The document discusses several deadly pandemics throughout history, including the Black Death plague which originated in China and spread along the Silk Road to Europe in the 14th century, killing an estimated 30-50% of the European population. Students are assigned to write a letter from a Silk Road trader during this time period describing how life has changed in Rome due to the plague, symptoms of the disease, and how to prevent its spread. Other assignments involve analyzing the impact of a modern disease outbreak and creating an educational pamphlet about the bubonic plague.