Rochdale Treasure is an interactive, virtual workshop delivered through a private stream direct to your classroom’s smartboard.
A team of time travelling scientists, on a mission to learn about the past, find themselves exploring Touchstones museum. Surrounded by a collection of historic artefacts and curious objects, the scientists must investigate and document all that they see. However, when a mystery item is discovered, with no clues to what it is, they become rather stuck! How on earth are they going to figure out what it is? Tell a story? Make something? Ask the children of Rochdale for help? Probably best make it all three.
Each episode includes an original story with accompanying Story Bingo activity sheets, interactive artefact exploration, and guided craft activity (including downloadable templates and instructions).
Upon booking you will be sent a full lesson plan, a downloadable Story Bingo sheet, a downloadable craft activity template, a guided craft activity film and additional resources to support lesson planning.
The content has been designed with the Key Stage 1 and 2 History Curriculum in mind but also provides numerous opportunities for cross-curricular working and key skill building.
We will also be able to supply you with topic planners, cross-curricular work sheets and even a script for your class assembly all built around the core theme.
Rochdale Treasures: Victorian England
While busily exploring all things Victorians, our Time Travelling Scientists find a new mystery object within the Learning lab’s teleporter. It looks like an old piece of paper inside a wooden frame, but what actually is it? There’s only one way to find out; investigate!
Story Nook:
Storytelling Scientist Agatha Weaver talks all things washhouse in her story ‘The Extraordinary Washerwoman Meggie Bagshot.’ So get your Story Bingo sheets and find the clues hidden in the story!
Learning Lab
The Professor has found a great collection of Victorian washhouse items, like a wooden dolly, a heavy mangle, rusty irons and more! Could these provide any clues to what the mystery object is?
Build It Basement
Crafty Rodger Bodger and his assistant Marvin build a Victorian optical illusion called a Thaumatrope. With Rodger as your guide, you’ll even be able to make one yourself!
Suitable for KS1/2 pupils
Rochdale Treasures: Romans
In this episode, our Time travelling Scientists explore the museum’s wondrous collection of Ancient Roman artefacts. Until, that is, a new mystery object appears in the learning Lab’s teleporter. It looks like a small metal arm. But where’s it from? What’s it for? Let’s discover some clues to find out.
Story Nook:
Storytelling scientist Agatha Weaver tells a story all about epic adventures, terrible trumpets and powerful Empresses in the tale ‘Crispus the Clumsy Cornicen’. So get your Story Bingo sheets ready and find some clues.
Learning Lab
The Professor investigates his dangerous collection of Roman swords, spears, shields and armour. Can they provide any clues to what the mystery object is?
Build It Basement
The creative Rodger Bodger sharpens his clay sculpting techniques as he crafts a Roman bust. While Marvin gets a little ‘power mad’ as he becomes Marvinius Maximus – ruler of the ‘Build It Basement’ Empire. Hopefully you won’t follow in his footsteps when you make your own Roman clay bust.
Suitable for KS2 pupils
Rochdale Treasures: Ancient Egyptians
During their investigation of Ancient Egyptian objects, our Time Travelling Scientists are sent a mystery object through the Learning Lab’s teleporter. It’s long, thin and covered in bandages. What could be inside? What was it used for? To find this out we’ll have to gather some clues!
Story Nook:
Storyteller Agatha Weaver undercovers the dreams and aspirations of an ancient Egyptian papyrus farmer in her story ‘Abar the Dreamer’. Make sure you have your Story Bingo sheets ready – there may be some clues hidden in the story.
Learning Lab
The Professor is busy organising the Museum’s Canopic jars to figure out what organ goes where. Maybe the mummification process could provide a clue to what the mystery object is.
Build it Basement
Marvellous maker, Rodger Bodger and his assistant, Marvin, explore Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs as they make their very own clay cartouche. Watch closely and then make your own.
Suitable for KS2 pupils
Rochdale Treasures: Prehistory
Our Time Travel Scientists discover the mysterious lives of prehistoric people, from the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age. However, their investigations are cut short when a new, mystery, object arrives in the Learning Lab’s teleporter. It looks like it’s made of bronze and is shaped like a horseshoe. But what is it? Let’s get some clues to find out.
Story Nook
Master of stories, Agatha Weaver, tells a prehistoric, Bronze Age tale about magical Druids in the story ‘The Adventures of Drustan‘. Make sure you have your Story Bingo sheet to hand as there’ll be clues in that there story.
Learning Lab
The Professor is surrounded by Stone Age tools, Bronze Age clothing and even Iron Age weapons. Can any of them help us identify the mystery object?
Build it Basement
Crafty crafter Rodger Bodger, and his help Marvin, look at Bronze Age designs as they learn how to draw a Celtic knot. You can even make your own! Once we figure out what the mystery item is of course.
Suitable for KS2 pupils