Back to the Past - What to expect from our History Explorer Drama Workshops

Salvē! Heil ok sæll! Χαίρετε! Hello! 

Here at West End in Schools we have been developing our History Explorer drama workshops and we can’t wait to deliver more of them in schools across the country. These workshops invite children to join a Time-Traveller on their next adventure into the past through drama-based activities and theatrical techniques. After all, what better way is there to learn about a time period than experiencing it for yourself? 

History can sometimes be seen as a complicated subject for children; however, this makes it an even more important subject to explore with them as it will help them better understand the world and their place within it. 

Our History Explorer workshops engage the children’s imagination and use a combination of drama techniques, exercises and games to explore historical events in an immersive way. Sessions are differentiated for KS1 and KS2, with younger children focusing on learning about specific historical figures and events and older children looking at wider periods of history and the impact they have had on the world we live in today. 

After taking part in a timeline construction that runs from the Big Bang to the present day, with the aid of a Powerpoint, our friendly Time Traveller will welcome the children aboard their imaginary time machine and they will jet off to your chosen time period to take a look around. 

Each workshop is then split into three different sections. Firstly, the children will get to experience what life was like at the time and how society was structured. They will then learn about the religion or key beliefs of the time. This could be meeting the Greek Gods or investigating the purpose of Stonehenge. Finally, the sessions will end with a look at how the particular time period or historical event has impacted modern society. 

BUT WAIT! Before the children are able to return to their classroom, our Time-Traveller’s trusty time machine, as is usual with technology, runs out of charge. Luckily it is powered by knowledge and not electricity, which would be very hard to acquire in the Stone Age! The children must answer questions on what they have learned during the workshop until the time machine has been fully recharged and they are able to get home safely. 

Sounds fun, right? 

We’ll be travelling all over time, to your choice out of the following: 

1. Stone Age (KS2)

2. Ancient Greece (KS2)

3. Roman Britain (KS2)

4. Anglo-Saxons (KS2)

5. Vikings (KS2)

6. The Gunpowder Plot (KS1/LKS2)

7. The Great Fire of London (KS1/LKS2)

8. World War 1 - Poetry and Poppies (KS1/KS2)

9. World War 2 (KS2)

10. Florence Nightingale (KS1/LKS2)

11. Ancient Egypt (KS2)

For those interested in embarking on one of our historical adventures, please do get in touch and we will send one of our fabulous Time-Travellers your way! 

- India