LESSON PLAN – Looking Back

Theme – Investigating The World Of Work

CAREER SKILLS – Career Exploration

KEY SKILLS – Communication, Working With Others

WORK RELATED LEARNING – Learning For Work, Learning About Work

COMPETENCIES – *ai, *aiii, *bi, *cii, *di, **ei, **eiii, **eiv, **ev, **evi, ***fiv, ***Ii, ***Iii, ***Iiii,
***Iiv, ***kiv, ****mi, ****oi, ****pi

SUGGESTED SUBJECT AREA – Social Studies, English, Personal Development

Learning Outcomes

By completing this task students will be able to:

 Compare and contrast employment through history.

 Understand the changing world of work.
 Project forward to possible changes in the future.
 Assess the importance of lifelong learning.

Preparation and Materials

 Copies of the Info Sheet and Activity Sheet “Looking Back” for each student (or use an Over Head
Projector OHP of the Info Sheet).
 OHP/Blackboard/flipchart.
 History books available.
 This lesson links to lesson plan “Then And Now”. Notes from that lesson might be useful.

Method

1. Put students into small groups of 4 to 6.

2. Explain the aims of the lesson using the learning outcomes on the Info Sheet. Explain that lifelong
learning means that they will have the opportunity to learn and gain new skills throughout their lives.
3. Discuss with the students the changing world of work (recap from the Teachers’ Notes “Then And
Now”.
4. Recap on any previous work done in history class.
5. Ask the students what were schools like in their grandparents’ day – what jobs did they do – did they
have any training.
6. Either project the OHP or give out and go through the Info Sheet.
7. Give out Activity Sheet (1) and (2).
8. Ask students to work in small groups completing their Activity Sheet using the history books available
for reference.
9. Ask the students to feed back what they have written to the class after each section and discuss.
10. Ask the students what they have learned from the lesson.
11. Summarise the main learning outcomes.

Extension Activity

 Ask the students to research a famous persons’ life – look at schooling, training and employment.
Learning Outcomes: By completing this task you will be able to :

 Compare and contrast employment through history.

 Understand the changing world of work.
 Project forward to possible changes in the future.
 Assess the importance of lifelong learning.

INFO SHEET – Looking Back

Over a hundred years ago in 1866 Thomas John Barnado started his first.

In those days only the rich people could afford to send their children to school.
Consequently few people learned to read and write – something we now take for granted.

This meant that they could not get good jobs, only menial jobs.

Lamplighters, servants, mill workers, chimney sweeps, farriers, labourers – these were some
of the job opportunities available. The pupils of Dr Barnado’s School went because they
wanted to learn – they wanted to improve their chances of getting a good job. The School
was known as the ‘Ragged School’ because all the children were too poor to afford decent
clothes. Most were in rags. As well as teaching at school, Thomas Barnado also trained to be
a doctor. He was amazed to hear from one of his pupils Jim Jarvis that some of his pupils
were orphans and homeless – they slept out on the roof tops in the East End of London
(England).

Many, many people at this time were unemployed and in those days there was no such thing
as income support or job seekers allowance. Those who did have work had very poor wages
and parents expected their children to bring in extra money selling matches, flowers,
sweeping chimneys or even begging. Many ended up leading a life of crime.

Homes were cramped with poor sanitation, often families would have just one room. As a
result of the poor conditions many people were victims of serious illness or premature
death. At this time there were as many as 25,000 homeless children sleeping rough in
London.

This was the beginning of the Dr Barnados’ Homes for Orphans and Homeless Children. Not
long after these were founded a law was passed in parliament ensuring that all children from
6 years to 10 years were to attend school.
 ACTIVITY SHEET (1) – Looking Back

A THEN AND NOW

Compare schooling, training and jobs then and now. Complete the “Now”
side of the list below and then add more items of your own.

1866 NOW

Schooling for the rich children

Free schooling for all children

Poor children go to school voluntarily

because they want to get better
jobs

Many homeless children

Rags for clothes

Many families unemployed

Menial jobs because qualifications &

training costs too much for poor
children

Extra jobs to bring money in for food

Poor health, many deaths

 ACTIVITY SHEET (2) – Looking Back

B YOUR CHOICE IN 1866

List the types of jobs you would have considered if you had been born in Dr. Barnado’s
time.

1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.

C
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2059

What will you tell your grandchildren about your life at school, and the opportunities
you had, your experiences and the world of work.