Autumn Term
We Date
ek
Aims
Possible Teaching Activities
Outcomes
Resources
1
1 SEPT
Who were the Victorians
and when did they live?
To know when Victorian
times were and some of the
main features of the period.
To understand the different
attitudes and values of
Victorian times with regard
to the family.
Show the children a picture of Queen
Victoria and her family 
 Discuss what they think they can tell
from the picture, 
 Discuss with the children what life
may have been like for Victoria’s
children, and whether all children
would have had similar experiences.
All children can: Draw inferences about the
lives of Queen Victoria’s family from a
portrait
Some children can: 
 Suggest what life was like for children
living in the past
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
www.Primary
Resources.co. uk
Queen Victoria
factsheet
2
7 SEPT
What was life like for a
poor child in the 1840s?
Infer information about the
life of poor children from
primary sources
Provide some information on the
All children can: Understand that poor
numbers of working children, their
children worked.
hours of work, the types of jobs they
Understand the conditions of the workplaces
did and their lack of education 
 Investigate primary sources of
children working in mines and factories
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
www.Primary
Resources.co. uk Jobs
for children
3
14 SEPT
What was life like for a
poor child in the 1840s?
Infer information about the
life of poor children from
primary sources
Discuss dangers and difficulties that
All children can: Understand why child
working children faced 
workers were considered necessary to poor
 Explain that some employers looked families and employers
after their workers
 List reasons why most Victorians
were in favour of child workers
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
4
21 SEPT
How did some Victorians
help change the lives of
poor children ?
To learn about the work of
Dr. Barnardo. To learn about
some of the ways conditions
improved for children in
Discuss how Dr Barnardo helped poor
children and why 
 Complete information sheets about
Dr Barnardo
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
All children can: Understand how Dr
Barnardo changed the lives of poor children
Victorian times
5
28 SEPT
How did some Victorians
help change the lives of
poor children
To learn about the work of
Lord Shaftesbury. To learn
about some of the ways
conditions improved for
children in Victorian times
Discuss how Lord Shaftesbury helped
poor children and why
 Find out the laws that were passed
due to Lord Shaftesbury's campaigns 
 Complete information sheet about
Lord Shaftesbury
All children can: Understand that conditions The Victorians New
for working children changed due to laws
Explore History
passed because of the work of Lord
Heinnman
Shaftesbury
6
5 OCT
What was it like going to
school during Victorian
times?
To learn about different types
of schooling available to
Victorian children
 Show the children pictures of school All children can: Recognise and identify
life at the end of the nineteenth century differences between schools then and now
and discuss how school appears
different from today
 Explain that schooling was too
expensive for most poor children
7
12 OCT
What was it like going to
school at the end of the
nineteenth century?
To learn about different types
of schooling available to
Victorian children
Show pictures of schools from early
and late Victorian times and list
differences 
 Discuss why the schools changed
All children can: Recognise and identify
The Victorians New
differences between schools during Victorian Explore History
times
Heinnman
8
19 OCT
What was it like going to
school at the end of the
nineteenth century? ·
To learn about ragged
schools
To learn that schools
changed as school boards
were set up
Explore texts on ragged schools
 Read the history of a ragged school
in London 
 Write newspaper headlines regarding
the different events in the history of the
school
All children can: Understand that free
schooling was not available until late
Victorian times
Understand that due to social reform, the
government accepted responsibility for
educating poor children
HALF-TERM BREAK
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
www.Primary
Resources.co. uk
School gap fill
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
9
2 NOV
How did different Victorian
children use their spare
time?
To learn about games and
leisure pursuits for Victorian
children
Discuss ways of spending spare time, All children can: Compare the leisure
and ask the children to list their
pursuits of Victorian children to today
interests and those of others in their
families. Ask them to consider which
would have been possible in 1890 and
which not, giving reasons. Discuss with
the children what leisure interests may
have been available.
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
10
9 NOV
How did different Victorian
children use their spare
time?
To learn about games and
leisure pursuits for Victorian
children
Discuss the differences between
children from wealthy families and
those from poor families 
 Discuss that poorer children made
their own toys and entertainment 
 Give the children the materials
available then and ask them to make a
toy
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
(* 11 NOV BANK
HOLIDAY)
All children can: Understand that the type
of leisure activities depended on income
11
16 NOV
How did different Victorian
children use their spare
time?
To learn that some Victorian
children combined work and
play
Discuss that children were sometimes All children can: Understand the reasons
kept home from school and why 
why some Victorian children were kept
 Discuss which type of child had more home from school
fun
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
12
23 NOV
How did the railways make
a difference to leisure in
Victorian times?
