The question of getting kids involved in genealogy has dogged me for the pas few years. So much so, that every once in a while I work on a genealogy curriculum for schools. I made my own family group sheets, individual cards, pedigree charts and for schools I made an individual worksheet with a few questions for the students to work on. My intent was as the children go through school they build on their genealogies and learn how to research for future science projects, English papers, and social studies projects. Now let the brainstorming begin!

Getting kids into genealogy is hard and going to take time, so you might want to start the process before they are even born! If you have old family photos or pictures, especially those that have grandparents, great-great parents and beyond, I would have a family photo wall in your house! My cousin Keith has a wall like this, with copies of old family photos and people ask about it and he tells them that the people in the photos are grandparents, aunts, and uncles and the like. Having this wall gets the kids familiar with their ancestors from the time their babies.

When, kids are really little, do not get too hung up on explaining your genealogy going back to Adam and Eve. Start small. Start with yourself, your siblings, and your grandparents. If your child does something that reminds of you of a story tell your child the story. If you have family time, use that time to share stories about the family or share stories at bedtime.

A second suggestion with photos is on a computer, you can take individual ancestors’ or relative’s pictures put them into paint or any photo program and type their names-print off. Get a poster board and draw a tree (similar to a pedigree chart) on it. Put Velcro on the individual pictures and the poster board. During story time, bring out the board and have the child put the photo on the poster and talk about the individual, tell stories or memories about that particular person.

You can also take your children places where their ancestors lived and worked. Sometimes, you might be able to show the kids inside the house where their grandpa grew up in, be sure to ask. You can also take them to the cemetery (be sure to teach them proper cemetery etiquette) and show them where their ancestors are buried. Be sure to bring paper and crayons, so they can make etchings of the headstones.

My Idea for Incorporating Genealogy into School Curriculum
Okay, every once in a while I work on getting some sort of genealogy packet together to bring into the schools. I was a history major in college and doing genealogy while working towards that goal made history even easier. I had stories of my ancestors and corresponded to events in history-Oscar Coen was shot down over France and was missing for several months. Uncle Charles Cutter was an engineer on Underground Railroad. There were only two Cutters from Pelham, New Hampshire who fought in the American Revolution. If you are descended from royalty, you might find yourself muttering “Grandpa” or “Grandma” under your breath, whenever the teacher mentions your blue blooded relations!

When a child is in first grade, you get the basic questions, who are your grandparents, who are your parents, and where are your origins? You don’t go any further in family explorations. Well, I want to take it further and teach children research skills that they can take into college and have their own genealogies! Now this is a rough outline of what I had in mind, but I hope there are some good ideas in it. My intent is that when they start, students will have a folder that they will keep throughout their school career and that by the time they enter high school they will know how to research and an actual genealogy binder with all their information in a neat presentation.

First and Second Grade: Getting a family tree established with self, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, granduncles and grandaunts, and gathering initial photos of relations and short stories and getting country of origins for their families as well.

Third and fourth grade: Basic research skills, getting dates and getting great grandparents and their siblings, perhaps a field trip to a local history room or a cemetery is in order. In third grade, they will start keeping a genealogy journal and this is the opportunity for students to interview grandparents and parents about their memories. They record what they interview in their journals.

Fifth and Sixth Grade: More Research skills including basic citation. During this period we’re going beyond the four initial generations, I would put the number to at least seven generations, and we’re actually doing an initial set up for their genealogy book, staring with their parents doing an initial write up with photo. Part of their English and Writing classes, students will be required do to a biographical piece and a fictional piece about an ancestor of their choice.

Seventh and Eight Grade: Finalize the genealogy books with photos, and stories. Teaching the students more citation-the different formats MLA, Chicago and APA and giving them research tips for the future if and when they want to go beyond their initial school project. If by any chance, need to know some family facts for any class in high school, they’ll have handy their project for that assignment. Actually this happened to my cousin and who do you think he called?

That my fellow researchers, is how I would incorporate genealogy into a school curriculum. That concludes my blog on getting kids into genealogy. If there are any additional ideas, fell free to leave your comments below! I hope I had a few good ideas on how to get kids into genealogy. Welp, folks until next time!

This blog was originally published on my now abandoned genealogy blog.

