The class reasoned who else it could belong to and why it was there. Jess took it down to the office, but Mr Parris said it wasn't his. Everyone decided that they need to become 'Mystery Solvers' and find out more about it.
We weren't sure whether to open the suitcase or not. There were so many good reasons for and against. We decided by using 'decision alley' ...
and opened the suitcase.
At first we thought it belonged to a maid, because there was a hat in there and an apron. Then we found a sash with the word Scutari on it, and an old looking letter from someone called Florence.
Jess read out the letter, which gave us some clues. We thought it was a good idea to do some research to find out more about who it could have belonged to.
Especially since Mr Parris had sent us a video message.
We found out the that contents belonged to Florence Nightingale. We wondered what to do with it. Some of us thought that we should put it back where we found it, others said no, because it might get stolen. Somebody suggested that it should go in the cupboard safely, but then someone else said no, people should be able to see it because it's interesting. The final thoughts were that it should go to the British museum, but Henry had found out that there is a Florence Nightingale museum, so he thought it should go there. The mystery solvers voted, then decided to send a letter to the Florence Nightingale museum, to tell them about the suitcase and to see if they wanted it.
Children in role as 'letters'.
The next day some 'letters' arrived at the museum and read themselves out to a very grumpy curator. She received so many letters each day that she was fed up with them and would only read interesting ones that made sense. She was so grumpy that she threw some in the bin! Then, some of the letters that day started to interest her ...
Teacher in role as a museum 'grumpy curator', listening to the letters. This is how a teaching point can be put across. No introduction to the letter, 'I don't know what this letter is about! I can't be bothered to read it! In the bin!' etc. This is done with care to individual children's feelings and by knowing how they will respond.
The museum curator decided she would dearly love to see the suitcase described in some of the letters.
The hospital in Scutari
The Mystery Solvers were hooked by what they had learned about Florence Nightingale and wanted to find out more about her. They uncovered a tableaux of Scutari hospital where she went to work and found out that conditions there were not very good.
Children had time for role play, then tried freeze frames and finally created a tableaux of Scutari hospital.
The hospital in Scutari
The Mystery Solvers were hooked by what they had learned about Florence Nightingale and wanted to find out more about her. They uncovered a tableaux of Scutari hospital where she went to work and found out that conditions there were not very good.
Children had time for role play, then tried freeze frames and finally created a tableaux of Scutari hospital.
Nurses were trying really hard to look after soldiers in cramped, dirty conditions. Listen to the soldier's thought bubbles.
Thought tracking - a great way to assess children's understanding.
'Interview with a nurse'
Did you see that programme on tv last week? The chat show? There were some nurses/soldiers from Scutari on there! This introduced a new type of role for the children. After asking 'Do we have any Scutari nurses here now?' I selected three children to be the interviewees. I then initially took on the role as the compere, to model how it could be done. I welcomed the audience and the nurses in a game show style, hooking the children. The films are not staged at all, but I did have to stop and start them again sometimes when my filming wasn't perfect. That was the only role I had - filming. All ideas, responses are the children's.
Did you see that programme on tv last week? The chat show? There were some nurses/soldiers from Scutari on there! This introduced a new type of role for the children. After asking 'Do we have any Scutari nurses here now?' I selected three children to be the interviewees. I then initially took on the role as the compere, to model how it could be done. I welcomed the audience and the nurses in a game show style, hooking the children. The films are not staged at all, but I did have to stop and start them again sometimes when my filming wasn't perfect. That was the only role I had - filming. All ideas, responses are the children's.
Interview with a soldier
Children show their learning.
After the interviews, we thought about the letters that the soldiers and nurses might have written home to their families. I wanted them to all write in role but before they did so, I asked if there were any 'letters' in the room. The short film clips that follow are some of the children's spontaneous responses to this. Believe it or not, they are all struggling writers! Amazing!
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