Strategic
Awareness
Resilience
Curiosity
Brunelli is a unique collection of exciting lesson
ideas, activities and resources designed especially
for teachers wanting their children to become
excited and intrigued by Isambard Kingdom
Brunel and his remarkable achievements.
All of the teaching and learning activities have
been created by Bristol based primary school
teachers who have a shared belief that the best
lessons are those which promote the seven
learning dimensions which are collectively known
as ELLI
Creativity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Learning
Relationships
Over the last several years a number of schools across Bristol have adopted a teaching
and learning model developed by educational researchers from Bristol University. This
model - ELLI , consists of seven learning dimensions which we believe hold the key to the
development of our children as effective or powerful lifelong learners.
Strategic
Awareness
Powerful learners
know what to do next
by having their own
strategies which they
are able to choose
between.
Curiosity
What is
Creativity
Powerful learners love
playing with possibilities
and using their imagination
to solve problems in
different ways.
?
Powerful learners love
asking their own questions
to find out what’s really
going on.
Resilience
Powerful
learners don’t
give up easily
when things
start to get
difficult.
Changing
Powerful learners
understand that
they can become
better learners
over time
Meaning
Making
Powerful learners are great
at being able to connect
what they have learnt from
one lesson to another and to
their lives outside of school
Powerful learners love
sharing their thoughts and
ideas with others and
working well together to
solve problems.
What is ELLI?
Brunelli History lessons
Tracy Hatton and David Millington
Brunelli Geography lessons
David Millington
Brunelli Science and DT lessons
Contributors
Jo Stephens
Brunelli Literacy and Drama lessons
Irene Harrison
Irene Harrison @ Stoke Bishop
Brunelli Numeracy lessons
David Millington @ Westbury Park
Simon Gent
Brunelli Art lessons
Simon Gent @ Christ the King
Tracy Hatton
Brunelli PE lessons
Tracy Hatton @ Victoria Park
Simon Gent
Brunelli Music lessons
Jo Stephens @ Christchurch
David Millington
Brunelli KS1 lessons
LESSONS:
1) Why was Brunel
voted as one of the
greatest Britains ever?
2) How creative a
design was the SS
Great Britain?
3) What was it like
Being a passenger on
board the SS Great
Britain?
4,5) What was it like at
the launch of the SS
Great Britain?
6) What were Brunel’s
learning strengths?
7) Why was Brunel
famous?
8) In what way was
Brunel resilient, when
designing and building
the Clifton Suspension
Bridge?
9) What did Brunel do
for the railways?
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1) Why was Isambard
Kingdom Brunel voted
by the nation to be
one of the greatest
Britain’s ever?
Show photo montage
of Brunel’s
achievements. Ch. to
identify which ones
can be seen in Bristol
and share existing
knowledge/personal
experiences of.
Explain that at the end
of the lesson the ch.
will be hot seated as
Brunel and have to
justify why they (IKB)
should be voted as the
greatest Britain ever.
Ch. to watch video
about IKB exceptional
engineering
achievements
In pairs ch. to list down
as many reasons as
possible for IKB to be
voted the greatest
Britain ever. Ch. to
order reasons in terms
of importance.
Dressed in top hat and tail
coat ch. to take turns being
hot seated as Brunel. (NB)
Encourage questioners to
counter argue to tease out
details about the scale and
inventiveness of Brunel’s
projects.
1) Photo montage
of Brunel’s
achievements
2) Videos BBC
Clarkson’s
Greatest Britains
3) Top hat
2)Were can the
brilliance of Brunel be
found in Bristol?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
WT) Ch to write 3 wonder
questions in books/post-its
relating to one of Brunel’s
Bristol based projects
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1) Why have millions
of pounds been
spent on restoring
the SS Great
Britain?
2) In what way was
the SS Great Britain
different to ships of
its time?
Show photo of SSGB.
Ch to think of 3 things
they already know
about the ship and
share knowledge.
Explain how the
SSGB was designed
in order to complete
Brunel’s vision of
transporting people
from London to New
York by using props
(world map, model of
SSGB, railway tracks)
In pairs, Ch to
investigate a range of
photographs which
show various features
of the ships design
and which have
contributed to the
ships uniqueness. Ch.
to locate each
numbered photo on a
large outline map of
the SSGB and write a
sentence explaining
how they think the
feature contributes to
the ship’s uniqueness.
Reveal what each photo
actually shows and its
historical importance
(answers on back of
photos)
1) SSGB photo
2) SSGB features
photo pack
3) SSGB outline
map
Introduce photo
showing wreck of
SSGB being towed
across Atlantic.
Compare with recent
photo of ship and
discuss TLQ 1
WT) Explain that ch. will
be visiting the SSGB next
week. Ch to write 3
questions about the ship
that they think they’ll be
able to find out the answer
to during the trip
Extension: Ch. to
compare and contrast
the SS Great Britain
with the Matthew and
present ides in own
way (mind map,
similarities/differences
chart)
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resource
s
1) What was it like
being a passenger
on board the SS
Great Britain?
Ch to think/pair and
share 3 questions
about the ship that
they think they’ll be
able to find out the
answer to during the
trip
Trip to SS Great
Britain.
Audio tour of the ship
which gives a
comprehensive
insight into what life
on board the ship
would have been like
for 1st class
passengers, 2nd class
passengers and
steerage.
Museum walk. A
historical timeline of
the ship whereby ch.
get to find out about
the changing roles,
voyages and
difficulties
encountered.
Workshop:
In groups of 5 or 6, ch.
to study a range of
artefacts, diary
extracts and other
primary resources
(Provided by the
SSGB Education
Centre) Using the
clues provided, ch to
build up a character
profile of a passenger
on board the SSGB.
The profile should
include personal
details (age, sex,
occupation, class,
appearance etc)
aswell as any
interesting
experiences or
difficulties the
passenger
encountered.
Ch. to reveal their
passengers in a short
presentation to the class.
1) Organised trip
to the SSGB
2) passenger
artefacts, diaries
and other
primary
resources
2)Were all
passengers treated
the same on board
the SS Great
Britain?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
(NB) Opportunities to
further highlight the
differences between 1st
class passengers, 2nd class
passengers and steerage
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1) What was it like at
the launch of the SS
Great Britain?
Display launch
painting and ask ch.
to list all the different
people who would
have been at the
event (crew, mayor,
Prince Albert,
pickpockets etc)
Explain to ch. that
over the next two
lessons, they will be
planning and writing
an interview for a
radio broadcast on the
launch of the SS
Great Britain.
Activity 1) Having
decided on a person
from the list of whom
they will become in the
interview, ch. to
develop their
character through the
creation of a Launch
passport. The
passport should give
details about their
DOB, occupation and
reasons for being at
the launch
Ch. to share senses mind
maps
1)SSGB launch
painting
2) Launch article
Share reading of
article “The day
Brunel’s great …”
Discuss points of
interest about the
launch day ie The
royal procession, the
royal banquet and
floating the ship out of
the dock. Discuss
who else attended the
launch.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
NB) Encourage ch. to really
develop their branches:
Q)What were people in the
crowd shouting?
A)She’s Magnificent!
