Pupils in role as rich Saxon visitors to 10C Islamic cities, have to capture the essence of these amazingly sophisticated cities. Towards the end of their journey they have to write a letter home expressing their surprise at what they had seen.
To make this more challenging and creative, pupils must include not just sights, but also sounds and smells that would have surrounded them. Pupils analyse texts, make and classify key points and then consider which are the most significant.
Learning objectives
- Pupils are able to extract key points from a range of text and images;
- they can classify their findings under given headings;
- they can evaluate the significance of the information they unearth;
- they can use their creative imagination to consider of the assault on all their senses;
- the more able can make contrasts with life for the rich in Saxon Britain at that time.
Step 1
Start by showing slide 3 which is a photo of the stunning mosque at Cordoba. Explain that it was built at the height of the expansion of the Islamic Empire. Cordoba is hundreds of miles from Baghdad and is in Spain not the Middle East. Ask pupils for their reactions to