If you think you're going to get away from your science teacher in a history class, you're very wrong!  You can apply the scientific method to a history class!  You can see from shows like Secrets of the Castle, Edwardian Farm, Victorian Farm, and Tudor Monastery Farm that there is a science to what they're doing, even though they are living in a historic era.  I would call it this type of history, Experimental History. 

So the scientific method is this:

1. Make an observation.
2. Ask a question.
3. Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation.
4. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.
5. Test the prediction.
6. Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions

So how does that fit into a history class?

1. Make an observation: You do this by looking at the available documents and materials that survived or are currently known.  I know through technology that new documents are being uncovered and that these new documents are digitized to become available for everyone.
2. Ask a question: This is straight forward, based on the documents you read, you start asking questions.
   
3. Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation: Then you reform your question or try to come up with an explanation. 
   
4. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis:  You make a prediction on what materials that are available.
5. Test the prediction: Do more research or create an experiment. Look at Guedelon Castle, that experiment began with the question "how do you build a castle?"  Over the years the castle builders have been able to refine their building techniques.
   
6. Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions: here you draw conclusions based on your research and document them.

Check out this Episode of A Stitch in Time on YouTube and observe how the scientific method is applied to designing and creating a historic outfit.  Even historic costumers apply the scientific method to their work when they create costumes for a TV show or play.

If at the start of the year, there needs to be a sub in a science classroom and your class is learning about the scientific method, consider showing Secrets of the Castle for a lesson in the scientific method!  You can put these questions on a worksheet and the students can answer the questions.

Scientific Method - Experimental History Style
Secrets of the Castle Questions:

1. How do they observe a historic event?
   
2. What question were the historians asking?
   
3. What was the hypothesis they created?
4. What predictions could they make based on their hypothesis?
5. How do they test their predictions?
6. How do they present their results or draw their conclusions?

Caitlin Doughty has a channel called Ask a Mortician.  Doughty is a funeral home director from California.  At first glance on, you would think this channel is strictly about the funeral industry and death.  However, if you dive deeper, you will discover that she does dive into history.  She has videos on recreating Victorian Mourning Practices, Iconic Corpses and answers viewers burning questions like: What happened with the Donner Party? How bodies are handled in a mass death situation? and Can you freeze dry your corpse? 

The history videos are especially interesting and she and her team well research that material that's available.  She did a series on Iconic Corpses and explores the history behind some interesting corpses.  The videos are well put together and I've learned quite a bit from Caitlin's channel.

If you need something to pad out a lecture or use it as a writing prompt I recommend you give this channel a look up.  You can find something on this channel for your school or home school needs.

My Video Top Five Picks:  These are not in any specific order
The Lake that Never Gives Up Her Dead - I knew Lake Superior was cold, but I didn't know that it could preserve a corpse!  The Camloops story was scary and fascinating at the same time, I was especially freaked out with the fact there's a corpse that floats around the shipwreck following divers. She kayaks on Lake Superior with a relative of an Edmund Fitzgerald victim and they talk about the wreck and what happened.

The Massive LA Disaster You've Never Heard Of - This episode is about the dam failure in Los Angeles.  Caitlyn takes a trip to where the disaster happened.  She explains what lead to the failure and how the dead were taken care of.  She visits the original site of the dam and see what remains.  That part was the most fascinating of the video: seeing the remains of the dam.

Oven Crypts of New Orleans  - The oven crypts of New Orleans are a hold over from their time as a French/Spanish colony.  Then she explores what makes American Burial traditions different in comparison.  She explains the history of the oven crypts and how they work.  It's the ultimate in reusable burial.  This was the first time I have heard of oven crypts.

Visiting Hawaii's Tragic and Remote Leprosy Colony - I heard about this colony because there was a lighthouse on the Island and now I learned more about this colony.  She takes the time to explain how the colony was set up, why it was set up, and what happened to it's people as well as the survivors.  It is a sad but fascinating history.

Iconic Corpse: 93 Years of Vladimir Lenin - An earlier video of hers that details the preservation of the corpse of Vladimir Lenin.  It is crazy the amount of preservation and studies that went into keeping the corpse of Vladimir Lenin pristine.  The body that's on display is no longer the real Lenin.  That is most fascinating thing about this video: is that it is not really Lenin.

Caitlin's also an author, she has written several books on death.  You can check out her Amazon Author page here.  You can get her books in physical form, kindle form, and audiobooks.

