Livestream Lesson
Prehistory

• Livestream Lessons are live broadcasts from an expert in one of the British Museum's learning rooms. They are intended to be watched by learners in a classroom, assembly hall, or other similar lecture space.
• They have been designed to incorporate a broad range of learning techniques within the limits of a one-way live broadcast.
• Your students will take an active role throughout the Livestream Lesson. They might be asked to discuss an idea with a partner for a minute. They might be asked to point towards the screen to indicate an option from a list of possible multiple-choice answers. They might be asked to complete a short physical activity that can be completed while seated such as indicating to where on their body they think an item of clothing would have been worn. They might be asked to complete a short activity on a worksheet. If the Livestream Lesson includes any worksheets these will be emailed in advance so they can be printed as required.
• Livestream Lessons acknowledge that learning is not only about knowledge and understanding. It encourages students to be inspired and excited to visit museums, to develop their close observation competency, and to enhance their communication skills to express and share their own thoughts.
• This session does not involve a live tour of the galleries.

• The Livestream Lesson begins with an introduction to the British Museum and its collection of eight million objects.
• Students explore materials and their durability by touching materials close to them. They are then asked to articulate their ideas verbally to each other about which materials are longer-lasting. The Museum expert shows some photographs of different objects to illustrate this.
• Students explore a timeline of British history in order to find out how far in the past prehistory was in Britain and how long it lasted. Students learn that prehistory refers to a time period before widespread use of written language. The Museum expert demonstrates through a timeline that different cultures began using writing at different times, in different locations around the world.
• Using images, the Museum expert explains how archaeologists discover objects from different time periods. Students complete an activity that reinforces this concept.
• Students watch an on-screen quiz which will aid their discovery of prehistoric objects and what they can tell us about the people who made and used them.
• Students see a digital reconstruction of a prehistoric settlement with roundhouses. They compare prehistoric and modern homes by identifying similarities and differences and are then asked to articulate their ideas verbally.
• Students will see a replica object which will be discussed by the expert.
• The expert will answer questions submitted by teachers from young learners. The deadline for these questions will be in your booking confirmation email. Please email these questions to [email protected]. While we aim to address as many as possible, we may not be able to answer all submissions.

England, The National Curriculum in England, Key Stage 2, History

• Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
• The Roman Empire and its impact of Britain.
• A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils' chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
• The achievements of the earliest civilisations.

Northern Ireland, The Northern Ireland Curriculum, Key Stage 2, The world around us

• Place
• Change over time

Scotland, Curriculum for Excellence, second level, social studies: people, past events and societies

• I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past.
• I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences.
• I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence.

Wales, The National Curriculum for Wales, Key Stage 2, History

• Chronological awareness
• Historical knowledge and understanding
• Interpretations of history
• Historical enquiry
• Organisation and communication

Archaeologist, archaeology, bronze, Bronze Age, ceramic, gold, iron, Iron Age, Latin, Neolithic, object, prehistory, Roman, roundhouse, stone, Stone Age, timeline, wood.

You can discover more ancient Britain resources, either before or after your Livestream Lesson.

All Livestream Lesson sessions cost £45 per school.

Tickets cannot be shared between schools. Each ticket allows a school to view the Livestream Lesson on one or more devices within its premises. For example, a classroom and an assembly hall in the same school can use the same ticket to watch the lesson. However, screens in different schools, even if they are part of the same group such as a multi-academy trust or federation, cannot share a ticket.

Only bookings made directly by UK schools will be accepted. We don't accept bookings from third parties.

Before you book your Livestream Lesson, please ensure you have read the privacy policy and have the following information ready:

• Your school address
• Your school email address and phone number
• Your group's access requirements

You can book online or by phone +44 (0)20 7323 8181.

If you're not able to attend a session you must inform the Box Office at least 14 days before the session date.

We are unable to offer any refunds or exchanges for any cancellations less than 14 days in advance. For more information please read our terms and conditions.

At least 48 hours before the Livestream Lesson you will receive a link to a Zoom webinar. This will be sent to the email address you used when making the booking. Check your junk or spam folders if you have not received it.

If you cannot find your link and it is within 48 hours of the Livestream Lesson, email [email protected] requesting the link is resent.

You will need:

• A computer with the ability to join a meeting on Zoom. This is how we'll connect your classroom to the Museum.
• A smartboard, large screen or projector connected to the computer running Zoom. This is how your students will see the live video.
• Speakers, often built into smartboard, screens and projectors connected to the computer running Zoom. This is how your students will hear the live video.

You do not need:

• A webcam, as your students will not be visible to the Museum's expert or other groups watching the session.
• A microphone, as your students will not be heard by the Museum's expert or other groups watching the session.

Students learning remotely will each need a computer with the ability to join a meeting on the video conferencing platform Zoom. 

To make the experience more engaging, we invite teachers to submit any relevant questions from young learners to our experts. The deadline for these questions will be in your booking confirmation email. Please email these questions to [email protected]

While we aim to address as many as possible, we may not be able to answer all submissions.

We aim to make our sessions as accessible as possible, for example:

• We ensure our staff speak clearly and slowly.
• We provide session support notes in advance.
• We send any worksheets used in the activity in advance so they can be printed as required.

If you have specific access requirements for your group, you can communicate these when booking, and we we'll endeavour to meet them.

If you'd like to speak to someone directly about Livestream Lessons and your group's access needs, email [email protected]

You'll be emailed an evaluation survey to the same address you used to book. Completing the survey is optional. Your feedback in the survey will help to develop and improve future sessions. 

Personal data which is provided by you as part of your booking will be held in accordance with our privacy policy and will be securely deleted as soon as the purpose for which it has been collected has been fulfilled.

The Livestream Lesson will be hosted using a video conferencing platform which is used under licence by the British Museum. We won't share any of your personal data with the video conferencing platform and you may need to register with the platform in order to use the service. Any personal data which you provide to the platform in order to register will be held according to their terms and conditions and privacy policy. The British Museum will not have access to this information.

No, it will not be possible to watch the livestream after it has finished.

Contact the Box Office. If they can't answer your question directly, they should be able to pass your question onto someone who can.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8181