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Ideas for items/resources to have for use in Junior History 

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Ideas for items/resources to have for use in Junior History 

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An old suitcase/hessian bag – children love exploring photos and objects etc that you may put in it!

A circle time mat for discussion

A celebration calendar

A microphone for speaking time during circle time

A timeline display to be added to over time

A talking chair for teacher/pupil  in role

Story Sequencing Cards

A beginning, middle and end story mountain chart

Storytelling puzzles

BeeBots and mats for sequencing activities

A clothesline

Storysacks for your stories

PlayDoh and mats

A roll of paper

A class camera

A timeline of local life/area

A simple map of the local community

Emotions cards or dice

Clipboards for trails

Age-appropriate biographies and picture books about people

A diverse selection of picture books that feature characters from various backgrounds

Building blocks for sequencing activities

A classroom puppet for storytelling

Mobile device for audio and video recording

Photograph collection – personal, school building, local area, etc.

Maps – different types including older maps for young children to start observing and comparing

Teddy bears, toys, baby toys – good for addressing misconceptions as well as getting children to consider changes to their life-time: what did they play with or use as a baby, what do they use now?

Pictures of your school, houses, rooms, buildings (old and new) etc.

A globe and map of the world

Lots of velcro for matching/timeline activities

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Good books for change and continuity over time

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Good books for change and continuity over time

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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1. Historical Interviews: Helps pupils engage with the figure's perspective and practice speaking skills.

2. News Reporter for Events in the past: Encourages creative storytelling and reinforces understanding of key events.

3.Time Travel Show: Makes history relatable by connecting it to pupils' lives.

4. Guess the Character: Reinforces listening skills

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1. Historical Storyteller

Activity: The puppet takes on the role of a time-traveling storyteller, narrating historical events or sharing stories from the past

Purpose: Brings history to life in a fun and accessible way for young learners.

2. Question and Answer Partner

Activity: The puppet asks the children questions about the topic they are learning or quizzes them about key facts

Purpose: Makes the learning interactive and helps reinforce knowledge.

3. Historical Character

Activity: The puppet plays the role of a historical figure. It talks about its "life" in the past and answers children’s questions.

Purpose: Helps pupils understand the experiences of people in a relatable way.

4. Problem Solver

Activity: The puppet presents a dilemma or problem to the children. The class works together to suggest solutions.

Purpose: Encourages critical thinking and engagement with historical challenges.

5. Class Companion

Activity: The puppet acts as a "class historian" who helps introduce and wrap up lessons. For example, it might ask the children what they learned that day or highlight key points.

Purpose: Adds a consistent, fun element to history lessons and helps recap learning.

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1. Historical Hotline

Activity: Set up a "hotline" where pupils take turns pretending to call and ask questions to a person in a story/history

Purpose: Encourages pupils to explore historical figures and their achievements in a fun and interactive way.

2. Time Traveler Calls

Activity: One pupils pretends to be a time traveller from the past, calling the class to report on what they see in their era

Purpose: Helps pupils describe and imagine life in different historical periods.

3. Historical Problem Solver

Activity: The teacher or a pupil plays a character from history calling the class for advice on a problem

Purpose: Promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills by placing pupils in historical scenarios.

4. Guess Who?

Activity: A pupil pretends to be a figure calling the class. They give clues about their identity while the rest of the class guesses who they are.

Purpose: Reinforces knowledge of historical figures and events in a playful way.

5. Telephone Chain Story

Activity: Start a "telephone chain" where pupils pass along a moments from a story through the toy telephone. Each pupil adds a detail or repeats what they heard.

Purpose: Enhances listening, storytelling, and memory skills while engaging with history.

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1. Time Travel Adventure

Activity: Fill a story sack with artefacts related to a time/story. Use these to spark adventure where children imagine themselves in the story/time and discuss how the items were used.

Purpose: Helps pupils visualise and connect with stories

2. Who Am I? Mystery Sack

Activity: Place objects representing a story/person(e.g., a crown for a king, a telescope for Galileo, or a shield for a knight) into the sack. Pupils take turns pulling out an item and guessing the historical figure or period it represents.

Purpose: Reinforces knowledge of key figures and encourages deductive reasoning.

