Resource developed by Leeds Museums and Galleries with contributions from Chris Nickson.

Myths, stories and legends are an integral part of our culture and everyday life and they provide a rich source of inspiration. 

This learning story focuses on those myths and legends most closely associated with the city of Leeds, but the ideas and activities here can be adapted for use for any local study.

 

Curriculum Links

• KS1 History: Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
• KS2 History:  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
• KS1 English
• KS2 English

 

Discussion ideas

1.     Why do you think telling stories is important?

2.     What makes a good story and a good storyteller?

3.     Where do ghost stories, myths and legends begin?

4.     What makes myths, legends and ghost stories so interesting and exciting?

 

Activity Ideas

1.  Use the two images of the Scout troop wolf standard as inspiration for creating your own legend around this object.

• Where did it come from?
• What is its significance?
• Does it hold any special power(s)?  What?
• What is it used for?

2.  Choose one of your favourite buildings or stories in this resource and write your own version of the full story about the people, myths, legends and ghosts described. Remember to use descriptive vocabulary in your work.

3.  Use the stories in this resource for the following areas of curriculum development:

• Listening and oral comprehension:
  Pupils can listen to the stories being told and then re tell them through their own writing, poetry, drawings, paintings, animation or drama. 
• Reading and speaking skills:
  When they have read the stories themselves ask pupils to draw or describe their favourite characters. They can compare their characters to one another. Ask your pupils to read the stories to their partners or in small groups to one another using inference, tone, emphasis and intonation to set an atmosphere for the story.
• Writing skills:
  The brief stories in this resource provide a stimulus for creative writing or writing based on local studies research. You could try creating a ghost trail around Leeds using maps and a visit into the centre.
• Critical thinking:
  Many myths and legends have messages that can help pupils deal with issues including jealousy, abuse of power, dishonesty, sorrow, forgiveness or happiness. Pupils can use these stories as a basis to discuss some of these themes.
• Investigation & research skills:
  All of the stories in this resource have elements of fiction as well as historical fact, and geographic locations across Leeds. Pupils can research using archival materials, maps and the Internet to find out more and plot where the stories take place.
• Cross-curricular and creative activities and ICT: 
  Myths, legends and ghost stories can provide a rich seam of resource for creative activities from planning, drafting and writing stories to performing them, creating soundscapes and lights scapes or creating stage sets for performing stories.

Stories offer an opportunity for pupils to use a variety of media, including digital pictures, movies, audio and text, to illustrate the events that happen or to develop their own stories.