Anglo-Saxon Intro

Overview

Year Group: 3
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 32 students
Unit: Anglo-Saxon Factfile Fun (Lesson 1 of 5)
Subject: English (History Cross-Curricular Link)

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National Curriculum Links

English (Reading - Comprehension):

• Understand common words and phrases related to the Anglo-Saxon era, building on prior knowledge.
• Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination.
• Retrieve and record information from non-fiction texts.

History:

• Pupils should be taught about:
  • Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age (including Anglo-Saxon invasions and settlements).
  • The Anglo-Saxons’ impact on early medieval Britain.

English (Writing):

• Develop vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation for writing factual reports (preparation for factfile development).

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

WALT: Understand the historical background of the Anglo-Saxons, identify key figures and events, and describe daily life during this period to prepare for creating a factfile.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

• Describe who the Anglo-Saxons were and when they lived.
• Identify three important events or figures from the Anglo-Saxon era.
• Explain one aspect of daily life in Anglo-Saxon Britain.
• Record facts clearly and accurately using words and images.

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Resources Needed

• Interactive multimedia presentation (slides, images, short video clips about Anglo-Saxons)
• Timeline posters
• Fact sheets with key bullet points for reference
• Whiteboard & markers
• Pupil mini whiteboards or exercise books
• Anglo-Saxon artefact replicas or pictures (optional tactile resource)
• Vocabulary flashcards (words like ‘settlers’, ‘tribes’, ‘kingdom’, ‘settlement’)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

• Hook: Show an image of an Anglo-Saxon village and a map of Britain with Anglo-Saxon settlement highlighted.
• Ask: “What do you think life was like here?” Take 2-3 quick responses.
• Use pupil mini whiteboards: Write ‘Anglo-Saxons’ and ask pupils to write what they already know or guess about them (words or short phrases).

Differentiation: For pupils who find writing challenging, allow them to draw or dictate ideas to a teaching assistant.
Extension: Pupils who finish early write one question they have about the Anglo-Saxons.

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2. Main Teaching Input (20 minutes)

• Present the multimedia slides detailing:
  • Who the Anglo-Saxons were and when they lived (approximately 410 AD to 1066 AD).
  • Key events: Arrival in Britain, establishment of kingdoms, cultural impact.
  • Important figures such as King Alfred the Great (introduce briefly).
  • Daily life: homes, food, clothing, work, families.
• Embed video clips (2-3 mins total) showing reconstructions of Anglo-Saxon life.
• Pause regularly for comprehension checks: Ask “What have we learnt so far?” and encourage choral or paired responses.

Differentiation: Insert simplified language explanations and visual glossaries on slides for EAL pupils. Re-read or summarise sections as needed. Use artefacts/pictures for concrete understanding.
Extension: Challenge pupils to think about the differences between Anglo-Saxon and modern life.

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3. Group Information Gathering (15 minutes)

• Divide class into 4 groups (8 pupils each). Each group receives a fact sheet focusing on one topic:
  • Group 1: Anglo-Saxon Arrival & Settlements
  • Group 2: Key Figures & Kingdoms
  • Group 3: Daily Life - Homes & Food
  • Group 4: Daily Life - Clothing & Jobs
• Groups read and discuss their fact sheet, then prepare 3 simple facts to share with the class.
• Teacher supports groups, scaffolding vocabulary and helping with facts.

Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or word banks for pupils who need writing support. For higher achievers, encourage use of comparative language (e.g., “Anglo-Saxon homes were smaller than ours because…”).

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4. Sharing & Class Discussion (10 minutes)

• Groups take turns presenting their 3 facts to the class (2 mins per group).
• After each group, pause for quick questions from peers or teacher to deepen understanding.
• Teacher records key points on the whiteboard, creating a class mind-map under the heading: “What We Know About Anglo-Saxons.”

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5. Plenary & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Recap learning objectives and refer to success criteria.
• Quick quiz flash round: teacher shows Anglo-Saxon vocabulary flashcards or images and pupils call out what they relate to.
• Exit ticket: On mini whiteboards, pupils write one new fact they have learned today.

Differentiation: If pupils struggle, they can draw a picture to show a fact instead.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observations during group work and presentations.
• Review of exit ticket facts to check understanding and engagement with content.

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Differentiation Summary

Need/Ability	Strategies
EAL Learners	Simplified language, visual glossaries, paired reading, artefacts
SEND Pupils	Small group support, sentence starters, pictorial supports, more time
Higher Attainers	Extension questions, comparative analysis, extra research questions

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Extension Activities (For Homework or Early Finishers)

• Research one Anglo-Saxon kingdom or figure and draw a simple poster with facts.
• Write 3 questions they want answered in later lessons about the Anglo-Saxons.
• Create a short diary entry imagining being a child in Anglo-Saxon Britain, describing a day.

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This lesson sets a strong contextual foundation, mixing multimedia, discussion, and active participation to ignite Year 3 pupils’ interest ahead of creating their own Anglo-Saxon factfiles.