B) How can a thing of that
size float?
Activity 2) Children to
mind map through the
senses what it would
have been like to be at
the launch of the SS
Great Britain (Main
branches: feelings,
sights, sounds, smells
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1) What was it like at
the launch of the SS
Great Britain?
Connecting Activity:
Ch to reveal items
from feely bag (cork
screw, iron chain,
flag, screw, lump of
coal,)
Think/pair/share: Ch
to explain what each
object has to do with
the launch of the SS
Great Britain.
Review children’s
mind maps from
previous lesson.
Explain to ch. that
before writing their
launch interviews it is
important to think
about the type of
questions that could
be asked.
Display success
criteria jigsaw for radio
launch interview.
jigsaw: historical facts
about the launch,
sense of timeVictorian era, detailed
answers, interesting
questions,
development of
character, a dusting of
humour)
CC-Literacy
Ch. to construct
senses mind maps to
help in creative writing
of launch interview
radio scripts.
In pairs, ch. to read aloud
radio scripts. Class to
evaluate against success
criteria
1) Feely bag and
objects
2) Success
criteria jigsaw
3) SSGB launch
window,
microphones,
camcorder
Ch. to brainstorm
possible reporter’s
questions
(books/post-its)
Discuss which
questions would
interest a radio
audience.
NB) Using projected image
of the SS Great Britain
launch painting, a GWR
radio station banner and a
microphone, the ch. can
have great fun video
recording their interviews
Ch. to use senses
mind maps to develop
their launch interview
radio scripts
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Have you
had
anything
stolen?
Can you describe
the atmosphere
here in Bristol
today?
Do you feel
the police
have done a
good job
today?
What does it feel
like to be at the
launch of the SS
Great Britain?
Did you manage
to get a glimpse
of Prince
Albert?
What was
the highlight
of your day?
Did you get
a good view
of the ship
as she was
launched
from the
dock?
Do you think the
ship will
encounter any
problems on its
first transatlantic
crossing?
Do you think
the huge
amount of
money
spent on the
ship is
justified?
SUBJECT
HISTORY
Focus
Questions
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1) In what ways did
the seven learning
dimensions lead to
Isambard Kingdom
Brunel’s exceptional
engineering
achievements?
Reintroduce photo
montage of Brunels
achievements. In
pairs ch. to talk for a
minute about one of
his achievements.
Partner to record the
number of facts told
inside that minute
Discuss the fact that
in order to achieve
such incredible things,
Brunel must have had
strengths in some or
all of the learning
dimensions.
Share stories of how
Brunel nearly killed
himself 1)Thames
tunnel incident 2)
swallowed coin 3)
suspension bridge
basket
Ch. to discuss
learning dimensions
used by Brunel
Place seven large
sheets of paper, each
with a different
learning dimension
written in the middle,
around the class.
Display and discuss
learning dimension
evidence sheets
Discuss which of the
dimensions Brunel was
most powerful in?
Class to move freely
from one dimension to
another, recording
examples of when
Brunel demonstrated a
strength in that
dimension
Eg
Creative – the screw
propeller
Meaning Making –
understanding about
the properties of
materials such as iron
WT) If Brunel were alive
today, what three things
would you like to ask him
most?
1) Photo
montage of
Brunel’s
achievements
2) Stories about
Brunel and near
death
experiences
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: History
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
1. What is
Brunel famous
for?
Discuss chn’s
previous
knowledge of
Brunel – make a
class concept
map their ideas.
Explain to the chn that
they are going to look
at a selection of
images of projects
that Brunel designed.
Ask chn to look out for
any works that they
recognise or that they
have seen in Bristol.
Time line group activity - Chn have 3
envelopes per group. One envelope
has a set of dates from Brunel’s life.
One envelope contains pictures of
Brunel’s engineering accomplishments
and the last envelope contains a
paragraph of information about each
picture. Using reference books /
information sheets (SEN) chn to work in
a team to match pictures and
information together and then assemble
each engineering project into date order.
Ask chn to evaluate
how well they felt they
worked as a team
today Q- What aspects
of this task were hard?
Q- How did you
overcome these?
Brunel
Reference
books
Add any new items to
concept map.
This lesson could be delivered through
ICT – chn record in ICT suite the
correct time line of events and
information. Print out and put into
books.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Using IWB, taking
feedback from groups
arrange the events/
projects in date order
on a Brunel Time line.
Brunel Power
point (attached)
Simplified
reference sheet
(attached)
ICT suite where
applicable.
Thumbs up / down
assessment
Q- Do you think you
something that Brunel
is famous for?
Q- Is there anything we
should add to our
Brunel concept map?
Strategic Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: History
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
2. Do you
think Brunel
was a resilient
person?
Refer chn to
concept map that
children helped to
construct last
lesson.
Q- Which of these
can we see in
Bristol?
Q- Have you ever
been to them?
Q- What was it
like?
Q – Have you
been over the
suspension
bridge?
Today we will be
looking at the Clifton
Suspension Bridge –
introduce focus.
Using power point
explain to the chn that
when he was working
on the Thames
Tunnel Brunel
sustained a serious
injury. Whilst
recuperating from this
injury Brunel saw a
competition to design
a bridge to span the
Avon Gorge.
Introduce the story of
the Clifton
Suspension bridge
showing other
competition entries.
Stop your recount at the point that
Thomas Telford’s design won the
competition.
Q- If Brunel’s design lost the
competition, how did his bridge get
built?
Chn work in pairs using reference sheet
/ reference books to complete the
bridge’s history.
1. Researching and answering key q’s
Q- What do you think Brunel would have
thought of his finished bridge?
Q- If Brunel’s design
lost the competition,
how did his bridge get
built?
Q- Do you think Brunel
was a resilient person?
Why?
Images of
suspension
bridge
(attached)
Clifton
Suspension
Bridge
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning making
2. Give chn a poster advertising the
bridge across the Avon Gorge
competition.
3. Design your own competition entry. –
chn have drawing of gorge without
bridge – sketch on their own design.
Changing
Resilience
Ask chn to show and
explain their designs
for a bridge across the
gorge.
Judge which bridge
should win based on
today’s entries and
Brunel’s.
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Other
competition
entries
(attached)
Design bridge
worksheet
(attached)
Reference
books
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: History
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
3. What did
Brunel do for
the railways?
Show chn a small
model train set
and have a chn
push a train
around the track.
Explain that
Brunel used all
the Elli
dimensions in his
engineering. He
had to be creative
when solving lots
of problems.
Split the track in 2
and say that there
is now a river
between the 2
tracks.
Q- How can the train
get from one side to
the other?
What if there was a
large hill between the
2 tracks that the train
cannot go up?
Explain to the chn that Brunel is
responsible for a piece of engineering at
each of the numbered places.
They will be working in a group research
one of the points. They will be given
images, information sheets, books and
will be expected to give a short
presentation about their site to the class
in 20 minutes.
Chn present their
research into each site.
Map of Brunel’s
GWR
(attached)
Explain that in the plenary each group
will present their findings to the class.
When listening everyone will need to
label their GWR map with each site.
OPTIONAL Final assessment –
give chn a blank Brunel
concept map. Ask
them to complete it with
as much information as
they can remember
about Brunel and his
achievements.
