Vikings and Anglo-Saxons

Overview

Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 30 pupils
Unit: Anglo-Saxons and Vikings (Lesson 6 of 6)
Topic: Vikings and Anglo-Saxons: A Legacy

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National Curriculum Links

History - Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4)

• Pupils should develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
• Pupils should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
• They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
• Specific Objective for this lesson:
  • The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor (NC PoS Year 3)
  • Understand the lasting impact of these groups on modern Britain, including culture, place names, language and legal systems

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

1. Identify key ways in which the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings have influenced modern Britain.
2. Explain the lasting legacy of these cultures in areas such as place names, language, law, and everyday life.
3. Collaboratively create a large class mural that visually represents the enduring impact of the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons.
4. Use historical vocabulary confidently to describe aspects of both cultures.

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Resources Needed

• Large roll of mural paper or large visual display board
• Coloured markers, crayons, paints, glue, scissors
• Printed reference images of Anglo-Saxon and Viking artefacts, settlements, runes, artwork, legal symbols
• Map of Britain during the Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods (for reference)
• Post-it notes or speech bubbles for pupils to add facts or questions
• Vocabulary word bank poster with historical terms (e.g. Norse, rune, longship, shire, monarchy)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter: Setting the Scene (5 minutes)

• Ask pupils to quickly brainstorm what they think the world might look like today if the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons had never lived in Britain.
• Record responses briefly on the board under two headings: “Without Vikings” and “Without Anglo-Saxons.”
• Link ideas to key influences during their time: settlements, trade, language, laws.

Rationale: Activates prior learning, encourages historical questioning and enquiry, addresses the National Curriculum’s emphasis on chronology and cause/effect.

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2. Teaching Input: Legacy of Vikings and Anglo-Saxons (10 minutes)

• Show images of Anglo-Saxon and Viking artefacts, runes, place names (e.g. names ending in -by, -thorpe), and legal symbols (like the Shire court).
• Use these examples to explicitly explain how these peoples have shaped modern Britain:
  • Language: Words like ‘law’, ‘husband’, ‘anger’ have Old Norse origins.
  • Place names: Settlements with Viking origins (Derby, Grimsby) and Anglo-Saxon origins (Oxford, Cambridge).
  • Law and governance: Early legal systems, shires, and community roles.
  • Culture and art: Patterns and designs in jewellery, longships influencing seafaring and trade.

Tip for WOW factor: Use engaging, real artefact replicas or high-quality images. Incorporate a few Old English and Old Norse words, asking pupils to guess meanings.

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3. Main Activity: Collaborative Class Mural (25 minutes)

• Group organisation: Divide pupils into six groups, each responsible for one aspect of legacy:

  1. Place names and geography
  2. Language and words
  3. Law and governance
  4. Viking culture and art
  5. Anglo-Saxon culture and daily life
  6. Transport and trade (longships and roads)

• Each group uses resources to design and create a section of the mural that visually represents their topic using drawings, symbols, and key words.

• Encourage creativity: groups can add speech bubbles with historical facts, runes, or short explanations in pupil’s own words.

• As groups work, roam to question pupils on their understanding, guiding historical vocabulary usage and accuracy.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters to pupils who need support (e.g. “The Vikings gave us the word ___.”).
• Challenge more able pupils to write mini fact cards to accompany their drawings.

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4. Plenary: Gallery Walk and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Pupils walk around the mural as a class to view each group’s contribution.
• Ask volunteers to share what they found most interesting about the legacy of Vikings or Anglo-Saxons.
• Highlight how their work connects to the Britain we live in today.
• Use quick oral questions to recap key vocabulary and ideas (e.g. “Which group showed us where many English place names come from?”).

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through teacher questioning during the mural activity and plenary discussion.
• Evaluate pupils’ use of historical terms and accuracy in explaining lasting impact.
• The completed mural acts as a tangible summative artifact demonstrating understanding of learning objectives.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Writing speech bubbles, using vocabulary accurately and creatively.
• Art: Collaborative creativity in mural design using symbols, patterns, colours representative of cultures.
• Geography: Understanding settlement patterns and place names across Britain.

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Extension Ideas

• Invite pupils to research their own local place names that may have Viking or Anglo-Saxon origins at home or in the school library.
• Create a “then and now” booklet comparing Anglo-Saxon/Viking times and present-day Britain.

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Teacher Notes & Tips

• Emphasise curiosity by encouraging pupils to think about how history still shapes their world.
• Provide scaffolding for younger or less confident pupils using visuals and word banks.
• Link learning back to previously covered lessons on battles and settlements to reinforce narrative continuity.

This final lesson will inspire pupils by connecting the past with their present environment, helping them appreciate history’s ongoing presence in everyday life.