Archaeology in Schools: Exploring Local Heritage
Take an archaeological approach to exploring local heritage, from graveyards to high streets and pick up some practical tips and inspiration for your next project. The talks in this webinar recording will not just help you and your learners uncover stories from the past but will also highlight how the past can impact on our present and future lives.
You can view the recording here.
You will find that a Learning for Sustainability (LfS) thread runs through every talk in this webinar. Learning for Sustainability is an approach to life and learning which enables learners, educators, schools and their wider communities to build a socially-just, sustainable and equitable society. LfS themes covered in this CPD session include outdoor learning, equality and fairness, identity and heritage, and critical thinking, to name but a few!
Webinar content:
Welcome and Introduction
Learning for Sustainability Scotland: An Overview
Betsy King, Learning for Sustainability Scotland
Out My Window
Dr Liz Curtis, University of Aberdeen
Exploring heritage that is very local to the children and young people you work with. Dr Liz Curtis will share the thinking behind ‘Out my Window’ and the activities delivered during the project.
Chatting with the past: building tolerance through ancient identities
Dr Kate Sharpe, Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Durham University)
This project builds on previous research that revealed the divisive ways in which the Roman and Iron Age pasts are often presented, using exaggerated and outdated stereotypes, e.g., ‘civilised’ Romans pitted against ‘barbaric’ Iron Age people. In response, Kate and the team are developing a new digital resource for Second Level/KS2 educators: a ‘Chatbot’. This is designed to offer a more balanced view of this period in British history, whilst inspiring discussions about ‘difference’ and ‘others’. They have created a range of characters from the past who will interact with the user and talk to each other, sharing their own varied experiences and relating these to present-day issues of tolerance.
Exploring Historic Graveyards
Jane Miller, Learning Officer, Archaeology Scotland
Exploring and recording local historic graveyards with learners; with a sneak peek at a new learning resource for Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. This new resource supports learners as they discover hidden histories in the Kirkyard, uncovering stories of colonialism and Scotland’s role in the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Outdoor Learning and Local Heritage: a teacher’s perspective
Carolyn McFarlane, Principal Teacher, Curriculum Outdoors Attainment Challenge (COACh), East Ayrshire Council – Learning Outdoors Support Team (LOST) and Nancy Brown, Drongan Primary School
Sharing local heritage and Heritage Hero Awards project from East Ayrshire.
Q&A
The webinar was organised by the Archaeology and Learning Working Group, a Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy initiative. If you would like to know more about the work of the group or get involved, please contact education@archaeologyscotland.org.uk
