Medieval Village: 'How tough was life for the poor?' (3 - 4 lessons)

Key Question: 'How tough was life for the poor?'
The investigation emphasises the use of sources to construct an explanation of life in a medieval village through the use of archaeological evidence from Wharram Percy to find out about the layout of the village and the visual evidence from the Luttrell Psalter to explore the farming community and year. The framework is provided by a Power Point (31 slides), supported with activity and worksheets. Differentiated worksheets are available for some tasks.
Assessment: the main assessment (together with progress 'levels') involves comparing a range of sources relating to whether peasants had a 'tough' or 'comfortable' life, although there are also opportunities for extended writing assessments relating to archaeology and Wharram Percy and the key question.
Concepts: empathy, chronology and sequencing, sources and evidence, similarity and difference, change; power, status, community, archaeology, reconstruction, artefacts.