The Black Death Learning Objective: To explain

Discussion Watch the video:

Have you heard this before?
Where have you heard it?
Why do you think I’ve played it today? Ring-a-ring-a-roses,
A pocket full of posies;
A-tishu! A-tishu!
We all fall down.

This children’s rhyme was made about the black death. Posies were flowers people kept to smell to make sure they didn’t get the black death – this didn’t work! What do the other lyrics mean? 2 minutes<br>

Medieval life By now, you might have an idea that life in Medieval Britain was hard.
People were used to famine and disease – there were no scientific methods, and doctors were very hit and miss!
But in the middle of the 14th Century, a disease like no other hit Britain and Europe. This became known as the Bubonic Plague or… The Black Death.<br>

Nobody really knew what caused the black Death People who got it usually died within a few days Plague caused a fever, black spots and sometimes great big black swellings on your armpits<br>

From the clips make notes on the following: How did the Black Death spread?
What were the symptoms?
What did people think it was cause by?
What was the effect of the Black Death on towns and villages? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxNnUYE6f8w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM0HwbbT3XE&feature=relmfu<br>

Stages of the Plague - Pairs Infection The victim develops swelling in
the groin and under armpits. Agony. Vomiting blood and bile plus fever. The victim develops blotches all over body. Nervous system attacked –
shaking/spasms. If buboes pop, you live. If they harden,
you die. Arrange the stages in chronological order in your book. Describe the stages of the Black Death in no less than four sentences. 10 minutes<br>

Did you get it right? Infection The victim develops swelling in
the groin and under armpits. Agony. Vomiting blood and bile plus fever. The victim develops blotches all over body. Nervous system attacked –
shaking/spasms. If buboes pop, you live. If they harden,
you die.<br>

Identify four different causes of the Black Death. For each cause explain why people believed it was to blame. Which cause do you think was most accurate? Give reasons to support your opinion! Using the information on pages 117-119 two actual reasons for the Black Death. What was the most important reason why the black Death was so deadly? Give reasoning to support your opinion! The plague carried by these cursed Italian ships was a punishment sent by God.
Source A, by an Italian writer in the Middle Ages. In many German cities, Jews were thought to have caused the deaths by poisoning the water supply. Many Jewish men, women, and children were burned to death for this.
Source B, from a book written in 1349. The long term cause is the position of the planets. It is also caused by evil smells which mix with the air and spread on the wind.
Source C, from a report written by doctors at Paris University in 1348. The disease is spread by contagion. If a healthy man visited a plague victim he usually died himself.
Source D, written by Jean de Venette in 1348. Use the sources below and the textbook to complete the appropriate tasks opposite!<br>

I identified reasons for the Black Death in Medieval Britain including at least three facts. (3-4)

I began to explain reasons for the Black Death. (5)

I explained one reason for the Black Death in depth. (6)

I explained one reason for the Black Death in depth and began to explain others. (7)

I explained two reasons in depth and judged which was the most important cause of the Black Death. (8) Self assessment

Copy down the statement opposite that best sums up your progress today.

Then write ‘SA’<br>

Now self assess!


By the end of this lesson...
ALL OF US will be able to describe reasons for the Black Death. (3)

EVEN BETTER IF you can begin to explain reasons for the Black Death. (4-5)

EXCELLENT IF you can explain at least one reason for the Black Death and judge the most important reason. (6-7)

CHALLENGE!!! CAN YOU EXPLAIN AT LEAST TWO REASONS FOR THE BLACK DEATH IN DETAIL BEFORE GIVING A REASONED JUDGEMENT AS TO THE MOST SIGNIFICANT? (8)<br>