When embarking on the Civil War project with my class, I was initially a little dubious as my knowledge in this area is somewhat limited- Extensive ‘Googling’ did nothing to qualm my fears of trying to map out a unit of work based around the topic.
However, being introduced to Ed Abrams was absolutely inspiring and really supported me in planning out an engaging unit of activities that, not only met National Curriculum Requirements, but also forged fantastic cross-curricular links across all subject areas.
I initially met with Ed to lay out the foundations of the project: his expertise and passion in all things ‘Civil War’ really helped to make this process simple. The combination of having an expert in the field, and myself as a qualified teacher, ensured that we explored the topic in greater depth and thus found more creative ways to match it to objectives in different areas of the curriculum.
The main aspect of the work with Ed, was an entry point and end point to the planned unit of work, whereby Ed and a fellow colleague supported the children in school, and then later on a trip to a Civil War battle site.
The interactive approach to these activities was absolutely fantastic, and the whole class were enthralled when meeting King Charles and being ordered into drill formations by a Civil War sergeant!
The overall impact on learning and engagement across subjects was incredibly positive, and the children produced some fantastic persuasive writing, art work, DT projects and Science investigations based on what they had learned.
A very rewarding experience for all involved!