Anglo Saxon Living

Overview

This 45-minute lesson is designed for Year 3 pupils and aligns with the National Curriculum for England History Programme of Study, focusing on the learning objective:
"To know what life was like in Anglo Saxon Britain."

It provides a hands-on, interactive experience to explore Anglo Saxon homes, daily activities, and communities, fostering historical understanding and key skills such as enquiry, interpretation, and communication.

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National Curriculum Links

• History Programme of Study (Key Stage 2: Years 3 and 4)
  Pupils should:

• ”Know about changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, and the Roman Empire and beyond.”

• ”Understand the impact of the Anglo Saxons and Scots on Britain after the Romans left.”

• “Learn about everyday life in different periods, exploring social and cultural aspects.”

• Key skills developed:

• Chronological understanding

• Historical enquiry

• Interpretation of historical sources

• Communication of historical knowledge

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Describe key features of everyday life in Anglo Saxon Britain including houses, work, and community.
• Identify and explain at least three Anglo Saxon artefacts or images and what they tell us about life then.
• Participate collaboratively in discussions and share their ideas and discoveries.

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Resources

• Replica or printed images of Anglo Saxon houses (e.g., timber longhouses, roundhouses)
• Printed images or replicas of everyday objects (clothes, tools, jewellery, pottery)
• Large sheet of paper or whiteboard for group mind mapping
• Small sets of cards with Anglo Saxon words and their meanings (e.g. “Thane,” “Witan,” “Mead hall”)
• Role-play hats or simple costume accessories (optional)
• Pencils, colouring materials
• Timer or clock

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin with a short story: “Imagine waking up over 1,000 years ago in an Anglo Saxon village…” Set the scene using vivid language.
• Brief discussion: Ask pupils if they know who the Anglo Saxons were and when they lived (c. 410 AD to 1066 AD).
• Explain the lesson’s objective: “Today we’re going to learn what life was like in Anglo Saxon Britain!”

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2. Explore Anglo Saxon Homes and Community (10 minutes)

• Show images of Anglo Saxon houses; guide pupils to describe what they see (materials, shapes, size).
• Use a question prompt:
  • “What do you notice about these houses?”
  • “What might it be like to live there?”
• In small groups (4-5 pupils), give each group images or artefact cards. Let them discuss what these objects were used for and what they say about life (e.g. farming, cooking, clothing).
• Groups share a key point with the whole class.

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3. Interactive Role Play: A Day in an Anglo Saxon Village (15 minutes)

• Assign simple roles to groups or individuals: farmer, blacksmith, child, king, trader.
• Give children props or hats to wear.
• Arrange the classroom into ‘locations’ (mead hall, farm, market). Each role group decides on things their character would do during the day.
• Pupils act out their roles briefly, narrating or thinking aloud about their daily tasks or challenges.

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4. Whole-Class Discussion & Mind Map (10 minutes)

• Gather pupils and create a large mind map on the whiteboard/paper with the title “Life in Anglo Saxon Britain.”
• Invite pupils to add words, phrases, or drawings about what they learned from the role-play and earlier activities (homes, jobs, clothing, food, community life).
• Teacher prompts with questions:
  • “What did people eat?”
  • “Where did children play or learn?”
  • “How do you think living then is different from now?”

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5. Assessment & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Pupils write or draw in a short paragraph/journal entry responding to:
  • “If you lived in Anglo Saxon Britain, what would you do every day? Why?”
• Alternatively, pupils pair up to orally share their ideas or draw a picture of an Anglo Saxon day.
• Teacher circulates assessing understanding through observation and listening for key concepts.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide labelled pictures or word banks for pupils who need scaffolding.
• Extension: Challenge advanced pupils to describe how Anglo Saxon life influenced modern Britain or compare it to life in Roman Britain.

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Curriculum Competencies Practiced

• Chronological understanding: Situating Anglo Saxon Britain within historical timelines.
• Historical enquiry: Examining artefacts and images to infer past lifestyles.
• Interpretation: Discussing what objects and homes reveal about society and culture.
• Communication: Sharing ideas through talk and drawing, developing vocabulary.

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Teacher Notes & Tips

• Use expressive storytelling to engage interest, including sensory descriptions (smells of the mead hall, sounds of the village).
• Encourage empathy by asking pupils to put themselves in the shoes of Anglo Saxon children and adults.
• Linking with local history (if applicable) can further anchor learning.
• Consider following up with a creative arts project, like making 'Anglo Saxon' crafts or building model homes.

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This lesson combines visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning modes, fostering deep engagement while meeting key expectations from the National Curriculum. The role-play and collaborative mind mapping aim to ‘wow’ teachers with an immersive approach tailored to Year 3 learners.