ELLI
Curiosity
Show map of Brunel’s
GWR with numbered
key points of
reference.
Q- What does this
map show?
Q- How do you think
this is related to
Brunel?
Meaning making
Changing
Resilience
Chn complete their
Brunel GWR site map.
Q- What did Brunel do
for our railway system?
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Small model
train track.
Blank Brunel
Concept map
(attached)
Images
(attached)
Information
sheets
(attached)
Sugar paper +
marker pens.
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 1
Brunel Concept Map
Lesson 1
Images for envelopes
Lesson 1
Images for envelopes
Lesson 1
Images for envelope
Lesson 1
Information for envelopes:
Temple Meads train station - Bristol Temple Meads, opened in 1840 for
journeys to Bath. Through trains to London started running on 30 June
1841
SS Great Britain -Brunel also designed three great ships, each the
largest of its age, the Great Western, the Great Britain and the Great
Eastern. The second of these was begun in 1839 and launched in 1843
finally entering service in 1846. It had a chequered career ending as a
floating warehouse in the Falkland Islands where she was finally beached
in 1937. She has now been restored and can be seen at Bristol Docks.
Clifton Suspension bridge – Brunel enters a competition to build a
bridge over the Avon gorge at Clifton. Brunel wins the competition in1830
but due to local civil unrest the construction was delayed for five years
only to be abandoned again due to lack of funds. The bridge was
eventually completed in 1864, after Brunel's death,
Lesson 1
Information for envelopes
Paddington train station -In March 1833 Brunel was appointed
engineer to the Great Western Railway. Plans were completed by
March 1834. It then took another two years to go through
Parliament. The first section from Paddington to Maidenhead was
opened on 4 June1838.
SS Great Eastern - The SS Great Eastern was conceived as the
biggest steamship yet to be built, one that would be capable of
carrying 4,000 passengers at a time on a non-stop trip to Australia.
The ship, originally called Leviathan, was to be nearly
700ft/213.36m long, six times the size of the largest ship built to
date. Brunel designed her to be unsinkable, extending the
watertight double plating to five ft/1.5m above the ship’s deepest
load line.
Royal Albert Bridge - One of Brunel's most dramatic technical
achievements is the Royal Albert Bridge over the River Tamar at
Saltash in Cornwall. Begun in 1854, the two 465 foot cast iron
spans were hoisted into position in September 1856 and July 1858
and the bridge was opened by the Prince Consort in May 1859.
Lesson 1
Dates for envelopes
Lesson 2
Here are some other
entries to the
competition to design a
bridge to span the Avon
Gorge.
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
Focus: Do you think Brunel was a resilient man?
Working in pairs, use the information
books and reference sheets provided to
help you answer the following questions.
Q1 - If Brunel’s design lost the competition, how did his bridge get built?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Q2 – The Bridge was started in 1831 but was brought to an abrupt stop by what
? _______________________________________________________
Q3 – Did Brunel see his completed Bridge ? yes / no
Q4 – Where did the chains for the Clifton Suspension Bridge come from?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Q5 – When was the Clifton Suspension Bridge completed? ___________
Q6 - What do you think Brunel would have thought of his finished bridge?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________
The idea of building a bridge across the Avon Gorge originated in 1754, with a
bequest in the will of Bristolian merchant William Vick, who left £1,000
invested with instructions that when the interest had accumulated to £10,000
it should be used for the purpose of building a stone bridge between Clifton
Down (which was in Gloucestershire, outside the City of Bristol, until the
1830s) and Leigh Woods (then in Somerset), both of which were barely
populated at the time.
In 1829 a competition was held to find a design for the bridge. The judge,
Thomas Telford, rejected all designs and tried to insist on a hugely expensive
design of his own.
Lesson 2
Focus : Can you design an alternative Bridge to span the Avon Gorge?
Name: _______________________
In 1829 Brunel entered a
competition to design a
bridge to span the Avon
Gorge.
Imagine that you were
alive in 1829, can you
design a bridge to rival
Brunel’s ?
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Focus: What are these Brunel GWR landmarks?
Thames
Tunnel
Paddington Station
Royal Albert Bridge
Temple Meads
Box Tunnel
Maidenhead Bridge
LESSONS:
1) What geographical obstacles did
Brunel have to overcome to fulfil his
vision of luxurious travel from London
to New York?
2) Where in the world did the SS Great
Britain sail?
3) What major changes have taken place
in Bristol since the death of Brunel?
SUBJECT: Geography
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
What
geographical
obstacles did
Brunel have to
overcome to
fulfil his vision
of luxurious
travel from
London to
New York?
Children to
Think/Pair/Share
How did people
travel long
distances before
the arrival of the
railways and
steamships?
Visually recreate using
photographs, maps and
models the journey that
Brunel wanted his
passengers to take from
London Paddington to
Bristol temple Meads on
his wide gage track,
stopping at the Great
Western Hotel overnight
before embarking on a
transatlantic crossing
aboard the SS Great
Britain.
Children to study carefully the pictures
locations and explanations of key Brunel
landmarks along the route from
Paddington to New York.
Ch. to join up with a
different pair to
compare maps and
discuss their accuracy.
Working in pairs,Ch. to locate
landmarks and plot route as accurately
as possible with place names on a blank
outline map of the UK and North
America using their atlas skills.
Ch. self asses their
own learning in the
lesson with particular
reference to the
resilience learning
dimensions and their
own ways of
overcoming any
problems they had.
Photographs,
maps and
models to
recreate
journey
(unattached)
Discuss human and
physical geographical
problems Brunel
would need to
overcome. Share
stories about the Box
Tunnel and difficulties
encountered
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Photograph and
information on
the Box Tunnel
(attached)
Atlases
Blank outline
map of the UK
and North
America
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Geography
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
Where in the
world did the
SS Great
Britain sail?
Finger facts
In pairs, ch. to link
fingers each time
they can agree on
a really interesting
fact about the SS
Great Britain
Introduce the time line
and accompanying
photographs of the
important events and
voyages which took
place during the the
life of the SS Great
Britain. At each stage,
children could quickly
write down any
feelings they may
have about the
voyage/event –
imagining they were
Brunel.
Ch. to study carefully individual copies
of the time line and highlight places of
departure and arrival
Ch. to join up with a
different pair to compare
maps and discuss their
accuracy.
Timeline of the
SS Great
Britain and
photographs
Wonder Time: Ch to
record 3 wonder
questions about any
aspect of the voyages
and places the SS Great
Britain visited.
Atlases
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning making
Using atlases, ch. to locate the
different ports and places from were
the ship departed and arrived and plot
the routes of the voyages, ports and
places on a blank outline map of the
world. Using information from the
timeline, a key can be included which
explains why each voyage was made.
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Blank outline
map of the
world
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Geography
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
What major
changes have
taken place in
Bristol since
the death of
Brunel?
Spot the
difference
Ch. to compare
and contrast two
photographs of
Bristol – 2006 and
1859, and identify
as many
differences as
they can in 5
minutes. Ch. to
share differences
with class
Leading on from
connecting activity,
show children two
maps of Bristol -2006
and 1859. Discuss
major geographical
changes: Urban
growth, road network,
services etc.
