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History
Teacher Led Visits    Suggested Topics    Museum Led Workshops    Other Information    Special Events    


Introduction

During key stage 1, 2 & 3 pupils are learning about people's lives and lifestyles. They look at history in a variety of ways and by visiting the Museum they can be helped to investigate the past both in depth and in overview. They also learn that the past can be represented and interpreted in different ways and learn to use historical vocabulary to describe events, people and developments.

There are endless possibilities for using the inspirational Museum site.
 


Teacher Led Visits
 

This timber framed house was built in 1609 and has a chimney to heat the upper and lower floors. This hall house dates mainly from the early 15th century.  With Winkhurst Tudor kitchen it permits the interpretation of life from that period. This house from the mid 17th century has a smoke bay; a transitional stage between an open hall and a chimney. A pair of victorian cottages, one furnished one left unfinished to expose the structure. A good example of the provision of elementary schooling in the early 19th century. Contains the remains of a medieval timber framed building. A fully furnished working Tudor kitchen. A reconstruction of a 13th century cottage probably belonging to a farmer. An early 15th century open hall house with 'cruck' construction.


Suggested Topics

Two worksheets for key stage 3 have been used by schools during visits to the Museum in the summer term.  These pupils were working on History Unit 3 'How hard was life for Medieval people in town and country', Art and Design Unit 7B, 'What's in a building' and Unit 10gen ' Visiting a museum'. With careful planning you will be able to cover other areas of the curriculum during your visit.  
'Everyday Medieval Life'                

'Bayleaf - A Medieval Farmstead'   
 
Click to view and/or print.

Click to view and/or print.

'Tudor Rich and Poor'This scheme of work developed by Ann Longfield and Valda Shrimpton was adapted from the QCA unit,  ‘What were the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times?’ It was designed for use by a Year 4/5 mixed age class.  Click to view
and/or print


Museum Led Workshops

Medieval Realms
KS3
This workshop will cover a wide range of aspects of medieval life in the town and country. The four main modules, each lasting 45 minutes, will be centred on a building to give a practical and human context to each area of study. This enables connections to be made with Unit 7B of the Art and Design syllabus for Year 7 'What's in a building'.  Where appropriate, pictorial and documentary sources will be used to augment studies. Details
Components workshops from Medieval Realms Medieval Cooking Session
Archaeological Evidence
Medieval Agriculture
Fleece to Fabric
Apothecary Workshop

Note that you may choose any four components from the above list.

Details
 

Life on a Tudor Farmstead
KS2&3

This workshop will cover the main aspects of domestic and rural life in a Tudor community. The students will look at Tudor farmhouses and their related buildings and contents by undertaking a range of activities that would have been done in the different areas through the year. The specific content of each separate module will vary to reflect seasonal occupations. There will be a consideration of the roles and occupations of men, women and children. We will be using written and visual source material to illustrate the types of evidence used to investigate Tudor life. Details
Components workshops from Life on a Tudor Farmstead Tudor Cooking Session
Tudor Farming

Fleece to Fabric
Apothecary Workshop
The Games Tudor Children Played

Note that you may choose any four components from the above list.

Details
 

Life in Stuart Times
KS 2&3

This workshop covers the main aspects of domestic and working life in Stuart Times with particular emphasis on The Plague and its remedies, The Great Fire of London and fire hazards. The activities include the basics of bee keeping and the production of honey/beeswax culminating in a candle making activity. Together with the talk on fire there is a creative drawing session using charcoal and chalk.

Details
Components workshops from Life in Stuart Times Fire and Sketching
Fleece to Fabric

Bees and Candles
Apothecary Workshop
Details
 

Victorian Rural Life KS1-3

This workshop has been designed to offer schools an experience of domestic and working rural life in the Victorian period based on Victorian exhibits at the Museum, including Whittaker's cottage, the School, Walderton Cottage and agricultural buildings.

There will be four modules which will cover life in an agricultural labourer's cottage, Victorian food and recipes, daily domestic tasks, agricultural activities which may have a seasonal variation and role playing a lesson in the school. We will consider the roles and occupations of men, women and children in the countryside and how that might differ from urban life. Written and visual sources will be used where relevant to illustrate different aspects of Victorian life.

Details
Components workshops from Victorian Rural Life Victorian School Role Play (see below)
Victorian Farming
Victorian Household Chores
Victorian Cooking Session
Details
Victorian School Role Play
KS1&2
A role play of the school day based in the Victorian school from West Wittering. Details
Cooking Sessions for Schools
KS1-3
We consider where food came from and what was eaten by the different elements of society and prepare and cook a period recipe which is then sampled.  Medieval, Tudor, Stuart or Victorian period Details
Collection Quiz for Schools
KS1

Be a history detective.  Various household objects will be displayed around the room to stimulate discussion and explanation.  For example, a discussion can be built up about the fireplace and the tools surrounding it. Each session is designed to help pupils learn about household artefacts, comparing them with the modern day equivalent, 

Details
Side by Side Tours
KS1-3
These visits take advantage of the connection between the Museum and the Goodwood and West Dean Estates nearby and allow the comparison of traditional and modern farming methods.  Details
Traditional Farming Sessions
KS1-4
An introduction to Medieval, Tudor or Victorian arable and livestock farming. Details


Other Information

Fireplaces The Museum's buildings contain examples of the development of fireplaces from a simple open hearth through smoke bays to chimneys.  A tangible example of design evolution. Details
Victorian Cottages Drawings of Whittaker's Cottages and the contemporary view on the appropriate size for a labourers dwelling. Details
The Wealden House The structure and plan of this type of house common in south east England. Details
Turnpike Trusts Turnpike trusts were formed to collect tolls to pay for the upkeep of highways.  Tolls were collected at toll cottages like the one from Beeding built in 1807 and now at the Museum Details
Lime This document traces the history of lime, its production and its various uses in building construction and decoration. Details
Wattle and Daub A building material used since the Bronze Age and evident in buildings at the Museum. Details
Roofing Materials The history of thatch and other roofing materials such as tile, shingle, stone and slate Details
Gardens , Orchard and Shaws Landscape features surrounding the Bayleaf House with the character and detail of its original 16th century setting. Details
The Woodlands Products and processes of traditional forestry. Details
Charcoal Burning Processes in the ancient craft of charcoal burning. Details


Schools Special Events

Check the Listings page for this years Schools Event Days which relate to History.

Museum Special Events

Museum Special Event Days cover a wide and interesting range of activities that teachers may wish to use to provide wider experiences to schoolchildren.  For a complete list of these events Click here.