Check it! - Victorians - Year 2

Exploring the impact of the Victorian era on modern life forms an engaging topic for Year 2 students. The curriculum highlights the importance of understanding how the Victorians have shaped various aspects of contemporary society. To reinforce this learning, educators are encouraged to create regular opportunities for children to review what they have discovered. This can be achieved through a variety of interactive activities such as 'Brain dump', where children spill all their thoughts on the topic, 'Give me FIVE', where they list five relevant facts, 'Add to my mind map' to connect new information, 'Expand and Elaborate' to deepen their understanding, and 'Retrieval Pyramids' to recall and structure their knowledge.

The educational journey also delves into the less appealing aspects of the Victorian era, prompting students to consider why they might not have wanted to be a child during that time. This perspective encourages critical thinking and empathy. In one of the 'CHECK IT!' exercises, students are asked to list five major industries and inventions from the Industrial Revolution, which showcases the era's profound influence on technological and economic development. Another 'Expand and Elaborate' activity invites students to express why being a child in Victorian times might have been challenging and to discuss the significance of wealth during that period. These activities are designed not only to solidify historical knowledge but also to enhance reasoning and expressive skills among the young learners.