Life in the 1920s

Northern Ireland @ 100

Life in the 1920s

Life in the 1920s provides lesson plans, a quiz, a presentation and videos – to explore a day in the 1921 schoolroom and life in the 1920s. The target audience is Primary and Key Stage 3.

Northern Ireland @ 100 Quiz

Living in Northern Ireland in the 1920s

1921 - A Day in the Schoolroom

A Day in the Schoolroom - watch the videos

1921 - A Day in the Schoolroom consists of seven video clips. Six clips show aspects of a typical school day in 1921 and one clip outlines the ‘birth’ of Northern Ireland. The setting for the video clips is a 1920s classroom. Miss Acheson is the teacher instructing a class. You can select clips to support activities in the Life in the 1920s lessons and/or other Northern Ireland @100 learning experiences.

The Teacher’s Expectations

Everyday School Routines

Everyday school routines are outlined to the class – school start and finish times, dinnertime, playing in the yard, and the jobs the children are expected to do.

Watch Everyday School Routines video with British Sign Language.

Watch Everyday School Routines video with Irish Sign Language.

School Subjects

Miss Acheson outlines compulsory and optional subjects, subjects for boys and subjects for girls and the importance of hard work.

Watch School Subjects video with British Sign Language.

Watch School Subjects video with Irish Sign Language.

Penmanship Lesson

Miss Acheson teaches the Penmanship lesson using Roman style lettering, emphasising posture, only writing with the right hand and the importance of good handwriting.

Watch Penmanship Lesson video with British Sign Language.

Watch Penmanship Lesson video with Irish Sign Language.

Physical Drill

Miss Acheson instructs the class in Physical Drill and demonstrates the actions that the children are expected to follow and repeat.

Watch Physical Drill video with British Sign Language.

Watch Physical Drill video with Irish Sign Language.

May 3, 1921: The Birth of Northern Ireland

Miss Acheson explains that ‘today’, 3 May 1921, Northern Ireland is born. She explains the events that will lead up to the opening of the first Northern Ireland Parliament on 22nd June 1921.

Watch The Birth of Northern Ireland video with British Sign Language.

Watch The Birth of Northern Ireland video with Irish Sign Language.

Lesson Plans