Kingdom of Benin
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Benin Civilisation
BBC Bitesize
teachinghistory100
Kingdom of Benin study
 English programme of study requirement

 SPOKEN LANGUAGE:
Pupils should be taught to:
  • articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
  • maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments 
  • use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
  • speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
  • participate in discussions, presentations, performances and debates
  • gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
  • consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others

History programme of study

Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. 

The national curriculum for history aims to ensure that all pupils:
  • know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.


Class discussion questions 
Where in the world was Kingdom of Benin located?
What is the Kingdom of Benin famous for?
What was the Kingdom of Benin's major achievements?

What was life like in the Kingdom of Benin for:
Royalty?
Ordinary people?
Children? 

What religion did the people practice? 

What food did the people eat?

How and why did the Kingdom of Benin come to an end?

Class Debate topics


  1. Growing up in the kingdom was fun for children.
  2. Empires come and go in history, it was just the same for the Kingdom of Benin.
  3. Anyone who has a Benin Bronze Plaque should keep it but maintain it in good state for posterity. 
  4. Read the statement below and say whether:
    The statement is always true/ sometimes true or never true. Give evidence to back your view. 

    ‘If you do not tell your history, no one will.’ 
  5.  Read the statement below and say whether it is true or false. Support your position with evidence: 
         'It is the ideas of great kingdoms that keep them alive from generation to                         generation.'


 More  class activities ideas 
1.          Research the Great Kingdom of Benin history by following the links provided. Take notes of major events in the kingdom's history. Present these in a mind map.
2.          Draw an illustrated timeline of the kingdom for a younger class.
3.          Princess Iyomon says 'Though, some western historians frown at oral  story method of recording historical evidence, guess what, no one method can claim superiority over others in providing historical evidence for our world history.' Do you agree with this statement? Why? If not, why not?
4.          Research various types of historical sources of evidence and compare and contrast two of them.
5.          Draw map of old Kingdom of Benin. 
6.          Princess Iyomon says one of the ways her people recorded their history was through artwork. Research the Benin Bronzes. Make drawings of the Oba of Benin in bronze plaque for an inclusion in a video about the kingdom.

Before you begin your writing, think about:
·   The audience you are writing for: who do you want to read your writing, how can you make sure they can understand your message?
·   How you will organize your writing and present your writing.
·   What tense will you write in?
·   What technical words will you need?


Connectives you may need: 
Because    as     since      as long   as     so      consequently       depending on      eventually     in order to        so that     as a result       therefore    accordingly    as a result of       after that  

The following websites provide background reading on the kingdom's history:


 Websites
British Museum: The Art of Benin Teaching resources: 
https://www.britishmuseum.org/learn/schools/ages-7-11/
africa/classroom-resource-art-benin


The Art Institute of Chicago: Benin: http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/benin
/exhibthemes


Kingdom of Benin history Oba  timeline - Early period 
 http://edoworld.net/Ogisos_40BC_1100AD.html

Kingdom of Benin history Oba timeline - 1200AD to Present
http://edoworld.net/Obas.html

Kingdom of Benin warriors:


About Benin Bronzes:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/objects-news/
benin-bronzes


​Benin Bronzes 
Schools visits resources at the British Museum
 ------>


British museum collection:Ivory armlet  

Teaching History with 100 objects:
​
 http://www.teachinghistory100.org/objects/salt_cellar_from_benin



​YouTube videos
Art historian : Gus Casely-Hayford on Kingdom of  Benin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW_kaUuUg8Y

A history of the world in 100 objects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDzU7Ega2R8 

David Attenborough 1975 television series on Tribal Eye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2sU3zTVkI4

BBC 4: Lost Kingdoms of West Africa: Benin Plaques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2sU3zTVkI4 

Teachers’ notes:
The Wealth of Africa: The Kingdom of Benin:


http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/KingdomOfBenin_TeachersNotes.pdf

Teachers’ notes:
The Wealth of Africa: The Kingdom of Benin:


Benin: An African Kingdom: Download file below

Museum visit resources for teachers: Download file below

African history timeline: http://edofacts.blogspot.co.uk/p/
african-kingdoms-timeline.html

African Kingdoms quick facts: 
http://edofacts.blogspot.co.uk/p/african-kingdoms-facts.html

African Kingdoms features: 
http://edofacts.blogspot.co.uk/p/african-kingdoms-features.html


Scramble for Africa: http://edofacts.blogspot.co.uk/p/explorations.html


Class debate
The debate steps and activities below can be adapted for use with different topics.
Click on the button to view:
DEBATE KIT

​ © British Museum 
Find teacher notes, presentation slides and students worksheets on the Kingdom of Benin on the link below:
African

​Horniman museum teaching pack.
 

There is extensive information about the kingdom in this teaching pack with great cross-curricular teaching ideas; click on the link below:
wealth_of_africa_kingdomof_benin_studentsworksheets.pdf
File Size: 2390 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

benin__an_african_kingdom__benin_art.pdf
File Size: 749 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Learning pack
horniman__benin_2011.pdf
File Size: 7231 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

kingdom_of_benin.notebook
File Size: 4513 kb
File Type: notebook
Download File

benin_civilsation_timeline_sequence.docx
File Size: 13 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

benin_civilisation_lesson_plan.docx
File Size: 34 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

This is an extensive lesson plan. Teachers should select only the parts they wish to use or have time to teach in one term or half a term.
debate_witness_cards_for.docx
File Size: 45 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

debate_witness_cards_against.docx
File Size: 45 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

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