Teacher guide · Curious Lab · Medium · about 32 min

⛵ Vikings & Anglo-Saxons

Pupils practise curiosity through "Vikings & Anglo-Saxons": Raiders, traders and settlers.

Lesson guide

  1. 1. Hook · 5 min

    Show the ⛵ mission title and read the opening: "Vikings came from…". Take three quick guesses.

  2. 2. Model · 5 min

    Think aloud through the first step together. Use Sniff the Beagle's line as your prompt: "Great question! Ready to dig one layer deeper? Pick your next mission below."

  3. 3. Do · 10 min

    Pairs work through the 4 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"

  4. 4. Discuss · 10 min

    Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.

  5. 5. Reflect · 5 min

    Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used curiosity today.

Discussion questions

  • What was the hardest choice in "Vikings & Anglo-Saxons", and why?
  • Vikings came from… — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Alfred the Great was king of… — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Vikings travelled in… — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Where could you use curiosity outside school this week?
  • If you did this again, what would you change?

Adapting it

Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.

Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.

Curriculum links

  • National Curriculum: History: chronology, sources and significant people and events
  • National Curriculum: Science: working scientifically — asking questions and observing
  • National Curriculum: Geography/History: enquiry and using sources
  • PSHE: Living in the wider world: media literacy and checking information

Pupil sheet

⛵ Vikings & Anglo-Saxons

Name: ____________________   Date: __________

  1. 1. Vikings came from…

    ☐ Egypt

    ☐ Italy

    ☐ Scandinavia

  2. 2. Alfred the Great was king of…

    ☐ Rome

    ☐ Scotland

    ☐ Wessex

  3. 3. Vikings travelled in…

    ☐ Cars

    ☐ Longships

    ☐ Trains

  4. 4. Were Vikings only raiders? Give evidence they were traders too.