Active History: Games for Kids

The Norman Conquest


 
   
 

A. 1066 and the Battle of Hastings

1. Blind Date, 1066!
A roleplay exercise enabling students to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various contenders for the English throne in 1066. As a homework, students produce a propaganda poster for the candidate of their choice.
2. The Battle for the throne: 1066 [Interactive]
A decision-making simulation as King Harold - will you survive the challenges to your throne? Students should complete this worksheet that accompanies the game. This is a major activity that should keep students busy for at least a couple of lessons (they are even given a certificate with a score at the end that could be recorded in a markbook). As an extension activity, students should complete the Key word list by playing the game a second time; this can later be used as the basis for a factual test or a Fling the Teacher challenge (the first few people to finish the quiz successfully get rewards!).
Battle of Hastings History Game
3. Bayeux Tapestry Slideshow [Interactive]
The lesson could start by watching a Bayeux Tapestry Animation on YouTube. Then, view a series of Flash animations from the Bayeux Tapestry with analysis of their meaning. Designed to be used to help teachers in a feedback session after students have completed the worksheet accompanying the game above. There is a teacher helpsheet available for this task. As a follow-up, students could do this Bayeux Tapestry Jigsaw Quiz. The death of King Harold is also the subject of two short video clips that can be found on the web: [1] [2].
4. Mapwork: The Events of 1066
This is an optional worksheet which can be used as an extension activity. Students plot the main events and battles onto an outline map with brief explanations.
5. Biased Report: Why did William the Conqueror win the Battle of Hastings?
Students cut and paste the information into the correct order and then produce a biased newspaper report.
This Bayeux Tapestry Matching Quiz could be used as a starter activity.
6. Essay Task: Why did William the Conqueror win the Battle of Hastings?
Working with the same points as last lesson, students now categorise these factors to decide whether William's victory was down to luck, his skill, or Harold's mistakes. They then turn this into their first history essay.
7. What sort of a man was William the Conqueror? [Interactive]
A Head2Head interview with the Norman hero! Complete with a range of worksheets and lesson plans. You can ask William any question you like, and he answers by means of artificial intelligence calling upon a massive database of answers. A completely original way of learning about the Norman Conquest!
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8.

Key word list
Students should complete this list either as they progress through the unit, or at the end as preparation for one of the following tests.

History in the News for The Norman Conquest

1. Domesday Book details made available in map form Tracing the history of English villages or pieces of land is to become easier with a new online database that helps map out records from the Domesday Book.
2. 1066 and all those baby names Norman names such as William, Henry and Alice have been popular for 1,000 years. Why did the English copy their invaders?
3. Mass grave in Dorset contains remains of executed Viking warriors 
4. Finders of huge Staffordshire Anglo-Saxon hoard to net £3m 
5. The 'wonderful, wonderful' Viking hoard 
6. 'Stunning' Viking find bought for the nation 
7. Climate Camp set up in the footsteps of the Peasants' Revolt 
8. BBC's black, high-kicking Friar Tuck annoys historians 
9. 'Negative' attitude to Robin Hood 
10. Vikings lived 'harmoniously with our ancestors' 
11. 1066 The Musical to hit the stage 

 

Interactive quizzes on this topic [tips]
history
conqueror
1066
games

B. The Norman Conquest

1. Hereward the Wake Cut 'n' Paste Activity
Use Word, Publisher and the net to reconstruct the story of this Saxon resistance fighter and produce their own report (c.1 hour in classroom, can be split into 2 sessions).
2. The Feudal System
Students have to construct their own diagram of the feudal system based on examples in this powerpoint presentation. A sample piece of work from a former student is available here.
3. The Domesday Book [1]: What was it?
An introductory worksheet to the Domesday Book - what it was, what it asked, why it was produced.
4. The Domesday Book [2]: How useful is it?
This second worksheet encourages students to start thinking about "usefulness" as a sourcework concept by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of this source to that of the Bayeux Tapestry and (if they have studied it) the Luttrell Psalter.
5. William the Conqueror: Who and When? [Interactive]
A Head2Head interview with the Norman hero! Students can complete one or both of the following worksheets as a homework or extension activity:
Timeline of Events in William's Reign
Key Characters in William's Reign
William the Conqueror
6.

End of Topic Debate: Was William a Hero or a Villain?
The class is divided into two groups to debate the key question in the format of a courtroom trial.

7. End of Unit Test: Structured Question
Students are presented with a variety of possible test questions to revise from. The teacher then chooses one of these questions at random in a subsequent lesson as a timed exercise.
8. Extension / Homework Activities
The Gruesome end of William the Conqueror - Sourcework and "code-breaking" activity
Interactive Timeline of William's Life - A consolidation activity I designed for ClassTools.net.
Who Killed King William Rufus?
- Analyse and categorise the evidence to solve this medieval mystery! 
The Normans "Fling the Teacher" game - Great as an end of unit factual test - award 20 points to the person to finish first, and then a sliding scale thereafter!

 

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Recommended sites for KS3 History, GCSE History and A-Level History:
SchoolHistory | Spartacus | JohnDClare | SchoolsHistory | BBC History |
Channel 4 History
| History Channel UK

 

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