Traveller Culture
A starter introduction activity in relation to Human Rights Education (middle level) on Traveller Culture was to depict a Caravan scene on the board with a family included...depending on the class and what was fashionable or "in" at the time, I put school bags and children's clothes in the scene with favourite football team names or favourite bands/pop star names on them.
I then asked the children to chat about the people in the picture...inevitably they assume it is of a family on holiday; many make connections to personal experience and then I build on their identification with the people in the picture to ask what the people would need if the caravan was their permanent home and travelling was their life instead of just for a holiday.
This leads onto the children working in groups to plan and illustrate their concept of what would be needed ...ie I work backwards from the children's ideal to what is sometimes the reality and follow up with lessons on the Traveller Community, Traveller Life and history,obstacles faced in lack of diversity and flexibility in accommodation and planning, Traveller Language and traditions, and The Beadie Pocket..ie the apron on which women traditionally sewed buttons given to them by other women they met..I got black material and the children brought in a button each that they liked to make a Class Beadie Pocket.