All Workshops

Mix ‘n’ Match

With so much to cover these days in schools, you may want to do more than one subject whilst here at the museum. Why not mix and match a Science workshop with a Local History session? Or choose the cross-curricular Tudor princes, pests & pennies alongside a ‘doing’ workshop like Tudor Toys & Games? 

School Workshops

For a printable version of the following information, please download our John Moore Museum School Workshops

Animals and Adaptations Science, Art & Design: KS1, KS2 & KS3 Handle and observe animals from our natural history collection, learn about food chains, predators and prey, night and day, examine their features in detail and create tactile animal portraits

This workshop works especially well alongside ‘Living things & their habitats’

 

 

At home with the Tudors History: KS1, KS2 & KS3 Immerse yourselves in the smells and sights of times gone by. Take a tour of the 15th century Merchant’s House with the merchant’s housewife, try on historic clothing and discover what it was really like to live in the Tudor age.

This workshop can be run as ‘At home with the Middle Ages’ for those covering the medieval period. This workshops works particularly well alongside ‘Building a Tudor House’, ‘Tudor princes, pests & pennies’ and ‘Tudor toys & games’

 

 

 

 

Blood, guts and a bit off the top! Meet the Tudor barber surgeon History: KS1, KS2 & 3 Discover the horrors of 15th and 16th century medicine. Feeling ill? Our Barber Surgeon has cures for all!

This workshop can also be run as the Medieval or Stuart Barber Surgeon if that suits your curriculum better.

 

 

Building a Tudor House History: KS1, KS2 & KS3; Design Technology: KS1 & KS2 Who built these historic buildings and why? How were timber-framed buildings constructed? Learn about 15th and 16th century construction methods and make wattle panels

This workshop is idea for pupils studying the Medieval or Tudor ages and works particularly well alongside ‘At home with the Tudors’

 

 

 

Discovering places of worship History: KS1, KS2 & KS3; Religious Studies GCSE and SMSC. Enjoy a guided tour of the Old Baptist Chapel, an early Nonconformist meeting house, standing in the shadow of Tewkesbury Abbey. This facilitated workshop will also include the opportunity to visit the abbey.

 

 

 

 

Living things & their habitats Science: KS1 & KS2 Identify living things in their natural habitats with a creature crawl and pond-dipping in the Secret Garden, plus a visit to the museum to view the natural history collection, which includes creatures too shy, too small, and too rare to see in the wild! (April-Oct recommended) To get the best out of this workshop, April to October is recommended This workshop is ideally linked with ‘Animals & Adaptations’  

 

 

 

 

Flooding in Tewkesbury: a case study

Geography: KS3 In July 2007, Tewkesbury was badly hit by floods which had a catastrophic impact on the town. The effects included the flooding of hundreds of homes and businesses, loss of power and water, and loss of life. This session looks at the causes and consequences of the flood, as well as considering the larger issues of flood prevention, climate change and the impact of media coverage. Pupils will explore the heart of Tewkesbury and the floodplain and hear from locals regarding their experiences.

 

NEW! Environmental Issues Geography and History KS2 & KS3. This workshop delves into the natural world and the impact we have on the planet. The pupils will consider the issues the environment is facing at the moment, and the ways in which we can make a small difference at home to help, such as recycling. The pupils will also explore the Merchant’s House to discover how past generations lived, and how everyday objects were made from recyclable materials. Are we more environmentally friendly than the Tudors? Or do we still have a lot to learn from our ancestors?

 

 

Saving historic buildings History: KS2 & KS3 How have buildings changed over time? Why should they be saved? Pupils will use old photographs to identify change, tour the museum’s wonderful medieval buildings and create their own historic building model to take back to school.

 

 

 

 

NEW! Savvy Scribblers

Literacy: KS2 & KS3. Using inspiration from John Moore’s stories and poems the pupils will learn about different literary techniques, including alliteration, personification, simile and more. The pupils will then explore the Natural History Museum or Merchant’s House to get inspired to write creatively about the world around them

 

 

Secrets & Sermons History: KS2 & KS3 The history of the Old Baptist Chapel, possibly the oldest of its type in existence, is the story of faith in the face of persecution and of eventual tolerance. Using primary sources discover how the Tewkesbury Baptists developed their church in secret, using codes to protect their members, baptisms under cover of darkness to avoid detection and their eventual acceptance in the local area. This workshop will involve code-breaking and writing with quills!

 

 

 

Tudor princes, pests & pennies: Tudor attitudes to wildlife History: KS1, KS2 & KS3; Science: KS1 & KS2; Mathematics: KS1, KS2 & KS3 How much did the Tudors pay for a fox’s head and why? What does a mole’s coat feel like? Which animal did they believe turned into a witch? An engaging, cross-curricular session using the natural history collection to learn about Tudor folklore & attitudes.

This workshop works very well alongside ‘At home with the Tudors’ and ‘Tudor toys & games’

 

 

 

 

Tudor toys & games: life before TV! History: KS1, KS2 & KS3 A play session using Tudor board games, crafts and toys to discover what children’s leisure time was like in the past.