Ideas for developing children's Historical knowledge

Develop children’s Historical knowledge to inform discussions and comparison activities

Being able to see how time has unfolded every day can help and Timelines do just that! 

Which one of these great ideas will you try?

Pose questions for class debates. Groups of children discuss:

• What's that thing? Look at artefact photos and decide what they were plus a modern equivalent!
• Who was the best ruler in history and why?
• When was the best/worst time to live and why?
• Which time period was the worst for females and why?
• Which 100 years was the most violent and why?
• The Romans invaded Britain. Hitler wanted to invade Britain. What was the difference?
• Homes across the ages – list similarities and differences: Consider structure, heating, light, sanitation etc.
• Homes across the ages – create a timeline that shows how homes improved
• Sorting activity: Present children with a range of artifacts and ask them to identify what they think the objects are and match them to a period in history
• Remember William the Conqueror? Who else tried to conquer and what was their impact on us today?

Why?

"Children are often fascinated by history or have the potential to be fascinated! Taking lessons outside rather that completing yet another smartboard-based lesson, is engaging ALL my children and enhances learning of history. It is consolidating chronology - bringing together previously learnt topics, encouraging deeper thinking and allowing comparison across time periods." Mrs Porter 

"Variety in teaching engages more learners: from eyewitness accounts, descriptions, comparisons, lists of similarities and differences as well as active group debates to prove their chosen period of history was the best / worst! These are my children's favourite activities!" Miss Cook

Check out our timelines HERE!