Outschool
Open currency, time zone, and language settings
Log In

History Detectives! All About the Everyday Superhero - The Toilet! (5-7 Years)

In this onetime class, students will learn all about the history of the humble loo (with some poop talk)!
Susannah, Masters from Oxford University.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(285)
Rising Star
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
30 mins in-class hours

Class Experience

The toilet, the loo, the lavatory, the bathroom, the water closet - call it what you like*, we all use it! In this fun, interactive onetime class, students will learn all about the humble toilet and how important it is! (*I'm British, so I call it 'the loo'!)

The class will run as follows:

2 minutes: Introductions.

5 minutes: We will look at a picture of a Roman toilet. Learners will have the opportunity to analyse the picture and think about what it teaches us about Roman attitudes to toilets. (Spoiler alert: they went to the bathroom in groups!)

5 minutes: We will become History Detectives! Using evidence on the screen (a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, a 16th century plumbing diagram, a picture of Richmond Palace,  a picture of Henry VIII's Groom of the Stool) we will find out about toilets in Tudor England. (The first flush loos were created for Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I!)

5 minutes: We will think about what things are considered luxury if you stay in a fancy hotel. Then we will find out about the Tremont Hotel, in Boston, MA. This opened in 1829 and was considered the most amazing hotel - because it had proper toilets! We will look at some early pictures, and find out more about it.

5 minutes: London and the Great Stink! Students will be asked to think about the worst thing they have EVER smelt. A baby's diaper? Brussel sprouts? Blue cheese? Then we will find out about 'The Great Stink' which happened in the hot, sweaty summer of 1858. The city's basic sewage system had overflowed leaving people very sick. And dealing with a horrible smell! This led to the development of a proper sewage system, which properly took away the poo! We will talk briefly about how this stopped the spread of diseases.

5 minute: We will find out about 20th and 21st century loo inventions - from quilted toilet tissue, to the how they go to the loo in space! We will also talk about how most of the world now have working toilets and why it is so important that everyone has a properly working loo!

3: Sequence challenge! Working as a group, learners will be challenged to put five events in the correct order in which they happened. Can they beat the clock and help to create a brilliant working toilet!

---
* NOTE -  I also run this class for 8-10 year olds * 

I can't wait to meet your learners! This class is one of a series of 'History Detective' classes I run; attend three and gain your certificate! : ) 

I have a Masters from the University of Oxford, a professional teaching qualification, and many years’ experience teaching English, History and Creative Writing. 

Classroom Policies:

We respect others and have fun!

Please feel free to email me any questions you may have.

My most important policy: there is no such thing as a bad question! Please come into the class with an open mind and we will all learn from each other. I hope to see you in class!
Learning Goals
Students will learn all about the toilet!
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
The class discusses the history of toilets. There will be some open discussion about toilets and bodily functions. The class does discuss that good sanitation saves lives. We will talk about how bad sanitation is dangerous, so there will be some mention of this. There is, therefore, some mention of sickness and fatalities, but the main focus is that modern toilets are superheroes!
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
4.9
285reviews
Rising Star
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Non-US Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Master's Degree in History from University of Oxford
I have a Masters and a PGCE from Oxford and have taught history for many years.
On Outschool I run a successful series of 'History Detectives!' classes which specialise in making history interesting, engaging and informative in an age-appropriate way. (E.g. my classes on the Titanic, The Great Fire of London, Henry VIII).

Reviews

Live One-Time Class
Share

$19

per class
Meets once
30 min

Completed by 17 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 5-7
2-6 learners per class

About
Support
SafetyPrivacyCA PrivacyLearner PrivacyManage Data PreferencesTerms
Financial Assistance
Get The App
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
© 2024 Outschool