Explain to children
that if you were a
tourist in Bristol now
your tour around the
city would be very
different to a tour in
Victorian times.
However, in both
times you would
expect to visit
Brunel’s exciting
landmarks.
In this activity the children will imagine
that they are working for The Bristol
Tourist Board and have been asked to
design a a travel map for tourists
wanting to take a tour of Brunel’s
famous landmarks.
Ch. to talk through maps
as if they were working
in a Tourist Information
Centre to a customer
Bristol 2006
and 1859
photographs
and maps
Which is the
best city route
to take to see
Brunel’s
landmarks?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning making
Using the maps of Bristol to assist, the
children can choose to create a map
for either the modern or the Victorian
tourist.
Customer may ask
questions about any of
the Brunel landmarks
Maps should include:
• All key Brunel landmarks
•Other key landmarks as points of
reference
•Main roads (names or numbers)
•Any additional tourist attractions
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
LESSONS:
1)What forces need
to be considered in
bridge design?
2) Can you build a
bridge with only
these resources?
3) Are you able to
design a bridge
using engineering
4) Can you design a
principles?
gadget to perform a
specialist task?
5) How would you
solve a modern day
transport problem if
you were Brunel?
6)How could the
principles of a
steam engine be
used to make your
life easier?
6)How could the
principles of a
steam engine be
used to make your
life easier?
7) In what ways are
gears crucial to our
transport network?
8) Can you design a
workable model
propeller?
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
What forces need to
be considered in
bridge design?
Show a clip of ‘What the
Victorians did for us’ which
demonstrates the forces of
a suspension bridge using
people.
You could then go on to
replicate this clip as a gym
demonstration if you carry
out a risk assessment first:
The 2 pillar children hold
onto a rope at either end
which is well-secured into
the ground. Another rope is
used to span the distance
between them. Another
child is then used as a load
on the bridge by sitting on
the rope spanning between
the two pillar children. The
‘pillar’ children should be
able to experience the
compressive force
pushing them down.
Contrast with what happens
if the pillars are not
connected to the anchored
ropes (they’ll start to
collapse in on each other).
*Health and safety
consideration* make sure
the load is light and ensure
that the ropes either end
are firmly secured to the
ground.
Web-based demo
www.constructionawar
ds.org.uk
KS2 Activity 6 – the
force a load exerts on
a bridge IWB demo
Using the following
website:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/bu
ildingbig/lab/forces.ht
ml
Demonstrate the
forces of:
compression
(squeezing), tension
(stretching), bending,
shearing (sliding),
torsion (twisting)
Children to
experiment with
building materials
such as lego,
mechano, art straws,
balsa wood, natural
materials from the
school grounds etc.
Drill key vocabulary of
the different forces.
Where else do you
see these forces at
work in daily life?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Resources
Assessment
IWB
Web access
Construction materials
Digital camera
3 ropes (2 of which
are securely fastened
into the ground)
As a group identify the
different forces
discussed in action –
what are the
consequences of
these forces?
Storyboard in a digital
photo sequence to
display on wall for
reference to during
subsequent science
work.
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Learning
Creativity
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Can you build a bridge
that holds 100
pennies, using one
sheet of paper and up
to five paper clips?
Look at bridge designs
– what are the
fundamentals? How
have the bridges been
strengthened?
Discuss ways of
strengthening and
reinforcing the paper,
e.g. fold the paper
(like an accordion),
roll the paper, or cut
and weave the paper.
Take suggestions for
other ways.
The bridge must span
20cm; each end will
rest on a book and
cannot be taped or
attached in any way.
Work in pairs to
complete the tasks.
Have a class
showcase of the most
successful bridges.
Elicit what features
made it a success.
What other variables
may have impacted
upon the success of a
certain design (e.g.
how many times
paper re-folded / way
and location in which
pennies were
positioned)? How
could we re-test the
designs under ‘fair
test’ conditions? If
time, the test could be
repeated – account for
any differences on the
results.
[Adapted from
http://newsweaver.co.
uk/teachersnetwork/e
_article000492812.cf
m?x=b11,0,w#_4)_De
sign_your ]
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Resources
Assessment
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
100 + pennies
Paper clips
A4 paper
Books
Ruler
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Are you able to design
a bridge using
engineering principles
and a bridge building
design package?
Look at images of
some of Brunel’s
bridges – the Clifton
Suspension Bridge
and the Royal Albert
Bridge (re: Brunel
Information
PowerPoint ). What
patterns can you see
in the construction?
What materials have
been used? Ask for
each group to record a
question on a post-it
note re: if they could
ask the photo a
question what would it
be?
Recap forces work
and re-visit the
website below to look
at the advantages /
disadvantages of
different materials and
shapes.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/bu
ildingbig/lab/materials.
html
Downloadable
programme from the
web and runs without
internet access.
Children attempt the
challenge in 2’s or 3’s.
Discuss clear need for
‘stickability’ at regular
points in the activity.
How successful were
you? At each stage
when the design was
tested and evaluated
what did you learn?
How helpful was this
evaluation process to
your learning? Did you
learn something even
if you didn’t complete
the contest? What
other lessons in life
are like this? What
would you do
differently next time?
ELLI
Curiosity
Work through the
introductory
information of the
West Point Bridge
contest.
http://bridgecontest.us
ma.edu/download.htm
What learning from
this week will help us
to tackle this problem?
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Resources
Assessment
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Computers 1:2
Photos
Web link
Display posters if
available
Brunel Information
PowerPoint
N.B. THIS ACITIVITY
LINKS TO BRUNELLI
HISTORY LESSON 2
AND COULD BE
USED TO LEAD INTO
THE BRISTOL
UNIVERSITY
BRIDGE
CHALLENGE.
http://research.cen.bri
s.ac.uk/cc06/resource
s/primaryschoolsbriefp
ack.pdf
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
What mechanism
would you design to
perform an everyday
task?
What does
engineering mean to
you? What recent
inventions have there
been in the news
recently? – consider
what engineering
principles they have
used. Why do people
invent – what is their
motivation?
Watch a clip from a
Wallace and Gromit
DVD or view a invention
from the website:
www.wallaceandgromit.c
om
With talk partners
discuss what everyday
tasks would they like to
have automated. Mime
to the class for them to
guess –guessing should
help the children to think
of links with existing
products and to analyse
the type of movement
made – what
mechanisms can imitate
that?
In pairs or groups
children decide on the
task their mechanism
will be for.
With-in the groups
children compare their
plans – which one do
they think would be
most effective? Why?
[Alternatively:
1) children could
design a gadget to
perform a specialist
function – e.g. for
fictional characters in
the Alex Rider series
by Anthony Horowitz
2) children could
design and make an
alternative, innovative
use for Brunel’s
stovepipe hat, re:
www.brunel200.com
for information on this
competition]
ELLI
Curiosity
Share some examples of
technical drawing and
demonstrate the skills of
measuring / scale /
proportion…
Meaning
Making
Changing
Assessment
Children mind-map
potential solutions /
resources and carry
out research to add to
this.
