Smart Task: Key Stage 1

What was it like at the seaside 100 years ago? From mime to movie.

This fun activity is carried out by children working on tables of six.  Half the class work on one image, the other half  on another interesting image.  Each table is given an A4 colour picture either A or B.  For the purpose of this smart task only A is provided.  The full lesson with both pictures and PowerPoint presentation will be available as an Outstanding Lesson.

Within the table of six, pupils work in pairs.  They are given two scenes from the seaside image to mime.  Each child takes responsibility for one and helps with the other.  They must keep it very secret from the other groups who later have to guess what action they are miming.

After secret rehearsals of their mime, which you and the LSA may want to support, each pupil does their own mime in front of the class who have to guess what it is by pointing to the appropriate place on the image projected on the Interactive Whiteboard, using as far as possible period-specific vocabulary.

In the example given the six chosen images are numbered 1-6.
1. Making sandcastles
2. Leading donkey rides along the beach
3. Pushing a bathing machine into the sea
4. Pointing excitedly at the Punch and Judy show
5. Pushing a pram along the prom
6. Holding a parasol for protection from the sun
The other picture used in the lesson has additional action to stop the task being repetitive.

Then the real fun starts.  With all groups miming you use a video camera to pan around the class and then play it back to them.  With very little movie film available from 100 years ago this makes an appropriate product.

Credits 

We are grateful to Heinemann Education for permission to reproduce the image which featured on p.39 of their book Victorian Britain published originally by Ginn ISBN 060225 1494.