Help your Year 3 and Year 4 children understand that many different peoples have settled in Britain over time and appreciate how Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Romans in particular helped shape the nation.
Explore Hamilton's topics about the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings and the Romans. Discover key aspects of the nature of invasion and settlement in history with your LKS2 class. Bring history to life and cover objectives from the English, history, geography, art & design, music, design & technology, computing, PSHE and PE curricula.
Invaders and Settlers: Anglo-Saxons
Through a study of the broad social context of the Anglo-Saxon period, Year 3 and Year 4 children will learn how this important group of settlers fits into the chronology of Britain. They will be able to contextualise Anglo-Saxon history and society within a broader timeline of Britain.
Engaging blocks offer opportunities to design a settlement, create embroidery, devise an exhibition about beliefs and experience a feast, all aspects of Anglo-Saxon life. Children can learn about Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, warriors, roads, invasions, poetry, music, jewellery and storytelling and its cultural importance. Learn about important kings such as King Ethelbert, King Offa and King Alfred.
Explore our topic about Anglo-Saxons for LKS2
Invaders and Settlers: Vikings
Year 3 and Year 4 children develop their knowledge of the Viking invasion and settlement in Britain through a series of practical and informative blocks that have imaginative outcomes such as a Viking Quest board game, a group model of a longhouse, a Viking feast, a Dragon’s Den trade drama, a mythological creature and a Viking celebration event.
Find out why the Vikings raiders were successful and learn about their beliefs, weapons and longships. Look at farm settlements and the goods they produced. Discover Viking trade routes, including the types of items they traded and their markets. Study Viking creation myths, the 'nine worlds', the Tree of Life and the pantheon of exciting Viking gods.
Explore our topic about Vikings for LKS2
Invaders and Settlers: Romans in Britain
The history of the Romans in Britain provides an additional opportunity for Year 3 and Year 4 children to pursue the theme of invasion and settlement of Britain by different people. They can learn about the Roman Empire, its impact on Britain and the legacy it left.
Children can start with an introduction to the history of Rome, both legend and fact, and can continue with a selection of blocks that cover social, cultural and historical aspects of Britain under the Romans. Learn about life in Britain before the Romans arrived and how their arrival affected the existing Celtic tribes. Understand the power and organisation of the Roman armies when they invaded Britain. Find out about their art forms, including entertainment, mosaics, buildings and sculpture. Encounter the engineering prowess of the Romans and see if you can build a Roman aqueduct.
Explore our topic about Romans in Britain for LKS2