History at key stages 1 and 2 (Year 5/6)

Unit 12: How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?
Section 3: How did the arrival and expansion of the railways affect our area?

Objectives

Children should learn:

to describe the attitudes of some different people to the building of a railway in the locality
to communicate their understanding of benefits and disadvantages of railways

Activities

Outcomes

Children:

Tell children about the arrival of the railways in the locality, or the nearest point to the locality. Discuss how they might have affected people living in the area, who would have benefited and who would have lost out. Ask children to compare maps from 1841 and 1891, eg number of houses, number of streets, site of railway line or station.

Divide the children into groups. Give each group the name of a family in the census in 1891, and ask them to consider, and make a list of, the benefits and disadvantages of the railways to that family.

Give each child a role card stating a person's name, occupation and point of view about the proposed building of a railway through the locality. Ask the children to prepare arguments that they can role-play in a debate.

Organise a class debate and vote on whether or not they favour the building of the railway.

speculate how people might have been affected by the railways
present ideas to the class in oral, visual or written form

Points to note

Many people in 1840 were alarmed by the idea of railways and opposition was strong. The railways affected: journey times, trade (range of goods), leisure industry, landscape, property ownership, coaching companies and inns (closure) and canals (loss of business). Examples from other localities could be used to make comparisons and extend the range of ideas.

Additional resources will be needed to support this activity, eg textbooks, video, illustrations.

When considering advantages and disadvantages, children could be guided to consider the use of trains for holidays and leisure travel as well as work.

The children can develop their writing skills by encouraging them to consider the way that an argument can be made more persuasive, eg through the use of emotive language, as a prelude to the debate.

The debate provides opportunities for developing skills related to citizenship education.

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.


	1. Who lived here in 1841?
	2. Who lived and worked here in 1891? What has changed since 1841 and why?
	3. How did the arrival and expansion of the railways affect our area?
	4. What evidence of Victorian times remains in our area?
	5. How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?