Launch of Archaeology Resource for Schools
- 2nd July 2019
Today (2 July) our archaeology education pack for the Foresters’ Forest HLF project is being launched at Five Acres.
The Foresters’ Forest project is managed by Forestry England and is looking at the history and heritage of the Forest of Dean through 37 projects. We have been commissioned to run the archaeology and heritage strand with community digs, training and supporting volunteers in investigating potential archaeological sites identified through LiDAR, and to create an education resource to help teachers teach local history.
For the last couple of years Justin has been assembling the archaeology education pack. It provides several lesson plans looking at history, timelines, archaeology, all supported by information about local sites so children can discover more about places they know. We also look at how we know what we know, and how to interrogate historic resources such as maps, or from surviving buildings. Thirty schools will receive a folder as well as a CD with the resources electronically. Each school has been allocated their own archaeological site for them to focus on and explore.
example of LiDAR data showing archaeological features under the trees
To go alongside the sources they also receive a box containing examples of pottery found locally, so they have real artefacts, including Roman and Iron Age pottery, and the children have the excitement of handling objects 2,000 year old.
The project has been uncovering and bringing together lots of information about the Forest of Dean, and it is great to be able to help schools explore this information with the children. Schools sometimes can be cautious about teaching local history because teachers may not be local, and information can be harder to access than national history which can be found more easily in text books and online. A resource like this can help by providing examples of lesson plans, background information about sites and sources, and the historic resources for the local community in an easy to use format. We’ve worked with Lydbrook Primary School to get advice from teachers about what they would like.
Boxes ready for distribution
Packs being assembled
Paul with one of the completed packs
It was great to see the finished produce when putting the packs together, and look forward to handing them over to schools and hearing how they get on.
Thank you to Sue Middleton, Programme Manager, for her support.
Bream Flour Mill
Post a Comment