Once ideas have been
collated children need
to agree on a potential
design to take
forward.
Individually, they take
this idea and draw
designs with their own
slant.
Resilience
Resources
As a whole class
discuss how different
people take an initial
idea and develop it in
different ways. Are
any right / or wrong?
Would the product be
more successful if
elements of each
were integrated
together? Why / why
not?
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Wallace and Gromit
DVD / website
Examples of technical
drawings
N.B. If you wanted to
broaden this lesson
focus you could look
at the Great Victorian
Achievements
animation at:
www.bbc.co.uk/history
/society_culture/societ
y/launch_ani_victorian
_achieve.shtml
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
How would you solve
a modern-day
transport issue if you
were Brunel?
What could be
improved about the
transport system in
Britain / Bristol?
Consider both public
transport and private
transport with its
related issue of
parking, pollution and
congestion. What
would you like to be
able to achieve on
transport / what
places should be
accessible? Children
to come up with
ideals. Teacher to
model how to phrase
ideas as though part
of a manifesto /
proposal to send to
investors. What
persuasive devices
would Brunel have
had to use?
Introduce problem for
which solutions are to
be mooted. e.g.
Bristol’s traffic
problems – ‘What
would you design if
you were Brunel?’ /
How could you get
across the gorge if the
bridge wasn’t there? /
Rolls Royce
competition – design a
means to cross the
Atlantic Ocean.
Team-based
approach to the issue
collectively decided
upon by the class.
What might a
passenger terminal
look alike for a
futuristic mode of
transport? What key
elements would be the
same as Brunel’s
time? What would be
different? Why?
Consider technology
but also the social
context of aesthetics
etc.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Assessment
Produce an A3 poster
illustrating their
designs. Discuss the
need for clear
explanations so that
others could work
from your plans.
Create a class display
for children to
circulate around and
make constructive
comments on post-it
notes. Children then
return to their design
and make
adjustments as
advised / clarify any
issues which others
were not sure of.
Resilience
Resources
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
A3 paper
Post-it notes
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
How could the
principles of a steam
engine be usefully
employed today?
Robert Stephenson
(best steam
locomotive designer in
Britain at the time with
‘The Rocket’) – what
was his role in the
Victorian times and
how was it informed /
competed with /
duplicated by Brunel’s
work?
Look at demonstration
of how a steam engine
works:
http://travel.howstuffw
orks.com/steam1.htm
‘How do steam
engines work? Fire
heats the water, the
water turns to steam,
the steam pushes the
piston and that motion
is converted into the
required movement like turning a wheel.
Did you know that
steam power is not
dead? Today 80 per
cent of our electricity
is generated by steam
turbines. ‘ [taken from
www.thinktank.ac]
A simple diagram of a
turbine is available at:
http://www.txucorp.co
m/responsibility/educa
tion/generation/steam.
aspx
Discuss the function
of a turbine further
and consider new and
original ways of using
turbines to power
objects / transport.
Watch each groups
adverts and discuss
which ideas are
already in use and
what would still need
to be tested? How
valid an idea is it 
what process would
need to be gone
through to ascertain
this?
Turbine demo clips
Diagram of turbine
Projector
Web access
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Children are to
discuss their ideas
and record on
whiteboards as they
work. Every few
minutes have a 30second feedback
session to share ideas
along the way and
help them to become
more fully developed.
Set up a group project
- to design a TV
advert for the steam
turbine – ‘20 things
you could do with a
steam turbine!’
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
In what ways are
gears crucial to our
transport network?
What is a gear?
Which of Brunel’s
designs would have
used gears? Elicit
suggestions by
playing pictionary with
the class, a child who
knows a use comes
up and draws it for the
class to guess. This
should allow other
uses to be considered.
Record all the
suggestions and work
through the role of
gears on each. How
are gears still used
today – think of
common vocabulary,
e.g. in the car / on a
bike.
As a class work way
through the Gears file
on http://www.ngflcymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/
dandt/s_smith_isf/inde
x.htm
Encourage children to
ask questions, relate
to real life examples
and support one
another with
understanding.
To create an instant
display get children to
draw and cut out a
simple gear or gear
train, on which they
write a use for it. Link
different children’s
gears up together to
demonstrate how if we
all work together we
can get a greater end
result.
How many gears are
in action in our class
at the moment? Which
could be replaced by
other mechanisms /
power sources?
Encourage children to
give examples.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Resources
Assessment
Card with gear
outlines on
IWB
Web access
Lego gears
Children could go on
to experiment with
Lego gears.
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Science / D.T.
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Can you design a
workable model
propeller?
[Material adapted from
Rolls Royce Brunel
200 pack]
What links Brunel and
the propeller? The
steam ship SS Great
Britain was the first
ship to have an iron
hull and employ screw
propellers 
prompted a new era of
ship design and
propulsion.
A history of Brunel’s
ships is available at:
http://www.nmm.ac.uk
/server/show/conWeb
Doc.146
Propeller: Blades
mounted at the back of a
ship underneath the
water which drive an
engine powered ship
forward.
A very basic definition
and diagram available at
http://www.thefreediction
ary.com/propeller
Demonstrate the
principle of propulsion
through a clip of a
hovercraft (air
propulsion)
http://www.isleofwightuk.
co.uk/Isle%20of%20Wig
ht%20Video%20Clips/pa
ge8a.html
‘Scrapheap challenge’
type activity where the
children use recycled
materials to create a
simple propeller to
push air or water.
Consider the choice of
objects and their
material properties
(why were they used
for their previous
function? e.g. crisp
packet / plastic bottle
etc.  How will they
be useful to your
propeller design?)
Could go on to discuss/
investigate wind/tidal
turbines which are
propellers in reverse
(used to generate
electricity).
Consider health and
safety issues and the
tools available to
complete the project.
What is the role of
testing? Why would
Brunel have done it
and why do we
continue to do it in our
science lessons? Can
the children give
examples of when
Brunel had to test and
re-test. What ELLI skill
does this
demonstrate?
Can they think of any
times when more tests
would potentially have
been useful?
The future of marine
propulsion?
http://www.sciencene
wsforkids.org/articles/
20040915/Feature1.as
p
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Resources
Assessment
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Electricity kits for
children interested in
an electric motor
Recycled materials
Picture of propeller
Rolls Royce pack for
reference
Glue
Scissors
Learning
Relationships
LESSONS:
1a) What would you like
to find out from Brunel
about his life and work?
1b) How can we write a
biographical account of
the life and work of
Brunel?
2) How can I writing a
diary entry about my
experiences on board
the SS Great Britain?
3a,b) How will we
produce a radio
interview to inform
people in Bristol what is
like travelling on the SS
Great Britain?
4) How can we create a
persuasive
advertisement for the
5)at would it have been
GWR or the SS Great
like taking part in the
Britain?
construction of the
Clifton Suspension
Bridge?
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
BIOGRAPHY OF
BRUNEL
•What do you know
about Brunel’s
inventions?
