Learning Intention: To discover some simple facts about the Great Plague of London. By the end of this session, I will have completed an exercise and be able to recall at least two facts about the Great Plague.

During the Great Plague of London (1665-1666), the disease called the bubonic plague killed almost one quarter of London's population (one out of every four Londoners). At its worst, in September of 1665, the plague killed 7,165 people – about 71 times the number of staff and students in our school) in one week. After this, the number of people dying from the plague began to slow down.

Around September of 1666, the great outbreak ended. The Great Fire of London, which happened on 2-3 September 1666, may have helped end the outbreak by killing many of the rats and fleas who were spreading the plague.

Though most of the people who died during the Great Plague lived in London, the plague also killed people in other areas of England. By the time the Great Plague ended, about 2.5% of England's population had died from the plague. To compare, about 2% of the entire United Kingdom's population (including soldiers and civilians) died in World War I, and about 1% of the entire United Kingdom's population died in World War II.

Use your fact file above to answer the following questions about the Great Plague. Write your answers in full sentences using correct punctuation: 1. How many years did the Great Plague last? 2. What percentage of Londoners died of the plague? 3. How many times the number of staff and students at our school died? 4. What major historical incident may have helped the plague to die out? 5. What insect helped the plague spread? 6. What percentage of the population of England died?

Now answer these questions giving your opinion: 1. How do you think the people of London were feeling during this time in history? 2. How do you think you would have felt if you had been there? 3. Why do you think that the plague spread so quickly?

Extension: Try and find out at least one new fact about the Great Plague. Write it below:

How do you think this lesson went?

I’ve got this! I think I’ve got this… I need more practice.