A Return to the Dark Ages

Well, today ended our school's Renaissance week. Actually, we changed the name to medieval week because we don't technically focus on a particular Renaissance period. This is my third year doing this with the 8th grade here and this year it was brutal. We spend, basically, the entire week with one group of kids. I don't know how elementary teachers do that for an entire year. Don't get me wrong. I like my kids and the week is definitely worthwhile. It's just exhausting, especially because of what we are doing. It's a lot of arts and crafts, which are not my strong point, which makes it a tad more difficult to push the enthusiasm. We also make costumes and learn a period dance. That's always interesting - getting 20 some 8th graders into and learning a renaissance period dance. Somehow, our artists in residence not only teach the dance, but get the kids having fun by the time their hour is over.
The culmination of the week is Friday. We parade around for the whole school in our costumes (which the kids made). Even though most of the 8th graders were there the past two years when previous 8th grade classes did this, when it comes time for their turn, no one seems to remember what happens. Then we head to the feast where there is juggling and a play for the royalty and all else to see. Each manor presents their dance and we are treated to a court where appropriate punishments are carried out. Then come time for the feast. Each class has a lord and lady who, along with the king, queen, and pope, get to sit at a table and have a plate and goblet for their food. Everyone else sits on the floor with paper towels. Then the kids get bread, chicken legs, cheese, apples, and water for the feast and I have to say, it is good bread.

After lunch (which is not the feast), we have a tournament of skills where the kids try to go horse yelling like crazy while a few classmates compete in events such as the joust, gauntlet, squires relay, turnip relay, pie-eating contest, and gladiator. In this day of litigation, I'm surprised that no one has sued over injuries incurred. We have one event where kids finish the race riding piggyback on their "horse." Close to half of the teams did face plants after the first few steps and hit the floor hard.

But it's over, and I'm glad to out of the Renaissance and back to the dark ages.