DAY 1/2
Connecting
Activity
• discuss with chn.
why Brunel’s work
had such an impact
on society
(travel, engineering
etc)
1HOUR
ELLI
Curiosity
Lesson 1a
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
• discus the features
of biography
• watch video/clips on
the life of Brunel
• brainstorm, as a
class, questions
which they could use
to develop a profile
of Brunel. (birth,
death, nationality,
family, education,
achievevements etc)
• working in pairs
prepare questions to
be posed to Brunel
• share a selection of
questions with the
class
• assess whether or
not thy have enough
coverage in their
questions
Espresso
Brunel PowerPoint
presentation
(see previous slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 1b
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
BIOGRAPHY OF
BRUNEL
•What do you know
about Brunel’s
inventions?
• resume of
yesterday's
work on the features
of biography
• discuss sources of
information
• Relate to History –
primary
secondary
biased
unbiased etc
• explain to chn that
they are going to
interview an expert –
Brunel himself
• explain that they
must be quite explicit
about what they want
to know
• discuss the need for
their notes to be
clear and logical so
that they can use
them for their
biographies
• an “expert” dressed
as Brunel and taking
on his persona will
(could be child/adult)
be in the hot seat
• Chn. will pose
questions, collecting
information and
evidence for their
biographical account
• chn will produce a
biographical account
of Brunel
• Chn will share parts
of their accounts with
the class
• accounts will be
made into a book
which can then be
as a resource
• chn. To assess
whether or not thy
have included all the
required features of a
biographical account
and how they could
improve their work
Espresso
Brunel PowerPoint
presentation
(see previous slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
DAY2/2
1HOUR
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 2
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
DIARY EXTRACT
Why might the people
who travelled on the
SS. Great Britain
journey want to keep a
record of their
journey?
• a record of events
(History)
• a study of people’s
behaviour (Social
Science)
• an account of
• wildlife/environment
(Geography)
• a personal reminder
• Read together the
diary extract of
Louise Bucha aged n
14 fro her voyage on
the SS Gt. Britain
from Adelaide to
Liverpool
• Discuss with chn.the
features of a diary
• Model a diary entry
of young
seaman/captain/a
first class passenger
• allocate roles to chn
and explain to them
that they have to
assume the
personality of their
character
• chn. to compose a
diary entry which
was written on the
very first journey that
the SS Gt. Britain
ever made
• make booklets into
which the entries can
be inserted
• chn. Share their
diary entries with the
class and chn. have
to guess in which role
each child has written
• Diary extract from
“ The Great Reading
Adventure”
• 8 page booklet made
from A4 sized paper
1 HOUR
1/1
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
• each child to assess
their own entry and
to make notes about
how they could
improve their work
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 3a
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
RADIO INTERVIEW
• the incentive to
invent the radio
(history/technology)
• discuss with class
the different
categories of
people who it would
be useful to
interview
• generate a list
• in groups chn. to
assign rolesscript writers,
interview, captain,
Ist class passenger,
steerage passenger,
crew member, cook
etc
• chn. report back to
the class how they
have allocated the
work and what props
and equipment they
will need
Espresso
Brunel PowerPoint
presentation
(see previous slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
Local radio ???
What would be a good
way of allowing
people in Bristol to
find out first hand what
was happening on a
journey aboard the SS
GT Britain?
(Radio, letters,
telegrams)
chn. assess how well
they have worked
together
1HOUR
DAY 1/2
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 3b
SUBJECT: Literacy
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
RADIO INTERVIEW
• the incentive to
invent the radio
(history/technology)
• possibly involve local
radio as experts or to
broadcast the best
interviews
•See Day 1
• chn. Work
collaboratively on
their assigned roles
and rehearse their
interviews
• Chn. Perform their
radio interviews to
the class
• class rate the
performances
Espresso
Brunel Powerpoint
presentation
(see previous slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
Local radio ???
What would make a
good radio
interview?
Discuss variety of
interviewees,
language etc (painting
pictures with words)
1 HOUR
Day 2/2
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 4
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
ADVERTISEMENT
The impact of
advertising on society
• show children a
variety of modern
advertisements
• discuss the features
of the
advertisements
• show children
advertisements from
the time of Brunel
• model an
advertisement for a
trip from Bristol to
London
• working in a group
(4), chn. to divide up
the task of creating
an advertisement
• use a variety of
media eg television,
radio, newspaper,
cinema
• chn. create an
advertisement
• chn. Present their
advertisements to
the class
Espresso
Brunel PowerPoint
presentation
(see previous slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
London – Bristol
London – New York
Why would it be
important to advertise
the railway and the SS
Great Britain?
1 HOUR
1/1
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
• chn assess the
power of their
advertisement – have
they managed to
persuade each other
that they are selling a
good product?
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 5
SUBJECT: Literacy KS2
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
DRAMA -a scene
from the building of
the Suspension Bridge
Comparing Victorian
working conditions
with today's
• discuss with the
class the dangers of
such a project at that
time and today
• discuss that
nowadays there are
very strict Health and
Safety guidelines
• discuss the fact that
Brunel never got to
see his project
completed
• discuss the sense in
building a bridge that
was not going any
where
• in groups chn.
create short
scenario of workers
on the site of the
bridge
• chn. Decide if they
are going to need
dialogue or if they are
going to create a
mime
• chn. Rehearse their
drama
• perform to the class
• chn. Assess each
others drama and
critically review
Espresso
Brunel PowerPoint
presentation
(see previous
slides)
Brunel 200.com.uk
What would it have
been like to work on
the building of the
bridge?
• conditions
• different types of
work
• moral
• excitement
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
LESSONS:
1) How much money does the
suspension bridge make each
year?
2) Has every problem got at
least one solution?
3) The train routes
investigation
4) Brunel vocabulary/value
investigation
SUBJECT - Numeracy
Focus
Question
Mental Maths
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
How much money
does the suspension
bridge make each
year?
Ask children to
estimate certain
things.
Discuss how Brunel’s
design won a
competition.
What do you think are
the difficulties in
building a bridge over
a gorge?
Show children photo
of Clifton suspension
bridge.
Can they estimate:
How wide is it?
How tall is it?
How many cars would
travel over it on a
minute, an hour, a
day, a year?
At 30p per car how
much money do you
think is made by the
bridge each hour, day
etc.?
What answers did the
children get?
Check that children
understand that as the
time period increases
so does the amount of
cars and money.
If the suspension
bridge makes the
amount of money
said, is it all profit?
What costs would
have to be taken
away?
Children to suggest
ideas
(Staff, light bulbs,
electricity etc.)
You can find many
images of Clifton
Suspension Bridge on
the Internet.
e.g. how long it takes
to do certain things
(Count to 100, say the
alphabet backwards,
etc.)
How many times you
can do an activity
within a certain time.
e.g. write your name
down in a minute.
When building the
bridge, at first people
travelled across the
gorge in a basket
attached to a wire.
(Brunel was the first to
go across!)
Pose problems.
Children need to
make links between
different time
relationships.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
How could we find out
what the actual
answers are? – Phone
the bridge etc.
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT - Numeracy
Focus
Question
Mental Maths
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
Has every problem
got at least one
solution?
Discuss with children
how units of
measurement have
changed over history.
Brainstorm some units
with the children.
Tell children that 1inch
is approx 2.5cm.
How long in cm would
5 inches be? Etc.
