History · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Viking Art and Craftsmanship

Active learning lets students engage with Viking art and craftsmanship through hands-on replication and close observation, moving beyond textbook descriptions to experience the precision and creativity of Norse artisans firsthand. By handling replicas and creating their own pieces, students grasp the technical skill and cultural significance that textbooks often overlook.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: History - Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England
• KS2: History - Art and Culture

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

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Viking Artifact Stations

Prepare four stations with replicas: metalwork, carvings, jewellery, and tools. Students rotate every 10 minutes, sketch key features, note materials, and discuss cultural links. Conclude with a class share-out of findings.

Describe the key characteristics of Viking art and design.

Facilitation Tip

During Station Rotation: Viking Artifact Stations, provide a magnifying glass at each station to encourage close observation of details like engraving depth and symmetry.

What to look for

Provide students with images of three artifacts: one clearly Viking, one clearly Anglo-Saxon, and one ambiguous. Ask them to identify the Viking artifact and list two specific features that support their choice, referencing zoomorphic or interlace patterns.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Pairs

Pairs Craft: Viking Knot Brooch

Provide foil, clay, or card. Pairs research interlace patterns, design and assemble a brooch, then label symbolic elements. Pairs present to class explaining design choices.

Analyze how Viking craftsmanship reflects their cultural values and beliefs.

Facilitation Tip

For Pairs Craft: Viking Knot Brooch, demonstrate the wire-wrapping technique twice before students begin to reduce frustration and build confidence.

What to look for

Display a selection of Viking art motifs (e.g., gripping beast, knotwork, simple animal shapes). Ask students to hold up fingers corresponding to the number of distinct types of motifs they can identify and briefly describe one.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Compare: Art Timeline Wall

Display Viking and Anglo-Saxon images on a wall. Class adds sticky notes with similarities, differences, and evidence. Discuss as a group to build a visual comparison chart.

Compare Viking artistic styles with those of the Anglo-Saxons.

Facilitation Tip

In Whole Class Compare: Art Timeline Wall, assign each pair one artifact to research and present to the class to distribute ownership of the learning.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How might a Viking warrior have used their jewelry or sword fittings to show their status or beliefs?' Encourage students to refer to specific examples of craftsmanship and discuss the potential symbolism.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Individual

Individual Sketch: Animal Motifs

Students select a Viking beast image, sketch it enlarged, and annotate patterns and possible meanings. Collect for a class gallery walk.

Describe the key characteristics of Viking art and design.

Facilitation Tip

For Individual Sketch: Animal Motifs, supply printed reference sheets with labeled examples of gripping beasts, interlace, and animal motifs to scaffold accuracy.

What to look for

Provide students with images of three artifacts: one clearly Viking, one clearly Anglo-Saxon, and one ambiguous. Ask them to identify the Viking artifact and list two specific features that support their choice, referencing zoomorphic or interlace patterns.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with a clear demonstration of Viking craftsmanship techniques, emphasizing the patience and repetition required for filigree and carving. Avoid rushing students through hands-on tasks, as the process itself builds understanding. Research shows that students retain more when they physically engage with the materials, so prioritize tactile experiences over lectures.

Students will recognize Viking artistic styles such as gripping beasts and interlace patterns, articulate the technical skills involved in crafting artifacts, and compare Viking art to other styles while connecting objects to their cultural meanings. Successful learning is evident when students can explain their observations and replicate key techniques.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation: Viking Artifact Stations, watch for students assuming Viking artifacts are crude or simplistic compared to other cultures.

  Have students note the fine engraving, filigree, and symmetry on metalwork replicas during the station activity. Ask them to compare the depth and precision of cuts to Anglo-Saxon examples at another station, prompting them to articulate the sophistication of Viking techniques.

• During Whole Class Compare: Art Timeline Wall, watch for students generalizing that Viking art and Anglo-Saxon art are nearly identical.

  During the timeline wall activity, direct pairs to focus on side-by-side comparisons of interlace patterns versus knotwork. Ask them to identify two concrete differences and share their observations with the class to highlight distinct styles.

• During Pairs Craft: Viking Knot Brooch, watch for students assuming Viking jewelry was purely decorative.

  After students complete their brooches, ask them to annotate sketches of their work with possible symbolic meanings or protective functions. Use guided questions to connect form to function, such as 'How might the knot represent strength or unity?' to shift their perspective.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Gallery Walk