Objectives:
To draw their own representation of Edward Jenner.
To understand there is a difference between cowpox and smallpox. To understand
the significance of a traditional nursery rhyme.
National Curriculum:
Identify different ways in which the past is represented.
Resources required:
The online story of Edward Jenner; audio tape of description of Jenner (see
appendix 2 and activity sheets 1 and 2); activity sheets; portraits; picture
of Edward Jenner printed from site.
Teaching Activities: Introduction:
discussion with children to explore concept of 'vaccination'. Has anyone
had an injection? Who gave it to you? Where were you? Why did you have the
injection? Introduce the idea that sometimes we have injections to prevent
us getting a disease that will make us very ill e.g. when we are children/before
we go on holiday to some countries.
Ask children to recall the main events of the story of Edward Jenner, drawing
out details about Sarah, the dairymaid - that she had cowpox but not smallpox.
Explain the difference between cowpox and smallpox. Smallpox was a disease
that made people very ill and that many people died as a result. If people
did not die they had horrible marks on their skin where the spots had been,
including their face. Cowpox was a similar disease, but people were not
so ill and they did not have the horrible marks where the spots had been.
Jenner noticed that dairymaids like Sarah did not get smallpox and did not
have horrible marks on their skin.
Activity 1:
Children have an outline of a man. [Activity sheet 1]
Listen to the description of Edward Jenner [see
appendix 2] - discuss words with children e.g. sturdy, breeches,
spurs, broad-brimmed…
Show children portraits of people of that time and some spurs if possible.
Children add details and colour according to description.
Activity 2:
Some children will be able to draw the man from the description.
Compare with a picture of Edward Jenner printed from website.
Children could then write a few sentences underneath their picture
recalling some facts about Edward Jenner.
Activity 3:
Introduce the traditional rhyme: Where are you going to, my pretty
maid. Say/sing it with the children. [see
appendix 1]
Plenary: Share outcomes. Talk about how we know what people looked like who lived a long time ago - how they are represented to us. Sing the song or say the rhyme:Where are you going to, my sweet maid? [Appendix 1]