Tell children that an
ounce is approx 28g.
In g what is 2, 4, 5 ,
2½ ounces worth?
Discuss with children
some sources of
energy in Victorian
times.
When electricity, gas
and water eventually
needed to be supplied
to every house they
needed to install
pipes.
Show layout on board.
houses
Children to explore
Energy sources
investigation.
Is it possible to
connect Gas, water
and electricity to all 3
of the houses without
any pipes crossing
over?
Take feedback from
children on the
investigation.
Metric to Imperial
conversion rates
available at
If we carried on trying
would we find a
solution?
http://convert.frenchproperty.co.uk/
Pose the problem
After about 10 mins
ask what might help
the investigation.
Suggest moving the
houses and energy
sources about in a
different layout.
What skills will help us
solve this
investigation?
Why not see if
working with a partner
helps?
G
Repeat with other
conversions
appropriate to age and
ability of children.
e.g. 1 pint is approx ½
a litre.
ELLI
Curiosity
Reinforce the idea that
some investigations
cannot be solved.
However it took
resilience to carry on
trying and the answer
that it wasn’t possible
is acceptable.
Meaning
Making
W
E
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT - Numeracy
Focus
Question
Mental Maths
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
What do you think
were the top 3 modes
of transport in the
times of Brunel?
Discuss how Brunel
worked in many
different countries
around the world. He
built railways in
Australia and Italy and
had ships sailing to
New York.
Use time zone map
(on IWB or paper
copy) to discuss
differences in time
between these places.
Start by looking at
Brunel’s greatest feats.
Refer to Great
Western Railway and
how trains were a
popular way of
travelling – no cars.
Train Routes
investigation.
Give the children the
Worksheet.
How many different
routes can be taken
on a round trip from
Bristol? (you can only
visit each location
once!)
Get children to check
their answer in pairs
(with a child from
another table).
If their answers are
different, why are they
different?
Download FREE Time
zone software from,
http://www.greyolltwit.c
om/wtime.html
If it is 3pm in London,
what time is it in New
York etc.?
(for younger children
or less able limit it to a
couple of locations.
For these children it is
also better to compare
locations with London
times)
ELLI
Curiosity
Pose the Train Routes
investigation.
Who is right?
What information do
we need to help us?
What is the cheapest
fare for the round
trip?
What skills do we need
to have as learners to
help us complete this
investigation?
What is the most
expensive fare for the
round trip?
Take feedback from
whole class and share
findings.
(Differentiation
possible by reducing
the amount of
locations on the map)
Ask children to
answer focus
question. Ask them to
reason their answers
and the order given.
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
Newcastle
Birmingham
Nottingham
Six cities are connected by train routes.
Bristol
The train goes from Bristol back to Bristol.
Exeter
London
It visits each of the other cities once.
How many different possible train routes
are there?
This table shows the train fare for each direct route. Bristol to London is the
same fare as London to Bristol and so on.
Newcastle to
Nottingham
Nottingham
to London
London to
Exeter
Exeter to
Bristol
Bristol to
Birmingham
Birmingham
to Newcastle
Nottingham
to Exeter
Birmingham
to
Nottingham
Birmingham
to London
London to
Bristol
£4
£3
£4
£5
£3
£4
£6
£5
£7
£5
Which round trip from Bristol to Bristol is the cheapest/most
expensive?
SUBJECT - Numeracy
Focus
Question
Mental Maths
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
Which letter appears
most frequently in any
words linked to
Brunel?
Look at a Timeline
about significant dates
in Brunel’s lifetime.
Give children alpha
code.
A=£1, B=£2, C=£3…..
Get children to
mindmap/brainstorm
as many words that
they can link to Brunel
as they can think of?
Is there anyway of
being able to predict
which words are worth
the most/least?
-By seeing if the
majority of letters are
near the
end/beginning of the
alphabet.
Alpha code cards (to
save children time
writing this out,
however with younger
children you might
want them to write it!)
What age was he
when he…..?
How long before he
died did he….?
What is the difference
in time between …..
And …..?
(For older or more
able children you
might want to explore
proportions of his
lifetime??)
ELLI
Curiosity
You can find the value
of a word by adding
up the value of each
letter. What is the
value of their own
name?
Simon =
19+9+13+15+14.
From Brunel’s 3
names, which one has
the highest value/least
value?
Isambard?
Kingdom?
Brunel?
Meaning
Making
Changing
Ask children to see if
they can suggest
questions that they
would like to find an
answer to using the
alpha code.
Which word to do with
Brunel is worth £77?
-Engineer
-Which locality that we
know Brunel went to is
worth the most/least?
Etc.
Resilience
Give the children 2
words. Without
working it out can
children predict which
one is worth the
most? Check it.
Are longer words
always worth more
than shorter words?
Ask children to give
examples to support
their answers.
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Differentiation
You might ask more
able to try to calculate
all of the answers
mentally.
Less able children or
younger children may
need to use
Calculators
Learning
Relationships
LESSONS:
1)How can I draw a portrait of
Brunel?
2) How will I design the
missing stamp for the Brunel
2000
2) How will we create a
collaborative collage that
depicts one or more of
Brunel’s famous landmarks?
SUBJECT: ART
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
1. Can I draw a
portrait of
Brunel?
Show chn picture
slide of Brunel.
Q- Who is this?
Q- Why is this
person famous?
Demonstrate how to
sketch dimensions of
a human face. Model
how to build up
picture and how to do
shading.
Chn to produce a portrait of IBK using
their choice of drawing material.
Make frames out of
gold / silver paper to
frame Brunel portraits.
Drawing
resources –
pencil,
charcoal,
pastels.
Show chn the
stamp collection
issued to
commemorate
Brunel 200.
Discuss what
each stamp
shows.
Explain to chn that
when these stamps
were unveiled some
people in Bristol were
upset by the absence
of the SS Great
Britain.
Chn to design the missing SS Great
Britain stamp from the Brunel 200
stamp collection. Chn can work
individually, in pairs or in a small group
to design and draw their stamp.
If chn have particular desire to design a
different Brunel stamp allow this
Chn to rotate around
the classroom
reviewing and
appraising each others
work.
Show slides of
SS Great Britain,
Temple Meads,
Suspension
Bridge. Q- What
can you tell me
about these
structures?
Explain to the chn
that today they will be
working in groups to
make 3 different
collages of local
Brunel projects.
Chn choose which collage they would
like to design and work on:
SS Great Britain
Temple Meads
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Take collages to hall to
mount on a hall
display. Have chn
design how they would
like their work
displayed.
2. Can I design
the missing
stamp for the
commemorative
stamp
collection?
3. Can we work
together to
make a collage
of a famous
Brunel
landmark?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
EXTENSION – Brunel colouring
activity.
Changing
Resilience
Make a Brunel portrait
gallery in the class
room.
Stamps slide
A4 paper
Have work mounted
and displayed in class.
Strategic Awareness
Creativity
Collage
materials
Large sheets of
paper.
Learning
Relationships
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
Lesson 2
Lesson 2 / 3
Lesson 3
Images of Temple Meads
Lesson 3
LESSONS:
1)How can we perform a
sea shanty?
