KS2 History Lesson Plan: Britain’s Settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots

1. Lesson Overview
- Year group: KS2 (Year 4/5)
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Topic: Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
- Focus: Invasions, settlements, kingdoms, culture and Christian conversion

2. Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils will:
- Place the end of Roman Britain and the arrival of Anglo-Saxons and Scots on a timeline.
- Describe who the Anglo-Saxons and Scots were and why they came to Britain.
- Identify key features of Anglo-Saxon life (settlements, place names, village life, art and culture).
- Explain, in simple terms, how Christianity spread to Britain (Canterbury, Iona, Lindisfarne).
- Use appropriate historical terms (e.g. invasion, settlement, kingdom, pagan, Christian, monastery).

3. Key Vocabulary
Roman Empire, withdrawal, invasion, settlement, kingdom, Anglo-Saxon, Scot, pagan, Christian, monastery, Canterbury, Iona, Lindisfarne, village, place name, culture, art

4. Resources Needed
- Timeline showing: end of Roman rule (c. AD 410), Anglo-Saxon and Scots arrivals, key Christian sites
- Map of Britain showing areas settled by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
- Picture/Fact cards on: Roman withdrawal, Anglo-Saxon villages, Scots from Ireland, Anglo-Saxon art, monasteries at Canterbury, Iona, Lindisfarne
- Examples of Anglo-Saxon place names (e.g. -ham, -ton, -bury)
- Large paper for group posters, pens, pencils, glue

5. Starter Activity (10 minutes)
- Show a map of Roman Britain and then a map of Britain after the Romans left.
- Ask: “What might happen when a powerful empire leaves?”
- Introduce the idea of new groups arriving: Anglo-Saxons and Scots.

6. Main Teaching Input (10–15 minutes)
- Briefly explain:
- Roman withdrawal from Britain around AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire.
- Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland).
- Anglo-Saxon invasions and settlements in different parts of Britain.
- Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and village life (houses, farming, place names).
- Anglo-Saxon art and culture (jewellery, manuscripts, carvings).
- Christian conversion and the importance of Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne.
- Place key events on a class timeline and highlight key terms.

7. Pupil Activities (25–30 minutes)
Activity 1: Map and Timeline Work
- In pairs, pupils label a simple map of Britain with areas settled by Anglo-Saxons and Scots.
- They add key events to a mini timeline (Roman withdrawal, Anglo-Saxon arrival, Scots in the north, Christian sites).

Activity 2: Anglo-Saxon Village and Culture
- In small groups, pupils use picture/fact cards to create a poster of an Anglo-Saxon village.
- They include homes, farming, place names, and at least one example of art or culture.

Challenge
- Higher-attaining pupils write a short paragraph explaining how life in Britain changed after the Romans left, using historical terms.

8. Plenary (5–10 minutes)
- Groups share one key change they found (e.g. new place names, new kingdoms, new religion).
- Revisit the timeline and ask: “What connections and contrasts can we see between Roman Britain and Anglo-Saxon/Scots Britain?”
- Briefly discuss how we know about this period (archaeology, place names, written sources, monasteries).

9. Homework
- Homework task: pupils design a “Welcome to our Anglo-Saxon village” sign, including a place name ending (e.g. -ham, -ton) and one picture showing village life.
- On the back, they write a few sentences as if they live there, describing one aspect of daily life.

10. Assessment Notes
- Look for pupils placing key events in roughly correct chronological order.
- Check use of historical terms and ability to describe Anglo-Saxon and Scots settlement.
- Note who can explain at least one way Britain changed after the Romans left.