Viking Workshop

ReachOut Educate School Workshop

We can visit your school in: East Midlands, West Midlands, London & South East, East of England, South West, North East, North West, Yorkshire, Wales

Why book 'Viking Workshop' with ReachOut Educate

Our workshops involve engaging, interactive sessions and activities that are tailored to suit your learning outcomes, our travelling mini museum allows for an authentic hands on experience, giving your students a taste of what it was like to live in the Viking times.

Our workshop includes:

*Experienced educators, with performing arts experience who bring history to life!

*A welcome presentation, looking at what happened when the Vikings were around and where they sit in the British History Timeline.

*Every participating student will be able to witness how a coin is made via our Coin Striking kit and are able to take home a 'silver' coin with an authentic design from the Viking era.

*An array of artefacts and toys within our mini museum to pick up and explore!

*A 'Danger Table' featuring replica weapons - learn the names of different pieces and what they were used for.

*Wool Spinning - learn how clothes were made.

*Authentic games

*Rune Writing

*Role Play and drama activities

*Optional add-on activities

Teacher Checklist

Risk Assessments
LOtC Quality Badge

What activities are available during this educational workshop?

* A Mini-Museum featuring replica artefacts from daily life during the Viking time period.
* A 'Danger Table' of replica weapons - Learn about how they were made & used!
*Rune Writing - Learn the Viking Futhark and see the differences from our own modern alphabet. Explore what Harald 'Bluetooth' Gormsson did and why we use his name today!
*Use the Coin Striking kit to make an authentic Viking coin that the students can take home.
*Trading & Raiding - How / Where did they spend their money!
*Play a game of Viking Kingybats using shields!

Which Curriculum Subjects do you cater for?

Performing Arts

Performing Arts is the key to our immersive history workshops! All sessions are hosted by professionally trained actors who remain in character throughout the session, with an interactive performance and various activities being key features of the workshop. We encourage the students to engage their imagination to help them think about what it would be like to live as a Viking. Our collection of artefacts in our mini-museum allow the children to handle and play with the resources, using them as they would have been used in the past. In session games are also played to enhance learning and understanding about Viking culture and what they would have done for fun.

Art

Drawing History of Art Craft Design

Exploring Vikings through creative methods such as craft, drawing of the rune alphabet, brass rubbings with wax crayon of traditional norse imagery and using traditional artistic coin making methods to create bespoke beautifully crafted coins of the era and discussing the art and design behind them. Each child then takes their beautifully created work home with them!

Human Geography

Settlement and land use

Why did Vikings come to Britain from Scandinavia? We look at why the weather conditions from their native land pushed them over the sea onto British soil and how they used their new climate to their advantage. Where they chose to settle once they got here and how farming changed and improved the land. We also look at how the Vikings adapted to a warmer climate in the UK than in Scandinavia. We use maps to see the routes taken, where trading took place and why the Vikings would travel to the destinations they chose to visit.

Saxons

Invaders and Settlers Saxon Settlements Saxon Laws and Justice Arts and Culture

How did the Saxons react when the Vikings came to Britain? Although the focus is mainly on the Viking Invasion, the Anglo-Saxons weren't much different! During this workshop, we can explore the differences and similarities between the Saxons and the Vikings. Many of their beliefs and cultures overlapped - so why did they always battle each other for land? Why did they not work together? How did the Vikings influence the Saxons?

Vikings

Invaders and Settlers Viking Raids and Invasion Viking Trade Mythology and Culture

What was it like to live and fight as a Viking? What did they eat? What did they wear? They're known as raiders and traders - but why? Our immersive history workshop is hosted by professional trained actors who remain in character through the session and really bring the Vikings to life in the classroom! With interactive performances and presentations, we bring a collection of replica artefacts and weapons in our mini-museum that the students can pick up and explore in a hands-on activity session. How were Viking coins made? Find out how with our authentic coin striking kit, with each student getting to take home a coin that they have helped make to remember their day! How did Vikings communicate? Learn all about Runes and the differences between the Viking Futhark and our modern alphabet! What did the Vikings do for fun? As well as storytelling, join in a game of Kingybats and see if you can be in the winning team!

What size groups do you cater for?

Group sizes will depend on the time frame and space you have available. We are very flexible and can create bespoke programmes for small class sizes, to the full school cohort. To get the most from your session, we usually suggest working with a class of 30 students with the session lasting 1.5 hours; this allows time for any questions they might have and to allow ample time for all students to experience the mini museum fully.. These sessions can be repeated with additional groups of students throughout the day.

Do you offer access for visitors with disabilities?

Yes, we cater for children of all abilities and can adapt our sessions for full inclusivity.

Do you cater for visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?

Yes, we have a selection of practitioners with SEN experience.

Anything else?

Although we do have a framework for our sessions, we are always adaptable and very flexible with the delivery and content - allowing us to build a workshop completely suited to your needs and learning outcomes. We have a 'not one size fits all'' approach with any prospective school, group or club. If you need something specific for your school visit, just give us a call to chat about how we can help you!

Who are ReachOut Educate?

ReachOut Educate deliver interactive workshops and ‘experience days’ to schools and a variety of different social and educational settings.
With many years experience in a broad range of educational subjects, working around the world with students from EYFS right through to adult education, the ReachOut Educate team are confident in creating and delivering learning programmes that match our ethos 'Building Confidence Creatively'.