• Introduction - What do we already know about castles: Begins the topic with 4 pictures of different castles for the children to look at and discuss, with 2 slides for recording what they already know, and what they would like to find out.
• Why were castles built? : Gives a description of the Norman invasion, and how and why William the Conqueror introduced castles to England.
• Different types of castle: Looks at how castles developed, from wooden motte and bailey castles, to stone keeps, and then concentric style castles. It looks at the different types of castles built near the Scottish borders, and why they were built. It ends with an explanation of why people stopped building castles.
• What were castle buildings like?: Descibes in detail different features of castles - the walls, gatehouse, portcullis, doors, murder holes, moat, drawbridge, keep, and dungeons.
• Who lived in castles, and what did they do: Looks at the roles and jobs of all the people in the castle and surrounding area, from the lord to the peasant farmers, with a simple outline of Feudalism. It describes the lives of both Noble and peasant children.
• What was it like living in a castle: Descriptions of different rooms in the tower; the Hall, the kitchen, the chambers, the chapel, and the privy. It explains what daily life was like, what food was eaten, where water was from, and what it was used for, how people bathed in a castle, how noisy it would be, the celebrations, and threats of attack.
• Castle attacks: Explains the different seige tactics that were used to attack castles - Seige towers, battering rams, ballistas, catapults, and trebuchets.
• Knights: Account of how a boy started as a page, then a squire before he could become a knight. Looks at chivalry, armour, weapons, coats of arms, and tournaments.
• Interesting Facts: 9 pages of interesting facts about medieval times - How surnames were made; how the Normans gave us new words; strange foods; piggy banks, Nursery Rhymes, and place names.
• Castles glossary - A 22 page glossary of castle features.
• Skipton Castle: A 10 page study of the castle.
• Plus a pdf print out of a blank shield, to design a coat of arms.

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