Activities & workshops - descriptions
A fun, interactive story time that will encourage a lifelong love of reading and books. The stories can be linked to the curriculum or a topic of your choice. This session complements the 'Reading for Pleasure' requirement of the national curriculum. Age appropriate stories.
How the library works – finding what you need
This activity is aimed at helping students find their way around a school or public library including understanding how the library catalogue works to support their learning. We are happy theme our activities to support your topic work.(e.g. Stone Age, people who help us, the human body etc.)
'The children thoroughly enjoyed the activities. The activities were very suited to our current topic.' Teacher, Worcestershire
This lively, fast paced 45 - 60 minute session encourages students to consider reading a wider range of books, authors and genres. Students work as teams discussing a variety of books before coming together to vote for their favourites. The session complements the ‘choice and choosing’ aspect of the Reading for Pleasure requirement of the national curriculum. A imed at Years 4 upwards.
'They loved it. We will extend this at school by encouraging them to read more of the books on the list' Teacher, Worcestershire
Picture Book Races
A fun session using colourful picture book covers to engage children in reading for pleasure. This session is aimed at Years R-3.
Famous Author / Book Character Themed Visit
We offer workshops themed around famous authors or much loved book characters e.g. Harry Potter or the all time favourite Roald Dahl. We can add a chargeable activity on request (£2.50 / child), for example BFG dream jars.
'All the children loved it. They are all familiar with the BFG, so could relate to the dream jars.' Teacher, Worcester
Book Sorter
In this session your pupils will create a reading list for their class in a fun teamwork exercise. Aimed at Years 3 upwards.
'It went beyond expectations - really captured children's interest. Excellent and engaging delivery'. Teacher, Worcestershire
Coding
This engaging 1 hour session introduces children to computer coding. Pupils will use 'Scratch' to create their own animation or game. This complements the IT curriculum. Aimed at Years 4-7.
'Coding session was well run and the children learnt a lot of basic tasks' Teacher, Worcester
Sustainability at The Hive
This workshop celebrates the building's energy efficiency and sustainability footprint, thus supporting geography and science topics in the national curriculum. Aimed at Years 4 upwards.
Christmas
Start your class Christmas countdown at The Hive with festive stories and a Christmas card making workshop. Cards made at these sessions will be distributed to our housebound customers. Aimed at Years R-6.
Research skills
Minimum 2.5 hours. This session can be general or subject specific. Designed to help students become more independent learners and experience what it's like to use a university library; it introduces them to the types of resources available in the library and teaches them how to find resources, choosing keywords and evaluating online resources.
This session can be extended to a full day, 10am – 3pm, to include a poster project assessment exercise; this is particularly beneficial for students undertaking the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
One hour session that introduces students to academic journals, discussing the benefits of using them and how to find them on online databases.
Explore the Past workshops
Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service (WAAS) can help you and your pupils Explore the Past to bring history to life and show how national history connects with local history in Worcestershire. With a wealth of historical information as well as staff knowledge and expertise the WAAS team can help children find out more about the county’s past, supplementing generic information in the national curriculum.
The WAAS team are also happy to advise teachers on running their own local study projects and how the information held at The Hive can help in the classroom.
Most of the Explore the Past workshops last around 90 - 120 minutes and cost around £80. They are primarily aimed at KS2, but can be adapted for pupils from Year 1 to sixth form. They can also be delivered in schools and colleges.
Prehistoric Worcestershire
What was life like in Prehistoric Worcestershire, and how did life change? Using reproduction drawing based on the archaeology we've uncovered and reproduction flints the children will investigate the evidence of local life in prehistoric times.
This can be delivered as part of a day visit, with a workshop at Worcester City Museum & Art Gallery building an Iron Age village in clay.
Romans in Worcester
The Hive is built on the site of a busy part of Roman Worcester. We'll look at the evidence for this outside the building, before investigating the archaeology of the site through pottery, bones and environmental evidence.
Roman Kitchen & Cooking
What did the Romans do for food and cooking in this country? Well rather a lot as it turns out as one of our archaeologists will set up a Roman kitchen to allow to children to see and smell what it would have been like. Some would be very familiar, such as vegetables, but other items may not be for the squeamish!
Anglo-Saxons (Invaders and Settlers)
Using a replica skeleton and replica grave goods we'll look at what can be discovered from a Saxon grave and what the objects and other evidence based on local archaeology can tell us about life during the period. It covers archaeology, bones, objects, how objects were made, where items were traded from as well as life, death and belief.
Tudor Worcester
Worcester in Tudor times was a bustling city. Discover a range of people, from Elizabeth I and her visit here; Arnold Beane, a merchant who lived a stone's throw from location of The Hive; and the lives of the poor. We use documents from the time and archaeological evidence such as cess pit remains.
Civil War in Worcester
Worcester was the location for some key events in the English Civil wars, with the first clash at Powick Bridge in 1642, and the site of the final battle, the Battle of Worcester, in 1651. We'll look at the archival and archaeological evidence for Worcester during the Civil War.
You may want to make a day of it and combine it with a school session with Worcester Cathedral for a trip up the tower to see the battlefield or a Civil war workshop at The Commandery.
Victorian Worcester – Public Health (joint visit with The Infirmary)
Working with The infirmary, the medical museum based in the old Royal Infirmary, we will investigate life for children in Victorian Worcester and how the problems of public health in the city were tackled. In The Hive we will use documents from the archives to help children find out about life in the city in Victorian times, before heading over to The Infirmary to find out about Charles Hastings, a Worcester doctor and founder of the British Medical Association, and how he tackled the problems of the city.
What was it like to live here? Victorian Worcester/The Lives of the Poor
Two different workshops based on what it was like to live here in Victorian times. Using evidence from the documents and the archaeology, we will focus either on the Almshouses which stood on the site or more generally the lives of the poor in Worcestershire.
World War I
We have created resource packs for the WWI centenary, based on three themes - war memorials/tracing soldiers, life in Worcestershire during WWI, and letters from the front. These can form the basis of school visits where children will be able to develop skills as historians by using WW1 sources from archives.
Archaeology of World War II
We'll look at the archaeological evidence for WWII in the county, investigating the defences and structures which were created and in some cases can still be discovered.
A second session can be run at Ronkswood Meadows to visit remains of searchlight bases which were built as part of Worcester's defences.
Local History Study
We can advise you on the resources that we hold, including maps, photos and census material, to help pupils undertake their own local history study.
Working with other Heritage venues in Worcester
Our Victorian Public Health activity is a specific two site workshop with the Infirmary, but many other of our workshops can be complemented by visits to Worcester Museum and Art Gallery, The Commandery or The Infirmary, especially in regard to The Tudors, Civil War and Victorians. You can find out more about their offers here.