Work and diet in Norman England
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe work and diets in Norman England and judge the degree to which these changed.
Key learning points
- Almost everyone in Norman England farmed for a living.
- Different categories of peasants did different amounts of work for the lord of the manor.
- There was a big difference between the diets of the rich and the diets of the poor.
- There was little change to the work that people did after the Norman conquest.
- The diets of the rich became more varied after the Norman conquest.
Keywords
Livestock - farm animals such as sheep, goats, oxen and pigs that are reared for food or used for farming work
Common misconception
Poor people in medieval England survived by eating potatoes.
Potatoes were unknown in Europe until the 16th century.
Teacher tip
Students could study scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry or Luttrell Psalter showing people working and people eating and make guesses at the work that is being done and the food that is being eaten.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes an architectural style based on features of ancient Roman buildings?
Q2.Which word describes the design and construction of buildings?
Q3.What was the name of the pattern that the Normans frequently used on arches and doors?
Q4.What do William FitzOsbern’s castle at Chepstow, Exeter Castle and the White Tower in London have in common?
Q5.How many houses were destroyed at Lincoln to make way for the castles the Normans wanted to build?
Q6.Which order of monks was promoted by Norman reforms and monastery-building in England after the conquest?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes farm animals that are reared for food or used for farming work?
Q2.When did peasants have days off?
Q3.Put the following groups in order according to who had the biggest amount of land.
Q4.Which of the following jobs in Norman England were in what today we would call industry?
Q5.Complete the sentence: There was a big between the diets of the rich and the diets of the poor in Norman England.
Q6.Why did the use of enslaved people reduce in Norman England?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Work and diet in Norman England, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Work and diet in Norman England, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.