ANGLO-SAXON DISCOVERY
Journey through Anglo-Saxon life and death

Anglo-Saxon Clothes

Lesson Plan 2 – Making Anglo-Saxon Clothes

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Children will be able to describe how Anglo-Saxon clothing was made, all the stages involved and appreciate the amount of work involved.
• Children will be able to identify and name specific objects and understand how they were used (e.g. loom weight, spindle whorl, needle).
• Children will be able to deduce information about the use of specific objects and about their owners.
• Children should understand how archaeologists use objects as evidence for life in the past.

National Curriculum Links

Key Stage 2 History 6a, Art and Design 6b, ICT, Literacy, Reading

Duration   1 hour

Material and Resources

Computers (including internet access and interactive whiteboard / demonstration computer)
Object record activity sheet
Relevant books
Handling materials/objects (not essential)
Pencils, paper, colouring pencils, etc.

Activity

Teachers Notes

Introduction
(15-20 minutes)

Whole Class activity

• Whole class gathered so teacher can introduce how the Anglo-Saxons made their clothes.

• Teacher works through all or some of the following objects and questions on website:

  Loom weight Spindle whorl Needle

Start on Making Anglo-Saxon clothes page.

Key Questions:
What materials these objects made of?
What were these objects used for?
How were these objects used?
Who would have used these objects?

Further information:

• Clothes mainly made of wool or linen, although other materials such as hemp and nettle were also used.
• Looms could only be as wide as a persons arms so cloth was also only this wide.  This limited how clothes were made, since no cloth would be wasted.  Anglo-Saxon clothes were made using rectangles and triangles sew together to make the tunics, dresses and trousers.
• In the late Anglo-Saxon period (9th-11th centuries) the Anglo-Saxons became famous across Europe for their embroidery skills.  Nuns often did the best embroidery.  The Bayeux Tapestry is a good example – it is through to be made by Anglo-Saxon women shortly after the Norman invasion.

Group Activity
(30 minutes)

Class divided into 4 groups

• The children are to be cast in the role of archaeologists.

• Each group is given a person (man, woman, girl, boy) that they have to research.
  They discover how their clothes would have been made and who would have made them using the resources available.

• Groups can then split further to investigate using particular types of resources (e.g. internet, books, handling materials)

• Children should use the object record sheet to record the evidence they find. Children can select particular objects and record them.

• The Anglo-Saxon Discovery website can be used for this activity especially the further information pages leading from the object pages:

• e.g the Thurlow information pages on Making Clothes, Weaving, Spinning and Needles.

• e.g object information pages on Sutton Courtenay Loom Weight and Abindgon Needle.

• Additional resources such as books, websites, and handling materials will need to be used for this activity.

Whole class to gather to discuss the evidence they have found.

Possible Questions

• What did you discover?
• What surprised you most about the things you discovered?
• What is your most ‘fantastic fact’ about Anglo Saxon Clothes?
• What is your favourite object?

Extension Activities

Children can try spinning with a drop spindle if available.

Children can design their own outfit using only materials and colours available to the Anglo-Saxons.