Castles STEM Resource
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Contents Page Introduction Activity pages Booking a visit. Page 2 K W L. Page 17 Health and safety Turbulent times Castles and the curriculum Resource cards . Page 18 & 19 Castles and STEM in Key Stage 3 Materials I spy . Page 20 Top trumps example. Page 21 Before your visit Heraldry shield template . Page22 Activity suggestions . Page 3 Built to last Turbulent times. Page 4 Defence inspector . .Page 5 Explosive stuff . .Page 6 Mission impossible . Page 6 Tools of the trade Grand design. Page 7 Materials I spy. Page 8 List of images Missing . Page 9 Investigate arches . Page 10 Oxwich Castle . front cover Use the force . Page 11 Rhuddlan motte and bailey Castle . page 3 Build budget . Page 12 Beaumaris battlements and arrowloops. page 5 Curtain wall at Kidwelly Castle . page 5 Just the job A siege engine at Caerphilly Castle . page 6 Llawhaden Castle . page 9 All in a day's work. Page 13 Cilgerran Castle . page 9 Castle careers top trumps . Page 13 Arches at Chepstow Castle. page 10 Party planner. Page 14 A feast at Rhuddlan Castle. page 12 Heraldry . Page 14 Caernarfon Castle heraldry . page 14 Heraldry. page 14 Home sweet home Bronllys Castle . page 15 Go go gadget go . Page 15 The well at Dolforwyn Castle . page 16 Castle for sale . Page 16 Water watch . Page 16 1 Introduction The aim of this pack is to help teachers approach a self-led visit to a castle in a creative, confident and imaginative way. The activity suggestions are flexible and can be carried out in a number of ways. We encourage teachers to select and adapt the material to ensure it meets topic and year group needs. Booking a visit Castles and the curriculum Did you know that self-led visits to Cadw sites are free We have included a curriculum map to support to education groups attending education establishments teachers’ planning. The map highlights how the activity in the European Union? suggestions in this pack are relevant to learning in Key The following guidelines are for staffed castles only. If Stage 3 and how they link to the National Curriculum you are visiting a castle that is not staffed you do not for Wales. The activity suggestions also support the need to book. To book your free visit, please follow delivery of Cwricwlwm Cymreig. They provide pupils these simple steps: with opportunities to develop and apply their Please book your visit at least five working days in knowledge and understanding of the cultural, economic, advance. Telephone the site to check the availability for environmental and historical characteristics of Wales. the date you’d like to visit. Once you have agreed a date and time with the site, complete the online booking form. We also offer interactive, curriculum-linked education activities at selected sites. Booking guidelines Castles and STEM in Key Stage 3 and other resources can be found on the Cadw learning pages www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/learning Study of Welsh castles enriches work in STEM subjects and provides students with an environment in which to Health and safety explore real life scientific, mathematical, technological and engineering opportunities and challenges. Visiting a Teachers and group leaders are responsible for carrying castle can provide students with a context in which to out risk assessments prior to the visit, in accordance with learn and extend their understanding. The suggested guidance issued by local education authorities. We offer activities in this pack provide a snapshot of ideas for free teacher familiarisation visits to enable teachers to meeting skills in STEM subjects whilst visiting a castle write the risk assessments and plan activities before and in the classroom prior to and following a visit. bringing a group to the site. The learning pages on the Cadw website offer advice for planning your visit and site specific information. 2 Before your visit Again create a 'Risk Assessment Table' with potential 'hazards', 'injuries' and 'actions'. Write a new list of the Activity Suggestions things you would need to take with you to keep you safe on your visit. E.g. A shield. Compare the two tables Route planner and lists. Before you go investigate the geographical location of K-W-L. Know - Want to know - Learn the castle you intend to visit. Locate your school and the castle on local maps and plan your route. Launch your castle topic and steer thinking and Think about: questioning with a K-W-L chart. Before your visit to a • How will you get there? castle brainstorm: What do I know about castles? What • How far away is it? would I like to find out about castles? Complete the • How long will it take you to get there? chart and list everything you know and would like to • How much