Early Islamic Civilisation Session Information

This session can be taught: 

• at the Oriental Museum 
• as an online session 

The content of these sessions does vary as we have the galleries to use at the museum, but we try to keep them as similar as possible. 

Visit to the Museum:

• Object Investigation – using objects from our handling collection and those on display inside our museum, the children will find out about life in Baghdad around 900 CE. 
• Tile Art – using our displays as inspiration and using real tiles, the children will work together to create their own piece of Islamic-inspired tile art. 
• Silk Road Quiz – what was traded on the Silk Road that made Baghdad so wealthy? Where did these things come from? Find out in this quiz! 
• Thousand and One Nights Storytelling – in this drama activity, the children will act out some of the traditional stories featured in this famous collection of tales. 
• Arabic Calligraphy – using calligraphic pens, or ‘qalam’, the children will try their hand at some basic calligraphy. 

 Need to know:

• The day at the museum runs from 10am – 2.15pm approximately and is entirely taught by members of our Learning and Engagement Team.   
• The maximum number of children we can take on one day is approximately 60 children.   
• The cost of the visit is £6 per pupil, and free for all accompanying adults.  
• Lunch can be eaten in our classroom spaces, or if the weather is good and you would like to, we do have a small grassy area where you can sit and have a picnic.

Directions to the Museum

Online Session:

• Object Investigation – using our overhead camera, we show the children how to investigate our objects related to early Islamic Civilisation. Having modelled how to use our artefact investigation sheets, we ask the children to independently use their observation and historical enquiry skills, as well as any prior knowledge to form a theory about what they are and were used for. They will share some of their theories before we reveal what they are.  
• Silk Road Quiz – what was traded on the Silk Road that made Baghdad so wealthy? Where did these things come from? Find out in this quiz.
• Thousand-and One-Nights Storytelling – in this drama activity, the children will act out some of the traditional stories featured in this famous collection of tales. 

Need to know:

• An online session is two hours in length.  
• Session times are 9.30am – 11.30am and 1pm – 3pm, but we can accommodate slightly different timings. Please ask at the point of booking if this is something that would be helpful for you.
• You will need to book a short test call with us to check that you can see and hear us on the whiteboard in your classroom. These are available at 3.30pm, 3.45pm and 4pm.
• We ask that you book separate sessions for each of your classes so we can keep them as interactive as possible. 
• You will be sent an email with resources to print out before your session. 
• We will ask the class to compile a list of questions that they would like to ask about early Islamic Civilisation before the session. We ask you to send these in several days before your class session.  
• The cost of the sessions is £45 per class.  

National Curriculum Link:

History – Key Stage 2: a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900 

Develop a chronologically secure knowledge.  

Use of historical terms.  

Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.  

Address and devise historically valid questions.

Session costs