chaucer’s humor, and get your students moving with these strategies and resources.