Free learning resources from arts, cultural and heritage organisations.

Activity Ideas for KS1-KS3

Timeline activity (KS1/2)
 
Print out copies of the images of the exteriors of the Manchester stores in 1898, 1915, 1925, 1931, 1955, 1962 and 2006 (see PDF to download in 'Resources'). Working in groups, children can be asked to put the images into chronological order. For KS1 use fewer images (2-4 of 1898, 1931, 1962 and 2006 for example) and ask them to put them in order from oldest to newest. 
M&S Manchester Oldham Street, 1898
M&S Manchester Oldham Street 1898
M&S Manchester Market Street, 1931
M&S Manchester Market Street 1931
M&S Manchester Market Street, 1962
M&S Manchester Market Street 1962
M&S Manchester Market Street, 2006
M&S Manchester Market Street 2006
 

Discussion Ideas


KS1
  • How did you know which one was the oldest?
  • How did you know which one was the newest?
  • Which one is a photograph of how the store looks now?
KS2
  • Which is the oldest? How do you know?
  • Which is the most recent/newest? How do you know?
  • What clues did you use to help you decide how old the photographs were?
  • What has changed about the way the store fronts looked over time?
  • Are there any similarities between the way the store looked in 1898 and in 2006?
KS2/3 - Research what has happened to the old M&S stores
  • As M&S grew as a company, they needed bigger stores to keep up with customer demand. M&S has had stores all over Manchester. Can you find out what is in those buildings today?
  • You could create a presentation to share your findings as a group. You could also mark the stores on a map of Manchester to show how it has moved.

    1894 – 20 Cheetham Hill Road
    1898 – 60 Oldham Street
    1915 – 99 Stockport Road
    1925 – 48-50 Oldham Street

  • Try looking online or ask at your local library or archive for maps and photographs of those areas in the past.

The Supporting Links in 'Resources' might help you. You will need to take a close look at the images showing what the buildings used to look like. This might help you pinpoint which building on the street used to be M&S.

  • Are the original buildings still standing? Or has something new been built in its place?
  • Is it still a business or is it now a home?
  • What are the other buildings around it being used for? 
Further questions for KS3
  • What can the answers to the questions above tell you about the areas the stores were in?
  • Try and find copies of maps of Manchester from earlier time periods (see Supporting Links). Ordnance Survey Maps were produced regularly from the late Victorian period for example and may be available from your Local Studies Library.

Glossary

 
Ordnance Survey – national mapping survey of Britain, produces regular maps of different areas and has done since the 18th Century.