Unit : an Introduction to the Culture and Beliefs of the Traveller Community

1 Unit : An Introduction to the Culture and Beliefs of the Traveller Community

About this unit; this unit is likely to be the first encounter that children will have with the Traveller Community. It introduces them to the term ‘Traveller’ and encourages them to understand that there are many different types of Traveller community. This particular unit focuses on the Gypsy Traveller community but includes references to other Traveller traditions and communities.

Prior Learning Technical Vocabulary Resources It would be helpful if children had Children will have the opportunity to Resource pack prepared and previously studied the unit ‘ The develop an understanding of distributed by TESS, Dorset Importance of the Home in Judaism’ (Traveller Education Support Gypsy Services) Had an understanding of Christian Traveller This can be borrowed by contacting christening and marriage. Vardo TESS on 07881517742. Bender No previous knowledge of Traveller Trailer communities is required. Site A selection of Romany words Solstice Hand fasting

1 2 Expectations At the end of this unit Most children will be able to  Identify features of Traveller communities  Talk about the importance to Travellers of being part of a Traveller family and community  Identify some of the similarities between the values and practises of the Traveller community, those of faith communities previously studied and their own lives.  Be able to ask questions about other peoples life and culture  Talk about right and wrong from their own, and others, perspective. Some children will have not made so  Recognise and name features and objects of Traveller life and practice. much progress and will be able to  Name something that is of value to a Traveller and something that is of value to them. Some children will have progressed  Understand and explain the similarities and differences between Traveller further and will be able to communities and other faith communities previously studied.  Talk about the impact that being a Traveller has on Traveller’s decisions and life choices.  Identify what influences them as individuals.

2 3 Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupil will learn about; Who are Travellers? Pupils will be able to:  The Traveller Ask children what they think about when they  Talk about the Art communities hear the word ‘ Traveller’’. difference between travelling on holiday or Design and Technology  The significance of Talk about travelling for holidays, on trips on a trip and travelling Introduce the concept of a Traveller possessions as a lifestyle History community.

 The collections of  Identify what matters Speaking and Listening Use video/powerpoint presentation to their peers and the introduce children to Traveller community. to them and what reason why people matters to others. collect certain items Show Crown Derby plate and engraved glass pieces. Gypsy Travellers love to collect china and engraved glass. Talking partners – share what you collect at home and why. Discuss significance of Gypsy Travellers collecting china and glass (something of beauty and significance that can be passed down to children).

Decorate a china or paper plate Use engraving kit (risk assessment/ adult supervision/goggles required)

Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn to What is special about a Traveller home and Pupils will be able to lifestyle ?  make links between  talk about the Geography – homes their experience of Children could bring a photo of their home or draw a picture of types of homes a topic it to make into a class mural. home and a Traveller might live Travellers home Look at various types of Traveller homes such as bender tents, in and give a reason Design and technology. vardos (traditional Gypsy wagons), caravans. Why do Gypsy why. Travellers live in homes like this?  find out about different types of Give children a timed challenge in pairs/groups. How many  identify a Traveller homes and similarities/differences can they spot between their homes similarity and a and the homes of Travellers. a travelling /outdoor difference between life Talk about the importance of being able to pack and travel their own home and with possessions. Gypsy Travellers are very careful with their those of a property. If china is damaged it has to be thrown away. They keep their home and possessions very clean. Traveller.

Explain about signals left by other Travellers to show  demonstrate care direction of travel using sticks. They trust each other’s directions. when handling Children could pack old china plates carefully into a valuable possessions trolley/trundle vehicle and follow a pre prepared course using Gypsy symbols as a guide.

Children make model bender tents, vardos and trailers. Note how a hand cart and a bender tent became incorporated into a vardo.

Make peg dolls.

Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas

5 6 Children will learn, What customs do Gypsy Travellers follow Pupils will be able to, in their homes ? PSHE  the importance of Talk about class golden rules and why we have them.  talk about the different Thinking skills rules and customs Travellers have customs that they keep for similar rules that are followed reasons. Review learning about Travellers…live an in different peoples outdoor life, in easily movable accommodation, they Opportunity for moral  to treat others are very concerned about keeping things clean and homes. development beliefs and customs looking after their possessions carefully. with respect  consider the views of Show children shoes, tea cup and washing others based on their up bowl. What rules would you need if you lifestyle. used these in a Gypsy home? Talk about customs that Gypsy Travellers keep ie. don’t place tea cups on the floor (too easily spilt) , always take shoes off before entering their home(to stop mud from being walked in from outdoors) have separate bowls for washing tea towels, people, crockery, clothes and how important it is for others visiting them to follow these customs.

Children to think about the way that they would like their special possessions treated. Talk about ‘respect’.

Design posters about how to look after the classroom or a place special to you.

Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other

6 7 Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn about, What is important to Gypsy Travellers? Pupils will be able to, Read ‘ A Horse for Joe’. Develop an understanding of the importance of horses and  The importance of  Talk about something of Art working together as a family. Gypsy Travellers family to Gypsy importance to Gypsy place value in family pride. Family is a source of Travellers and make a link Technology Travellers help and support. between that and something that is important to Opportunity for social  The importance of Introduce fairs. Gypsy Travellers love horse fairs such as Appleby. They travel as a family themselves development horses and shared and meet as a community. celebrations  express their ideas through Talk about Romany language used by Gypsy creative and expressive arts  A shared language Travellers. Special source of pride and heritage. Can you think of any faith communities that you have studied where they have a special language  That decorations of their own? Children could follow a treasure reflect Gypsy culture trail using objects and Romany words or sing nursery rhymes exchanging words for Romany equivalents.

Look at photographs or examples of Gypsy decorations on vardos and artefacts. Gypsy travellers often use horses. Why?

Children could decorate their own sign with something that is important to them using clay modelling ,painting, printing or drawing.

Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas

7 8 Pupils will learn, What do Traveller families do together? Pupils will be able to, Revisit ‘ A Horse for Joe’ Draw a diagram of  That Traveller all the people in his family that he is close  Talk about the difference Every Child Matters- to. families work that being a child of a Economic Well- being Traveller makes. together Children to think about their own families. Who are Design and technology in their families and what do they do together?  Think about difficult  Traveller children Children to act it out for others to guess. questions and Literacy- Following have a responsibility In Traveller families they travel around to make communicate an answer. Instructions to help within their enough money to live on. Everybody, even children, family. help with the work. Children to examine pictures of  Explore Gypsy arts and families working together eg children helping in customs by creating their  Travellers have skills stalls on a fairground. own example. which they pass down - Children to discuss whether they think it is to their children right for young children to have to work with their families. What are the good things about it? What might the bad things be about it? - Children are given responsibility earlier than many children. Show children carnations and wreaths that are made in Gypsy families to be sold. Skills are passed down from generation to generation. Show video footage of woman making wreaths and explaining how to do it. Children to make examples of flowers. Emphasise pride in achievement. Maybe children could make some to sell at the school fair to raise money for a charity. Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn, What do Gypsy Travellers believe? Pupils will be able to,

8 9 Review what children know about Christian Opportunity for moral  That you can have a belief and practice. Most Gypsy Travellers have a  Make links between development Christian faith but they don’t go to church very faith without going to Christian and Gypsy often. They prefer to celebrate with the community belief and practice i.e. PSHE a special building and often have important meetings and occasions on belief in God, christening. their own land. Literacy  That Gypsy Travellers  Explain what Gypsy thank God for their Children are very important to Travellers. Most Travellers children are christened. Show video Travellers are thankful lives footage of Irish Traveller explaining that children for and think about are a gift from God for which they are very something that they are  That Travellers thankful. thankful for. respect their ‘elders’ and listen to their When Gypsy Travellers die God is thanked for  Recall a traditional advice. giving them a long and happy life. They give their Traveller morality tale special possessions to others before they die so that their special things are handed down from generation to generation.

