Early Viking raids
I can describe the early Viking raids on the island of Lindisfarne.
Early Viking raids
I can describe the early Viking raids on the island of Lindisfarne.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The attack on Lindisfarne (where Bede had once lived) in 793 CE was the first major Viking raid on the British Isles.
- The Vikings attacked using longboats crewed by about 30 warriors who could land, attack, and leave quickly.
- Priories like those in Lindisfarne were centres of manuscript production and filled with valuable religious objects.
- The Vikings murdered monks and stole these objects for trade and their own wealth.
Keywords
Raid - a raid is a rapid surprise attack, usually involving stealing something
Longboat - a longboat is a long, light and slender boat that the Vikings used to travel
Priory - a priory is a building lived in by a community who follow religious vows
Manuscript - a manuscript is a book or document written by hand
Monk - a monk is a member of a religious community of men
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the Vikings' motivation to raid Lindisfarne was to murder the monks rather than it being a consequence of the raids.
The Vikings raided monasteries because they were easy targets on the coast and they had many valuable objects they could steal.
To help you plan your year 5 history lesson on: Early Viking raids, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 5 history lesson on: Early Viking raids, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the The Vikings: why did they come to the British Isles? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a building lived in by a community who follow religious vows
a book or document written by hand
a member of a religious community of men