Viking Society and Culture

Year Level

Year 8

Duration

70 minutes

Unit

Exploring Viking Heritage (Lesson 1 of 3)

---

Curriculum Links (Australian Curriculum v9)

History (ACHHS140)

• Describe the nature of ancient societies and explain why and how they changed over time.
• Identify and describe some key features of ancient societies, including their social structures, beliefs, and cultural practices.

Historical Skills (ACHHS141)

• Locate and select different types of sources related to the Viking Age.
• Identify different perspectives and interpretations contained in sources.
• Communicate understandings using historical terms and concepts clearly and effectively.

---

Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We are learning to explore the social structure and daily life of Viking society.
• We are learning to analyse primary sources to understand Viking cultural practices.
• We are learning to collaborate to create a visual representation that demonstrates key aspects of Viking life.

---

Success Criteria

• I can explain the roles of different members in Viking society.
• I can use primary sources to identify facts about the Vikings.
• I can contribute effectively to a group project showing important elements of Viking culture.
• I can communicate information clearly using historical vocabulary.

---

Resources

• Primary source images and excerpts about Viking life (e.g., archaeological finds, rune inscriptions, saga excerpts)
• Multimedia presentation tools (e.g., tablets with presentation software or poster paper and art materials)
• Role-play character cards describing various Viking roles (e.g., Warrior, Trader, Skald, Farmer, Shieldmaiden)
• Dyslexia-friendly font printed handouts summarising Viking society
• Large paper and coloured markers for group work

---

Lesson Sequence

1. Introduction & Engagement (10 minutes)

• Teacher Activity:
• Briefly introduce the Vikings as more than just raiders – highlight their complex society including social structure, culture and daily life.
• Clearly outline the WALT and success criteria.
• Show a short multimedia clip or images of Viking artefacts and settlements to spark curiosity.
• Differentiation:
• Provide dyslexia-friendly handouts with vocabulary simplified and contrasted alongside images.
• Oral explanation with visuals to support diverse learners.

2. Exploring Viking Society Through Role-Play (20 minutes)

• Student Activity:
• Each student receives a Viking role card explaining who they are in society.
• They research or examine simplified primary sources and clues given in the cards (e.g., rune inscriptions or saga excerpts).
• Role-play introductions to the group - discuss their role’s importance in Viking culture.
• Teacher Activity:
• Circulate to scaffold with questions and support interpretation.
• Differentiation:
• One-on-one support for students with literacy difficulties.
• Allow advanced learners to investigate less obvious roles or suggest societal changes based on historical context.

3. Group Visual Project Creation (30 minutes)

• Student Activity:
• In their role-play groups, students create an illustrated poster or digital slideshow presenting key aspects of Viking life (social hierarchy, law, religion, daily activities).
• Encourage creativity: use drawings, symbols, short texts, and historical terms.
• Teacher Activity:
• Guide on using historical terms correctly, link ideas with primary source evidence.
• Provide templates or graphic organisers for students needing structure.
• Differentiation:
• Visual and verbal learners guided to use mixed media.
• Advanced students may include comparisons with other ancient societies or Viking impacts on later culture.

4. Sharing and Reflecting (10 minutes)

• Student Activity:
• Each group presents their visual project.
• Class discusses similarities and differences in Viking roles and culture.
• Teacher Activity:
• Use questioning to deepen reflection, e.g., “Why do you think the Vikings valued storytelling and law?”
• Reinforce key vocabulary and concepts.
• Differentiation:
• Students with speech difficulties may present with a partner or via visual explanations.
• Extension learners can initiate questions or link ideas to broader historical themes.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Provide dyslexia-friendly text materials and verbal instructions.
• Scaffold primary source analysis using graphic organisers.
• Use multimodal texts (videos, images, stories).
• Offer varied output options (poster, digital, oral).
• Adjust questioning levels based on student ability.
• One-on-one intervention for students needing extra support.

---

Extension Activities

• Research and create a mini biography of a famous Viking figure.
• Compare Viking social structure with Indigenous Australian clan systems, identifying similarities and differences.
• Write a short creative story or diary entry from the perspective of a Viking child or shieldmaiden.

---

This structured and interactive plan not only meets the Australian Curriculum (v9) standards by integrating content knowledge, critical analysis of sources, and communication skills, but also addresses literacy and numeracy across disciplines through reading authentic texts and organising information visually. It respects the small class size by encouraging active collaboration and personalised support, ensuring all learners progress confidently in their historical understanding.