 starter activity You are a medieval health inspector. Note down some of your worries and concerns about this town

Where did the Black death come from? To identify the origins & symptoms of the Black Death To begin drafting a ‘My Story’ account of the effects of the plague on an individual  Aims

 Your task Watch the clip from Simon Schama’s, ‘History of Britain’. Follow the instructions on your activity sheet as you watch.

The symptoms!

 Your task Your teacher will give you a set of cards with the symptoms of the Black Death. Try to sequence these in the correct order. When you have checked they are correct copy them into your notes. Your teacher will give you a set of cards with the symptoms of the Black Death. Try to sequence these in the correct order. When you have checked they are correct copy them into your notes.

 Your task Listen to the opening of a Black Death story on What makes this a good opening? Think about the following: Listen to the opening of a Black Death story on What makes this a good opening? Think about the following: Characters Characters Setting Setting Language Language Storyline Storyline

Your teacher will give you a role card. Stick the card in your exercise book and around it make notes on your character. His/her age, their appearance, job, family members, feelings about the arrival of the plague. Your teacher will give you a role card. Stick the card in your exercise book and around it make notes on your character. His/her age, their appearance, job, family members, feelings about the arrival of the plague. Now write the first section of your story. Remember to make it as gripping as the one you heard Now write the first section of your story. Remember to make it as gripping as the one you heard  Writing task

Success criteria Promising start A good read A real page- turner Describes some of the symptoms Includes references to the plague’s arrival and symptoms. Provides details about the character. Your character describes the rumours about where the plague sprang from and detailed description of the symptoms. Clear sense of place and other characters in the village.

What do you think is going on in this picture? What does it tell us about medieval explanations for the Black Death?

 Your task How did medieval people think the plague was spread? Study source 4 on p.63 of ‘Discovering Medieval Realms’ and list the reasons why people thought they caught the plague. How did medieval people think the plague was spread? Study source 4 on p.63 of ‘Discovering Medieval Realms’ and list the reasons why people thought they caught the plague.

Explanations for the plague People caught the plague by speaking to people who had caught it People caught the plague by speaking to people who had caught it Punishment from God for the wickedness of people Punishment from God for the wickedness of people Jews had deliberately poisoned the water Jews had deliberately poisoned the water Infected winds from the East Infected winds from the East Filth and rubbish Filth and rubbish Strange movements of the planets & stars Strange movements of the planets & stars

 Writing task Now write the next section of your story. Include a dialogue between your character and someone else from the village in which they discuss the different explanations for the arrival of the plague. What does your character think caused it? Now write the next section of your story. Include a dialogue between your character and someone else from the village in which they discuss the different explanations for the arrival of the plague. What does your character think caused it?

Success criteria Promising start A good read A real page- turner Includes a scene in which characters discuss some of the explanations for the plague. Characters discuss the different explanations of the plague in a natural and engaging way. Natural and engaging discussion of the medieval explanations of the plague. The passage is littered with historical references, e.g. to flagellants, pilgrims, relics and superstitious beliefs.

What have all these pictures got in common?

Roses

Figs

Lancing boils

A toad

A shaved chicken

Medieval cures for the plague Roses & vinegar Roses & vinegar Figs & onions Figs & onions Lancing boils Lancing boils Dried toads Dried toads Shaved chickens Shaved chickens Bleeding with leeches Bleeding with leeches Herbal remedies Herbal remedies

 Your task Why did medieval people think these potions would work? Why did medieval people think these potions would work? How helpful do you think they would have been? How helpful do you think they would have been?

 Your task People had different treatments for the symptoms. Why do you think there were so many strange remedies? Imagine you have been asked to create a TV advert for one of the Black Death remedies. Prepare a short role play demonstrating the power healing properties of your Black Death cure. People had different treatments for the symptoms. Why do you think there were so many strange remedies? Imagine you have been asked to create a TV advert for one of the Black Death remedies. Prepare a short role play demonstrating the power healing properties of your Black Death cure.

 Your task Write the third section of your Black Death story. Try to include references to as many different cures. Get your characters to discuss the effectiveness of the cures. Write the third section of your Black Death story. Try to include references to as many different cures. Get your characters to discuss the effectiveness of the cures.

Success criteria Promising start A good read A real page- turner Includes a scene in which characters discuss some of the cures for the plague. Characters discuss the different cures. There is some attempt to explain their effectiveness but not very much Convincing and interesting dialogue, littered with references to different medieval cures. The characters clearly explain their effectiveness or not!

 Your task Study the list of changes your teacher gives you. Colour the positive changes in green and the negative ones in red. Record your answers in a table similar to the one below. Do you think that overall society changed for the better or worse? Study the list of changes your teacher gives you. Colour the positive changes in green and the negative ones in red. Record your answers in a table similar to the one below. Do you think that overall society changed for the better or worse? PositiveNegative

 Your task Write the final part of your story in which you describe the changes that occurred to your character. Write the final part of your story in which you describe the changes that occurred to your character.

Success criteria Promising start A good read A real page- turner Includes a limited number of references to changes A good range of references to changes, including some specific events, e.g. the Statute of Labourers A full range of changes, with detailed factual information. The writer has specifically thought about how the changes would affect their character.

 Your task – book review Read a fellow student’s story. Write a short review of their work. Include the following elements: Read a fellow student’s story. Write a short review of their work. Include the following elements: Provide details of the title, author and a brief outline of the story Provide details of the title, author and a brief outline of the story Discuss how well the author creates a believable character and interprets events through their eyes Discuss how well the author creates a believable character and interprets events through their eyes Mention the level of historical referencing Mention the level of historical referencing Other features, e.g. illustrations, evidence of further research etc. Other features, e.g. illustrations, evidence of further research etc. Judge whether this is a book worth reading and why Judge whether this is a book worth reading and why