Vikings, Valkyries and Valhalla - Victorious in defeat Workshop
Horrid Historia
School Workshop London & South East Hampshire
Why do I love teaching Vikings? Probably because in general they are seen as the villains of the peace when it comes to our history. Ferocious, fearless, demonic heathens that emerged from the mist to plunder and loot. But where do we get this narrative from? In an age where written accounts are few and far between and mainly the preserve of the clergy it is easy to see why, as a non Christian people, they might have been demonised. The reality though is something different and this is where we come in; to uncover the secrets behind what we refer to as the Viking culture. Where we delve into the rich fabric of their religion and beliefs; explore their heritage, their games and their lifestyle. Trace their own roots back and start to appreciate how technically advanced, innovative and skilled these people were. A legacy of myth and legend, of female warriors and male berserkers, fearless adventure and rich opportunistic endeavour that would eventually see them succeed despite... the ultimate defeat. Where we set your pupils sailing with Vikings, Valkyries and Valhalla on an epic quest to discover the Victory of Defeat.Our passion is all about hands-on enquiry-led learning. We don't operate on a script or come to you with a show. We design our workshops to fit your pupils needs and interests. We empower them to take their learning on a journey that inspires them to want to know more. We focus on the skills rather than the end goal using artefacts that are either real or hand-made replicas for the period. But we don't stop there. History isn't about full-stops. It's a maze of comma, ellipsis, exclamation mark and questions. It is about life. What came before and after; the links that forge and unite our history and our lives today. This is where we excel. You want a workshop on Iron Age weapons and armour then we bring this to life for you but we also explore what came before and what comes next. The evolution of the concept - the differences and similarities, what changes and what stays the same and why it happened - cause and effect.
"For we are the spark that ignites their passion."
We also cover - Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Romans and Saxons and many more - details on our website. So if you are looking for a stand alone or multi-period experience that is bespoke to you, then the Horrid Historia team are your crew..
Teacher Checklist
Bursaries or Funded Places Available
Where we travel to
We can visit your school in:
What activities are available during this school workshop?
We start every workshop with an interactive experience for your pupils that not only sets the scene but also allows them the opportunity to get to grips with many of our artefacts.
The rest of the day is up to you to decide safe in the knowledge that whatever you choose we will adapt the delivery and content to fit your narrative or enquiry-led trail. At present we have a staggering 15 specific Viking workshops for you to choose from and all of these can be combined or adjusted in order for us to deliver the living history experience your pupils deserve. All of the details are on our website but here is a flavour of some of them.
Viking Trading - this is our longest workshop but in terms of immersion and experience it won't feel that way for your pupils as they learn the key skills of trade Viking style. Will they prove astute enough to make a profit or will their longboat sink without trace?
Rune casting - here in lies within one workshop the essence of Viking culture and belief and your pupils will love the magic, the mystery and the drama that unfolds as they speak with the Gods.
Jewellery - Today a fashion statement - to a Viking something else altogether and here we will teach your pupils how to make their own version of some traditional Viking pieces and their value to these people.
The rest of the day is up to you to decide safe in the knowledge that whatever you choose we will adapt the delivery and content to fit your narrative or enquiry-led trail. At present we have a staggering 15 specific Viking workshops for you to choose from and all of these can be combined or adjusted in order for us to deliver the living history experience your pupils deserve. All of the details are on our website but here is a flavour of some of them.
Viking Trading - this is our longest workshop but in terms of immersion and experience it won't feel that way for your pupils as they learn the key skills of trade Viking style. Will they prove astute enough to make a profit or will their longboat sink without trace?
Rune casting - here in lies within one workshop the essence of Viking culture and belief and your pupils will love the magic, the mystery and the drama that unfolds as they speak with the Gods.
Jewellery - Today a fashion statement - to a Viking something else altogether and here we will teach your pupils how to make their own version of some traditional Viking pieces and their value to these people.
Which curriculum topics do we cater for?
Citizenship Workshop
Personal development and resilience Laws and the justice system Team building Monarchy Diversity and Inclusion
Click to read full text From the dawn of time we have been learning the key concepts of citizenship. From what we perceive as being the lawless uncultured past of our Neanderthal cousins we are beginning to discover a different narrative. Where rules become laws and where justice prevailed. But that is also a question in itself - where does justice sit inside a sphere of subjective processing. What happens when two cultures collide and each have different laws and identities? Who is right? Is the written word the measure of a cultures worth and if so why? What of the author? Have we measured their morality? Is there an agenda? Was their perspective skewed? History is a great place to explore all of this. Monarchy vs Democracy - we think this is a new concept. What about the Viking history or the Saxon kings and queens versus monastic life where elections selected leadership. What of international relations where trade was intrinsically linked to power and alliance. In a world full of different languages and cultures how did our ancestors not only manage but thrive before modern technology broke down many of these barriers? Our workshops use these principles to engage with your pupils and get them thinking and asking question themselves using historical principles as the guide for shaping modern day practices.
Archaeology Workshop
Click to read full text Archaeology provides a window through time from which we can use artefacts to recreate the narratives of that time period through the thoughts and ideas of your pupils. Here they will learn chronology and how different methods are used to date artefacts. They will learn how evidence is acquired, correlated and disseminated. They will discover how to form questions and how to use artefacts to form a narrative based on form, function and use. They will explore similarities/differences; cause and consequence and why things might change or stay the same. Whilst also exploring what we don't know and what archaeology alone cannot help us understand.
