In the 2012 – 2013 academic year we worked with Year 4 to create a Tudor Board Game. In the 2013 – 2014 we decided to try something different and focussed our Tudor Week work on discovery and exploration during the Elizabethan period.
On Monday morning the students were given a quick lesson in etiquette and bowing technique in preparation for the arrival of a special visitor. As they lined up in the school hall Queen Elizabeth I herself arrived amid much fanfare and excitement. She delivered a stirring speech to her Billesley subjects in which she described how great and powerful her nation had become. She then set them a challenge – to find a ship, assemble a crew and to set sail around the world in search of new lands, goods to trade and Spanish gold.
The children then made paper boat hats on which they could record all their activities and adventures during the week. They wrote persuasive letters to potential sponsors to raise money for their voyage and researched what items might be foundon an Elizabethan ship.
On the third day they measured out the dimensions of the Golden Hind in the playground and were welcomed on board by a couple of salty old sea dogs who gave them a graphic description of the hardships of life on a ship. The following day Sir Francis Drake himself visited school accompanied by one of his sailors. They described the many adventures they had had whilst circumnavigating the globe.
The students then made some audio recordings based on what they had discovered during the week. The results of this can be heard here on The Billesley Blog
Credits
Devised by: Craig Stephens
Led by: Rochi Rampal and Graeme Rose
Photos: Ming De Nasty
One of the projects we worked on as part of our first year working with Billesley Primary School. We spent a few days in school working with Year 4 on their Tudor topic. The ultimate aim was to create a Tudor themed board gamewhich could be used in subsequent years to help teach the subject or to consolidate knowledge. We created a timeline in the playgroundto help visualise the the point in history where the Tudor period comes; we recreated the Tudor family tree using name cards and string,we explored exploration and navigation and researched different aspects of Tudor life.
We also discussed the features of different board games and the pupils had a go at making their own Tudor themed games. We then combined their ideas to create one game – a picture of which you can see at the top of this page – which is a cross between Monopoly and The Great Game of Britain.
Credits
Artists: Craig & James
Photos: Ming De Nasty
