Making the most of historical resources Nicola Brooks

National Curriculum Units Key Stage 1: Age 5-7 Unit 2: What were homes like long ago? Year 2 age 6-7

National Curriculum Units Key Stage 2: Age 8-11 Unit 9: What was it like for children in the Second World War? Year 3-4 age 8-9 Unit 11: What was it like for children living in Victorian Britain? Year 5/6 age Unit 12: How did life change in our locality in Victorian Times? Year 5/6 age Unit 18: Unit 18 What was it like to live here in the past? Year 3-4 age 8-9

Unit 18: What was it like to live here in the past? an enquiry-based approach to a local study using a variety of historical sources; the focus is on an aspect of the local community in the immediate locality; children study a house or group of houses, a shopping street, the school, a workplace, a place of worship, civic or service buildings, an historic site such as a local castle or other suitable local building.

Children will learn to recognise buildings and features in their local area that the locality has changed over time; to demonstrate factual knowledge and understanding about the history of the locality or about some of the main events and people linked to the area; to recognise some of the similarities and differences in living conditions at different times in the area; to ask and answer questions and make deductions about the area by using historical sources in a variety of ways; to develop skills of accurate observation and recording.

Do I have a suitable building? assess whether the exterior/interior of the building can be studied safely; consider if it is possible for pupils to link in a visit to you with a town trail/or other important site in your area. Copyright Nicola Brooks

Looking at buildings/sites suggested questions Where is this place/building/site? Why do you think it was built here? What does it look like? What is it built from? Can we tell who built it? How big is it? How many rooms do you think it has? Does it have unusual features? How old is it? Copyright Nicola Brooks

Looking at buildings/sites suggested questions What is it used for today? Has it always been used for this? What was it used for in the past? Who do you think might have used this in the past? Who do you think might have lived/worked visited here? What is it made from? Is there anything unusual about it? What are the surroundings like? Can I answer all these questions from looking at the building? What other sources could I use? Copyright Nicola Brooks

What other resources could be useful? census, letters, deeds, parish registers, books and newspapers; maps, plans; drawings, paintings, photographs, postcards; oral histories building materials that the children can handle safely bricks, tiles or wood? other handling materials, images (was your farm used by evacuees?) or memorabilia that relates to the Victorian period, Second World War or twentieth century? Copyright Nicola Brooks

Where can I find resources? contact your local library; contact your local record office; contact your local museum; local history groups; family and friends. copyright Nicola Brooks

Inside out create a simple plan of your site; create a pack of materials for teachers; create a resource box for use on site. Copyright Nicola Brooks

Useful ideas! Children can timeline photograph or other images; use magnifying glasses to compare photographs; sketch the building; photograph the building; create their own guide to the site (ICT); identify features of the building by labelling an outline or photocopied image of the building; write a short, accurate description of the place suggesting who might have used it. Copyright Nicola Brooks