TOP 5 ACTIVITIES
MAP SKILLS
ACTIVITY 1
Learning Objectives:
Summary:
To use maps skills to understand
and illustrate the importance of
Goodrich Castle’s location. To
understand why the castle’s location is significant.
Using a map, find Goodrich and highlight its location. Look at the natural landscape around and identify why you think it is built where it is.
Look at contour lines, rivers, woods (timber), quarries (stone) and borders with other countries. Label the key places on the map that made
the location an important one. Remember that rivers were a popular
form of transport and that England faced rebellions from Wales.
Recommended for:
KS2 (local history study and geographical skills)
A: SPEECH
WRITING/
B: PLAN OF
ATTACK
Learning Objectives: To effectively use persuasive writing
techniques to demonstrate
understanding of the key points
of historical events of national
importance. To demonstrate
knowledge of differences in military technology and tactics in the
17th century to today.
Recommended for: KS3 (English,
creative writing)
EH Education suggests:
Use an Ordnance Survey map.
ACTIVITY 2
Summary: Imagine that you are the commander of the Royalist garrison
holed up in Goodrich Castle during the siege of Goodrich in 1644.
A: Your troops are starving, the castle is being destroyed around you
but you need to encourage them to continue fighting the Parliamentarians. Write a persuasive speech to rally your troops. How will you
encourage them? Remember to use persuasive language and techniques
and to structure your writing so that is has impact on your audience.
Think about the politics of power of the period, what was happening
and why the two sides had different beliefs. Why would the monarchy
be important to them?
or
B: Plan your attack. Research the weapons technology available during
the English Civil War period and design your own siege on an enemy
castle. Think about how Roaring Meg, the trebuchet and mining were
designed and engineered to destroy a castle. Write a descriptive battle
plan with a diagram on how you will force the enemy side to surrender.
EH Education suggests:
A: You could do this as a pre-visit activity and deliver your speech to
the rest of your class when you visit the site.
B: You could do this as a post-visit activity, once you have visited
Goodrich Castle and developed a better understanding of the tactics
used in the Civil War.
Teachers' Activity Pack Goodrich www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn MAP SKILLS; SPEECH WRITING/PLAN OF ATTACK 1
INVESTIGATING
DOMESDAY
ACTIVITY 3
Learning Objectives:
Summary:
To compare ways of life from
the medieval period to today. To
understand how the uses of land
and land ownership may have
changed since Norman times,
and what affect this has had on
the community and society as a
whole. To recognise how records
can be used as evidence and why
the continuity of record keeping
is important.
The entry from the Domesday Book is important evidence of both
what the land and community was like at the time of the Norman Conquest and also why the information was important to record. Explore
the Census.
Recommended for:
KS2 and KS3 (History)
KS2 classes might like to compare the land around Goodrich to how it
looks today and then write a Domesday entry about their own town
or village. Students could copy the illuminated manuscript style of the
Domesday Book.
KS3 classes can investigate the comparison a little deeper, perhaps carrying out some research on who owns the land now, how many households and what it is used for? KS3 pupils might also like to think about
how the Domesday entry records the owners of land around Goodrich
and why this was important in the Norman era for those who held
power. Pupils can compare the feudal system to today, when power
is held democratically - we elect our politicians and local councillors;
however land can still be owned by private landowners.
EH Education suggests:
Classes can use the most recent census – the modern day Domesday
Book - for this activity.
MAKING A
MEAL OF IT
ACTIVITY 4
Learning Objectives:
Summary:
To convert values of money
from different historical eras.
To make comparisons between
how food was sourced, prepared
and served in medieval times
to today.
Dining was an important part of medieval life and meals were more
communal and, for the nobility living in castles, the food more extravagant than we are used to today.
Recommended for:
KS3 (Maths)
Money was measured in a different currency i.e. one pound = 20 shillings (20s) and the value of medieval money is very different to modern
values. Pence were symbolised with a ‘d’ rather than a ‘p’.
Lay on a feast. Use the accounts of the Easter Sunday meal expenses
(see HISTORICAL SOURCES) to work out what different types of
food would cost in today’s money. You’ll need to convert from shillings
and pence into pounds, and then find out how much money was worth
in the 13th century. Then, using a budget set by your teacher, put
together an accounts list for a festival feast of your own, using typical
medieval dishes. You’ll need to think about paying for transport as well.
EH Education suggests:
Use an online converter to change shillings and pence into pounds.
Teachers' Activity Pack Goodrich www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn INVESTIGATING DOOMSDAY; MAKING A MEAL 2
TV
RESEARCHER
ACTIVITY 5
Learning Objectives:
Summary:
To understand how historians
use evidence to make claims.
To demonstrate understanding
of how medieval society was
different to today. To make
connections between national
events in history and its impact
on daily life for different people.
Look at the extracts from the household accounts from Countess
Joan’s arrival at Goodrich Castle in 1296 (see HISTORICAL SOURCES).
Imagine you are a historian doing research for a TV documentary on
the BBC. Your task is to find evidence of how society was developing
in Medieval Britain to be able to explain in your show. What does the
information in the sources tell you about: society and different people’s
roles, daily life for servants and nobles, the role of the Church, the
work people did and what skills they had and technology and systems
of travel? There is an interesting contradiction, if you look closely.
Recommended for:
KS3 (History and English,
speaking and listening)
EH Education suggests:
You could use your thoughts to write an investigative essay for your
teacher or you could create a film of yourself explaining your findings
in the documentary. As for any historian, it is important that you make
clear how reliable you think the source of information is and why.
Teachers' Activity Pack Goodrich www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn TV RESEARCHER
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