As our home town of Peterborough is also known as 'the Gateway to the Fens', the Fens seemed an appropriate project for a project - especially as there are plenty of museums to choose from in the Fens that we haven't visited yet.
We started the week by exploring the history of the fens, and how the area has changed over time with a number of videos .
This was followed by some of the stories associated with the fens, most notable of which was the story of Hereward the Wake. Hereward's story was also told in a Horrible Histories episode, and Horrible Histories has quickly become the children's programme of choice.
Books with Stories of the Fens
We picked Ely Museum for our weekly excursion, as it has a few displays on the fens (and was also about to be closed for a year as it undergoes a refurbishment). It is a nice little museum, with plenty to do and see.
Ely Museum at the Old Gaol
We followed our trip with a closer exploration of more recent fen life - from wildfowling and flooding to fen skating and bandy. That southern England has such a close connection with winter sports is one of the more surprising aspects of the fens.
Finally the children made their own eels from paper plates.
An eel in Jubilee Gardens, Ely, and some made from paper plates
Next week's project: jobs, careers, and vocations.
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