If you open the cut–consider yourself warned. This is freakin huge. This is the evaluation part of what I am having my seniors do tomorrow. If I posted it all I would completely bury your friends page.

There are a bunch of stations around the room with handouts and/or activities. Students will be held accountable for the information in each station. When they come in I will have on the overhead: Today we will be moving through various stations with activities and information about various aspects of Victorian life. You are expected to stay with your group throughout the period. You are allowed to talk and help one another with the activities and questions—it is even expected and encouraged. Please keep the noise level to a respectful level so that all of your classmates can have an appropriate learning environment. Each stage is going to take between ten and fifteen minutes. Please indicate on your worksheet exactly what amount of time you are at each stage so that I can have that necessary information in the future. You will have additional questions as you move through these stages, write them in the margin on the worksheet because we will have a question and answer period at the end and I will be happy to answer any and all questions that I am able to answer. I will be wandering around and able to help somewhat if you are stuck with something at a given stage, but there are many of you and I can’t be everywhere at once. Try to keep your requests for help as brief as possible.

Questions for the Victorian Era Presentation

Speech Station: Practice saying all of the words and sentences on the page trying to change your speech pattern to reflect that of a Victorian person..
1. What parts of changing your speech style feels most awkward to you?
2. Name at least two ways in which you feel language has not changed.
3. Do you like formality of language? Why or why not?
4. Make up a dialogue between two people who might meet on the streets (write it here) and then practice with a partner. Keep in mind their station/position in life and what they would be willing to talk about in public.
Class, Race, and Communication:
5. What is your understanding of a gentleman?
6. Do you think that this definition should still hold true for men who should be called “gentlemen” or has it changed?
7. Name all of the classes that existed during Victorian England (and they or may not exist today). (That is: name the classes that are discussed in the handout.)
8. What did Africans, Irishmen, and women have in common?
9. Think of someone in your life and decide what you would put in a bouquet for them. Tell me what flowers you would include and why.
Clothing: Look through all of the pictures very carefully.
10. Describe the hair styles.
11. Do you feel that the women’s clothing might inhibit their ability to move freely? If so, tell me how that might influence how women behave and are therefore thought of by society?
12. How have men’s fashions changed over the years?
13. What expressions do people have on their faces?
14. Why do you think people are so often sitting in the pictures?
Etiquette and the Ballroom:
15. How far in advance were invitations sent out?
16. What was available for food during a ball?
17. What is a ball card and how is it used? Who provides it?
18. Describe the attitude around inviting a gentleman in after going to a ball together.
19. What four tips are important for train travel?
20. What accommodation should one make if one has weak lungs on a train?
21. What topics would be inappropriate for conversation from a Victorian standpoint?
Furniture and Architecture:
22. Name at least three different styles from the Victorian era in terms of furniture.
23. Of the few pieces shown, which style do you like the best and why?
24. How involved in the inside of a building was an architect?
25. Did the Victorians believe that individual art pieces were unique things evolving in the mind of the artist?
Leisure:
26. Describe the attitude that leisure events head in early England.
27. Describe the role that pubs played in a village.
28. Why was football played at 3pm on Saturdays?
29. For what purposes have board games been played?
30. Play “Poor Pussy” and tell me if you find this game fun. Do you think it still has appeal for people today?
31. Name a game similar to “The Minister’s Cat.” Play if you have time.
Money:
32. Given: 1. According to Porter (176), in the mid-1860s workers in London received the following wages for a 10-hour day and six-day week:
• common laborers 3s. 9d.
• excavators wearing their own “long water boots” 4s. 6d.
• bricklayers, carpenters, masons, smiths 6s. 6d.
• engineers 7/6
How much did each of these professions earn in one year? Assume one week of vacation. (Yes, this is a math problem.)
33. Figure out the total for this person’s expenses. Assume: pounds/shillings/pennies. (cut of huge table)
34. How do you think the cost of living has changed? Do people pay more or less on food? Clothing? Rent? Amusement?

This question sheet and the accompanying handouts and research and and and took me forever. I’m feeling hella proud of myself though. It isn’t exactly what I was thinking about when I first got the idea, but reality had to set in at some point.