The unit gives many examples of types of evidence about schools long ago. Pictures from the unit can be printed and displayed in the classroom. Schools in the 1940' 1950's period can be contrasted with a more modern school building and children can list on a wall chart or Venn Diagram what they have noticed.
Internal features of a school:
Pictures showing inkwells, blackboards and furniture can be placed on display. (For colour pictures of these see Slates up! Schools and Schooling in Nineteenth Century Ireland, CICE publications 2005)
Written evidence:
Extracts from school text books from 1940's/1950's or the textbooks themselves would make very attractive displays.
- Using photographic evidence and drawings to compare a building in the past with now. Children should be encouraged to take such photographs and to date each carefully. Explain that these will be evidence for the future.
- Using oral evidence by interviewing older people in the locality
- Using documentary evidence from primary or secondary sources to discover the history of the building, its owners and its uses.
- Present findings about school buildings using a variety of media and appropriate timelines
- Examination of the source of the stone and other materials used to construct their own school building
- Making deductions from physical evidence. Example: Why buildings had so many chimneys then?
- Writing descriptions
- Making models of school buildings:
All the above will make for an interesting project. Some further ideas for building a model school and re-enacting a school day can be found in Slates up! Schools and Schooling in Nineteenth Century Ireland. The media bank in Ask About Ireland will provide a useful resource.