Play thankfulness parachute game. Children run one at a time under a parachute and say one thing that they are thankful for. (Play outside if possible)

Discuss concept of elders. Children are taught to respect elders. Elders pass down customs and stories to those younger. Tell a Gypsy parable eg Lazy Jack and think about it’s moral. Link to parables that Jesus told.

Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn, What is a Traveller wedding like? Pupils will be able to,

 About different Gypsy Travellers may marry on a site and/or in a  Express their feeling in Music church. A site is where they are based when they types of weddings response to music are not travelling. They have big celebrations with PSHE lots of music and dancing.  Talk about different  the importance of types of weddings Opportunity for moral promises Children to listen to traditional Gypsy music and think about the feelings it evokes. development  Consider the importance No invitations would be sent out for Gypsy events of a promise like weddings but everyone is welcome to come. Pose a puzzle. You want people to come to your wedding but you can’t send out invitations. What can you do? In Gypsy communities people are told through word of mouth. Play ‘Chinese Whispers’

Some New Travellers have different types of wedding called ‘hand fasting’. Ribbons are wrapped around the hands of the two people being married and they make promises to each other. These promises are thought about carefully. They are very important and people try not to break them.

Children could think of a promise that they would like to make, write it on a ribbon and hang it on a tree.

10 11 Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn, Are there any special celebrations for New Pupils will be able to, Travellers. PSHE  About summer  Imagine a setting and celebrations Summer solstice celebrations celebrating plenty. reflect on feelings Opportunity for People choose sunrise to celebrate and often spiritual development travel to places such as Stonehenge because they  How to use their  Express their feelings feel that it is a special place which is very imagination and respond through creative arts mystical. Find a picture of Stonehenge to display creatively to stimuli on a whiteboard.  Make links between Spend time closing your eyes and imaging the sun different festivals and rising over the horizon. As it rises it spreads its celebrations beautiful colours into the sky and it grows warmer. Children to think of things that make them feel safe and happy.

Weave a class cloth, each child choosing a piece of fabric (different textures and colours) which represents how they felt when they were imagining the sun rise. Children could explain to a partner/ group or the class why they have chosen that particular fabric.

When do Christians celebrate plenty (Harvest)? Who do they thank and why?

11 12 Learning Objectives Possible Teaching Activities Learning Outcomes Contribution to other Curriculum Areas Pupils will learn to , Are Travellers treated fairly? Pupils will be able to, Show excerpt from ‘Just like You’ DVD to hear  Explore the issue of Traveller children talking about having their  Reflect on the issue of PSHE feelings hurt at school. equality through stereotypes Speaking and Listening drama Use drama to consider the fairness of  Think about their response discriminating against others on the basis of their to others Opportunity for social  Talk about difficult appearance or lifestyle. Act out scenarios using puppets and / or class. Discuss as a class or in and moral development situations small groups what is happening. Talk about how the  Write or verbalise an ‘puppets’ feel. Ensure that children are aware that answer to a sentence  Complete a rule there are no wrong/right answers, that all opinions starter are valid.

Possible use of drama materials produced by Norman Shamroth and Peter Barton, eg Pig and Pointy in ‘Understanding Differences, Valuing Diversity, Professional Development Materials for addressing racism and cultural diversity at Key Stage 1 and 2‘ . Guidance notes and either the CD rom or video should be available in all Dorset schools.

Children could investigate the UN convention on the Rights of the Child. See www.unicef.org.uk/teacherzone. Encourage children to complete the following sentence starters; Just because someone … or It’s good when people are different because….

Possible Activities Contribution to other Curriculum Areas

Review and Assessment Week ICT skills

Children to prepare an oral presentation on Speaking and Listening Traveller communities to deliver to another class. Writing factual accounts Divide the class into different groups to prepare a presentation on key aspects of Traveller life. Allow children to choose artefacts and slides to show. Prepare a presentation using ICT as a group or class depending on ICT resources available and the ICT ability of the children.