LESSON PLANS
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The Dark AgesThe past is often neatly partitioned in time periods and eras with generalized names meant to characterize what life was like during that time. In this multi-day lesson, students question the validity of using “Dark Ages” to describe Europe from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. In the process, students examine a variety of primary and secondary sources highlighting different social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental facets of life in Europe during this period.
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Fall of Roman EmpireThis inquiry leads students through an investigation of the fall of the Roman Empire. More specifically students examine whether the events that occurred in 476 CE constituted the fall of the Roman Empire or a transformation of the empire. By investigating the compelling question about whether or not the Roman Empire fell, students consider the ways in which the Roman Empire provides a unique lens on what it means when an empire falls. Through investigating historical and geographic evidence as well as secondary sources about the Roman Empire, students develop a complex interpretation of the demise of the Roman Empire and, more importantly, begin to evaluate the extent to which the empire “fell.”
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Expansion of the Early Islamic EmpireMuhammad lived from 570-632 CE. A little more than a hundred years after his death, the Umayyad Caliphate stretched across the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain, becoming the largest empire ever up to that point. In this lesson, students examine a series of documents and consider the question: How did the early Islamic empire expand?
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How did Byzantines portray Mary of Egypt?Saint Mary of Egypt's story as portrayed in the Byzantine texts and art is interesting for its portrayal of gender and sexuality and gives insights to Byzantine values. In this inquiry, students will examine Byzantine primary sources to more deeply understand cultural values.
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Islamic SpainThis inquiry provides students with an introduction to a historical example of religious tolerance and cooperation as it evolved in Islamic Spain, also known as Al-Andalus. Muslims settled in Spain and took control from Christian Visigoths in the 8th century. Over the six centuries of Muslim rule in Spain, Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived side by side, sometimes in conflict but more often in harmony. This inquiry examines the establishment of Al-Andalus as an emirate of the Umayyad Caliphate and later as a caliphate of its own in 926 CE. The inquiry provides students with an opportunity to examine the establishment of the caliphate of Córdoba as a center of knowledge, innovation, and religious tolerance.
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First CrusadeIn 1095, Pope Urban II launched the First Crusade, calling forth knights and peasants from across Western Europe to march against Muslim Turks in the Byzantine Empire and ultimately “re-conquer” the holy city of Jerusalem. In this lesson, students compare Christian and Muslim perspectives of the First Crusade by analyzing different accounts of the siege of Jerusalem.
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TeotihuacanIn this lesson, students examine classic Maya art and monumental inscriptions, as well as an excerpt from an Aztec encyclopedia, to explore how the ancient Mexican city of Teotihuacan influenced other Mesoamerican societies. Students also reason about contemporary scholars' commentary on the historical sources.
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Mansa MusaMansa Musa ruled the Malian empire from 1312-1337 CE. In his lifetime and beyond, he was known for his extravagant wealth and spending, funded by his kingdom's vast salt and gold mines. In this lesson, students read one recent blog post about Musa I of Mali's wealth, followed by two historical documents from the fourteenth-century, to answer the question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person ever?
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Ibn BattutaThe Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta traveled over 75,000 miles throughout the Muslim world and beyond in the 14th century. In this lesson students read from the Rihla, a book of Ibn Battuta's travels, and a present-day historian's account to answer the question: What was the Muslim world like in the 1320s?
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Silk RoadThis inquiry leads students through an investigation of the complex trade networks throughout Eurasia, collectively known as the “Silk Road.” By investigating the compelling question, students evaluate the descriptor “Silk Road” by considering its accuracy and determining whether or not this label should continue to be used or if there is a more appropriate title that better reflects the network’s historical, sociocultural, and economic role. Students begin by gathering research about the types of commodities traded, as well as the geographic reach of the network. The next task asks students to consider the importance of silk within various cultures of Eurasia and the sharing of both cultural and technological knowledge. Using the previous formative performance tasks along with the featured sources, students will propose one or more different names for the Silk Road, supporting their suggestions with defensible reasons. After considering the complexities of the Silk Road trade networks and the appropriateness of its name, students should be able to make a claim supported by evidence as to whether we should continue to call it the “Silk Road.” The progression of the inquiry will help students recognize the problematic nature of simplistic titles applied to complex historical phenomena.
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The Black Death in FlorenceThis lesson focuses on the skill of evaluating evidence. Students determine whether or not a series of sources would provide reliable information on the Black Death in Florence, Italy, and then evaluate a first-hand account of the plague. This lesson includes an assessment featuring a passage from the Decameron that can be used independently or along with the lesson plan.
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Understanding the Black DeathThe bubonic plague of the 14th century ravaged communities across three continents. The plague left long lasting consequences and ultimately helped transform the social order of Europe. In this lesson, students compare two documents written in 1348 to consider how people experienced and understood the plague.
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How did depictions of European women giving birth shift overtime?To answer this question students will examine paintings from different eras in Europe to see how they portray birth and to compare them. There are many more paintings available online for deeper investigation. This lesson could also be replicated for different regions around the world.
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How important were nunneries to the status of women in Medieval Europe?Nunneries are often depicted as these strict places women lived, but for many women they provided a sanctuary from the uncertain world outside the walls that offered them no status beyond the status of their male relatives. How important were they? You decide.
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Other useful resources
| 15_important_muslim_women_in_history___ballandalus.pdf |
The Good Life of Anna Comnena: First Female Historian and Byzantine Princess
| anna_commena_and_byzantine_women_by_MEGHAN_KELLEY.pdf |
A Mughal Matriarch and the Politics of Motherhood in Early Colonial India
| mughal_matriarch_ROCHISHA_NARAYAN.pdf |
ON THE DEATH OF THE EMPRESS FAUSTA
| death_of_fausta_DAVID_WOODS.pdf |
Top 10 Queens in Indian history and their stories
| top_10_queens_in_indian_history_and_thier_stories___by_abhishek_sharma_gaur___medium.pdf |
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