The team works on the Cherry and potato harvest and plans a trip to the seaside.

Alex and Peter look for ladders for the cherry harvest and Ruth makes plans with what she can make with the cherries.  The team celebrates the cherry harvest with a festival and lots of cherry pies.  Then they take a trip to the seaside.  Ruth makes a new period swimsuit and tries it out.  At the seaside they are entertained by period performers.  They also take a dip in the sea in period swimsuits.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Questions:

1. What did the team harvest first?
2. What was the most valuable piece of equipment for the harvest?
3. How high can cherry trees grow?
4. How many fish were caught in the Tamar River?
5. What was made available during the Edwardian period?
6. What was new to the common person’s Edwardian diet?
7. How was the cherry harvest celebrated?
8. What did the boys have to do to stop blight on potatoes?
9. What were Edwardian swimsuits made from?
10. Who did the team use to pick potatoes?

Answers:

1. What did the team harvest first? - Cherries
2. What was the most valuable piece of equipment for the harvest? - Ladder
3. How high can cherry trees grow? - 70 feet tall
4. How many fish were caught in the Tamar River? - 2000
5. What was made available during the Edwardian period? - Glass Jars
6. What was new to the common person’s Edwardian diet? - Preserved fruit and vegetables
7. How was the cherry harvest celebrated? - Cherry Feasts
8. What did the boys have to do to stop blight on potatoes? - Cut the plant off
9. What were Edwardian swimsuits made from? - Wool Crepe
10. Who did the team use to pick potatoes? - Kids
    

The series concludes with the Oat harvest and it's a challenge to predict the weather!

Alex and Peter look to predict the weather in order to determine when to bring the oat harvest.  They have a weather vane made in the shape of one of their chickens.  They also find a quick method to determine barometric pressure.  Ruth works on the market gardens for one last time, putting seaweed fertilizer on them.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Questions:

1. What was oat sold for?
2. What needed to be on the farmer’s side?
3.  When the wind is coming from what direction will the team know the weather will be dry?
4. What did the team commission to help with determining wind direction?
5. What was the name of the chicken they used for the model?
6. What did the farmers use for fertilizer?
7. What else did the farmers use to predict the weather?
8. What was cooked on a shovel?
9. What was the direction of the wind when the weather vane was put up?
10. What was invention used to record the harvest?

Answers:

1. What was oat sold for - Horse Feed
2. What needed to be on the farmer’s side? - Weather
3.  When the wind is coming from what direction will the team know the weather will be dry? - Northeast
4. What did the team commission to help with determining wind direction? - Weather vane
5. What was the name of the chicken they used for the model? - Sunny
6. What did the farmers use for fertilizer? - seaweed
7. What else did the farmers use to predict the weather? - Barometer
8. What was cooked on a shovel? - Fish
9. What was the direction of the wind when the weather vane was put up? - Southwest or “don’t harvest your oats yet.”
10. What was invention used to record the harvest? - Film Camera
    

Tourists come to the Tamar Valley, and the team comes up with ways to keep them fed and make money off them.

Ruth learns how to make clotted cream and Peter paints pictures of the valley for the tourists.   The strawberries are ready for picking and Alex is worried about an invasion of snails and slugs.  The government sent out dairying school to teach the women how to work with milk. 

Peter putting together the paints and pigments was pretty interesting and I never knew that they came separate.  The dairy school concept was interesting too. 

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 9 Questions:

1. Who is coming to the Tamar Valley?
2. What was crucial to the tourist trade?
3. When is Empire Day?
4. What was found in the strawberries?
5. What animal did Alex use to take care of the infestation?
6. What else did Alex use?
7. What did the government set up to teach women?
8. What was consider women’s work?
9. How Long did it take to make clotted cream?
10. What did Peter do for the tourists?

Episode 9 Answers:

1. Who is coming to the Tamar Valley? - Tourists
2. What was crucial to the tourist trade? - Paddle wheel steamers
3. When is Empire Day? - May 24
4. What was found in the strawberries? - Slugs and snails
5. What animal did Alex use to take care of the infestation? - Geese
6. What else did Alex use? - Caustic soda and lime
7. What did the government set up to teach women? - Dairy Schools
8. What was consider women’s work? - Dairying
9. How Long did it take to make clotted cream? - 3 days
10. What did Peter do for the tourists? - Draw pictures of beautiful places

The Boys are away sheering sheep while Ruth takes care of the potatoes.  The team also gets a visitor from an old friend.

