Gunpowder, treason and plot?

[Holymosquito]

torture, execution and heads on spikes... how to explain the origins of bonfire night to children?

I’ve been asked to teach the history of bonfire night to KS1 and I’m a bit concerned about how graphic some of the available resources are (Pictures of Guy fawkes on the rack? Heads on spikes?). It’s all proper historical sources but am I being too squeamish to think that it is too much for 7 year olds?

I suspect most 7 year olds would love it. Why can’t you just talk about the plotting to blow up parliament because lots of parents won’t think their children will love it.

I remember learning about this in primary school at the same age, we were even shown photos of Guy Fawkes' signature written by him before and after being on the rack. I don't remember feeling at all squeamish about it at the time though, I just sort of accepted it as history I suppose.

Children are mini psychopaths, he will lap it up!

I have a friend who is related to Robert Catesby, the organiser.

It pisses him off that the bonfire night story has been overtaken by Guy Fawkes and continued by Parents/Teachers etc.

You can make any story child friendly.

Educational stuff is allowed to be gory , last time I took DS to an art gallery he was fascinated with a painting of Jesus with his head on a platter... The elderly couple that were next to us went away sniggering at my attempts at age appropriate explanations.

He also knows about the embalming process much to his dad's horror.

FWIW he's 4 so I think they'd be ok with that at 7.

Just be factual and don't dwell on the gruesome details, if they question it just breeze over.

I had to do it with nursery. Three year olds. However, it's no worse than many other stories we tell them. Like Little Red Riding Hood.

Today I did 'Jesus walks on water' with reception. Terrifying it was.

Thanks all, I guess its probably me over thinking it. I’m sure I learnt the story at the same age too. I might just edit some of the slides just in case.

CheshireChat
Could the head on the platter have been John the Baptist rather than Jesus?

Could the head on the platter have been John the Baptist rather than Jesus?

Writing the same and noticed you’d got there already... Christian or not, surely it’s common knowledge Jesus was crucified not beheaded!

My ds brought a fact reading book home about the gunpowder plot when he was in year 2. He loved it and read it a couple of times while on that reading level.

Touché, I actually should've known that seeing how many tedious hours of religious lessons I've put up with in school. Definitely John the Baptist.

In my defence, I was answering questions like 'did it hurt', 'can they put it back' etc!

Children are mini psychopaths, he will lap it up!

Holy, you can tell them the story of John Gerard; he was a Jesuit priest in the Fleet Prison, at the time...and it’s also the origin of why people get an orange in their Christmas stocking.

There’s a good account of the incident on the History Learning Site website.

They’ll love it, I promise! 😉