To learn that the railways
changed the lives of
Victorian children
Discuss that trains had to stop at small All children can: Appreciate the effect of
stations 
the railways on the lives of Victorian
children
 Discuss that the railways had to
provide cheap carriages for the poor
 Explain that poor families from cities
could visit the seaside for the first time
 Discuss the new leisure pursuits that
began during this time
The Victorians New
Explore History
Heinnman
13
30 NOV
Discuss the way that the fate of
All children can: Understand that great
The Victorians New
How did life change for
children living in Victorian Victorian children depended on chance changes were made but  poor children were Explore History
Britain?
To learn how many changes
occurred in Victorian Britain
To learn how the lives of
Victorian children had
improved
 Discuss the events that could happen still not expected to live as long as children
from a wealthy family
to a Victorian child
 Discuss the changes that were made
during this period 
 Discuss the way that the fate of
Victorian children depended on chance
Heinnman
14
7 DEC
How did life change for
children living in Victorian
Britain?
To learn how many changes
occurred in Victorian Britain
To learn how the lives of
Victorian children had
improved
Discuss the way that the fate of
Victorian children depended on chance
 Discuss the events that could happen
to a Victorian child 
 Discuss the changes that were made
during this period 
 Discuss the way that the fate of
Victorian children depended on chance
All children can: Understand that great
The Victorians New
changes were made but  poor children were Explore History
still not expected to live as long as children Heinnman
from a wealthy family
15
16 DEC
Victorian Assessment
Discuss the way that the fate of
Victorian children depended on chance
 Discuss the events that could happen
to a Victorian child
- Discuss the changes that were made
during this period
All children can: 
The Victorians New
 understand that great changes were made Explore History
but  poor children were still not expected to Heinnman
live as long as children from a wealthy
family
XMAS BREAK
Spring Term
We Date
ek
Aims
Possible Teaching Activities
Outcomes
Resources
1
Which Greek words do we
use today and why?
To learn that many English
words have Greek origins t to
identify some of the words
and prefixes, suffixes and
letter strings that indicate that
a word has Greek origins
Ask the children What does the word
history mean? Record their suggestions
and ask how they can find out the
meaning of words. 
 Discuss with the children what it tells
them about ancient Greeks if
mathematics, geography and
technology were originally Greek
words. Ask them whether there are
other words with similar prefixes and
suffixes with Greek origins, eg geo-, ology, photo-, phon-, tech-, -phobia.
All children can: Know that ‘history’ means
‘enquiry’ select words with Greek origins
from a dictionary 
 Recognise that words with certain prefixes
and suffixes are likely to be Greek in origin
Ancient Greece New
Explore History
Heinnman
www.Primary
Resources.co.u k
Greek Alphabet
All children can: Understand that the
New Explore History
Greeks had a spoken and written language
Heinnman
copy accurately part, or all, of an inscription
Some children can: recognise the similarities
and differences between the English and
Greek alphabets
4 JAN
(* 6 JAN BANK
HOLIDAY)
2
11 JAN
Is the Greek alphabet like
ours?
To learn that the ancient
Greeks had their own written
alphabet and language to
recognise the similarities and
differences between the
English and Greek alphabet
Give the children pictures showing
inscriptions on Greek coins, buildings,
memorials, vases and sculptures. Ask
them to look carefully at the writing
and copy as many words or letters as
they can. Ask them whether they think
the evidence shows the ancient Greeks
had a written language. Did they use
the same alphabet as we use? What is
similar? What is different? What does
the word ‘alphabet’ mean?
3
18 JAN
What similarities are there
between ancient Greek
schools and our school?
To develop a range of
questions to ask about school
Discuss the children’s ideas and agree All Children can: Find answers to the
a set of suitable questions, eg Did all
questions using a range of sources of
children go to school? How old were
information
children when they started and left
school? What subjects did they learn at
Ancient Greece New
Explore History
Heinnman
life in past times
school? What games did they play?
What equipment did they have? List
the questions on a large sheet of paper
for reference.
4
25 JAN
What similarities are there
between ancient Greek
schools and our school?
Learn to deduce from a range
of sources what life at school
was like in ancient Greece to
consider why school life was
different for children living in
ancient Greece than school
life today
Discuss with the children the types of All children can: Provide some reasons why
sources of information that may have education was different then
survived that can be used to help find
the answers. Ask the children to decide
which questions can be answered with
the help of pictures and written
descriptions of objects discovered by
archaeologists. Ask the children to use
available sources, eg texts, pictures and
objects, to find answers to their
questions, noting the sources used
beside each question.
