Key Stage 3 History Support
How Discovery Games can be used to support the National Curriculum for History
- History in context - nothing brings history alive like visiting the sites, buildings and terrain where it all happened! We make good mention of significant events, encouraging students to make connections and ask appropriate questions. Where possible we include timelines and a contextual story to set the scene for the puzzle.
- Observation and evidence - our games encourage students to use their eyes to hunt for clues and their combined brainpower to solve puzzles, which inevitably leads them to notice more of what is around them.
- Making places and themes memorable - by giving the students a game or puzzle to solve we create an engaging and fun activity which they will remember for months and years to come.
- Suggesting discussion points and extension actvities - in every pack
- Developing soft skills such as teamwork, cooperation, leadership and problem-solving
Specific activities
From Pudding to Pye: The Great Fire of London Puzzle Trail for Groups
Although the National Curriculum guidelines suggest studying the Great Fire of London at KS1, actually visiting the location in question requires students to traverse the busy City of London, an adventure better suited to teens. Additionally some of the contemporary themes addressed in this game pack are rather sophisticated for younger students.
- From a chronological perspective this activity fits into "the development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745".
At KS3 the puzzle will:
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create real-world geographical context for the events of September 1666
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reinforce students' historical appreciation of the Restoration period
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generate discussion about the role of superstition, religion, public services and the tensions between the crown vs the guilds at the time.
The Canterbury Trails
Please note although this activity is also provided in foreign language variants, the English pack includes additional and more challenging material directed at UK school groups from KS3.
- From a chronological perspective this activity fits into "the development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509".
- The puzzle plays (very lightly) on Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales', but with its ancient city setting provides great context for exploration of religion, theatre, literature and humour, trade and towns in daily life in Medieval centuries and the time of the Plantagenets.
- The route of the trails in the puzzle passes through orchards and meadows inside the (originally Roman) city walls, as well as through the narrow historic market streets and alongside the castle and atop the walls themselves.