The sheep are taken to Dartmoor and they sheer sheep.  Ruth takes care of the farm while the boys are on the moors. A visitor from their time on the Victorian Farm stops by and the team go out on a picnic with their visitor.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 10 Questions:

1. What did the government recommend farmers do?
2. What did Peter and Alex build to make silage?
3. What were the farmers looking for on the potatoes?
4. What did Ruth put on the potatoes?
5. What did Ruth do to the fleeces?
6. What was called white gold?
7. What became accessible to tourists?
8. Who visited the farm?
9. What the activity the visitors participated in during their visit?
10. What did Ruth burn to cook her meal?

Episode 10 Answers:

1. What did the government recommend farmers do? - Make Silage
2. What did Peter and Alex build to make silage? - Clamp
3. What were the farmers looking for on the potatoes? - Blight
4. What did Ruth put on the potatoes? - Copper Sulfate and lime water
5. What did Ruth do to the fleeces? - Wash them
6. What was called white gold? - Lamb wool/fleece
7. What became accessible to tourists? - The Moors
8. Who visited the farm? - The Acton Family
9. What the activity the visitors participated in during their visit? - Picnic
10. What did Ruth burn to cook her meal? - Dried Peat

Springtime has come to the Farm and life is renewed.  A visitor comes for Mothering Sunday.

Spring is in full swing on the farm, and one of the first harvests is brought in: daffodils.  Eve, Ruth's daughter comes and visit the farm in time for Mothering Sunday, it is a similar holiday to Mother's Day.  She makes Ruth a cake for the celebration.  In the Edwardian period, many daughters worked in service and it was the onetime of year where they could get the day off to spend with their families.

Alex tries to expand his chicken concern by buying an incubator.  The sheep are also ready to give birth and the boys learn how to handle lambing.  The boys also purchase a new pony for the farm and hire an expert to tame it.

The episode concludes with the celebration of Easter, and Ruth makes eggs to celebrate.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 7 Questions:

1. What was harvested at the beginning of the episode?
   
2. Where were the daffodils sent?
3. Who came to visit Ruth?
4. What was the busiest month of the year on the farm?
5. What did Alex buy to increase his animals?
6. What did Alex and Peter plan on plant in addition to the oats?
7. What did Eve make for Mothering Sunday?
8. What was the name of the newest pony?
9. Food used to dye eggs:
   1. Red:
   2. Yellow:
10. What did Ruth use to create patterns on the eggs?

Episode 7 Answers:

1. What was harvested at the beginning of the episode? - Daffodils
2. Where were the daffodils sent? - London
3. Who came to visit Ruth? - Eve, her daughter
4. What was the busiest month of the year on the farm? - March
5. What did Alex buy to increase his animals? - Incubator
6. What did Alex and Peter plan on plant in addition to the oats? - Potatoes
7. What did Eve make for Mothering Sunday? - A sindle cake / or cake
8. What was the name of the newest pony? - Laddie
9. Food used to dye eggs:
   1. Red: Beetroot
   2. Yellow: Onion Skins
10. What did Ruth use to create patterns on the eggs? - Candle Wax
    

The team looks to the sea for their harvest.  The Tamar Valley is a place where the farmers had one foot on the land and one foot on the sea. 

The boys take a trawler out for it's first time sailing since it's restoration.  Ruth picks seaweed and shrimp.  She uses the seaweed for bread and makes little dishes with the shrimps to sell.

Alex makes a curricle for the small pond on the farm.  Peter has to try it out first because the baby fish escaped from the hatchery.  He promptly sinks it but then gets the hang of it.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 8 Questions:

1. What did Ruth catch?
2. What was lava used for?
3. What was the type of boat that Alex had made?
4. What did Ruth make with the sheep’s fleece?
5. Who tested out the curricle?
6. How long is the rope walk?
7. How far is the longest rope walk in England?
8. What does tar do for ships?
9. What died while the boys were out trawling?
10. How long would it take to hand haul in a net?