Music Workshop
Playing Musical Instruments Listening to Music Music History
Click to read full text The wonderful thing about music is that somewhere every piece you have ever heard means something to someone. It invokes feelings and humans have been attempting to tame and train it to their narrative from the Dawn of humans as a species. Now today we will have timbre, notes, scales and many other conventions of musical form or so it would seem. Is our scale the same as in other places today? What makes a good song? A good tune to dance to? What does music actually mean and where does it come from. Well in the Stone Age it came from nature and you will be surprised how much melody is inert beneath our feet. We will teach your pupils about the history of music in the best way possible by letting them explore it, play it and recreate it. Songs, dance, performance - melodies, notes, tunes, percussion, beat and choreography on a different scale. A scale that taps into our ancient roots and follows them all the way up through the ages to the modern period if that is your desire. Or instead you could just stay and hang around drifting amidst a choral rendition inspired by sea and rugged coastlines.
Vikings Workshop
Invaders and Settlers Viking Raids and Invasion Viking Trade Mythology and Culture
Click to read full text Valhalla the Halls of the Brave to await the arrival of Ragnarök. These twelve words alone almost perfectly describe a mindset that defines the essence of the Viking people. To live life in the moment, to celebrate their gods and goddesses, to cherish these moments on earth with their families secure in the knowledge that no matter what occurs they will all meet again as long as they face adversity and danger - face on. Yet, despite this the were just people, they worshipped Odin and Thor and Loki, they offered sacrifices,. They had super-star leaders whose names would strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. They were superstitious and spoke to Valhalla through runes, and rites. They raided and they traded, Travelling across the vastness of the Atlantic and well into Asia using their infamous longships and a 'secret weapon' that they guarded from other nations with their lives. So what does Viking mean - well book us for a workshop and we will take you on a journey of discovery and find out.
What size groups do we cater for?
We are very adaptable and can usually facilitate workshops for most cohort sizes. Our standard package is one class per workshop leader but this can be adjusted to suit your needs and especially so with smaller / larger schools.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
We can adapt any workshop and its delivery to suit the needs of any of your pupils. We have a vast range of alternative or substitute resources at our disposal which can be used as an adaption for any workshop that we run. But more importantly all of our workshops are uniquely designed to ensure that all pupils/ clients can access the learning and join in with their friends / peers. We appreciate that some may need additional support to do so and where this is required we will work closely with the school to ensure that we come up with a solution that works best for them. Our two workshop leaders have over 30 years of experience between them working very closely with SEN, home education and small groups, as well as with young people in mainstream education that require adaptations or specialist support. Our ethos is inclusivity: we believe that enriching education experiences should be available for all young people.
I could mention here specific instances where we have adapted our delivery however I prefer instead to abide by our humanistic, holistic approach to education rather than focussing on what is in reality a label. In other words you know your pupils very well so please get in touch and we will instead work together to deliver something unique and special for YOUR pupils. I personally spent 7 years planning, creating and delivering bespoke 1:1 and small group sessions for pupils with additional and specific needs. So with your input and expertise in your young people, we can bring their curriculum to life.
Anything else?
As a company we pride ourselves on our sustainable approach towards delivering these workshops. So just as our ancestors will have done, we work within windows of opportunity. This does mean that as the seasons progress some of the resources we use may change to suit the season or may have been stored from an earlier window of opportunity. These will in no way affect the quality of the workshops we deliver; indeed we believe this approach enhances the authentic experience for your pupils. However some of the resources may not be as vibrant or available out of season.
For some of our activities we will need space - some of that outdoors and others an indoor alternative if it is really wet ie cave painting. We will always endeavour to go outdoors for workshops that require this regardless of the weather but will ensure that this always remains safe and enjoyable for your pupils.
For some of our activities we will need space - some of that outdoors and others an indoor alternative if it is really wet ie cave painting. We will always endeavour to go outdoors for workshops that require this regardless of the weather but will ensure that this always remains safe and enjoyable for your pupils.
Who are Horrid Historia?
Sean - this is my baby and it has taken years to come about. Decades of living as a re-enactor bringing history to life in castles all around the U.K. Living and learning the skills of our ancestors. I create most of the artefacts used in our workshops myself using period techniques and tools and just love researching and learning from trial and error to recreate something I have seen in a museum or have read about. As an educator, I have specialised in 1:1 intervention and SEN programmes. I have managed an outdoor heritage education site and won awards for my enquiry-led approach to teaching. I know how important and life changing enriching education experiences can be for young people and this is the drive behind this company. To make sure that these experiences are available and affordable for all schools and pupils. I am a parent, a husband, a grandfather. I coach swimming and martial arts. I am a published author and have played King John in a TV programme and have starred, as a prop, in a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Adrian - a very good friend and a man whose passion for teaching and getting young people enthused about learning really knows no bounds. His speciality lies in Roman and Saxon history which he lives and breathes nearly every day. However, like me, he just loves history and the way he can bring it to life for young people is truly mesmerising. To sit and listen to his stories, which he loves telling, transports you back in time to an age where this was the most exciting and exhilarating time of the day for our ancestors and I guarantee that he will have your young people spell bound.
Whilst our prices are fixed per full day and half day visits and are very affordable (average cost based on class of 30 is less than £2 per pupil for a full day) we appreciate that if you are a smaller or specialist school, or a Home Ed group with your own accessible land, that this price structure doesn't work as well for you. So please do get in touch and as the saying goes - 'where there is the will; there is a way.' We can work together to find a solution.
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