The discovery of Lindow Man
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the discovery of Lindow Man and some of the things that archaeologists have worked out from examining his body.
Key learning points
- In 1984, workers at a peat bog in North West England made an incredible discovery: the preserved body of a man.
- Archaeologists aren't sure exactly when he died, but it was some time around the end of the Iron Age in Britain.
- By looking at this preserved body, archaeologists have been able to work out all sorts of things about Iron Age Britain.
- However, there are many questions that they still have about him and the time and society in which he lived.
Keywords
Peat - peat is a type of soil formed in bogs over a long period of time
Archaeologist - an archaeologist is someone who studies human history by looking at artefacts
Bog - a bog is an area of wet, muddy ground
Preserved - if something is preserved, it is kept in its original state
Common misconception
That all bodies remain in a preserved state after death.
Explain that after death the body normally decomposes and a skeleton remains.
Teacher tip
Measure out 1.7m to show children how tall the Iron Age man would have been.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which era used iron to create tools and weapons?
Q2.Put these periods in history in order.
Q3.Match the era to the approximate start dates in Britain.
2 million years ago
4 thousand years ago
2 thousand 8 hundred years ago
1 thousand 9 hundred and 80 years ago
Q4.There is very little written evidence from the Iron Age because people did not write. True or False?
Q5.What do historians and archaeologists use to learn about the prehistoric past?
Q6.What does an archaeologist study?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a peat bog?
Q2.Lindow Man is believed to have lived during the .
Q3.Match the keyword to the correct definition.
a type of soil formed in bogs over a long period of time
someone who studies human history by looking at artefacts
an area of wet, muddy ground
when something is kept in its original state
Q4.Put these events into the correct order.
Q5.Which of the following statements describe what Lindow Man looked like?
Q6.Which of these things about Lindow Man can archaeologists answer?
To help you plan your 3 history lesson on: The discovery of Lindow Man, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 history lesson on: The discovery of Lindow Man, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Iron Age Britain: what have historians learnt about Iron Age Britain? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.