History comes to life

01.02.2022

On Friday 28^th February, Year 2 dressed up to take part in History Off The Page’s Florence Nightingale Workshop. Florence Nightingale talked to the girls about getting ready to travel to Turkey to help nurse the injured soldiers and they learned how Florence understood the need for clean hospitals and good nursing care for the soldiers. The girls made medals, decorated pill boxes, made candle holders, Scutari hospital sashes and even wrote applications to Florence to apply for a job to join her in Turkey. 

It was a special treat to examine real artefacts and to work out to whom they might have belonged. In the afternoon, the girls threw themselves into role play. They were given roles as nurses, cooks, cleaners, gardeners and even wounded soldiers. Splints were bandaged, brows were mopped, blankets and hot water bottles were supplied. Great fun was had by all, especially when some patients asked for the potty….

Learning through exploration of artefacts and role play inspired the girls to discuss what they had done and what life might have been like for Florence Nightingale. All in all,  it was a fantastic way to bring history to life.