What The Pupils Will Learn
- The range
of clothes in the past was very restricted
- Clothes
were made from natural fabrics
Background
Information
a) Clothing worn by young children would have been very similar in style to the clothes worn by adults.
b) People very often went barefoot.
c) A good set of clothes would have been kept for Church on Sunday.
d) Fabrics used to make clothes would have been natural, mainly British materials.
Development
Pre-Visit
a) Discuss the school uniforms - consider style, fabrics, colours, etc and why these are important.
b) Compile a list of all the different items of clothing necessary for a week in school, including PE kits, spare clothing and bad weather, etc.
c) Create a display of photographs of pupils wearing special or favourite outfits.
d) Arrange a collection of dolls and invite pupils to design and make a range of outfits for a variety of purposes.
The Visit
a) Locate Museum display related to "His Times".
b) Work with a partner to find 3 facts about clothing to report back to the rest of the class.
c) Discuss the spinning wheel in the kitchen at the Cottage and the weaving process.
d) Examine the paintings and drawings and models around the Museum.
e) Discuss the colours of the clothes and styles of fashion - long dresses for females, bonnets and hats, etc.
f) Look for differences in fashions worn by rich and poor people.
g) Search for evidence of tartan, kilts, etc. Why are these not apparent?
h) Discuss clothes seen in the film at the Tam o'Shanter Experience.
Post Visit
a) Draw around pupils to give life-size figures. Use materials to dress the figures in 18th Century fashions. Research to label the garments.
b) Carry out simple weaving tasks.
c) Refer to labels of garments worn by pupils to find common materials used in modern clothes. Involve reference skills to find out sources of these materials and places of origin.
d) Make lists comparing materials from home/abroad. Locate places of origin on a map or globe and consider transportation.
e) Make lists of fabrics that are natural and man-made. Compare findings with materials used to make clothes in the 18th Century.
f) Work with a partner to design a special pair of shoes for Robert Burns. Use junk modeling or construction material to make shoes, devising labels and written descriptions - name of shoe style, etc.
g) In a small group, invite pupils to create designs for a catalogue advertising clothes for different periods of Robert Burns' life, e.g. child, farm worker, successful poet visiting Edinburgh, etc. Sample swatches of suitable fabrics could be included along with colour charts, etc. Assemble a display of dress patterns, catalogues, etc. for reference.
h) Create a display of examples of fashion trends - old books, magazines, photographs of parents/grandparents, etc.
i) Work in pairs to carry out simple experiments related to the properties of a selection of materials and fabrics, e.g. keeping people warm, strength, etc.
j) Consolidate earlier discussion on the prevalent colours of clothes at the time of Burns by considering methods of dyeing material.
k) Arrange simple experiments to test the effective colouring powers of natural goods such as a range of berries, plants, etc. Record results.
Extension Work
Research fabric through the ages, focusing on, for example, children's fashions, sports fashions, hats, etc.