The story of Scotland’s most famous queen has everything: battles, INVESTIGATING murder, plotting, romance, kidnap, imprisonment, escape and execution. MARY QUEEN This resource identifies some of the key sites and aims to give teachers OF SCOTS strategies for investigating these sites with primary age pupils. Information for teachers EDUCATION INVESTIGATING HISTORIC SITES: PEOPLE 2 Mary Queen of Scots Using this resource Contents great fun – most pupils find castles and P2 Introduction ruins interesting and exciting. Some of the Using this resource This resource is for teachers investigating sites have replica objects or costumes for P3 the life of Mary Queen of Scots with their pupils to handle. Booking a visit pupils. It aims to link ongoing classroom work with the places associated with the Many of the key sites associated with Mary P4 are, because of their royal connections, in a Supporting learning and queen, and events with the historic sites teaching where they took place. good state of repair. At Stirling there is the great bonus that the rooms of the royal palace P6 NB: This pack is aimed at teachers rather are currently being restored to their 16th- Integrating a visit with than pupils and it is not intended that it century splendour. Many sites are, however, classroom studies should be copied and distributed to pupils. ruinous. Presented properly, this can be a P10 This resource aims to provide: powerful motivator for pupils: What could this Timeline: the life of hole in the floor have been used for? Can you Mary Queen of Scots • an indication of how visits to historic sites can illuminate a study of the work out how the Prestons might defend their P12 dramatic events of the life of Mary castle at Craigmillar? Can anyone see any clues Who’s who: key people Queen of Scots as to what this room used to be? Pupils should in the life of Mary Queen be encouraged at all times to ‘read the stones’ of Scots • support for the delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence and offer their own interpretations of what P14 they see around them. Life of Mary Queen of • background information for the non- Scots specialist teacher about the life of Mary However, without some prior knowledge, P23 Queen of Scots and her contemporaries pupils are unlikely to be able to do this Life at the court of Mary and life at the royal court effectively, and they will gain far more from a Queen of Scots • maps and further information to show visit if they come to the site with at least some P31 which sites are linked with Mary Queen experience in interpretation and knowledge Everyday life in Scotland of Scots of the period. Some ideas for preparatory activities can be found on pages 6–7 P33 • suggestions for other places to visit and The Reformation in other sources of evidence A list of key sites with a brief description and Scotland a map showing their location is on page 35. P35 Bringing the past to life This is intended to help you choose a site Historic sites with links which best supports the angle you are taking to Mary Queen of Scots Visits to historic sites can fire the on the topic and which is convenient for travel. P36 imagination, inspire learning and Places to visit provoke further questioning. The sites Site visits P39 at Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle Other resources clearly reveal the power of the people Curriculum for Excellence aspires to who built and lived in them; the kitchens motivate and challenge pupils through a at Linlithgow Palace help pupils compare wide range of varied learning experiences. Cover Image: Mary Queen of Scots. cooking then and now. The destruction Site visits have a particular role to play in Probably a 19th-century replica of an image of 1561, artist unknown, after of St Andrews Castle tells us something ‘joining up’ learning outcomes, making François Clouet. Mary is shown in white learning relevant and in their capacity to mourning dress, to mark the deaths about what it must have been like to of her father-in-law, her mother and be under attack and the warmth of offer learners a degree of personalisation husband in an 18-month period. The Royal Collection © 2011, Her Majesty Huntingtower Castle speaks of more and choice. See page 4 for more detailed Queen Elizabeth II settled, easier times. A visit can also be links to Curriculum for Excellence. investigating historic sites: people Mary Queen of Scots 3 Booking a visit Historic Scotland holds the key to the nation’s historic Special events and activities for schools environment, caring for 345 attractions across Scotland. Many sites run special activity sessions for school groups. A number of these sites played a key role in the life of To book or to find out more about these activities, call Mary Queen of Scots and a class site visit makes these the Education Unit on the number above, or look at our events feel real to pupils and can be hugely motivating Schools Activity Programme on our website. There is and memorable. See page 35 for a map giving names and usually a small charge for these activities. locations of key sites. Contact details Travel subsidy scheme Historic Scotland Education Unit Schools can apply for a travel subsidy to visit any Tel: 0131 668 8793/8736 Historic Scotland site. This provides financial assistance www.historic-scotland.gov.uk with transportation costs between the school and To book a visit to any of the Historic Scotland sites featured the chosen site. To find out more about the scheme in this booklet, please call the number above or contact please call the Education Unit on the number above, or the sites directly on the numbers given on pages 36–8. download an application form from our website. Two types of visit are currently available for schools: Risk assessment Teacher-led visits Risk assessment of the site is the responsibility of the Teachers are encouraged to lead their own class visits teacher in charge of the group. To assist with this, to our sites. All visits must be booked. Historic Scotland hazard information sheets are available on the Historic operates a year-round free admission scheme for Scotland website or contact the Education Unit for teacher-led educational visits. The exceptions to this are more information. visits to Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle during the We strongly encourage teachers to make a free pre-visit months of May–August inclusive, when there is a charge. themselves before bringing a class. This gives teachers Teacher-led tours for many of the sites featured in this the chance to carry out their risk assessment, try out pack are available to download from our website. These material and become familiar with the site. Please contain background information and notes for activities discuss this when booking your class visit. and discussion. Craigmillar Castle investigating historic sites: people 4 Mary Queen of Scots Supporting learning and teaching Curriculum for Excellence A visit and use of any supporting material will help to: Curriculum for Excellence presents teachers with an Develop successful learners by unrivalled opportunity to make the most of site visits, • Exploring places, investigating artefacts and both in specific curriculum areas and through cross- discussing the past curricular studies. • Encouraging pupils to think critically about the The guiding principles behind Curriculum for Excellence nature of historical evidence and arrive at their own are at the heart of learning activities suggested here conclusions and in our downloadable Site Investigation packs. • Making links between current and previous While providing guidance and suggested activities for knowledge teachers or parent helpers who are unfamiliar with the topic and the site, they aim to build in opportunities for • Providing a real context for learning which helps to personalisation and choice and for pupils to set their bring the past to life own research goals and targets. Suggested activities Develop confident individuals by should be regarded as a starting point; ideally, pupils, if • Providing opportunities for pupils to share and properly prepared, will be setting their own agenda on- present their learning to others using a range of site and understanding the purpose and relevance of all media activities and of their visit. • Giving pupils opportunities to communicate their Most of the sites referred to in this booklet are at least own views on historical events and issues raised partly outdoors. The power of outdoor learning is during the visit well-documented, as pupils benefit from learning in Develop responsible citizens by context and through experience and place. The less • Encouraging greater understanding of and respect formal environment can have positive effects on social for their own historic and built environment development as a different kind of relationship develops • Experiencing examples of the work of historians, among pupils and between pupils and staff. archaeologists and conservationists and Most teachers will be visiting a historic site to support understanding why this is important ongoing work in achieving outcomes in Social Studies: Develop effective contributors by people, past events and societies. More broadly speaking, • Encouraging pupils to record and express their a visit can help support the development of the four observations following on-site investigations broad capacities of Curriculum for Excellence, as outlined in the panel opposite. • Providing pupils with the opportunity to develop life skills such as photography during their visit investigating historic sites: people Mary Queen of Scots 5 Learning in Social Studies Cross-curricular studies Most teachers will be visiting a historic site to support Curriculum for Excellence actively promotes learning ongoing work in achieving outcomes in Social Studies: beyond subject boundaries.