Description

Castles and Knights Assembly

Castles and Knights Assembly. The first part of the assembly deals with the division between nobility and servants – their different lifestyles and jobs they did.The second part looks at castle features – how they were built and how they changed over time.The third part looks at weapons of battle – how they were used to attack and defend a castle.

As previously mentioned, this assembly could be used by either of the two key stages – either simplified for younger children or elaborated upon for the older students. It is, I hope, a fairly versatile script which can be adapted for any age group.

I apologise for any omissions e.g. Knight’s Code of Honour. These have been largely intentional as one assembly cannot hope to cover the breadth of information there is available on this period in history. It does, I hope, cover most of the main points that teachers, at least at Key Stage I, will want to teach in class time.

Also available off www.plays-r-ussell.com is The Battle of Hastings 1066. This assembly is for Key Stage II and goes into a lot more historical background including the events depicted and characters displayed on the Bayeux Tapestry.

Level – Key Stage I and/or II – Simple language but with a  broad scope of information – script easily adapted to any age group.

Although written for Key Stage I children (language kept very simple) this class play or assembly could be used at Key Stage II due to the broad scope of information.

A cast of 30 – easily adjustable up or down

Duration – around 10 – 15 minutes

Castles and Knights Assembly. Sample Text

(Enter Minstrel, Jester and Juggler)

Minstrel:         Who do you think played music at those banquets?

Jester:              Kept them laughing?

Juggler:           And entertained them?

(Enter Soldiers 1 & 2)

Soldier 1:         And most important of all, who kept them safe? Us soldiers, of course!

Soldier 2:         Protecting everyone against the enemy!

Gong Farmer:  Well. Almost most important of all!

Narrator:         Oh really? You think you’re more important than them?

(Gong Farmer nods)

Soldier 1:         How?

Gong Farmer:  You really want to know?

Soldier 2:         Indeed, we do!

Gong Farmer:  I had to get rid of …

Soldier 1:         (Holding nose) Oh, now I get it!

Soldier 2:         You got rid of what came out of the garderobes?

Narrator:         The what?

Soldier 2:         Garderobes!

Soldier 1:         That’s castle toilets to you!

Narrator:         Ugh! Poor man! What a job!

Gong Farmer:  Well, someone had to do it!

Narrator:         Oh dear! I can see life wasn’t quite so glamourous for you folk!

(All shake their heads in agreement)

(Exit Gong Farmer, Servant, Cook, Hunter, Cleaner, Builder, Carpenter, Blacksmith, Priest, Steward, Minstrel, Jester, Juggler and Soldiers 1 & 2)