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Upper Key Stage 2 Earliest Civilisations: Indus Valley
Introduction to the Indus Valley

Learn where the Indus Valley civilisation fits on a world history timeline and on a map. Find out about the terrain and climate of the valley. Explore why the Indus civilisation ended and the challenges faced by historians in answering this question.

block outcomes

Session 1 Back in time

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Objectives

History

  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations.
  • Characteristic features of past non-European societies.
  • Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between short-term and long-term timescales.
  • Understand the abstract term ‘civilisation’.

English

  • Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form.
  • Use further presentational devices to structure text.
  • Draw on reading and research where necessary.

Lesson Planning

Learn where the Indus Valley civilisation fits on a world history timeline; compare what the terrain, climate and society was like in Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation; add significant dates and events to a world history timeline.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • Place the Indus Valley civilisation on a timeline of other ancient civilisations and British history.
  • Establish what society was like in Britain during the Indus Valley civilisation.
  • Travel ‘back in time’ and describe what can be seen in Britain in 3000 BCE.
  • Write labels for a world history timeline.
  • Write a description of society in Britain in 3000 BCE.

Children will:

  • Place the Indus Valley civilisation on a world history timeline.
  • Describe what society was like in Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation.
  • Describe the terrain and climate of Britain at the start of the Indus Valley civilisation.
  • Add significant dates and events to a world history timeline.

Provided Resources

  • Timeline: Earliest Civilisations
  • Timeline: Indus Valley Civilisation
  • Timeline Cards
  • Indus Valley Civilisation map
  • Ancient Civ map
  • Blank world map
  • Standing Stones of Stenness image

You Will Need

  • String, pegs for washing line timeline
  • Thin card, laminator
  • Globe, world map
  • Information books about the Neolithic era in Britain

Session 2 Snapshot

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Objectives

History

  • Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘civilisation’.
  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations
  • Characteristic features of past non-European societies.

Geography

  • Locate the world’s countries, using maps and focussing on their environmental regions and key physical characteristics.
  • Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features.
  • Describe and understand key aspects of physical and human geography.

Lesson Planning

Discover where the Indus Valley civilisation was located; Label maps of the Indus Valley and its surroundings; learn about the terrain and climate of the Indus Valley.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To know where the Indus Valley civilisation was located.
  • To label a map of the Indus Valley and its surroundings and describe the physical and human geography of the area.

Children will:

  • Be able to explain where the Indus Valley civilisation was located.
  • Be able to label maps of the Indus Valley and its surroundings.
  • Describe the terrain and climate of the Indus Valley.

Provided Resources

  • Maps of the Indus Valley
  • Physical geography map of the Indus Valley
  • Blank Indus Valley maps

You Will Need

  • Access to internet
  • Globe
  • World map
  • Atlases

Session 3 End of Indus Valley civilisation

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Objectives

History

  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations.
  • Characteristic features of past non-European societies.
  • Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, and use them to make connections.

English

  • Articulate and justify arguments and opinions.
  • Give well-structured explanations for different purposes.
  • Listen and respond appropriately to their peers.
  • Use spoken language to develop understanding.
  • Participate in role play.

Lesson Planning

(To be taught with Session 4 after the other blocks)

Teaching Outcomes:

  • Discuss the theories put forward to explain the ending of the Indus Valley civilisation.
  • Work in role as citizens of the Indus Valley and discuss whether or not to leave their city after a major event such as flood, earthquake or drought.

Children will:

  • Explain some theories that historians use to explain why the Indus Valley civilisation ended.
  • Use role play to act out moving away from the Indus Valley.
  • Understand that the Indus River still regularly floods.

You Will Need

  • Atlas

Session 4 The Aryans

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Objectives

History

  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations.
  • Characteristic features of past non-European societies.
  • Understand historical concepts such as cause & consequence, continuity & change, and use them to make connections.

English

  • Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing.
  • Draw on reading and research where necessary.
  • Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary.
  • Use further organisational and presentational devices to structure text.
  • Ask questions to improve their understanding.

Lesson Planning

(To be taught with Session 3 after the other blocks)

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To discuss the theories put forward to explain the ending of the Indus Valley civilisation.
  • To write questions that archaeologists/historians would like to be answered about the Indus Valley civilisation and write an article for a children's book about the ending of the Indus Valley civilisation.

Children will:

  • Discover more theories that historians use to explain why the Indus Valley civilisation ended.
  • Write questions that historians would really like to be able to answer!
  • Summarise the theories about the ending of the Indus Valley civilisation.

You Will Need

  • Access to internet
  • Information books about the Indus Valley civilisation

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

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