ABSTRACT
Objects are of central importance in teaching and may be used in myriad ways for a variety of teaching purposes across the primary curriculum. In history they are useful for teaching some of the skills and processes of historical enquiry, especially for children who may have had little or no experience of these. Most of the recent texts on teaching history in primary schools have a section on using artefacts (e.g. Pluckrose, 1991; Wright, 1992; Cooper, 1992, 1995a, 1995b, 2000; Kimber et al., 1995; Wood and Holden, 1995; Fines and Nichol, 1997; Nichol and Dean, 1997; Hughes et al., 2000; O'Hara and O'Hara, 2001; Wallace, 2003). Because of their appeal to all the senses, they are particularly suitable for children in the early years. If you have very little experience in teaching history, artefacts can be a good way into doing some genuine historical enquiry and experiencing some successful lessons. However, there are certain issues related to teaching aspects of history using artefacts, and it is important to be aware of these issues. This chapter gives: an overview of some of the issues involved; an insight into some of the thinking behind the activities; a range of activities which can form the basis of a teaching repertoire using artefacts; and sample lesson plans and activities.
