Vikings: who were they?

Who were the Vikings and what were they like? Did they have horns on their helmets?

An introduction to a five-week Viking unit for 9- and-10-year-olds. Most children had prior knowledge about the Vikings, from television and visits to the Yorvik Viking Centre in nearby York.

We wanted to discover the extent and nature of that knowledge: what concepts of the Vikings and their civilisation had the children formed? We began by asking them to write down what they knew, then what they wanted to know, about the Vikings. This approach will work for any topic, at any age.

In discussing, writing and pooling their statements the children are calling upon prior knowledge, clarifying ideas and concepts, and practising their speaking and listening skills.

Following this up with question-posing is both motivating and liberating for the children - so much of school life is dominated by teacher questioning. Without questions there can be no history. Question-posing introduces children to the methods of historians, whose questions drive their investigations. The children invariably ask focused, relevant and excellent historical questions.

by Jacqui Dean