KS2 - The Tudors

Bring Tudor history to life outdoors with active, hands-on lessons exploring Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Tudor houses, and the War of the Roses. Through games, teamwork, and creative use of natural resources, children will deepen their understanding of Tudor life, traditions, and key historical events in memorable and engaging ways.

Lesson Plans

Understanding when and why the Tudor period occurred

During this outdoor lesson your children will get active and have fun taking part in recreating the famous War of the Roses. They’ll also have the opportunity to get creative, using natural resources to make the Tudor Rose, while learning more about the context behind its creation!

Learning objective:

To understand when and why the Tudor period occurred within British History.

Recognising the significance of Henry VIII’s reign

The activities included in this outdoor lesson focus on the different stages of Henry VIII’s life. Your children will not only take a closer look at how Henry VIII was portrayed, but also collaborate to create palaces he commissioned during his reign and the way he dealt with crime.

Learning objective:

To recognise the significance of Henry VIII’s reign.

Understanding the roles of Henry VIII’s six wives

Deepen your children’s understanding of Henry VIII’s six wives, taking a closer look at each marriage through activities that involve physical movement and teamwork to build a narrative across his reign.

Learning objective:

To understand the roles of Henry VIII’s six wives.

Understanding the significance of Elizabeth I’s reign

During this outdoor lesson, your children will move into the Elizabethan era and begin to understand more about her reign. They’ll use sources of information to explore the Spanish Armada, and use natural loose parts to get creative in showcasing what they’ve learnt.

Learning objective:

To understand the significance of Elizabeth I’s reign.

Recognising the key features of Tudor buildings

Use this outdoor lesson as an opportunity for your children to understand more about how Tudor houses were used as status symbols and their common features. They’ll learn to use historical sources to infer and will combine their learnt knowledge into their own Tudor house design.

Learning objective:

To recognise the key features of Tudor buildings.

Learning about Tudor entertainment and lifestyle

Come together for an end of unit celebration looking at Tudor entertainment, lifestyle and pastimes. Your children will learn more about Tudor clothing, and get active through a variety of Tudor games and activities to help round off their knowledge about this time period and what life was like for Tudor children.

Learning objective:

To learn about Tudor entertainment and lifestyle.

Before you get started

Safety and sustainability is super important!