Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Design a Norman Castle: Free Printable Planner for Year 8
- ForYear 8
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Design a Norman Castle is a free printable planner for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. Children cost the features of a castle, then plan and defend their own motte and bailey. It is a design and technology task that brings together scale drawing, a materials budget and clear reasons for each choice.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the young designer. Page 2 is for the grown-up and has notes, help, a stretch idea and answers. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with a table of castle features. The table has columns for the feature, its timber cost, its stone cost and its defensive job. They then draw a plan view on squared paper, keeping to the scale of 1 square = 5 m. They also sketch a side view of the motte and label the tower, palisade and ditch. Numbered questions with answer space test the budget and the scale.
- Feature
- Timber
- Stone
- Defensive job
- Plan view on squared paper (1 square = 5 m)
- Side view of your motte: label tower, palisade, ditch
- Add up the full list. By how much does it break the budget?
- A bailey is 40 m wide. How many squares wide do you draw it?
Worked example: turning a length into squares
On a different plan, 1 square = 2 m. A ditch is 14 m long. How many squares long do you draw it?
This example uses a different scale and length from the sheet. It shows the method without giving away any answer on the sheet.
Method 1: divide- Find what one square stands for. Here it is 2 m.
- Divide the real length by that amount: 14 ÷ 2.
- 14 ÷ 2 = 7.
- Count in twos for each square: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14.
- Count how many numbers you said. You said seven.
- Check by multiplying back: 7 × 2 = 14 m.
How to approach a castle design
Choose your ground
Decide roughly where the mound and the yard will sit before you draw anything final. A quick pencil sketch lets you change your mind without wasting the neat version.
Set the scale first
Write the scale at the top of the squared paper. Before you draw any line, work out what one square stands for and turn each real length into squares.
Spend wisely
Keep a running total as you choose features. Decide which ones are essential and which ones you could do without if money runs short.
Test it like an attacker
Look at your plan and ask where an enemy would try to get in. Write a short reason for each choice, using the word because.
Why the Normans built motte and bailey castles
The Normans came from Normandy in northern France. They won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and William became king of England. He then had to control a country that did not yet accept him. Building castles was one way the Normans held on to land. Many early castles were motte and bailey castles, which could be put up quickly from earth and timber.
A motte is a raised mound of earth, often topped with a timber tower. The bailey is an enclosed yard beside it. A ditch and a fence of stakes called a palisade were common features. Later, many important castles were rebuilt in stone, which cost more but lasted longer. Castle builders, like designers today, had to balance cost, materials and purpose.
Norman castle facts
- The Normans arrived in England in 1066.
- A motte is a mound of earth. A bailey is an enclosed yard, usually beside it.
- Many early Norman castles were built mainly from earth and timber.
- Some timber castles were later rebuilt in stone.
- The White Tower at the Tower of London was begun by the Normans.
Skills and curriculum link
- Scale drawing
- Budgeting materials
- Justifying decisions
- Plan and side views
- Labelling a design
Ideas to help you support your child
- Read the table firstBefore any sums, ask your child to explain each column of the table in their own words. A clear picture of the table makes the totals easier to check.
- Talk about scaleScale means each square stands for a fixed real distance. Ask your child what one square stands for before they measure or draw anything.
- Think about budgetsA budget is a limit on spending. Suggest keeping a running total as they add features, so they can see the limit coming.
- Ask for reasonsA good design choice comes with a reason. Encourage answers that use the word because, and ask what would happen if a feature were missing.
Key words
- MotteA raised mound of earth. A tower was often built on top.
- BaileyThe enclosed yard next to the motte.
- PalisadeA fence made from strong upright stakes.
- ScaleA fixed link between a drawing and the real thing, such as 1 square = 5 m.
- BudgetThe most you are allowed to spend.
- JustifyGive a clear reason for a choice.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself, as it has the notes and answers.
- Read the table together and check what each column means. Then complete the table sums first.
- Have squared paper and a pencil ready. Sketch the plan before you label the boxes, and keep to the stated scale.
- Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice and ask for a reason.
- Check against page 2 and come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Colour code the timber and stone features on the plan so they are easy to tell apart. Count squares aloud with a partner and tick each one as you go. Do the table first, then the drawing, and take a break between them.
To stretch confident children
Redesign the castle with a budget of 30 timber and 12 stone. Explain what you add and what you leave out. Then write two sentences saying why your new version would be harder to attack than your first design.
Make it a game
Swap plans with a partner who plays the attacker. The attacker studies your drawing and tries to find the weakest point in your defences. You then explain how your design copes, or change it and try again.
Talk about it
- Which feature would you pay for first, and why?
- What does the scale let you do that a rough sketch does not?
- If an attacker came from the left of your plan, what would they meet first?
- What would you give up if the budget were cut?
- Why might a castle builder choose timber over stone, or stone over timber?
- How could you improve your design if you started again?
Take it off the page
Model motte
Build a small mound from damp sand or soil in a tray. Add a tower from card and a palisade from lolly sticks. Compare it with your plan.
Scale your room
Measure a table or bedroom floor and draw it on squared paper. Choose a scale first, such as 1 square = 50 cm, and write it on the drawing.
Castle visit or search
Look at pictures of castles in a book, or visit one if you can. Spot the mounds, ditches and walls, and ask which parts might have been timber.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Ask them to explain each choice rather than telling them the answer. Have squared paper ready and praise good reasons as well as correct sums.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It links design thinking with scale and budget work. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, so you need no preparation beyond printing.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider plan on the Normans or on design and technology. It pairs well with history books and a castle visit. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits in
Before this, children will have met simple scale and measurement, and will have drawn plans and labelled designs in earlier years. They will also have worked with money or quantities that have a limit, which helps with the budget.
After this, children can move on to more detailed design briefs, where they must meet a specification and judge their own work. The scale and ratio they practise here also connects with ratio and proportion in maths at Key Stage 3.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Design a Norman Castle for?
It is written for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. It also works for neighbouring years, as the design and scale tasks can be made easier or harder using the help and stretch ideas on page 2.
- What will children practise?
Children practise planning to scale, working within a materials budget and justifying design choices. These are all skills used in design and technology, and the scale work also supports maths.
- Do children need squared paper?
Yes, the plan view uses squared paper with a stated scale. Have some ready before you start, along with a pencil and a ruler. Plain paper will not work well for counting squares.
- Are the answers included?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown-up and has the answers, notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it separate until your child has tried page 1.
- Do children need to know about the Normans first?
No. It is a design task, so the sheet does not depend on earlier history lessons. A little background helps with the vocabulary, and you can read the background section on this page together first.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 offers support and stretch for mixed ability groups.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour printer is needed, as it prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Pencils or crayons can add colour afterwards.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.