Students study the spread of Christianity in both the East and the West. First, they follow its spread through the pagan remnants of the Roman Empire and formerly barbarian lands. Next, they examine the growth and continuation of Christianity in the Eastern Roman—Byzantine—Empire. Then, they explain the reasons for the split between the two major branches of Christianity. Finally, they research and report on the impact of Christianity’s spread.
Students are introduced to the lesson focus and objectives about tracing the spread and impact of Christianity. They view an image of the Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia, then watch a segment of Animated Map Shows How Christianity Spread across the World to observe how the geographic area influenced by Christianity expands over time. Students post to a discussion wall explaining what historical information the animation shows and then reply to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson overview and objectives. Clarify that the purple area in the animation represents the geographic spread of Christianity’s influence over time, and point interested students to The Rise of Christianity in the Student Pack for more detail. Use student wall responses to highlight key observations about how Christianity spread geographically.
Students examine images of European patron saints and read background text about Catholic missionaries carrying Christianity into pagan regions of Europe, including Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland. They watch Christianity—Rise to explore why Christianity spread rapidly and among which groups it was popular. Students answer multiple-choice questions about the meaning of martyrdom, how martyrs affected the early spread of Christianity, and how Christianity became the main religion across Europe, reinforcing key concepts about conversion and social influence.
Teacher MovesUse student responses to identify understandings and misconceptions, and to guide follow-up discussion.
Students view an image of Hagia Sophia and read an explanation of how Christianity spread into Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Middle East, and how Byzantine Christianity developed into Orthodox Christianity. They learn about the growing differences between Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians and the events leading to the Great Schism of 1054, then read Great Schism of 1054 for more detail. Students create a timeline of major events in the early history of Orthodox Christianity using a drawing canvas or an uploaded image. Next, they write a paragraph on a discussion wall explaining why Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy became separate churches, supporting their explanation with evidence from the reading and timeline.
Teacher MovesSupport students in selecting and sequencing key events on their timelines, using the provided list of significant dates as needed. Review student paragraphs and share an interesting or exemplary response with the class to prompt discussion of social, political, and religious factors in the split, such as language differences, disputes over authority, and disagreements about beliefs and practices. Offer interested students additional context about Hagia Sophia and, if appropriate, direct them to the video It’s a Church. It’s a Mosque. It’s Hagia Sophia. Divide students into small groups and assign or allow them to choose a topic (politics, wars, art and architecture, or ideas and science) for the next scene’s research on Christianity’s impact.
Students view a map of world Christianity in 2014, then work in their assigned small groups to research the impact of Christianity in one area of life: politics, war, art and architecture, or ideas and science. Using online sources, they develop a report that includes an introductory statement about Christianity’s impact in their field, supporting details, at least one key individual, and one or more illustrative images. Groups post their report to a small-group discussion wall or share it via a linked digital tool (such as Prezi, a timeline tool, a slide presentation, or a digital poster). After posting, students review presentations on the topics their group did not research and discuss these with their group members.
Teacher MovesMonitor group research and product creation, ensuring that students clearly explain Christianity’s impact and appropriately use sources and visuals. After groups have shared their reports, lead a whole-class discussion that synthesizes findings across topics to build a broader picture of Christianity’s historical influence in politics, warfare, culture, and ideas.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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