SUBJECT: Music
Focus
Question
Connecting
Activity
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary/
Assessment
Resources
How can we
perform a sea
shanty?
Play recording of
“What shall we do
with the drunken
sailor?”
Children to sing
along. Discuss
vocab: scupper,
bowline, hoist and
brig. Children to
consider who the
lyrics were written
and sung by
Leading on from
connecting activity,
explain that the song
is a sea shanty which
were sung by sailors
on ships like the SS
Great Britain and
earlier sail ships.
Explain that they were
working songs and
were sung with a very
strong rhythmical
beat.
Play recording of “The
Fire Down Below”
Explain that this is a
capston shanty and
show picture of
capston being turned
to raise anchor.
Ch. to sing lyrics
Allocate each group of 5 or 6 a sea
shanty
Ch. to perform sea
shanties to whole class
and record.
Ch. to listen to
recordings and
evaluate with two stars
and a wish according to
success criteria.
Children to reflect on
their learning
relationships within the
group
Websites:
www.contempla
tor.com
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning making
Ch. to familiarise themselves with
shanties by reading through lyrics
Ch. to plan a performance of their sea
shanty and rehearse
Each performance must include miming
of jobs the sailors will be doing on
board the SS Great Britain, a strong
rhythmic pulse using body or other
untuned percussion and of course
confidently sung or chanted lyrics
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Untuned
percussion
Photograph of
capston being
turned
Learning
Relationships
1) Why did Brunel
design and make
bridges?
2) Why was Brunel so
successful in what he
did?
3) How could you change the
design of the Clifton
Suspension Bridge?
3) How could you change the
design of the Clifton
Suspension Bridge?
4) What shapes did Brunel
use in the construction of
his designs?
5) What do the photos
tell us about the time
Brunel lived in?
SUBJECT: DT
Focus
Question
ELLI Focus
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
Why did Brunel
design and make
bridges?
Creativity
Look at a picture of
the Suspension
Bridge. Discuss why
and how it was built.
Set a challenge to
design and make own
bridge to cross a
given distance or
object.
Foundation – Use
construction kits and junk
modelling.
Meaning making - Which
design works best? Why?
Construction
kits
What links can you make
between your bridge and
Brines?
Junk
modelling
materials
How do you think Brunel
developed his designs? What
would he have had to think
about and do to create the
Suspension Bridge?
Toy lorries
Meaning making
Curiosity
Learning
relationships
Resilience
Y1 – In pairs design bridge
and list materials. Use
junk modelling to create
bridge. Test, modify and
evaluate design.
Y2-Which is the longest,
strongest bridge you can
make?
Can you design a bridge
which can hold a toy lorry
carrying 2 bean bags
across a given distance?
Test modify and evaluate
designs.
Bean bags
Pictures of
the
suspension
bridge.
Additional DT activities:
Puppet making to retell
the life story of Brunel.
Design a nd make own top
hat.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Literacy
Focus
Question
ELLI Focus
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
Who is Brunel?
What did he do?
Where did he
come from? Why
was he so
successful? Which
learning
dimensions did
Brunel use to be
successful?
Making
connections
Introduce Brunel
using a variety of
sources. Record a
list of questions
about him. Role play
and hot seating
activities.
Foundation – Group floor
book. Act out scenarios.
Puppet show of life story.
Use musical instruments
to create a musical story
of his life.
Curiosity
What questions would you
ask Brunel if you met him
today? In groups children
write interview questions.
What learning animals did
Brunel use the most?
Pictures &
video of
Brunel.
Curiosity
Learning
relationships
Musical
instruments
Y1 – Create a fact file.
Diary entry. Character
profile.
creativity
Y2 – Newspaper report of
the launch of SS Great
Britain. Fact file on
Brunel.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Art
Focus
Question
ELLI Focus
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
How could you
change the
Suspension
Bridge?
Creativity
Look at various
pictures of bridges.
Discuss designs and
purposes. Compare
them to the
Suspension Bridge.
List ideas of how the
bridge could be
changed.
Complete a sketch of the bridge
using charcoal.
Focus on:
Learning
relationships – how
did you and your
partner work
together?
What was easier/
harder working
with a partner?
Which did you
prefer and why?
Charcoal
What do you like /
dislike about it?
Curiosity
Learning
relationships
What does Brunel
look like? What do
pictures of him to
you about him?
ELLI
In pairs design a new bridge using
collage.
Paint a black and white portrait of
Brunel.
Paint
Collage
materials
Paper
Pictures of
bridges
Creativity – How
many ideas did you
have? Why did you
choose the
materials you used?
Did you imagine
your bridge before
you created it?
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: Maths
Focus
Question
ELLI Focus
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
What shapes can
you see in Brunels
bridges, train
stations and SS
Great Britain?
Strategic
awareness
Look at a range of
pictures of Brunel’s
designs and identify
2D and 3D shapes.
Foundation – match shapes to simple
line pictures. Use 2D shapes and
sticky paper to create own pictures
of transport and buildings. Name
and label shapes.
Strategic
awareness
2D & 3D
shapes
Meaning making
Pictures of
buildings and
transport
Curiosity
Y1 – Draw around “D shapes to
create a picture of transport. Name
and label shapes. Use 3D shapes to
make a model of transport and
buildings.
Y2-As above. Identify properties of
shape. Give groups bird’s eye view
pictures of transport and buildings.
Can they identify the 3D shapes?
Chn draw their own bird’s eye view
of transport and buildings using 2D
shapes.
Why did Brunel
choose to use
these shapes in his
designs?
Which shapes
connect together
effectively?
Why have some
shapes not been
used?
Paper
Sticky paper
‘Bird’s eye
view’ pictures
Rulers
, metre sticks
Additional activities:
Measuring the length of bridges
made in DT and measuring the
distance the bridge spans. Compare
lengths and distances. Measuring
the distance between two places
linked to Brunel’s railway network.
3D problem solving eg ‘How many
cuboids do you need to build a model
train ?
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Changing
Resilience
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships
SUBJECT: History
Focus
Question
ELLI Focus
Whole class
teaching
Elli Based
Activity
Plenary /
Assessment
Resources
What do these
photos tell us
about Brunel and
the time he lived
in?
Curiosity
Meaning making
Strategic
awareness
creativity
Look at two or three
photos of Brunel and
ask a range of
questions………….
What differences do
you notice about
these photos? Who
do you think took
the photos and why
did they take them?
How do we know
these photos are
from a different
time?
Foundation – Order
photographs on a timeline.
Draw a picture of Brunel
in today’s clothes.
Meaning making – compare
sources now and then.
Photos of
Brunel and
his life.
ELLI
Curiosity
Meaning
Making
Y1/2 – write a caption for
each photo. Imagine you
are in the photograph, act
out a scene from a photo
showing what happened
before and after the
photo was taken. Discuss
Victorian clothing. Plot
Brunel’s life on a timeline.
Describe the launch of SS
Great Britain or the
winning of the Suspension
Bridge competition from
Brunel’s point of view.
Changing
Resilience
Curiosity – Hot seating
/interviewing. What was
Brunel’s most significant
structure?
Strategic
Awareness
Creativity
Learning
Relationships