USING THE COASTAL DEFENCE BOX

Examining the Objects

First, with your pupils in groups, hand out the objects and invite pupils to see what they think they might be.

Use the Looking at an Object sheet to encourage them to look critically and ask questions.

Give each group a copy of the Wreck Detective sheet. Point out to your pupils that archaeologists who dive on wrecks don’t always recognise what they find.Ask your pupils to use the sheet to record their observations. If they have time they could write a group report on their object.

When they have completed their sheets, invite each group to feed back to the others what they think their object might be.

Drawing the Objects

Drawing an object can be the very best way of learning about it, because you have to look at it so carefully to record it. Note that recording an object is not the same as art, so everyone can do it!

Drawing Game

Give each group one object and invite pupils to look at it very carefully for one or two minutes. Encourage them to handle it, turn it over, examine it for breakage, rust, colour, wear etc.

Now take the object away and ask pupils to draw it from memory. They will be surprised at how different their versions of the same object are.

Finally change the objects round and task pupils with making an accurate drawing of their new object. Which of their drawings do they prefer?

Other Activities

Use the Puzzle Objects sheet to give pupils the opportunity to find out more about the objects.

How did the bits of aeroplane come to be under the sea?Choose one of them and discuss what might have happened to cause it to crash into the sea. Use the Storyboard sheet to tell the story of the disaster.

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Part of a rubber fuel pipe from a German Junkers Ju88

Melted aluminum, from a Lancaster heavy bomber

Part of a gear system from a German Junkers Ju88

Round shot fired from a cannon

A steel helmet, of the type used in WWII by British forces

Rifle bullets from the late 19th and 20th centuries found on Pennington Marsh

Handle from a Webley Mark IV pistol used during WWI and WWII

Part of an aircraft, from a Junkers Ju88 German

Aluminum strut from a German Junkers Ju88 medium bomber

Lead shot fired from a smoothbore musket. One of the examples has the casting line from the two part mould in which it was made.

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