Ancient Greece New
Explore History
Heinnman
www.Primary
Resources.co.u k
Greek schools
5
1 FEB
How have the ancient
Greeks influenced our
buildings?
To learn that Greek
architectural and
mathematical ideas directly
and indirectly influence
buildings around us
Introduce the children to Greek
architectural features.  Ask the
children to use a range of sources to
make a collection of local and national
buildings that show some ‘classical’
features. Ask the children to identify
decorative features, eg column,
capitals, and investigate the use of
proportion and the Golden Rectangle.
Discuss why this style of architecture
has been used so widely, eg the
messages Victorian builders were
giving by using this style.
All children can: Identify aspects of Greek Ancient Greece New
culture in their local surroundings Some
Explore History
children can: show understanding that Greek Heinnman
architectural ideas were prized by people
living in recent times
6
8 FEB
What did the ancient Greek
great thinkers contribute to
our knowledge of history,
geography and other school
Produce two sets of cards: one stating
the names of ancient Greek scholars
and one stating their main discoveries
or contributions to knowledge. Ask the
All children can: Match the scholars to their Ancient Greece New
contributions
Explore History
Some children can: Give reasons why these Heinnman
contributions are still relevant today
subjects?
To learn about the
contribution made by ancient
Greek scholars to our
knowledge and understanding
of the world
children to use reference sources, eg
encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, to find out
about each of the scholars and match
them to their contributions. Discuss the
children’s answers.
HALF-TERM BREAK
7
22 FEB
What did the ancient Greek
great thinkers contribute to
our knowledge of history,
geography and other school
subjects?
To learn about the
contribution made by ancient
Greek scholars to our
knowledge and understanding
of the world
Produce two sets of cards: one stating
the names of ancient Greek scholars
and one stating their main discoveries
or contributions to knowledge. Ask the
children to use reference sources, eg
encyclopedias, CD-ROMs, to find out
about each of the scholars and match
them to their contributions. Discuss the
children’s answers.
All children can: Match the scholars to their Ancient Greece New
contributions
Explore History
Some children can: Give reasons why these Heinnman
contributions are still relevant today
8
29 FEB
Where and when was
ancient Greece?
To learn about the location,
climate and terrain of Greece
to place the ancient Greek
civilisation in time that the
ancient Greek civilisation
occurred ‘Before Christ’ that
ancient Greece consisted of
city states
Give children postcards, maps, and
holiday brochures of modern Greece
and ask them what the pictures tell us
about the climate of Greece, the
landscape and terrain, the buildings,
etc. Record their responses on the
board or flip chart. Discuss with the
children what ancient means and place
the period of the ancient Greek Empire
on the class time line. Discuss or recap
on BC and AD and relate these two
periods the children have already
covered. Locate mainland Greece and
its islands on a map. Discuss the
physical features and highlight the
All children can: Locate Greece on a map Ancient Greece New
and ancient Greece on a time line discuss the Explore History
climate and physical features of the Greek
Heinnman
mainland and islands
Some children can: Recognise that ancient
Greece is located BC and that more recent
periods in history are AD
difficulty of travel, eg Would it be
easiest to travel by sea or land? Relate
this to the idea of city states, which
were isolated from each other by the
difficulties of communication.
9
7 MARCH
10
14 MARCH What made ancient Greek
What were the similarities
and differences between
Athens and Sparta?
To understand what is meant
by democracy to learn some
of the ideas of people living
in Athens and Sparta
fighters so powerful?
To infer information about
Prepare a number of conflicting
statements, eg We welcome writers, no
writers here; we welcome visitors, we
throw out visitors; we like books and
free speech, no reading here; our boys
go to school, our boys train to be
soldiers; we trade with everyone, we do
not allow trade; the sea is important to
us, we control the states around us to
protect us; our women must not be seen
outside the house on their own, our
women train to be soldiers and are fit;
we allow every citizen to discuss new
laws and vote on them and we call it
democracy, we have strict rules and
expect them to be followed and our
kings make our decisions. 
 Ask the children to sort the
statements under the headings: ‘Athens
near the sea, outwardlooking and
adventurous’, ‘Sparta land-locked,
inward-looking and nervous’.
Ask them to decide whether they
would prefer to live in Athens or
Sparta. Why?
All children can: know that Athens and
Ancient Greece New
Sparta were city states and governed
Explore History
themselves distinguish between the beliefs of Heinnman
the Athenians and Spartans and know some
reasons why they held those beliefs
Referring to maps, discuss with the
children why the Greeks needed an
army and a navy. Give the children
All children can: Give reasons why the
Ancient Greece New
Greeks needed a navy, eg separate city states Explore History
that argued with each other, many very long Heinnman
Greek wars and warfare from postcards or pictures of ancient Greek
illustrations and maps
pottery, including some illustrating
Greek soldiers fighting and ships.
