Washday in the past

Although there is a school of thought that maintains that this is not really a relevant or exciting Y1 topic, we have found that it works really well as a vehicle for hands-on exploration of the differences between then and now. Not only is there a direct modern-day equivalent ( be it washing machine or laundrette) but it is something that all children are aware on.

The robust washday-related items from Victorian or Edwardian times are not only cheap and easy to source, they also withstand heavy use. Setting up a home corner in which the various processes are acted out in a strict sequence will really help fix the ideas in pupils’ minds. Think of the science too, heating up, cooling down etc. Why did they need 2 flat irons?

So, as a vehicle for looking at then and now and change over time it is certainly worth it. You will find that vocabulary will flow and the outstanding lesson featured here offers a brilliant way of developing pupils’ command of connectives that go beyond ‘then’ and ‘next’ and ‘after’ to include words like ‘meanwhile’ and ‘finally’.