Strange History - Curiosity Series Workbook 1

Strange History: The Bits No One Told You NEST Curiosity Series. Book 1

History lessons often cover kings, dates and battles. They rarely cover the city that passed a law nobody understood, the dancing epidemic that baffled an entire continent, the horse appointed to a government position, or the 500-year-old manuscript that nobody has ever been able to read. This booklet is for those bits.

Everything in here is true. It is strange, it is fascinating and it will make you want to find out more.

What is inside:

Chapter 1: Laws So Stupid They Must Be Real. The Paris trouser law that stayed on the books for 213 years; bizarre historical laws from around the world; and a writing activity exploring the philosophy of justice.

Chapter 2: When Whole Crowds Lost the Plot. The Dancing Plague of 1518; mass psychogenic illness through history; and an investigator activity that develops analytical thinking and written argument.

Chapter 3: What People Used to Believe. Bloodletting, the four humours and radium toothpaste; with a role-play activity and an introduction to epistemology (how do we actually know things?).

Chapter 4: The Weirdest Wars Ever Fought. The Great Emu War; the War of the Bucket; the Pastry War; with a structured debate activity exploring ethics and decision making.

Chapter 5: Leaders Who Were... Unusual. Caligula's horse; Emperor Norton I of San Francisco; with a leadership and philosophy activity.

Chapter 6: Mysteries Nobody Has Solved. The Voynich Manuscript; the Roanoke Colony; the Antikythera Mechanism; with a creative evidence and interpretation activity.

Chapter 7: Inventions the Ancient World Already Had. Hero of Alexandria's vending machine and steam device; the Baghdad Battery; with an invention pitch and critical thinking challenge.

YouTube and website links throughout, with genuine recommendations worth following.

Suggested age: Every young person is different. This booklet works well for curious readers who enjoy ideas and questions. Some learners aged 10 will find it just right; others aged 16 will still find plenty to engage with. You know your child best.This booklet has no age label. It is written for curious minds, and curious minds come in all shapes, sizes and ages. If the topics sound interesting to your young person, it will work for them.

Format: instant PDF download, 22 pages, A4, print or use on screen. Designed by NEST Pembrokeshire.

Illustration: Dooder / Freepik