3. Create a Historical Story

Activity: Include props in the story sack that represent elements of a historical event or era. For example, for the Titanic, include a small toy ship, a life jacket, and an anchor. Use the items as prompts to create a group story about the event.

Purpose: Encourages creativity and collaboration while exploring historical narratives.

4. Historical Dress-Up and Role Play

Activity: Pack costumes or accessories into the sack. Pupils dress up and role-play scenarios from the historical period.

Purpose: Makes history hands-on and helps children empathise with people from the past.

5. Story Sack Detective

Activity: Fill the sack with objects that relate to a particular event or period (e.g., a feather pen, an inkpot, and a scroll for medieval times). Pupils investigate and piece together clues to determine the historical context or story behind the items.

Purpose: Promotes inquiry skills and deepens historical understanding.

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Yoto and Tonies boxes for listening to stories

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Yoto and Tonies boxes for listening to stories

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Classic Fairytales for sequencing, order and chronology

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Classic Fairytales for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Fables and legends for 1st and 2nd Class

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Fables and legends for 1st and 2nd Class

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Stories about people in local, national and international life

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Stories about people in local, national and international life

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Make printable toys for sequencing, reordering etc in story

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Make printable toys for sequencing, reordering etc in story

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Stories about people in local, national and international life

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Stories about people in local, national and international life

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This resonant and award-winning picture book tells the story of one girl who constantly gets asked a simple question that doesn't have a simple answer.

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Link to a YouTube recording here

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There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. There are many reasons to feel different. 

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Link to a YouTube recording here

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Once there were many stories in the world. There were stories with sunsets and wonderful tales filled with fairies and dinosaurs. But one day, a story decided that it was the best, the most important story ever. It called itself the One and started to consume every other story it came across. The One ate stories made of seas and others full of dogs. Soon it seemed that the One was all there was . . . or was it?

Link to a YouTube recording here.

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A warm, welcoming picture book that celebrates diversity and gives encouragement and support to all kids

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Link to a YouTube recording here

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A heartwarming story about the new girl in school, and how she learns to appreciate her Korean name. 

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Link to a YouTube recording here

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The book takes you through a journey of a day in the life of a family in the different rooms of a typical home.

Link to a YouTube recording - READ BY HARRY STYLES

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This beautifully illustrated, emotive picture book explores urban life with honesty, interest and gratitude.

Link to a YouTube recording

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'We all Belong' is a beautifully written and illustrated children's picture book that recognises and celebrates the diversity in a caring group of children.

Link to a YouTube recording

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Resource: Make sure that you learn about the history of your local area if you're not from where you teach! Have lots of books and photos from your area in your classroom.

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Resource: Make sure that you learn about the history of your local area if you're not from where you teach! Have lots of books and photos from your area in your classroom.

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This resource is found in every school in the  country. There are some excellent lesson plans and ideas in it for History!

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This resource is found in every school in the  country. There are some excellent lesson plans and ideas in it for History!

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Book: The Horrible History book on Ireland is always a classroom library hit! More for the senior classes, but some in 2nd will be very interested in the images and cartoons.

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Book: The Horrible History book on Ireland is always a classroom library hit! More for the senior classes, but some in 2nd will be very interested in the images and cartoons.

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Link to the YouTube recording here

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Books: The brilliant John and Fatti Burke have an excellent range of biographies on historical figures in Ireland. Highly recommend their series for every classroom!

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Books: The brilliant John and Fatti Burke have an excellent range of biographies on historical figures in Ireland. Highly recommend their series for every classroom!

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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The Gruffalo's Child (order/sequence of meeting animals!)

Peace At Last (order/sequence of movement around the rooms)

Each Peach Pear Plum (order/sequence of meeting characters)

Oh Dear (order/sequence of journey around the farm)

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Zog

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

We're Going On a Bear Hunt

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Books that I would have in the essentials category in any primary classroom.

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Books that I would have in the essentials category in any primary classroom.

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The Gill Books "Great Irish" book series is a must-have in every classroom

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The Gill Books "Great Irish" book series is a must-have in every classroom

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Let's make our class content as diverse as the classes we teach. Challenge yourself to move beyond the obvious examples that books have given us in the past.

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Let's make our class content as diverse as the classes we teach. Challenge yourself to move beyond the obvious examples that books have given us in the past.

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Have a class set of Hi Vis jackets for your frequent class trips around the local community!

