What can we learn by investigating our local cemetery or churchyard?

These activity sheets and PowerPoint are designed to help young people explore their local cemetery or churchyard.

Downloads

Teaching idea

By using the explorer trails and PowerPoint young people will be encouraged to explore their local (Christian) cemetery or churchyard. They will learn about different types of grave markers and how to ‘read’ the symbols used, allowing them to learn more about the people remembered there.

The downloadable activity sheets are designed to let learning done in the classroom continue outside the school when visiting your local cemetery or churchyard.

There are also additional printable activities within the PowerPoint including:

  • What can we learn about the people buried here?
  • What can, and can’t a graveyard tell us?
  • How significant is our local burial ground?
  • Investigating Commonwealth War Graves.

Learning aims and outcomes

  • To develop historical skills by using memorials as evidence
  • To develop skills of observation and inference
  • To use historical data to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, and reach conclusions
  • To investigate how our local churchyard or cemetery links to national and global events e.g., world wars

Prior knowledge

  • No prior knowledge is required

Extended learning and useful links