(This activity can be limited to 20 questions)
The pupils are going to use email to find out as much as they can about an historic character. The character can be from any period and this activity could be used to support any history topic.
The teacher will need to set up a computer with email linked to a projector to show that whole class.
If the activity is to be done in real time the teacher will need to recruit someone who will be able to act the part of the historic character, they will need sufficient knowledge of the period to be able to answer the questions that may be asked. Alternatively the activity could be part of a plenary where only one question is sent, thus allowing the teacher to set up the next email.
The teacher sets the scene by telling the class that strange messages have been coming in on the email and they are going to try to find out who is sending them.
The teacher opens the first email in the activity that says:
Greetings my name is ….
The class will then discuss what they can glean from the name and should come to the conclusion that the character may be from a different time. They should then reply to the message by asking a question that will tell them the time and place the character is living in, such as:
“What is the name of your country and who is your king/queen?” – why is that a better question than “What is the date?”?
The activity continues with answers to the class’s questions arriving and subsequent questions being asked by the class to try to find out as much as they can about the historic character.
The ideal situation would be to arrange for an actor to visit the school as the historic character and the email questioning to be done the week before the visit.