will it cost? find out. Following your visit or at the end of your topic, • What will the impact of your journey on traffic and complete the final column asking: What I have learned the environment be? about castles? Locate the castle on a digital map. Comparing castles Think about: • What does the area look like on the satellite image? There are many different castle styles including: motte • What do you notice about the landscape? and bailey, square keep and concentric castles. Research • Can you find important landmarks? Can you locate three castle designs and create a PowerPoint physical and human features? presentation to explain and describe each example. • Does the castle make use of natural features? Include a title slide, an open layout with bullet points, • What impact does the castle have on the local area? labeled diagrams and photographs. You could also include transitions, animations, hyperlinks and sounds. Report your findings back to the class in a number of ways; you could present your ideas in a PowerPoint presentation or create a 'mini study manual'. Make the most of your journey to the castle and look for landmarks along the route. Add what you have spotted to your report. Take a risk Before you go make a list of the possible hazards you may encounter on your visit and think about the actions you could take to reduce the risk of injury. E.g. you will find uneven floor surfaces around the castle and to reduce the risk of tripping and hurting yourself you could wear sensible walking boots. Create a 'Risk Assessment Table' with potential 'hazards', 'injuries' and 'actions'. Write a list of things you may need to take with you to keep you safe on your You will find activity visit. E.g. sensible shoes. sheets at the end of Next you could research the hazards you would this resource. have faced in the past when the castle was in use. Think about the actions you would need to take then to reduce the risk of injury. E.g. the castle may have been surrounded by a moat. To reduce the risk of falling into the deep and murky moat and drowning you would need to make sure you carefully crossed it when the drawbridge was down. 3 Built to last The following activities give students an opportunity to explore the reasons why people built castles. They encourage students to think about castles as places built to defend and protect as well as places for people to broadcast immense power and control over others. Maths: Skills: Solve mathematical problems. Other curriculum links: Communicate mathematically. English: Oracy Range: Measure and Money, Shape, position and ICT: Skills: Find and analyse information movement History: Skills: Historical knowledge and Design and Technology: Skills: Designing. Making. understanding. Historical Enquiry System and control Geography: Skills: Locating places, environments and patterns. Range: Study the town and country, tomorrow's citizens. Turbulent times 1. Find the evidence Choose an attack card and search the castle for the area Key Questions: that it relates to. Observe the area carefully and talk Why did people build castles? How did about how this area could be attacked. Decide on the most effective way to defend it. people defend castles? How did people 2. Turbulent Times Tactics attack them? In small groups create two teams - 'Attackers' and 'Defenders'. The aim of this game is to outwit the Engage: opposing team using the 'Turbulent Times' cards and win the battle with the best defence or attack methods. Many castles were built during a time of conflict. They Each team read their cards carefully. Discuss together were built to keep hold of land that was captured and the most effective attack/defence methods. Choose then kept to rule the defeated enemy. Castles were three cards that you all agree are the most effective, ferociously defended and attacked. (you also need to think about what your opponent might choose). Both teams reveal your cards. Debate Develop: together which methods chosen would win the battle. E.g. if the 'defenders' have chosen to use the portcullis Split the class into two groups - 'Attackers' and and the 'attackers' the battering ram, decide which team 'Defenders'. In pairs and with a plan of the castle, explore would come out on top. it through the eyes of an attacker or a defender. Attackers: Find the weak spots in the castle. Think Reflect: about: How would you storm the castle? Defenders: Find the weak spots in the castle. Think about: How Where is the weakest area of the castle? How do you would you defend the castle? know? What can you do to strengthen it? There are many ways in which to use the 'Turbulent times' cards, found at the back of this resource. We have In class: Explore the Cadw learning pages included two activities you may wish to use.