Disappearing Gargoyles

Disappearing Gargoyles
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You've heard stories of castles. Knights riding horseback. Magic. Kings and queens...it seems like a made-up world. But hundreds of years ago in the “medieval” time, or Middle Ages, these things really existed!

In the Middle Ages, people built beautiful, intricate buildings made of stone. If you visit places in Europe, you can still see some of these buildings today. One of the most detailed ones is a church in Paris, France, called Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Keep going to check it out!

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Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France

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Check out the view from the top of the cathedral...

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Discuss: Do you know what these statues are?

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They are called gargoyles! They were carved from stone in the Middle Ages when people believed in magic. Many people believe that they were added to buildings to scare away evil spirits, but they also serve a much more practical purpose. They help the water run off the roof, similar to gutters that are on buildings today.

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Sometimes, gargoyles are still used today for decoration. Take a look at a new gargoyle. Do you notice any differences between modern gargoyles and the ones created over 700 years ago?

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Get a See-Think-Wonder chart to record your ideas.

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THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

What did you observe about the old gargoyles? How are the old gargoyles and the new gargoyles different? Record your answers in the SEE column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

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THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

How can you explain what happened to the old gargoyles? What made them change? Where did the stone go? Record your answers in the THINK column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

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THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

What questions do you have about the gargoyles? What do you wonder about how they have changed over time? Record your answers in the WONDER column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

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In today's activity, you'll decide which alchemist you most agree with. You'll get a chance to discuss with your classmates and explain your reasoning.

We'll walk you through it, step by step.

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Now it's time to do some investigations! During the next five Mysteries, you will gather evidence to support, add to, or change your argument. Have fun, and stay curious!

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You've completed the Unit Starter!

Be sure to keep each student's evidence chart accessible. They will add to it after each Mystery.

Teach Mystery 1 next: Are magic potions real?

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Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Other
Cathedral Notre Dame De Paris by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Viacheslav Lopatin
Gargoyle by Image used with permission from: Kids.Kiddle.Co
Gargoyle at Christ Church Cathedral by Image used under license from GettyImages.com: Roberto Machado Noa
Isolated gargoyle Notre Dame Paris by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Ana Menendez
Mythical Creature Gargoyle on Notre Dame by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Zabotnova
Vector Rain Isolated by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Ket4up
Credits

Activity Prep

Print Prep

Note: This lesson is part of this unit’s Anchor Layer. If you have the Anchor Layer turned on, we recommend teaching all lessons in the remainder of this unit in order.

The anchor phenomenon for this unit is stone gargoyles that seem to disappear over time. Students generate observations and questions about the phenomenon and create an initial argument to explain what is happening.

Preview activity
Number of students:
Alchemist Claim Posters worksheet 1 per class
Chemical Magic Teacher Guide teacher-only resource 1 per class
See-Think-Wonder worksheet 1 per student
The Alchemist Argument worksheet 1 per student
The Alchemist Argument Evidence worksheet 1 per student
The Alchemist Argument Evidence Answer Key teacher-only resource 1 per class
Prep Instructions

Before starting this lesson, review the unit Teacher Guide for an overview of the Anchor Layer.

The anchor phenomenon for this unit is the process of stone gargoyles changing over time. In the activity, they write an argument supporting the alchemist's claim about why the gargoyles change over time that they most agree with. Students will gather evidence after each Mystery to help them revise their argument at the end of the unit. It is important to encourage students to recognize that even if they don't know the perfect answer yet, they are going to learn a lot throughout the unit and have an opportunity to change or add to their first argument.

Step 1: Setting up your classroom

Set up your classroom by creating a class "See-Think-Wonder" chart (the student version is linked below). We recommend using chart paper, or a space on your board that won't be erased since you will revisit it throughout the unit.

Choose 4 separate spots in your classroom to hang the Alchemist Claim posters. We recommend using the 4 corners!

Step 2: Print out worksheets

Each student needs:

The Alchemist Argument Evidence Answer Key will help you support your students throughout the unit. Students are not expected to have these answers until the end of the unit.

Extend this lesson

Download this Lesson to your device so you can play it offline: