Caxton and Bell Lessons and Resources KS1
Spreading the Word: Caxton and Bell. How two men changed the way we communicate
The famous people element of the KS1 history curriculum now requires pupils to compare achievements of individuals within a linked theme-in this case communication. In this instance we have chosen Caxton and Bell, rather than Berners-Lee as mentioned in the NC advice. There is also the option of adding Braille, too. But we have chosen Caxton and Bell as their impact is easy for pupils to understand and their lives are full of vivid episodes that young children can really understand.
These two famous people are linked together as part of a theme called Spreading the Word. Instead of each person having the usual 6 key questions, they have each been reduced to just three or four to make it more manageable as a single topic .
The idea is that the topic addresses similar questions and approaches for the two men so that pupils can genuinely make comparisons both across time and with the present. Looking at change over time is a key concept for Y2 pupils.
Caxton and Bell Scheme of Work and Assessment
| All Caxton and Bell Key Questions | Historical focus |
|---|---|
| Caxton and Bell – KQ1 – What did Caxton do that was so important to us today? | Significance and evaluation |
| Caxton and Bell – KQ2 – Quick the King and Queen are coming! How Caxton changed the way books were made | Change, continuity and comparison |
| Caxton and Bell – KQ3 – How and why should Caxton be remembered? | Causation and motivation and Significance and evaluation |
| Caxton and Bell – KQ4 – How did Alexander Graham Bell manage to make a telephone work so long ago? and why did he want to? | Causation and motivation |
| Caxton and Bell – KQ5 – Why was Bell’s invention so important, then and now? Bells and whistles! | Causation and motivation and Significance and evaluation |
| Caxton and Bell – KQ6 – How has the telephone improved since the days of Bell? | Historical enquiry and understanding |
Caxton and Bell – assessment task
Focus: characteristic features of period & using sources Y2 Using just one image which contains lots of clues, pupils have to explain how they know this is an image of…
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KS1 Medium Term Planner for Spreading the Word: Caxton to Bell
The ‘significant people’ element of the KS1 history curriculum now requires pupils to compare achievements of individuals within a linked theme – in this case communication in a topic called…
Read MoreCaxton and Bell – KQ1 – What did Caxton do that was so important to us today?
Following a mysterious PowerPoint slow reveal in which pupils look for clues to Caxton’s fame, pupils are given a brief illustrated summary of the key moments in his life which…
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Caxton and Bell – KQ2 – Quick the King and Queen are coming! How Caxton changed the way books were made
Having shown pupils how books were made before Caxton’s time, the main focus of the lesson is on how the new system worked. To prevent this being a dull session…
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Caxton and Bell – KQ3 – How and why should Caxton be remembered?
Having discussed the possible options for ways of commemorating his achievement, pupils have to create a new plaque on his statue, because the old words have worn and faded away….
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Caxton and Bell – KQ4 – How did Alexander Graham Bell manage to make a telephone work so long ago? and why did he want to?
The focus here is on sequencing of events, looking for turning points in his life and for his personal motivation. How did his life choices end up with him inventing…
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Caxton and Bell – KQ5 – Why was Bell’s invention so important, then and now? Bells and whistles!
Pupils write a plaque to go on the side of a new statue that has been built to commemorate Bell’s achievement in response to government’s offering a prize to the…
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Caxton and Bell – KQ6 – How has the telephone improved since the days of Bell?
This session really helps pupils to get a strong sense of change through time, linking the past of Bell’s time to the present bringing things right up to date. It…
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Fun activity on anachronism to help children develop a sense of period when learning about Caxton
Getting young children to develop a sense of period and an awareness of how different the distant past was to the present is never easy- a bit like picking up…
Read MoreTeaching Caxton and Bell at Key Stage 1
These two famous people are linked by the theme of communication; spreading the word. Tim Berners-Lee founder of the world wide web could also be mentioned to bring the topic…
Read MoreWritten by Neil Thompson
All content on Keystage history is written and quality assured by Neil Thompson, a former history teacher, county history adviser and Ofsted inspector with more than 30 years’ experience in history education.