History · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Anglo-Saxon Pagan Beliefs

Active learning helps students grasp Anglo-Saxon pagan beliefs because the abstract concepts of polytheism and afterlife rituals become concrete through hands-on tasks. Creating posters, sorting artifacts, and role-playing rituals let students connect names like Woden to real places and practices they can visualize and discuss.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: History - Britain's settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
• KS2: History - Religious History

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Carousel Brainstorm
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Gods Research Posters

Assign each group a god or goddess like Woden or Thunor. Groups use books and images to note attributes, myths, and symbols, then create posters. Groups present posters in a class gallery walk, with peers adding sticky note questions.

Describe the main gods and goddesses worshipped by Anglo-Saxons.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gods Research Posters, provide a template with sections for god name, domain, symbols, and associated place names to keep research focused.

What to look for

Students receive a card with the name of an Anglo-Saxon god (e.g., Woden, Thunor, Frig). They must write one sentence describing that god's main role and one sentence explaining a ritual associated with their worship.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Carousel Brainstorm
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Burial Goods Sort

Provide replica artifacts like weapons, jewelry, and pots. Pairs sort items into categories and infer their role in afterlife beliefs. Pairs share reasoning with the class, linking to specific burials like Sutton Hoo.

Explain the significance of burial rituals in Anglo-Saxon paganism.

Facilitation Tip

During the Burial Goods Sort, prepare labeled replicas or images so students handle tangible evidence before making assumptions about religious purpose.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Based on the grave goods found at sites like Sutton Hoo, what can we infer about what Anglo-Saxons believed was important for the journey to the afterlife?' Facilitate a class discussion, guiding students to cite specific artifacts as evidence.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Carousel Brainstorm
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Ritual Role-Play

Divide class into roles for a sacrifice ritual at a sacred tree, using props like fabric altars. Perform the ritual, then hold a class discussion on its purpose and evidence from sources. Record key insights on a shared chart.

Compare Anglo-Saxon pagan beliefs with other ancient religions.

Facilitation Tip

In the Ritual Role-Play, assign roles with specific scripts that include ritual actions and dialogue to ensure historical accuracy and participation.

What to look for

Present students with images of artifacts (e.g., a Thor's hammer amulet, a Roman temple ruin, a Viking longship). Ask them to identify which culture each item relates to and briefly explain one belief associated with it, focusing on paganism.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Carousel Brainstorm
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Afterlife Diary Entry

Students write a first-person diary from a buried Anglo-Saxon, describing the journey with grave goods. Include references to gods and rituals learned. Share select entries in a class read-around.

Describe the main gods and goddesses worshipped by Anglo-Saxons.

What to look for

Students receive a card with the name of an Anglo-Saxon god (e.g., Woden, Thunor, Frig). They must write one sentence describing that god's main role and one sentence explaining a ritual associated with their worship.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching pagan beliefs works best when you balance myth with material culture, using objects and sites like Sutton Hoo to anchor abstract ideas. Avoid presenting these beliefs as primitive or inferior to later Christian ideas, instead highlighting their coherence within Anglo-Saxon society. Research suggests using collaborative tasks to build interpretive skills, as students learn more from explaining their reasoning to peers than from teacher-led lectures.

Successful learning shows when students can explain the roles of Anglo-Saxon gods, justify the purpose of grave goods using evidence, and demonstrate understanding of pagan rituals through clear communication. They should move from identifying facts to interpreting cultural beliefs with supporting details.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gods Research Posters, watch for students comparing Anglo-Saxon gods directly to Greek or Roman deities without noting cultural differences.

  Guide students to use a comparison chart in their research that highlights domains, symbols, and cultural roles, ensuring they identify distinct Germanic characteristics before finalizing posters.

• During Burial Goods Sort, watch for students assuming grave goods were buried solely for wealth display.

  Have students sort goods into categories based on recurring patterns across sites, then justify their categories using evidence from replicas and site descriptions to reinforce religious purpose.

• During timeline activities in pairs, watch for students assuming pagan beliefs vanished immediately with Christian conversion.

  Use evidence cards with dates and site descriptions to plot overlaps, then ask pairs to present one example of blended practices to demonstrate gradual change.

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Methods used in this brief

• Carousel Brainstorm