Lessons KS2/3

Here are resources for Key Stage 2 learners – ages 7 to 11, Key Stage 3 – ages 11 to 14: Landscape, Habitat, Area, Community, History of Wales.

The resources can be used under a broader theme related to Habitat, Area, History of Wales. These resources are specifically about the World Heritage Site, the Slate Landscape of North West Wales. There are 6 components or areas, within the World Heritage Site, which have an array of unique landscapes and habitats. The history is shared by creatures that live in those areas, such as Guto Bwch Gafr and Menna Min Gafr; the Welsh mountain goats from the Ogwen Valley and Peris, and Tegwen the nocturnal Nightjar, the rare bird, living in the area of Brynreglwys quarry in Abergynolwyn.

Guto the Billy Goat; What is Slate? Geology, a summary of the formation of the rock, and how it was created.
Nightjar; Where is the slate in Wales? Geology; Explanation of the locations of the rock, and the reason the quarrying areas developed.
What is a World Heritage Site?
The Langauge of the Slate Quarries
The Big Strike
Timeline of the development of Dyffryn Madog and the town of Porthmadog
History of Porthmadog

Guto the Billy Goat; What is Slate?

What is a World Heritage Site?

The Langauge of the Slate Quarries

Terms, sayings and metaphors.

Description of the resource and further ideas for lessons

Primary school resource KS2 - The language of the slate quarries, with examples of terms, phrases and metaphors borrowed from the slate quarrying industry of Northwest Wales. This resource can be used as an inspirational starting point to research and illustrate other metaphors, sayings and words linked to the industry. The stop motion animation was created by Manod primary school, Blaenau Ffestiniog. Traditional melody 'The quarryman' sung by Ysgol y Garreg, Llanfrothen.

The Big Strike

J R Hughes, an illustrator who documented the strike at Penrhyn quarry, Penrhyn.

This film shows the work of the artist/cartoonist, J.R.Hughes, who sketched a series of illustrations to show the events that happened during the Penrhyn quarry strike in Bethesda, North Wales, 1900-1903. The work was shared in the newspaper, 'Papur Pawb'. The artist was born in Tynygornel, Ynys Môn and was educated in Bangor and Slade School of Art in London, where he became friends with Augustus John. He created illustrations for newspapers, postcard designs and novels. The music is a song composed during the period, 'Punt y Gynffon', (a pound a tail), sang to the melody of the 'Mochyn Du'. The song refers to the slate quarrymen who returned to work during the strike.

Timeline of the development of Dyffryn Madog and the town of Porthmadog

Map of Dyffryn Madog, the estuary of the Glaslyn River, and the Traeth Mawr, showing the names of the islands, the history of dam building in the area, Boston Lodge, and the development of the town.

There is a series of sculptures by Howard Bowcott in the town highlighting its history; more can be found here: Porthmadog Public Art.

History of Porthmadog

History of Porthmadog [timeline 1600-2021]. LleCHI LleNI educational resource.