Year 5 visit military museum
On Monday 13th October, Year 5 visited the Keep Military Museum in Dorchester as part of their English and History work based on the centenary of World War One. The weather was rainy and dank but this did not stop the pupils' excitement. They were met by the curator and taken to the education room where they were shown a huge array of photos and war memorabilia.
Various members of the classes were called up to be dressed in World War One uniforms. They soon realised that the soldiers had to carry so much weight it was almost impossible to walk. The children also tried on a French, German and British helmet. They decided that the German helmet was the best design as they were stronger and had a front peak as well as a neck piece to protect the soldiers. The gasps as they learned about trench warfare were audible and the children all said they had “learned a lot of new things”.
After an opportunity to examine grenades, rifles and bayonets, the children were then shown through to the galleries. A highlight of the afternoon's activities was exploring a mock-up of the trenches and a visit to the Keep's roof. The children also saw cavalry uniforms, an array of medals and a further selection of weapons used in the war.
The visit was truly a day of history coming to life and the whole year group thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Mrs Stephanie Sheppard