KS1 The Great Fire of London Block B: London of 1666

Consider the design of buildings, the properties of building materials and the contrast between the materials used in modern buildings and around the time of the Great Fire of London. Make 3D models and 2D collages of Tudor homes, and re-enact the Great Fire of London! Finally, a visit from ‘Mr Pepys’ will be the catalyst for the class to become Stuart estate agents!

Block B: London 1666 [6 sessions] / Main outcome: History
Other outcomes:English,DTandScience
By the end of this block you will have achieved the following outcomes: /
  • Learn the poem ‘Wanted’ by heart.
  • Identify rhyming words and build phonic knowledge.
  • Recognise difference between writing lists and writing in sentences.
  • Plan writing, using key words and phrases.
  • Write in correct sentences.
  • Begin to use expanded noun phrases.
  • Review and improve work.
  • Read work aloud with clarity and appropriate intonation.
  • Design and represent their idea for imaginative, fantasy buildings.
  • Select from a range of materials (including recycled materials and textiles), fastening techniques and tools and use to create 2D and 3D representations.
  • Build and explore how to make their structures stronger, stiffer and more stable.
  • Begin to name simple properties of everyday materials.
  • Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
  • Identify and name a variety of everyday materials.
  • Broaden vocabulary to include scientific adjectives to describe materials and their properties.
  • Use knowledge of materials’ properties to give explanations for their choice of materials.
  • Know how building methods and materials have changed over time.
  • Experience some of the historical practical skills involved in historical building practices.
  • Remember the cause and effect of the Great Fire of London.
  • Empathise with the different feelings and emotions that people experienced at that time.

Session 1:English, DT and Science
Fantasy buildings
Discuss the properties of ideal buildings, including function and materials (this is an ideal opportunity to plan a visit from an Architect). / Children will
  • Build a repertoire of poems leant by heart.
  • Spell the ‘or’ sound as a before l and ll.
  • Spell the vowel digraphs oo and ou.
  • Add the ending –ing to verbs.
  • Write with a purpose: lists.
  • Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves.
  • Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock- ups + ICT.
  • Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
  • Identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass and metal.
  • Describe the simple physical properties of everyday materials.

Session 2: English and Science
Building materials
Learn about the properties of materials used in modern building construction, includingaround the exterior of the school. / Children will
  • Develop vocabulary actively, building systematically on pupils’ current knowledge.
  • Justify ideas with reasons, beginning to give well-structured descriptions and explanations.
  • Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
  • Identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass and metal.
  • Describe the simple physical properties of everyday materials.

Session 3: History and English
Builders, then and now(part 1)
Compare and contrast building materials available today and 450 years ago using research and practical tasks. / Children will
  • Be taught about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally.
  • Know where the people and events fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge.
  • Find answers to questions by reading non-fiction books.
  • Learn about the structure of non-fiction books.

Session 4: History and DT
Builders, then and now (part 2)
Evaluate the stability of Tudor buildings by creating3D models, 2D collages and labelled diagramsand making wattle and daub. / Children will
  • Be taught about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally.
  • Know where the people and events fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
  • Select from and use a range of materials, including textiles according to characteristics.
  • Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable.

Session 5: History
London’s burning!
Create a model Tudor street and consider the effects of it burning down. / Children will
  • Be taught about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally.

Session 6:English
Estate agents
Write Tudor property descriptions, using historical knowledge,and present them in role to ‘Mr Pepys’. / Children will
  • Justify ideas with reasons, beginning to give well-structured descriptions and explanations.
  • Write for different purposes.
  • Plan or say out loud what they are going to write about.
  • Write down ideas and/or key words, including new vocabulary.
  • Write in sentences using correct punctuation.
  • Evaluate their writing with the teacher and other pupils.
  • Read aloud what they have written with appropriate intonation to make meaning clear.
  • Learn how to use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify.

Resources

Session 1

Provided:‘Wanted’ by Rose Fyleman

You will need:Construction kits / building bricks; Art materials; Puppet/toy to represent ‘Mr Silly Builder’

Session 2

Provided:Adjectives Word Bank

You will need: Puppet/toy to represent ‘Mr Silly Builder’; Examples of modern building materials (e.g. plastic guttering, nails, timber, brick, hinge etc.); Paper strips (to make paper chains); Poster-sized paper; Wax crayons

Session 3

Provided:Tudor Houses; Tasks For Sessions 3 and 4; Playing Dough Recipe

You will need:Cereal boxes; Sticky tape; Coloured felt-tip pens; Coloured paper; Hay; Glue; Scissors; White paper; Straight strips of black paper (a variety of lengths); Curved strips of black paper; Squares of brown fabric; Lolly sticks; Thin, pliable twigs; Plastic knifes; 3 cups plain flour; 2 cups salt; 2 tbsp oil; 3 cups (or more) lukewarm water; 2 tsps cream of tartar; A little brown food colouring / a small amount of cocoa powder; Puppet/toy to represent ‘Mr Silly Builder’

Session 4

Provided:Tasks For Sessions 3 and 4; Playing Dough Recipe

You will need:Cereal boxes; Sticky tape; Coloured felt-tip pens; Coloured paper; Hay; Glue; Scissors; White paper; Straight strips of black paper (a variety of lengths); Curved strips of black paper; Squares of brown fabric; Lolly sticks; Thin, pliable twigs; Plastic knifes; 3 cups plain flour; 2 cups salt; 2 tbsp oil; 3 cups (or more) lukewarm water; 2 tsps cream of tartar; A little brown food colouring / a small amount of cocoa powder

Session 5

Provided:Tudor House Diagram; Tudor House Diagram Labels

You will need:Scissors; Glue; The 3D models made in previous sessions; Blue fabric; Cameras; Red, orange and yellow tissue paper

Session 6

Provided:Estate Agent’s Property Description

You will need:A role-play costume for Samuel Pepys (e.g. a wig could be made from a white dishcloth!); Small individual white boards; White-board pens

Useful websites for background information:

Properties of materials

Video clip: Characteristics of materials

About Tudor houses

Video clip: Tudor merchant houses

Image of a large Tudor house

Explanation of the jetty feature

Constructing Tudor houses

Video clip: Constructing a Tudor House

How a Tudor house is completed

Video clip: Roofing, Thatching, Wattling and Daubing (part 1)

Video clip: Roofing, Thatching, Wattling and Daubing (part 2)

Song about the Great Fire of London

London’s Burning

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