'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important? - Teacher notes' is a resource from 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?', a Year 3 History lesson from the unit Stone age. This lesson uses an enquiry-approach method, and will facilitate students answering the question 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?'

The creation of Iron Age hill forts represented a significant development in the history of ancient Britain, marking a period where communities sought to protect themselves and their resources. These structures were strategically placed on elevated ground, offering a vantage point to observe incoming threats and providing a formidable defence against potential attackers. The importance of hill forts stems from their role in safeguarding inhabitants during a time of frequent conflicts and territorial disputes. Teachers guide pupils to explore the reasons behind the necessity of such forts, encouraging them to investigate what life within these fortified settlements was like, including the daily routines and challenges faced by the Iron Age people.

Understanding the construction of Iron Age hill forts is crucial to appreciating their significance in historical context. Students are tasked with researching how these forts were ingenously designed with features like ditches, gateways, defensive walls, and siege provisions. They also learn about the internal structures within the forts, such as roundhouses for living spaces and granaries for storing food, which were essential for the community's sustenance and survival. By creating detailed diagrams of hill forts, pupils gain insight into the architectural and engineering skills of the Iron Age people, as well as the social and economic aspects of life during this period. This exploration helps students comprehend the considerable changes that took place from the beginning of the Stone Age to the end of the Iron Age, highlighting the evolution of human settlements and defensive strategies over time.

'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important? - Presentation' is a resource from 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?', a Year 3 History lesson from the unit Stone age. This lesson uses an enquiry-approach method, and will facilitate students answering the question 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?'

Presentation

Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important? - Presentation

'The importance of Iron Age hill forts' is a resource from 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?', a Year 3 History lesson from the unit Stone age. This lesson uses an enquiry-approach method, and will facilitate students answering the question 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?'

The importance of Iron Age hill forts

'Iron Age hill forts - Writing task' is a resource from 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?', a Year 3 History lesson from the unit Stone age. This lesson uses an enquiry-approach method, and will facilitate students answering the question 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?'

Iron Age hill forts - Writing task

Create an Iron Age Hill fort Diagram is an invaluable teaching resource for helping to explain the importance of Iron Age hill forts. This resource encourages students to explore the question through engaging practical activities, such as creating a diagram of a hill fort. This lesson will draw on previously taught knowledge of Iron Age history, including Bronze and early Iron Age, the construction of Maiden Castle, the development of hill forts in the South West of England, and their use as fortified refuges or small towns following Roman conquest. This activity is part of the lesson, “Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?”.This interactive teaching resource includes features that make lesson planning simpler for teachers. These features include a discussion of the evidence for hillforts from the period, such as wooden walls, thatched roofs, and external ditches, as well as details about the defensive advantages of a hill fort, like one or more lines of ramparts, such as at Wat's Dyke and Cadbury Castle, and linear earthworks. The resource also provides background information about the late Bronze and early Iron Age in Britain for a comprehensive understanding of the period, such as weapons and enemies the people of the time faced, and what was needed to attack and defend a hill fort.Using this teaching resource, teachers can easily engage their students in exploring the key question by guiding them through the creation of a hill fort diagram. By providing students with a practical activity, they will gain a greater understanding of the shape and construction of hillforts, and what enabled them to be effective in protecting people, land, and tools in a complex and turbulent period. As an extension, teachers can also introduce archaeological evidence for hill forts, such as graves and temples, to further expand the students’ understanding of the period.Features:<ul><li>Discussion of evidence from the period, such as wooden walls, thatched roofs, and external ditches</li><li>An exploration of the defensive advantages of a hill fort, like one or more lines of ramparts, such as at Wat’s Dyke and Cadbury Castle</li><li>Linear earthworks</li><li>Background information about the late Bronze and early Iron Age in Britain, such as weapons and enemies the people of the time faced, and what is needed to attack and defend a hill fort</li><li>Practical activities, such as creating a diagram of a hill fort</li><li>Archaeological evidence for hill forts, such as graves and temples</li></ul>This teaching resource not only expands the students' knowledge of Iron Age hill forts, but also makes lesson planning easier for teachers. By providing features like background information, discussions of evidence from the period, and practical activities, teachers can easily guide their students through an exploration of Iron Age hill forts. The interactive nature of this teaching resource also encourages students to think critically and deepen their understanding of the topic in an engaging and enjoyable way.

Create a diagram of a hill fort

Year 3 History lesson from the unit Stone age. This lesson uses an enquiry-approach method, and will facilitate students answering the question 'Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?'

Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important?

Year 3

History

Stone Age

Why was the creation of the Iron Age hill forts so important? - Teacher notes

Awarded an OBE for Services to Education, Clive Davies has designed and built these schemes around progression and enquiry. Focus Education resources are of the highest educational quality.