| Introduction:
In the 13th century, the Italian bishop Jacobus de Voraigne recorded the story of Saint George and the dragon in his book The Golden Legend.
Bernat Martorell’s Saint George Killing the Dragon shows Saint George as he is about to pierce the horrible beast with his lance. When in battle, knights like Saint George wore suits of armor to protect themselves. A knight also often wore something over his upper armor called a surcoat. This was decorated with a coat of arms so that people could identify the knight when his helmet covered his face. A coat of arms consisted of an arrangement of symbols and colors associated with the knight’s family. Imagine you were a medieval knight. What would be on your coat of arms?
Discussion Questions:
Look at the image of Saint George Killing the Dragon.
Make a surcoat with your coat of arms.
Steps:
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Make a list of your favorite colors, belongings, pets, places, past times or hobbies, foods, or toys. This will help you figure out what to include in your coat of arms.
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Make a sandwich board: Connect the short ends of two pieces of posterboard with strips of paper or fabric, leaving at least 6" of slack between the pieces of board and enough space between the strips so that your head fits through. One piece of board is the front of your surcoat and the other is the back. The strips are you shoulder straps.
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Using pencils, crayons, markers, aluminum foil, cut paper, and glue, decorate the front and back of your surcoat with pictures that represent items chosen from your list.
More Fun:
After reading the story of Saint George and the dragon write your own story about your heroic deeds as a medieval knight.
- Who will you save?
- Against whom or what will you battle?
- Will there be a reward for you at the end?
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Materials
| Posterboard, about 12" x 14" (2 pieces) |
| Sturdy paper or fabric, about 1" x 10" (2 pieces) |
| Markers, pencils, or crayons |
| Aluminum foil |
| Cut-out shapes and images from magazines or newspapers |
| Glue |
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