For 7th-Graders, History Lesson Is a Noble Affair : Education: Students by day became medieval knights to complete their study of the years 500 through the 1500s.

Three young nobles, dressed in black tights and colorful tunics, munched on bread and chicken as they sat at the lunch tables of South Pasadena Middle School last week and debated the pros and cons of medieval life.

“I don’t think I would have liked it because of diseases and stuff,” said Charlie Moore, 12, decked out in wine-colored tights and a navy tunic outlined in a gold-colored design.

Cory Kiser, 13, agreed. But he conceded that the aggressive aspects of being a knight appealed to him.

“It’s exciting because you fight for a living and you get a chance to win princesses and everything,” he said as he huddled in a modern-day ski jacket that covered his lightweight bright green felt tunic.

Next to him, student Mike Farkas, 12, nodded and laughed at his friend’s fantasies: “Face it, you’re living in a video game.”

The students at the lunch table were among the 325 seventh-graders who Thursday saw the culmination of six weeks of study in their history and English classes.

For the 7th Grade Medieval Feast, students dressed in rented or handmade medieval garb and participated in skits and medieval games.

The event, an effort to bring to life lessons learned in the pupils’ study of the years 500 through the 1500s, was financed by a grant from the South Pasadena Educational Foundation and a school field trip fund. About $530 was used to bring professional jousters and specialists in the era to teach the children medieval sports and games.

Money also went into purchasing construction goods so students could build booths with themes, such as herbs and torture methods.

The course work included reading such works as parts of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”; “Adam of the Road,” an Elizabeth Gray story about a minstrel, and Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” Students also learned about historical figures such as Joan of Arc and such events as the Black Plague.

However, this may be the last year for the seventh-graders’ medieval festival. Because of a change of curriculum, the classes next year will emphasize the Renaissance era more.

“We might have a Renaissance fair instead,” said teacher Nancy Beckham, who started the medieval event in 1989 with another teacher, Howard Smith.

Before Thursday’s feast, the seventh-graders gathered in the school auditorium to watch skits presented by their classmates.

Katherine and Petruchio, from “The Taming of the Shrew,” battled out their stormy relationship to the hoots and hollers of about 325 students.

In another skit, King Arthur pried his sword from the stubborn stone, prompting a round of applause.

Krissy Aubuchon, 13, yanked her billowing sleeve from a door and explained how performing plays such as “The Taming of the Shrew” helped her understand literature.

“We read the play, but it was hard to understand,” said Krissy, who played Katherine in the Shakespeare presentation. “We used the script from a magazine and changed some of the words and it helped a lot.”

The young lords and ladies later marched out to the athletic field to watch jousting demonstrations by professionals from Medieval Times of Buena Park, an entertainment chain that puts on dinners and tournaments.

Later in the afternoon, members of the San Francisco-based Living History Center divided the students into teams to play bowls, a forerunner of bowling, and rounders, a game similar to baseball. Members of the historical group, which specializes in the Elizabethan era, also led students through a medieval dance.

Eighth-graders Sabrina White and Christine Cusimand watched Thursday as the seventh-graders headed out to watch the jousting events. Both had participated in the event the year before.

“Yeah,” said Sabrina as she headed for physical education class, “I’d rather be with them.”