School Days

Year 1

Unit Overview

In the School Days project, your child will have the opportunity to take part in a traditional Victorian class and will learn about the differences between schooling in the Victorian era and schooling today. They will learn about objects found in a Victorian classroom and how they were used. They will research Samuel Wilderspin, an important figure in the development of schooling for young children in the Victorian era, whose ideals are reflected in schooling today. They will learn to describe the passage of time through study of past, present and future tense vocabulary.

❇ MEMORABLE MOMENT

A parent, teacher, ex-pupil or community member who knows the school well will talk to the children about the school’s history, including the date of its construction and other important events. This will include a tour of the school, inside and out, to show the children aspects of the school’s history, including additions or renovations to the building, the location of significant school-based events, or significant plaques and signage.

️✏️ WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

Throughout this unit of work we will be writing..

  • letters

  • labels

  • information texts

  • map labeling


🌳 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

In this unit of work we will explore the school grounds. look at local streets and maps.

Unit Sequence: Learning Intentions

  1. To use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time to communicate ideas and observations (here, now, then, yesterday, last week, last year, years ago and a long time ago). (History)

  2. Tp order information on a timeline. (History)

  3. Describe important events in the school's history. (History)

  4. Describe how pollution and litter affect the local environment and school grounds. (Geography)

  5. Describe an aspect of everyday life within or beyond living memory. (History)

  6. Describe an aspect of everyday life within or beyond living memory. (History)

  7. Use a range of historical artefacts to find out about the past. (History)

  8. Create stories, pictures, independent writing and role play about historical events, people and periods. (History)

  9. To understand the term significant and explain why a significant individual is important - Samuel Wilderspin

  10. To identify similarities and differences between life now and in the past.

APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF UNIT: 24 hours

🏁 BIG FINISH

Reflection time - What have I learnt?

We will finish the topic with a class youtube channel show all about schools then and now.

📖 FOCUS TEXT(S)

The class will be reading

If I built a School by Chris Van Dusen

The Wolf Who Wouldn't Go To School by Caryl Hart

Going to School by Rose Blake

100 Facts :Victorian Britain by Miles Kelly

Education Through the Years by Claire Lewis

Going to School, Comparing the Past and Present by Rebecca Rissman