Episode 8 Answers:

1. What did Ruth catch? - Shrimps
2. What was lava used for? - Bread
3. What was the type of boat that Alex had made? - Curricle
4. What did Ruth make with the sheep’s fleece? - Lanolin
5. Who tested out the curricle? - Peter Ginn
6. How long is the rope walk? - 20 yards
7. How far is the longest rope walk in England? - quarter of a mile
8. What does tar do for ships? - Preserve the wood
9. What died while the boys were out trawling? - wood
10. How long would it take to hand haul in a net? - three hours
    

The Boys and Ruth explore more ways to bring in an income on the farm.  It is January on the farm.  The boys try mining while Ruth tries lace making.

The boys try copper mining without much success, however try another method to extract copper by putting metal in copper infused water.  That method works and the team makes some money from copper.  Then they are taken to another mine in Cornwall where they use technology to live the lives of miners for the day.  Tin mining was where the money was at.  Ruth learns the craft of lace making (without much success) as well as how to make a Cornish pasty.  The boys take the pasties down the mine, but do not leave the crusts behind for the little people who dwell in the mine.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 5 Questions:

1. What happens if it rains on Candlemas?
2. What was another way farmers made money?
3. Who did Alex invite to help in the cider orchard?
4. What did they do to help the trees?
5. What did the boys plant?
6. What did the boys use to help plant?
7. Where was the real money made in money?
8. What was mined in Cornwall?
9. What did the miners take down with them to eat?
10. What did Ruth try while the boys were mining?

Episode 5 Answers:

1. What happens if it rains on Candlemas? - Winter is over
2. What was another way farmers made money? - Copper mining
3. Who did Alex invite to help in the cider orchard? - Ronald Hutton
4. What did they do to help the trees? - Sing to them and dip bread in cider and put the bread in the trees
5. What did the boys plant? - Oats
6. What did the boys use to help plant? - Seed Drill
7. Where was the real money made in money? - Abroad or Cornwall
8. What was mined in Cornwall? - tin
9. What did the miners take down with them to eat? - Pasty
10. What did Ruth try while the boys were mining? - Lace Making

Ruth writes a letter home to her mum exploring the day in a life of an Edwardian Farmer.

Ruth's day kicks off by getting dressed and cleaning the floor...one stone at a time.  The boys take care of the fields and look on the animals.  By mid morning Ruth gets breakfast on the table after that bathes for the first time after doing her cleaning. 

It is a fascinating episode and I really enjoyed looking at at the day in the the life of an Edwardian Farmer.  It was an excellent summary of what the team did during the course of the day.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 6 Questions:

1. Who did Ruth write to?
2. What was the first chore Ruth did in the morning?
3. What did Peter use to brush his teeth?
4. What was the tooth brush made from?
5. What was the most valuable asset on the farm?
6. Who attacked the duck?
7. What did Ruth use to clean the pan?
8. How were shops different?
9. What did Peter buy from the salesman?
10. What sport did the boys participate in?

Episode 6 Answers:

1. Who did Ruth write to? - Her mother
2. What was the first chore Ruth did in the morning? - Getting the range ready
   
3. What did Peter use to brush his teeth? - Soot
4. What was the tooth brush made from? - Bone and Badger bristles
5. What was the most valuable asset on the farm? - Animals
6. Who attacked the duck? - Fox
7. What did Ruth use to clean the pan? - Sand
8. How were shops different? - The shopkeeper waited on you
9. What did Peter buy from the salesman? - Alarm clock
10. What sport did the boys participate in? - Rugby
    

Episode 3 work continues on the farm as Peter, Ruth and Alex explore more possibilities to make money on the Edwardian Farm.  It is November on the Edwardian Farm.

The team plants their potato crop and use the latest in Edwardian technology in order to plant it.  They also use the tractor to do some chores around the farm such as making feed for the animals.  We also learn how the Tamar Valley was home to a hatchery.  Peter explores that part of that part of the history of the Tamar Valley.  Ruth works on cleaning and prepping the privy.

The discussion on the fish hatchery would be appropriate in the agricultural science department, especially if the school offered a class on animal science.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Questions:

1. What was the tractor called?
2. What else did the tractor power on the farm?
3. What else was farmed in the Tamar Valley?
4. Who was a big supporter of fish farming?
5. What was found in the same building as the pigsties?
6. What does Ruth use to sanitize the privy?
7. What does Ruth use for toilet paper?
   
