Year 6 - History
How we know so much about Viking York
The Vikings: how do we know so much about Viking York?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about the archaeological discoveries made at Coppergate in York. They find out how archaeologists and historians have used artefacts to build a picture of what Viking York would have been like.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why we know so much about Viking York by describing some of the archaeological finds from Coppergate.
Key Notes
- Lots of artefacts have been found in the Coppergate area that date from the time the Vikings lived there.
- These tell historians a lot about the buildings that were there and the activities that took place.
- They show that Viking York was a major trading hub where goods came to from all over Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
- Many artefacts provide an insight into the daily lives of the Vikings who lived in York.
- A good explanation of how we know so much will describe various artefacts and what archaeologists have learnt from them.
Vocabulary To Learn
- excavation: excavation is the process of removing earth carefully from an area to find buried remains
- artefact: an artefact is an object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical interest
- trade: trade is the action of buying and selling goods and services
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may not grasp that artefacts act like pieces to a puzzle that help us learn about how people lived in a specific time or place.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Lots of artefacts have been found in the Coppergate area that date from the time the Vikings lived there. These tell historians a lot about the buildings that were there and the activities that took place.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'excavation'
excavation is the process of removing earth carefully from an area to find buried remains.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may not grasp that artefacts act like pieces to a puzzle that help us learn about how people lived in a specific time or place. Correction: The more artefacts archaeologists uncover, the more opportunity there is to study them carefully to learn about how people lived in a specific time or place.
More Lessons In This Unit
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