Although I don’t currently teach the following lesson/mini unit, this is a possible future lesson that I could use in my 8th grade French language class when groups of students are out of school for two days on a field trip.  

In a mini cultural lesson about the astronomical clock at Notre Dame de Strasbourg, students would be introduced to the cathedral and to the Middle Age clock inside.  One of the first things I would do is to ask the students what time period is the “le moyen âge” or “l’époque médiévale” and we would create a timeline together of events they can identify during this time.

Then I would show students various images of the cathedral and ask them to identify key architectural features that signify “gothic” architecture.  One specific architectural feature in Gothic style is the pointed arch.  Gothic style could not exist without the use of the pointed arch.  This is a detail that was used in early Islamic architecture.  Students would be shown a series of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and asked to identify them by their architectural features.  Some attest the Gothic style originated in France in the construction of the Basilica of Saint Denis outside of Paris.  I would show students various gothic cathedrals around France and then Europe to illustrate how an idea or concept can spread.  For homework, I would ask students to find a gothic structure on the internet, name and date it, locate it on a map of Europe and on our class timeline, and provide 4-6 features that identify the structure as gothic.

The following day, students would share out in small groups their gothic structure.  We would look at our timeline and also the map of Europe.  I would ask students to consider how all the different plots on the map represent the spread of ideas.

To connect this idea with the adoption of hindu-arabic numbers in Europe (France), I would then introduce the students to the astronomical clock inside of Notre Dame de Strasbourg.  This device is one part astrolabe and one part clock.  On it there are both roman numerals and arabic numerals.  In pairs, students would investigate the astronomical clock as well as view a YouTube video from the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club.  After viewing the video, students would discuss in table groups in what ways this clock is a blending of both religious and scientific ideas.  Finally, students would discuss the importance of both roman and arabic numerals used on the dials and how the use of both styles of numbers represents the sharing of ideas between cultures.  

As a conclusion to the lesson, students would create a comic strip including two characters from the Middle Ages (one from Northern Europe and the other from the Islamic world) who visit Notre Dame de Strasbourg and see the astronomical clock.