King Arthur not only had knights in his kingdom, but also scientists. Many great inventions came from the Middle Ages. For example, Penn State University goes into detail on the styles of water wheels that were built during King Arthur's time. Having students replicate the three styles while learning how the mechanics of a mill work would be a great hands-on activity. Offering more of a mental challenge, Princeton offers Ptolemy's writings on astronomy. While complex for middle school students, observing and recording the movement of the stars and planets on a simple level can give them a taste of the scientific process.
This would be a great unit for delving into the different styles of governments that have existed. King Arthur was a king. What does that mean? One project suggested by the University of Arizona has students investigate what life was like during the Middle Ages for serfs, nobles and merchants. A sample exercise is to assign each student a role and create a miniature society within the classroom to see how each caste interacts with the others under certain circumstances, such as organizing a feast.
Math skills were very important to King Arthur and his court. An example from Saint Xavier University asks students to calculate necessary angles for siege weapons such as catapults, trebuchets and ladders. This also allows an introduction into the basic physics of projectile motion. Math was also important to those responsible for providing food -- the farmers. Students can create charts of the necessary amount of grain to plant based on the projected population growth.
The Middle Ages was rich in writing, art and music. The Luminarium website has a large collection of literature from the Middle Ages, including many simple plays that could be performed by the students. Students interested in art, particularly architecture, would enjoy the artwork presented on the Art History Resources website. For students not built for jousting and other burly knighthood activities, designing buildings based on Middle Age examples can be fun. For the musically inclined students, La Trobe University has a large database of music, including original manuscripts, on its website.
The best way to capture the attention of every student is to integrate as many disciplines as possible into the lessons. Every class is different, and the balance will need to be maintained by the teacher. Activities that focus only on the smash-and-bash aspect of swordplay will often leave behind those students that have no interest in such activities. By integrating the interests of other students, just as society in the Middle Ages was integrated, the study of the Middle Ages will be more productive for the entire class.