Discuss what information about Greek
soldiers, weapons and ships can be
gained from looking closely at the
illustrations.  Ask the children to look
closely at the decoration on the pots
and to select ones that show soldiers
and ships. Ask them to draw a detailed,
labelled diagram of a Greek soldier
showing his equipment, armour and
weapons, and of a trireme (an ancient
Greek warship). Discuss the armour the
soldiers are wearing and the weapons
they are carrying, and how the boats
were powered, the number of rows of
oars, and how the boats might have
attacked enemies’ boats. Discuss what
made the men and weapons so
powerful and if enemies are shown,
how the Greek armour and weapons
are different from those of the
opposition. Which side had the better
weapons and armour. Why?
EASTER BREAK
coasts and borders that required protection, www.Primary
wish to expand their empire produce labelled Resources.co.u k
drawings of Greek soldiers and ships on the Greek soldiers
basis of their observations
Summer Term
We Date
ek
Aims
Possible Teaching Activities
1
Where was the Mayan
Civilisation?
Help the children to locate Mayan city All children can: Identify the location of
Mayan city states and how this could have
states on a map and identify
affected settlement patterns and lifestyles
environmental and physical features
including deserts, mountains, rivers,
oceans. Use information from the map
to ask and answer questions, eg Why
would people settle in these regions ?
4 APRIL
Outcomes
Locate places on a world
map. Identify environmental
and physical features and
how these might affect
settlement and lifestyle.
Measure distances in scale on
maps and make comparisons Help the children to locate Tikal, El
Ceibal, Copán and Chichen Itza on a
with their own area
map. Ask the children to measure the
distances between sites and identify the
location of the sites in relation to
rivers, mountains or sites. Ask them to
use this information to identify pattern
of settlement.
Resources
http://www.ducksters.c
om/history/maya/sites_
and_cities.php
http://www.lostcivilizations.net/mayan
-history.html
Ask the children to compare this
settlement pattern with their own area
today.
2
11 APRIL
How long ago was the
Mayan civilisation?
Use BC and AD correctly
sequence the historical
periods they have studied
from the Mayan civilisation
to present day.
Show the children BC and AD on a
time line. Ask them to attach labels of
the historical periods studied, eg
Roman Britain, the Tudors, and place
Mayan civilisation (c2,500-1,500 BC)'
at the correct place on the time line.
Discuss with the children the
All children can: Use BC and AD
appropriately and be able to show how the
Mayan civilisation relates to other historical
periods and to the chronology of world
history
Computer lab. Use
word or paint to create
their own timelines.
http://www.lostcivilizations.net/mayan
-history.html
3
18 APRIL
Talk about key features of
past societies and compare
them with others
relationship between different
historical periods. Ask them to
consider which parts of the time line
we know most about and where the
biggest gaps are. Incorporate ICT for
creating their own timeline.
What do pictures of
artefacts tell us about
Mayan life?
Give an accurate and detailed
description of one artefact.
Use sources to describe an
aspect of everyday life
Show the children pictures of artefacts. All children can: Use pictures of artefacts
Ask them to focus on one and draw it. to find out about a particular aspect of life in
Ask the children to write a description Mohenjo-Daro
that covers: its measurements, its
decoration, why it might have been
decorated, what it was used for, and
questions they would like to ask about
the artefact.
Arrange a display and/or
make a presentation that
provides information about
an aspect of Mayan life
Ask the children to find out about a
particular aspect of Mayan life, eg
fashion, food, work, using pictures of
artefacts. Give them questions to
structure their enquiry, eg Which
artefacts can you use to find out about
fashion? What does each of these
artefacts tell you about fashion? What
other questions would you like to ask?
Ask the children to select, arrange and
label pictures of artefacts for a
'museum display' about the aspect of
life they investigated. Ask them to
produce a 'museum guide' explaining
the background to their enquiry and
what they found out.
http://johnsmitchell.ph
otoshelter.com/gallery/
MayanArtifacts/G0000pxbf1
LmEH94/
4
25 APRIL
Mayan Social Structure
Use a site plan of Guatemala to help
Describe how Mayan
the children locate important
settlements were organised
places. Ask the children to compare the
and make comparisons with a plan with a street plan of their locality,
town today
considering where the important
buildings are located and the distances
between buildings.