8. Why did Peter use glass tubes in his fish hatchery?
9. What was a new edition to the farm?
10. What does a hedge do for the farm?

Answers

1. What was the tractor called? - Ivel
2. What else did the tractor power on the farm? - A kibbler
3. What else was farmed in the Tamar Valley? - Fish
4. Who was a big supporter of fish farming? - Duke of Bedford
5. What was found in the same building as the pigsties? - Privy
   
6. What does Ruth use to sanitize the privy? - Caustic soda
   
7. What does Ruth use for toilet paper? - Newspapers
8. Why did Peter use glass tubes in his fish hatchery? - To tell apart bad eggs
9. What was a new edition to the farm? - Gramophone
10. What does a hedge do for the farm? - Boundary and a habitat for wild life
    

Episode 4: Ruth, Peter and Alex continue in their efforts to make money for the farm.  Peter and Alex focus their efforts on the sea while Ruth cleans a historic house.

Christmas is coming to the farm and the boys are trying their hand at fishing for crabs.  However the weather and waves keep them away.  In the mean time the boys have a cow butchered.  Ruth in the mean time is looking for extra income for the farm and cleans a historic house using Edwardian techniques and technology.  She gets a new bike to help her out with transportation.  While Ruth is away, the boys will play.  At the end of the episode, they participate in an Edwardian Christmas church service and celebrate Christmas Edwardian farm style.

This would be a good episode to show around Christmas time in the classroom.  A work sheet wouldn't need to be required, unless you have a sub in the room.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  This series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 4 Questions:

1. What was Ruth’s new toy?
2. What did Alex hope to catch?
3. Where did Ruth work?
4. What type of staircase did the women servants use?
5. What was the sluice room used for?
6. What was an innovation Ruth used to clean the carpets?
7. While Ruth was away, what meal did Peter prepare for Alex?
8. How long did the butchered cow hang before it was cut?
9. What happened to the cow’s hide after it was butchered?
10. How many lobster pots were left out?

Episode 4 Answers:

1. What was Ruth’s new toy? - bicycle
2. What did Alex hope to catch? - lobsters and crabs
3. Where did Ruth work? - Lahnhydrock
4. What type of staircase did the women servants use? - wooden staircase
5. What was the sluice room used for? - Getting rid of human waste
6. What was an innovation Ruth used to clean the carpets? - vacuum
7. While Ruth was away, what meal did Peter prepare for Alex? - Oysters and Steak / carpetbag steak
8. How long did the butchered cow hang before it was cut? - Four weeks
9. What happened to the cow’s hide after it was butchered?  - Sold to a tannery
10. How many lobster pots were left out? - 6

Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman, and Alex Langladas are working in the Tamar Valley on an Edwardian Farm.  The first episode is about the historians setting up the farm.

Ruth Goodman is a freelance historian who specializes in domestic history.  Peter Ginn and Alex Langladas are archeologists.  The series also features additional specialized historians and experts throughout the series.

Ruth sets up the house while Alex and Peter set up the animals as well as the fields.  They use Edwardian methods to clean the chimney as well as to make quicklime.  They have to lime the fields in order for crops to grow.  The boys go away to make the quicklime which turned out to be more challenging than they first thought.  If they fail in making quicklime, their farm will fail for the year.

In the mean time, Ruth continues to make the farmhouse a home as well cooking a gruesome dish for the boys in preparation of their return from making quicklime.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  The series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 1 Questions:

1. Who are the presenters?
2. What is the name of the farm?
3. How much quicklime do Peter Ginn and Alex Langladas need to make?
4. What did Alex want to use to sweep the Chimney?  What was actually used?
5. What is used to make quicklime?
6. What was used to make a trough?
7. What did Ruth and Eve make for the kitchen?
8. How Long did it take to thatch the hay rick?
9.  How many layers of stone did the kiln hold?
10. What did Ruth cook up for the boys?

