Cops and robbers - What do you know about the Vikings?

The 'Cops and robbers' activity is an engaging and interactive exercise designed for groups of four pupils to collaboratively enhance their knowledge about the Vikings. Initially, each pupil is given two minutes to jot down everything they can recall about the Vikings on the left side of a table. This phase encourages individual memory recall and personal understanding of the topic. Following this, they have one minute each to review the contributions made by their peers, looking specifically for information they had not previously noted down themselves.

During the 'robbers' phase of the activity, students 'steal' new information from their group members by adding any additional facts they have learned to the 'stolen knowledge' section of their table. This collaborative learning technique not only broadens each pupil's understanding but also fosters a sense of teamwork and knowledge sharing. Each piece of information recorded—both recalled and stolen—is awarded two points, incentivizing students to share and learn as much as they can. The entire activity is designed to last approximately 15 minutes, making it a quick and efficient way to consolidate knowledge on how the Vikings have influenced history, leading up to the changes in Britain between the end of the Roman occupation and 1066.