All children can: Recognise that cities
have some features in common
Children focus on the social structure
and roles within the Mayan
community. Consider
farming/agriculture (techniques of
farming could also be linked to current
day trends)
5
(* 2-3 MAY
BANK
HOLIDAY)
4 MAY
How and why do we classify Use the images of artefacts to focus on
evidence in history?
classification of artefacts from the
Work out why artefacts have Mayan civilisation, eg Did more than
been grouped together.
one group use the same artefact
Suggest reasons for different pictures in their display? Which
classifications
pictures of artefacts were used most? In
what other ways could artefacts be
classified?
Ask the children to classify (group
together) their pictures of artefacts into
two or more categories. Discuss with
the class the reasons for different
classifications and why museums and
archaeologists use them.
Powerpoint: land of
Guatemala
http://info.teachtci.com
/resources/ha/TheMaya
.pdf
All children can: Explain how and why
artefacts are classified. Group pictures of
artefacts into categories
http://johnsmitchell.ph
otoshelter.com/gallery/
MayanArtifacts/G0000pxbf1
LmEH94/
6
9 MAY
Mayan Masks
To understand the role that
masks played in Mayan
civilisation. Different kinds
of masks.
Using a range of images and the
www.Primary
All children can: Identify the different
powerpoint presentation, look at the
Resources.co.uk masks
kinds of Mayan masks. Create their own
form, purpose and design of the
mask and explain the reason for their design. powerpoint
different masks. Children can then
design and create their own masks.
Note: they should be able to justify
their design in line with the purpose of
the mask they have created.
7
16 MAY
Mayan Masks
To understand the role that
masks played in Mayan
civilisation. Different kinds
of masks.
Using a range of images and the
All children can: Identify the different
www.Primary
powerpoint presentation, look at the
kinds of Mayan masks. Create their own
Resources.co.uk Masks
form, purpose and design of the
mask and explain the reason for their design. powerpoint
different masks. Children can then
design and create their own masks.
Note: they should be able to justify
their design in line with the purpose of
the mask they have created.
8
23-25 MAY Mayan Religion
(*26-27 BANK
HOLIDAY)
9
30 MAY
To understand the basic
principles of Mayan religion
and the role that it played in
everyday society
Mayan Religion
To understand the basic
principles of Mayan religion
and the role that it played in
everyday society
Using the prescribed video and other
forms of multimedia, children are to
compose a collage/poster/information
booklet outlining the major
components of Mayan religion and
how it influenced everyday life.
More capable children may wish to
draw comparisons between the Mayan
religion and another religion of their
choice (past or present).
Mayan gods, the afterlife, sacrifices,
the role of temples, icons etc
All Children can: Recall key facts of
Mayan Religion
Using the prescribed video and other
forms of multimedia, children are to
compose a collage/poster/information
booklet outlining the major
components of Mayan religion and
All Children can: Recall key facts of
Mayan Religion
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=dSMTdG
qw8Jc
http://info.teachtci.com
/resources/ha/TheMaya
.pdf
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=dSMTdG
qw8Jc
http://info.teachtci.com
how it influenced everyday life.
More capable children may wish to
draw comparisons between the Mayan
religion and another religion of their
choice (past or present).
Mayan gods, the afterlife, sacrifices,
the role of temples, icons etc
10
11
12
6 JUNE
13 JUNE
/resources/ha/TheMaya
.pdf
The end of Mayan
Civilisation
To understand popular
theories on how the Mayan
civilisation came to its end.
Children watch the video and conduct
their own research in addition to the
information covered in class to form
their opinion (which they can support
with evidence) on the Mayan demise.
This can be a written/spoken task
Mayan Achievements
To understand that the Mayan
civilisation is responsible for
numerous factors that
influence modern-day life
Children are to look at the legacy of the All children can: Draw a link between
Mayan civilisation in the fields of
things they Mayans discovered and the use
Science and Technology, The arts and for such discoveries in today’s world.
Languages/Writing. How do these
aspects of Mayan life impact on people
today. What other ancient
developments can they think of that are
still used today?
Particular attention can be given to the
Mayan calendar and if time permits
Mayan prophecies
20 UNE What have we found out
about life in Mayan
civilisation?
Select questions and use
relevant information to
answer them suggest why
they can answer some
questions more fully than
Create a cover for an issue of The
Mayan Monthly to highlight Mayan
civilization. Your cover must include
the following:
• an imaginative subtitle
• visuals of at least three artifacts that
represent Mayan civilization
• brief captions that explain what each
All children can: Support their own ideas
with evidence from researched material.
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=CeMzuR
ETKmA
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=y26PI7Cl
AJY
All children can: Summarise what they
have found out about the Mayan civilisation
http://info.teachtci.com
/resources/ha/TheMaya
.pdf
others
artifact is and what it reveals about
Mayan civilization
• other clever and creative touches
SUMMER HOLIDAY