Canadian & World Studies · Grade 11

Active learning ideas

The Byzantine Empire: Eastern Roman Legacy

Active learning works particularly well for studying the Byzantine Empire because its complexity—spanning law, trade, religion, and art—benefits from hands-on exploration. Students retain more when they engage with primary sources, simulations, and debates rather than passively reading about a distant empire. These activities make abstract concepts like the Justinian Code or the Great Schism tangible and memorable.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century - Grade 11
• ON: Expanding Contacts - Grade 11

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Justinian Code

Groups are given modern legal scenarios and must find 'solutions' using excerpts from the Justinian Code. They then compare these to modern Canadian laws to see the enduring influence of Roman legal principles.

Analyze how the location of Constantinople contributed to its longevity and wealth.

Facilitation Tip

For the Justinian Code activity, provide students with excerpts from the Code alongside modern legal examples so they actively compare and contrast ancient and contemporary principles.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a merchant in the 12th century. How would the location of Constantinople benefit your trade routes and your personal safety?' Facilitate a class discussion where students use their knowledge of geography and trade to answer.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 40 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Siege of Constantinople

Students map the city's defenses (Theodosian Walls, the Golden Horn chain) and must strategize how to defend it against various historical threats. This emphasizes the role of geography in the empire's longevity.

Explain the significance of the Great Schism of 1054 for Christianity.

Facilitation Tip

During the Siege of Constantinople simulation, assign roles with clear objectives but require each group to justify their strategies using historical evidence from the lesson.

What to look for

Provide students with a short, anonymous paragraph describing a legal principle. Ask them to identify whether it most closely aligns with a concept from the Justinian Code or a modern legal system, and to briefly explain their reasoning.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Great Schism

Pairs are given the perspectives of the Pope in Rome and the Patriarch in Constantinople. They must identify the three biggest points of contention (e.g., icons, authority) and explain why they couldn't reach a compromise.

Evaluate the influence of the Justinian Code on modern legal systems.

Facilitation Tip

For the Great Schism Think-Pair-Share, give students a short primary source quote from a church leader on each side to ground their discussion in evidence.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write two sentences explaining why the Great Schism was significant for Christianity, and one sentence describing a cultural element preserved by the Byzantine Empire.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers often struggle to connect the Byzantines to students’ prior knowledge of Rome, so start with a quick map activity labeling the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. Avoid framing the Byzantines as a separate ‘Greek’ empire—emphasize their continuity with Rome. Research shows that using visuals of the Hagia Sophia’s architecture helps students grasp the empire’s blend of Roman engineering and Christian symbolism. Keep the narrative focused on Constantinople as a living, evolving center of power rather than a static relic.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how Justinian’s legal reforms shaped modern systems. They should articulate the strategic importance of Constantinople’s location and compare Eastern and Western Christianity after the Great Schism. Most importantly, they should challenge the idea that the Middle Ages were culturally stagnant by citing Byzantine achievements in science, art, and law.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation: The Justinian Code activity, watch for students labeling Byzantine legal texts as 'foreign' or 'different.'

  Use the activity’s primary source excerpts to highlight Byzantine letters or decrees that explicitly call themselves 'Roman,' then have students rewrite a modern law in the style of Justinian’s Code to see the parallels.

• During the Simulation: The Siege of Constantinople activity, students may assume the Middle Ages had no cultural progress.

  After the simulation, pause to analyze a primary source like a Byzantine medical text or a description of the Hagia Sophia’s dome as evidence of advancements, then ask students to compare it to Western European examples from the same period.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share