Historical Enquiry - Using Historical Evidence
Introductory Activities
The main aims of these activities are to enable pupils to familiarise
themselves with using objects as evidence and develop their observational
skills. The activities can be used with a variety of objects at a general level, as
well as introducing pupils to working specifically with historical objects.
1. Kim’s Game: A number of objects are placed on a tray. The pupils
look at it for one minute. The tray is covered and the pupils are asked
to write down as many objects as they can remember. A variation of
this game is to ask pupils to remember a particular category e.g. old
objects, smooth objects.
2. Feelie Bags: Put an object in a cloth bag. Ask a pupil to feel and
describe the main features of an object to another pupil, who then has
to work out what the object is.
3. Describing Objects: Describing objects in different ways helps pupils to
develop their vocabulary and ability to pick out details. For example,
two pupils sit back-to-back, one with an object. They describe the main
features of the object for the other pupil to work out what it is.
4. The School Bag/ Suitcase Mystery: This is a more advanced strategy
which asks pupils to make use of the evidence presented to them.
Pupils are presented with the contents of a bag/ suitcase and asked to
work out things about the owner(s) of the object from the evidence.
They are being asked to work like detectives from clues, but supporting
their ideas with the evidence like a historian does.
5. The Bin Game: This activity works exactly the same way as the School
Bag activity. Pupils are presented with the contents of a dustbin and
asked to work things out about the owner(s) from the evidence
presented.