Horrible Histories “Foul Football”

Subject: History

Grade Level: 8th or 9th grade (14 years old)

Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key historical facts and events related to medieval football.
2. Analyze the comedic approach used in “Horrible Histories” to present historical information.
3. Discuss the social and cultural aspects of medieval football.

Materials:

• Access to the episode “Foul Football” from the BBC iPlayer: Link
• Whiteboard or projector for displaying questions and answers
• Pen and paper for note-taking

Duration: Approximately 45-60 minutes

Lesson Plan:

Introduction (10 minutes):

1. Begin by discussing the concept of historical entertainment and why it’s important to learn about history in an engaging way.
2. Explain that you will be watching an episode of “Horrible Histories” titled “Foul Football,” which explores the history of medieval football in a humorous manner.
3. Ask students if they have any prior knowledge or assumptions about medieval football.

Viewing the Episode (20 minutes): 4. Play the “Foul Football” episode from the BBC iPlayer.

5. Encourage students to pay attention to key historical facts, events, and the comedic elements presented in the episode.
6. Provide brief pauses during the episode to ask questions or discuss specific points.

Discussion (15 minutes): 7. After watching the episode, lead a class discussion using the following questions:

• What were some of the key historical facts or events related to medieval football mentioned in the episode?
• How did the show use humor and satire to present historical information? Give examples.
• What did you find most interesting or surprising about medieval football and its history?
• How do you think the sport has evolved since medieval times, and what social and cultural factors influenced these changes?

Activity (10 minutes): 8. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a specific aspect of medieval football history to research further (e.g., the rules, social impact, famous matches, etc.).

9. Have each group present their findings to the class, emphasizing the key historical points they discovered.

Conclusion (5 minutes): 10. Summarize the main takeaways from the lesson, emphasizing the importance of learning history through different mediums.

11. Assign a short homework assignment, such as writing a reflection on what they learned about medieval football and its place in history.

Assessment:

• Assess students’ participation in the discussion and their group presentations.
• Evaluate the quality of their homework assignments and reflections.

This lesson plan combines historical content with humor and interactive activities, making it engaging and informative for 14-year-olds while aligning with the educational goals of the “Horrible Histories” series.