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Have a class set of Hi Vis jackets for your frequent class trips around the local community!

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Use musical instruments in your storytelling. Get the children to make their own too!

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Use musical instruments in your storytelling. Get the children to make their own too!

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My favourite book for discussing Continuity and Change in a town/houses/area

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My favourite book for discussing Continuity and Change in a town/houses/area

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A Street Through Time

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Good picture books for passing of time, change and continuity 

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Good picture books for passing of time, change and continuity 

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Changes, Changes (wordless) - link to a YouTube recording here

Window (wordless) - link to a YouTube recording here

The Tiny Seed - link to a YouTube recording here

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - link to a YouTube recording here

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Hessian Bag - can be used as a prop, mystery or story bag, etc

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Hessian Bag - can be used as a prop, mystery or story bag, etc

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Don't forget to do a lot of work on Nursery Rhymes for story, sequencing and chronology!

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Don't forget to do a lot of work on Nursery Rhymes for story, sequencing and chronology!

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Play-Doh for a clay response to story, etc

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Play-Doh for a clay response to story, etc

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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Good picture books for sequencing, order and chronology

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There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly - link to the YouTube here - ideal for sequencing/order

Rosie's Walk - link to the YouTube video here - ideal for sequencing/order and great story for teaching over, under and other positional language.

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Get out to the yard and respond to story with chalk!

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Get out to the yard and respond to story with chalk!

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Make sure that you have at least one very good legends/folklore book for use in class/library. I love this one!

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Make sure that you have at least one very good legends/folklore book for use in class/library. I love this one!

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Attach pictures to blocks for sequencing activities 

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Attach pictures to blocks for sequencing activities 

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String or threading toys can be great for sequencing activities 

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String or threading toys can be great for sequencing activities 

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Use Rory's Story Cubes when making your own stories. Emphasise the importance of sequence, order and chronology in stories.

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Use Rory's Story Cubes when making your own stories. Emphasise the importance of sequence, order and chronology in stories.

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Make your own Story Sacks and use characters and props when telling stories to the children. Let the children use the toys and props when retelling the stories too!

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Make your own Story Sacks and use characters and props when telling stories to the children. Let the children use the toys and props when retelling the stories too!

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Be sure to have props for teacher in role activities. This is the hat I used a lot in class.

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Be sure to have props for teacher in role activities. This is the hat I used a lot in class.

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Have lots of sequencing templates for use in the classroom. A roll of velcro will be your best friend!

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Have lots of sequencing templates for use in the classroom. A roll of velcro will be your best friend!

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Design sequencing or order activities using sensory mats!

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Design sequencing or order activities using sensory mats!

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I love the Little People, Big Dream series of books. They are a great way of introducing biography texts to children.

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I love the Little People, Big Dream series of books. They are a great way of introducing biography texts to children.

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Meet my Weird Barbie, Suzy! Be sure to have your favourite childhood toys to share with the children in class. They will love that!

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Meet my Weird Barbie, Suzy! Be sure to have your favourite childhood toys to share with the children in class. They will love that!

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I particularly love having a good selection of the Usbourne First Experiences books!

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Have lots of books on childhood moments/milestones/events 

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Have lots of books on childhood moments/milestones/events 

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Embarrassing and all as you might find it, sharing pictures of your own childhood will encourage the children to share their own! :)

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Embarrassing and all as you might find it, sharing pictures of your own childhood will encourage the children to share their own! :)

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Some of my favourite books on childhood, roles in family, growing up, baby picture activities, etc.

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Some of my favourite books on childhood, roles in family, growing up, baby picture activities, etc.

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Once There Were Giants - link to YouTube

The Growing Story - link to YouTube

Guess the Baby - link to YouTube

The Paper Dolls - link to YouTube

Peepo

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Who Do You Think You Are? Do you have your own Family Tree records? Inspire the children by sharing some of your own past!

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Who Do You Think You Are? Do you have your own Family Tree records? Inspire the children by sharing some of your own past!

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Have a simple family tree ready to show the children in your class.

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Meet my Mammy! Why not conduct a Granny Project in your class? Interview local men or women with connections to your class, and capture them in a project book.

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Meet my Mammy! Why not conduct a Granny Project in your class? Interview local men or women with connections to your class, and capture them in a project book.