
Woven in Ulster: Ulster-Scots and the Story of Linen
Lesson 1: Meet the Seeds??
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This lesson introduces pupils to flax seeds known in Ulster-Scots as 'lint seeds', allowing them to become familiar with their physical properties and to understand their health benefits. Pupils have an opportunity to carry out a research activity and record findings using 'Post-it' notes. They can also explore the link between famous Ulster-Scots, linen and money.
Lesson Plan
linen nutritious healthy smoothie
Learning Intentions
Pupils will:
- be able to recognise and describe flax seeds or 'lint seeds';
- research flax seeds to gain an understanding of their uses including their benefits to the human body when used in healthy food and drink; and
- know that the province of Ulster has a long history of sowing and raising flax plants for the linen industry.
Starter
Display the first screen of Resource 1.1: Flax Seeds on the interactive white board (IWB).
Organise the class into small groups. Give each group a small container of flax seeds but do not tell the pupils the name of the seeds. Encourage the pupils to touch the seeds, squeeze them between their fingers and thumb, sniff them etc. Ask them to describe what they see, smell, touch. Ask if they know what these are and what they might be used for? (Expect – 'seeds, growing plants', etc.)
Ask pupils to record their ideas using the TS&PC Thinking Card: 'What do you know? What do you want to know? What have you learned?'.
Give pupils five minutes for this activity and take feedback from the groups.
Main Lesson
Explain that the seeds can be used to make bread or in muesli-type cereals. Display the second screen of Resource 1.1: Flax Seeds revealing the name of the seeds. Ask if anyone knows of any other use for flax seeds. Explain that they can be used to grow a plant from which cloth is made that is turned into clothes and other items. Tell pupils that in Ulster-Scots the seeds were known as 'lint seeds'.
Display Resource 1.2: Spot the Linen Products and ask the pupils to identify those items made from linen and those which are not. Now take feedback and reveal the correct answers. At this point you may wish to let the pupils feel and touch items made from linen.
Play the movie Resource 1.3: Irish Linen.
Resource 1.3: Irish Linen
Pupil Activity
In groups pupils may research the nutritional benefits of flax seed.
You should provide each group of pupils with a different website for their research, for example:
Pupils may wish to record the information from their research on 'Post-it' notes and then all the information can be put together in a shared area. Provide pupils with approximately 15 minutes for this activity and then ask them to view their collated work.
See Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stage 1&2, page 58 for guidance on Post-it Collection Activity.
Post-it Collection Activity, page 58
Plenary
Now give pupils an opportunity to think about two things that they have learned in the lesson and then share these with a partner. (Think/Pair/Share)
Assessment Opportunity
If you wish to assess pupils’ responses to this lesson, see the suggestion below.
You may wish to collate the information from the Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stages 1&2, page 58 – Post-It Collection Activity and ask pupils to present their researched information about flax seeds as a presentation – see UICT Assessment Task: Topic Time - Desirable Features: Digital Storytelling Presenting (Levels 3-5).
Post-it Collection Activity, page 58
UICT Assessment Task: Topic Time - Desirable Features: Digital Storytelling Presenting (Levels 3-5).
Additional Pupil Activities
1. Making a healthy smoothie using flax seeds
You may wish to make healthy smoothies with the pupils, adding some flax seed to them.
See for example: Flax Seed Smoothie Recipes and Health Benefits.
2. Procedural writing on how to make a flax seed smoothie
You could follow this up with procedural writing on how to make a flax seed smoothie using Resource 1.4: Flax Seed Smoothie (Template).
Links to Curriculum
Cross-Curricular Skills
Cross-Curricular Skills: Communication
Children should be given opportunities to engage with and demonstrate the skill of communication and to transfer their knowledge about communication concepts and skills to real-life meaningful contexts across the curriculum. (Language and Literacy)
Talking and Listening
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Participate in group discussion about the flax seeds; and
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Prepare and give a short oral presentation to a familiar group e.g. using the KWL grid.
Reading
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Use traditional and digital sources to locate, select, evaluate and communicate information relevant for a particular task, for example, during their ‘Post-it’ research activity; and
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Represent their understanding of texts in a range of ways, including visual, oral, dramatic and digital, for example, during their ‘Post-it’ research activity.
Cross-Curricular Skills: Using Information and Communications Technology
Using Information and Communications Technology across the curriculum has the potential to transform and enrich pupils’ learning experiences and environments.
Across the curriculum, at a level appropriate to their ability, pupils should develop their ICT skills to:
Explore
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access, select, interpret and research information from safe and reliable sources; and
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investigate, make predictions and solve problems through interaction with digital tools.
Express
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create, develop, present and publish ideas and information responsibly using a range of digital media and manipulate a range of assets to produce multimedia products.
Evaluate
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talk about, review and make improvements to work, reflecting on the process and outcome and consider the sources and resources used, including safety, reliability and acceptability.
Exhibit
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manage and present their stored work and showcase their learning across the curriculum, using ICT safely and responsibly.
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
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Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making (Post-It Collection Activity)
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Working with Others (Post-It Collection Activity)
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Managing Information (TS&PC Thinking Card: ‘What do you know? What do you want to know? What have you learned?’)
Post-It Collection Activity, page 58
The World Around Us: History
Place
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Places then and now and how our identity, way of life and culture has been shaped by influences from the local and wider world in the context of flax planting in Ulster, with specific reference to the Ulster-Scots community.
Personal Development & Mutual Understanding
Strand 1 (Personal Understanding and Health)
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Understanding the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and healthy eating in the context of flax seeds.
Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stage 2
These active teaching and learning approaches encourage active participation from pupils, making the learning a more relevant and enjoyable experience.
When carrying out their research activity on the nutritional benefits of flax seeds, pupils may wish to record the information on 'Post-it' notes and then all the information can be put together in a shared area.
Post-it Collection Activity, page 58