Oklahoma Social Studies AWH.C.12.1

Social StudiesGrades 9–12Content Standards

The Standard

Describe internal divisions and impact on the Roman Catholic Church during the Avignon Papacy, the Great Schism, and the subsequent councils.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students build a timeline of the papal court's move to France, the rival elections, and the council decisions. They explain how competing claims weakened trust in Church leaders.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students distinguish the Avignon period from the later split between Rome and Avignon. They explain that Pisa added a third claimant, while Constance secured broad support for Martin V.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat the move to Avignon and the later split as the same event. Some confuse this dispute with the Protestant Reformation or think Pisa settled it by choosing another pope.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Why did Pisa make the leadership dispute worse, and what did Constance do differently? Answer in two sentences.

Lesson moves

Have pairs sort six event cards dated 1309, 1377, 1378, 1409, 1414, and 1417 into a timeline.
Ask students to write: If Rome and Avignon both claim a pope, what problems might a local bishop face?
Run a matching game with cards for Avignon, Pisa, and Constance and cards for their effects on papal leadership.
Show two conflicting school closure notices signed by different administrators; ask which one families would follow, then compare with rival papal claims.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to AWH.C.12.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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