Learning activities

Starter activities

Starter activity Sa (Links to Ma)

Start by discussing and sharing memories of school trips that the children have been on. Talk about where the trips were to, how the children got there, what they did/saw on these trips and their feelings. Try to link the discussion to a recent trip, or one the children are undertaking linked to the Victorians.

Starter activity Sb (Links to Mb)

Children to look at a range of leaflets for local attractions; these can be obtained from local libraries or tourist information offices. Have the children been to any of these? Which attractions would the children most like to visit? What would they like to do there?

Starter activity Sc (Links to Mc)

Discuss with the children: When do we have parties or celebrations at school? Why do we have these and what sorts of things happen at them? If you were going to organise a class party what would you need to think about? What would you like to do?

Main activities

Main activity Ma (Links to Sa)

Give each child a blank postcard. Tell them that they are going to find out about a trip made by some school children to a local tourist attraction using some sources. The children to look at the Sources 2 and 3 related to the visit to 'The Swiss Gardens', and/or listen to audio versions of these sources.

They then write a postcard about the trip as though they were on it. Their postcard should include a date, details of how they travelled to the attraction, what they saw there and their feelings about the trip. On the other side of the postcard they should draw an appropriate picture. This postcard could also be produced on the computer using either Word or an appropriate desktop publishing software.

Main activity Mb (Links to Sb)

Tell the children that in Victorian times people also visited attractions. (The Great Exhibition could also be mentioned here if children have learned about it - see Leisure: Activity 8). Children to look at Sources 2 and 3 related to the visit to 'The Swiss Gardens', and/or listen to audio versions of these sources, and then to design a leaflet advertising this attraction. This task could be done on the computer using appropriate Victorian style fonts.

Main activity Mc (Links to Sc)

Tell the children that they are going to learn about a school party. Share Source 1 either on paper or the audio extract, then ask the children to produce some drama freeze frames showing the events that happened during the day. Discuss the feelings of the children and the types of things they might have been saying in each scene as you bring the freeze frames to life.

Main activity Md (Links to Sc)

Tell the children that they will be organising a Victorian-themed class party to celebrate the end of term (or perhaps the end of the Victorian topic work as appropriate). Using Source 1, either on paper or the audio extract, they will need to plan the party and organise who will be responsible for each part. They should then design a suitable invitation, using Victorian style language, and describing some of the entertainments that will be offered.

Plenary activities

Plenary activity Pa (Links to Ma)

Children to share their postcards. Can the children locate where the Swiss Gardens might have been, using appropriate maps of Shoreham, either paper or online versions? Do the children think they would like to have visited this attraction?

Plenary activity Pb (Links to Mb)

Share the children's leaflets. Do the children think they would like to have visited this attraction? If possible show the children the poster for the Swiss Gardens which can be found on the British Library website in the 'Evanion Collection of ephemera' catalogue. Can they find features mentioned in source 3?

Plenary activity Pc (Links to Mc)

Draw a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting Victorian school celebrations and modern class/school celebrations. Which do the children prefer? Why?

Plenary activity Pd (Links to Md)

Hold your own Victorian class party based on the planning you have already done. Children might like to research and then play more Victorian party games.

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