Exploring Lerwick with Primary 2: Smugglers, Maps, and Community Helpers!
This term, our classroom turned into a mini Lerwick, with smugglers, lodberries, and local heroes filling our days! Teaching Primary 2 always brings surprises, but our focus on Lerwick in Shetland had us all on quite the adventure. Here’s a peek into what we’ve been up to.
Smugglers in Shetland: A Class of Curious Pirates
We delved into the exciting lives of Shetland’s smugglers, and let me tell you—there’s nothing like the thrill of teaching kids about sneaky criminals from long ago! The children were absolutely hooked on the tales of smugglers dodging the law and sneaking goods into Shetland.
And then we discovered lodberries—those quirky houses right on the water. The children were fascinated to learn these buildings had trap doors and hidden tunnels for smuggling. We created smuggler maps and discussed the items they may have taken into Shetland.
Mapping Lerwick: Geography Meets Artistic License
After our smuggler tales, we got practical with Google Maps to find Lerwick’s landmarks. Watching the kids explore a real town on a map was priceless—they were thrilled to find the harbour and Fort Charlotte, though some were more excited to point out random boats (“Look, a fishing boat!”) than the historical sites. This lead us down another rabbit hole which revolved around boats, particularly those we see in Lerwick. The children wanted to know where they went, what they did out and see and what kind of fish they caught. They were delighted when we found an online shipping map which told us exactly what we wanted to know.
Museum Day: Real-Life Artefacts (and Snacks)
No topic is complete without a museum visit, so off we went to the Shetland Museum. Once we were inside, they were fascinated by the old boats and fishing gear. There were plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” as they saw real artefacts from the past. Funnily enough, they were highly amused when they were told about past toilet practices! We went on the trip with P2A. It was a great experience and fun to get out of school for the morning – in both the teachers and children’s opinions!
People Who Help Us: Real-Life Superheroes
Of course, learning about Lerwick wouldn’t be complete without talking about the people who make the community tick. We chatted about the roles of fishermen, marine biologists, those in customer service, coastguards, and firefighters —and after learning about how they help help Shetland, the kids were ready to sign up for all the above.
Wrapping Up: Smugglers, Maps, and Local Legends
By the end of the topic, the children were practically experts on Lerwick. They could explain what a lodberry is, describe how maps help us, and talk about how important community helpers are. Most of all, they learned that even a small town like Lerwick is full of history, stories, and people who keep everything running smoothly.
I think we’ve all come away from this topic a little more curious about the world around us—and perhaps a little more interested in the secret lives of smugglers!
