Overview of the Medieval Black Death Lesson

In this lesson, students will examine the causes, spread, and consequences of the Black Death in 14th-century Europe, exploring how a single pandemic could reshape an entire continent's social, economic, and religious structures. They will also investigate the gap between medieval explanations of the disease and its actual scientific causes, developing their ability to evaluate historical evidence and assess why people responded to catastrophe in the ways they did. Students will have the opportunity to achieve this through choosing their own method of learning, from reading, research and watching options, as well as the chance to engage in extension activities. This lesson includes a self-marking quiz for students to demonstrate their learning.