Primary Aged Children Online Resources
Welcome to Durham University Library and Collections’ primary online learning resources! If you’re looking to learn something new, find out more about our artefacts, or simply for something to do during this difficult time, we aim to help you do just that.
This section of our website contains videos, downloads and more based on our wonderful collections held in our museums, libraries and archives to help you learn more about them from home.
Pre and Post Visit Activities
To complement your visit to our venues please download these resources.
Museum Collection Timelines
Explore the Museum of Archaeology, Durham Castle and the Oriental Museum through our objects. Use our timelines to see what was being made across the world throughout history.
Prehistory
Discover more about the prehistoric tribes, theirs coins and what the Romans thought about the people of Ancient Britain.
Ancient Egypt
Find our more about ancient Egyptian food, writing and mummification with these downloadable resources.
Ancient Greeks
Explore the Museum of Archaeology from home with activities based around the collections.
Romans
Download out free Roman resources and learn all about how Latin influenced the English language.
Anglo Saxons
Find out more about Anglo Saxon Art with these downloadable resources.
First World War
Use our collections to find out more about the First World War. Learn how to send messages using semaphore.
Local History
Learn about the importance of the national census, and discover how to read the 1911 census.
Lunar New Year
Find out about Spring Festival which is celebrated in many Asian countries and celebrates the beginning of the new year on the lunisolar calendar.
Hinduism
Discover more about this major world religion.
Diwali
Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. Learn the epic story of Princess Sita, her capture and ultimate escape from the evil King Ravana which Hindus retell during Diwali.
Ancient Games
Explore our free, downloadable games inspired by our collections which you can play at home with your family.
A Trip to the Theatre
Playscripts, activities and more! Make your own ancient theatre experience at home and share your experience with us.
Interactive Resources
Jericho: An Ancient City Revealed
Explore archaeology and Ancient Jericho through two downloadable resource packs designed for KS2. These lesson packs feature tasks for critical thinking, expanding vocabulary, and for arts and crafts, all around the theme of history and archaeology.
Hidden Stories from the River Wear
Explore the collection of Gary Bankhead, an underwater archaeologist two downloadable resource packs for teachers designed for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Our mascot, a mini Gary Bankhead, will guide you and your pupils through this pack, offering helpful hints and tips
Rich and Poor in Tudor Times: What can Inventories Tell Us?
Find out more about life in Tudor Times by using one or more of the eleven inventories in this online investigation.
Sir Francis Drake and the Circumnavigation of the Globe
Using 17th Century printed accounts, this online investigation asks students whether Drake's journey was one of plunder or discovery.
Early Attempts at Settlement in America: the Roanoke Experiment
Why did the early attempts at settlement in America fail? Were the settlers just unlucky or did they have a hand in their own fate?
What was Durham Market Place like? A Local History Study
An online investigation which uses the example of the Market Place in Durham to examine what life was like in the past. It shows how maps, photographs, census returns, trade directories and church records can be used to study local history.
Remembering Slavery
An online exhibition and series of activities designed for use on Smartboards that look at different aspects of the slave trade.
Victorian Durham
An online exhibition focusing on Victorian Durham. This exhibition looks at different aspects of Victorian life such as health, diet, leisure, toys and games, housing and education. Resources, worksheets and a trail around the historic World Heritage Site are also available for download.
Post Visit Quizzes
After your visit why not play these fun quizes with your class. See just how much they actually remembered!
Literacy teaching resources
Download Literacy worksheets looking at archival material from the two World Wars.
Explore the Collections
Explore the collections online that we use as our inpsriation at the; Oriental Museum, Palace Green Library Archive and Special Collections, Museum of Archaeology, Durham Castle and the Art Collection.