Episode 2 Answers:

1. Who are the presenters? - Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn and Alex Langladas
2. What is the name of the farm? - Morwellen Farm
3. How much quicklime do Peter Ginn and Alex Langladas need to make? - 10 Tons
4. What did Alex want to use to sweep the Chimney?  What was actually used? - Chicken and Holly Bush
5. What is used to make quicklime? - Lime and coal
6. What was used to make a trough? - Granite
7. What did Ruth and Eve make for the kitchen? - A Rag Rug
8. How Long did it take to thatch the hay rick?  - 40 minutes
9.  How many layers of stone did the kiln hold? - 15 Layers
10. What did Ruth cook up for the boys? - Sheepshead stew

Episode 2: More preparations on the farm are made for the future harvest and winter.  Ruth works on prepping the market gardens using goats to clear the weeds.  Then she and Alex prepare the gardens for strawberries.  The boys bring in a bull to the farm. 

Another important preparation for the harvest include making cider, although the farms orchards only produce a single apple.  They bring in additional cider apples and prep them to make cider for the harvest.  The art of barrel making is explored. 

Ruth works hard in the kitchen to preserve food for the winter, she pickles apples and preserves meat.  Alex also brings back chickens to the farm, which provides an immediate income to the farm.

If you need a filler in the classroom, this is an excellent series for that use.  You aren't limited to history with this series either you can use this in a family and consumer education or a home economics class to learn a recipes or crafts.  You really see history come to life in this series and Ruth, Alex, and Peter are excellent narrators.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

You can find the link for the YouTube video here.  The series is also available on Amazon Prime.

Episode 2 Questions: 

1. What was the other animal brought in to provide milk?
2. What was planted in the Market Garden?
3. Who is the new resident on the farm?
4. What were the farm workers paid in?
5. How many varieties were there of cider apples?
6. What was the unique thing that was done to apples in the Tamar Valley?
7. What was used to preserve the leg of pork?
8. What was the salt mix called?
9. What was Alex’s project on the farm?
10. What was the quickest thing to harvest?

Episode 2 Answers:

1. What was the other animal brought in to provide milk? - Goats
   
2. What was planted in the Market Garden? - Strawberries
3. Who is the new resident on the farm? - A bull
4. What were the farm workers paid in? - Cider
5. How many varieties were there of cider apples? - 350
6. What was the unique thing that was done to apples in the Tamar Valley? - Pickling
7. What was used to preserve the leg of pork? - Salt
8. What was the salt mix called? - Pickle
9. What was Alex’s project on the farm? - Raising chickens
10. What was the quickest thing to harvest? - Eggs
    

Episode 3 - Monarch to Monster

The series concludes with a look at the medical history of Henry VIII and how it may or may not have impacted his mental state.  Rebellions take place in the north due to changes in religion and Henry VIII does not react well to that.  Henry VIII soon becomes the large man history knows him as.  His advisor Thomas Cromwell has to start looking over his shoulder as an arranged marriage does not bring Henry VIII joy or a spare heir. 

The medical side of things with Henry VIII, is very interesting and could be a three part documentary too, this particular episode tackles the ulcer on his leg as well as the possibility that he suffered from diabetes.  Diabetes could account for the madness.  It also discusses what was used to move Henry around the palace.  There is another documentary that tried to tackle the medical issues, and this is a documentary that Lucy Worsley took part in.  This is a bonus documentary that you can check out and the link is here.

If you need some research into Henry VIII for a class lecture, I recommend you use this documentary just for the fact it offers another perspective on Henry VIII, more so than the typical "Henry VIII was a madman."

I created several questions to go with this documentary.  Just copy and paste them into a word document to distribute in the classroom just in case you decide to use this series in the classroom.  Since there's a lot available out there on Henry VIII, I want the student to have a chance to reflect on what they learned about Henry VIII.  You can format anyway you want. 

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

Link to the YouTube video is here.

Questions

1. Who advised Henry VIII to keep his leg wound open?
2. What were things the court used to move Henry VIII around the palace?
3. What could be a factor in Henry VIII’s paranoia?
4. What was the rebellion in the north called?
5. Who’s luck was changing in the Court of Henry VIII?
6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII

Answers

1. Who advised Henry VIII to keep his leg wound open? - Doctors
2. What were things the court used to move Henry VIII around the palace? - Primitive lift, wheelchair, whistle
3. What could be a factor in Henry VIII’s paranoia? - Diabetes
4. What was the rebellion in the north called? - Pilgrimage of Grace
5. Who’s luck was changing in the Court of Henry VIII? - Thomas Cromwell
6. List three new things you learned about Henry VIII