History

Step 1 Leave the present, step back into the past. 
 

Mrs Bailey showed the children an image. Through discussion the children talked about what they could see and explored who they thought the person was. They used their own knowledge and experiences to make connections with the image. 

Eager to learn the name of the image Mrs Bailey told the children this was King Charles II who was king in 1666. The children talked about his clothing, crown and the responsibilities of a king. We looked at other images of King Charles and learnt these were interpretations of him, drawings of what he looked like from the past. Cameras and phones had not been invented then and these were portraits. 

Step 2: The map, London 1666

The children were interested in where King Charles II lived and they began to explore a London map from the past as well as pictures of what London looked like in 1666. They compared present day London to London from the past in 1666. 
 

The children began their own map of London 1666 and created drawings of the houses. They learnt the materials they were made from and the way London was structured in relation to housing. 

Step 3: Enter the map, London 1666.

Mrs Bailey spoke words from a William Blake poem as we explored London within the map.

I wander through each  charter’s street

In every cry of every man

In every infants cry of fear

In every voice

I hear, I hear.

The children learnt about hunger, homelessness and what life was like in London 1666.

Step 4: King Charles II 

The children observed King Charles II looking out of his window. The children talked about his expression and thought of ideas in relation to what he was looking at. We looked through the window at what he could see. 

The Great Fire of London 1666

Step 4: How it all began…

The children have been learning about the structure and materials used in the building of houses in 1666. It began with a baker called Thomas Farrior who lived in Pudding Lane. The fire began when are spark flew from the fire which had not been put out correctly. 

Samuel Pepys went to see the King. He advised him to pull down the houses. He wrote about the events in his diary. 

Step 5: Who will put out the fire? 
 

The children have learnt that there was no fire services in 1666. King Charles 11 ordered everyone to help. Who lived in 1666? Who were the townsfolk? What did they do? The children learnt about the roles of a maid, cook, chimney sweep, gong farmer ( who removed human waste) and rat catcher. They thought about the skills for each role and decided which one they would be good at and why if they lived in 1666. 
 

Team: Townsfolk 1666

Client: King Charles II

Commission: To take control and put out the Great Fire of London

Tension: 

The townsfolk began to use hooks to pull down the thatched roofs and water squirters to put out the fire. There was smoke and fire everywhere! They couldn’t get to the River Thames to get the water as they couldn’t see! Who could help them? They noticed the rats were running in the direction of the River…could they guide them to water? 
 

The children made a plan…

The fire continued and the townsfolk worked together. They followed the path of the rats to the River Thames and created a line to pass the water in the hope the fire would stop.