Coats of arms and family crests were important in medieval society and Arthurian legend. Heraldric shields helped identify knights on the battlefield, and were often symbols of their personality. The pentangle on Ser Gawain's shield, for instance, represented his incorruptibility and power over evil.
While this activity does not adhere to the complicated and strict rules of medieval heraldry, it gives students an opportunity to reflect on their values, and how they would like to express themselves in the world.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
To make a coat of arm, start with a regular 2x3 storyboard. Find the background (Scenes > Patterns) that have the swoops with which to make a shield shape. You will need to use the flip tool to do one of the sides.
The first five cells can be related, as in the example, but they don’t have to be. If you have many loves and interests, that is fine.