The Seaside through Time: Boats on Newbiggin Beach, 1900 & 2021
Reference: NRO 5283/C/16/57/1 | Suggested age groups: EYFS, KS1 | Topic areas: At the Seaside, Then and Now
BOATS ON NEWBIGGIN BEACH
The first photograph shows Newbiggin beach around 1900. The fishing boats are pulled up on the sand and there are some people sitting on the beach. The church can be seen in the background.
The second photograph shows Newbiggin beach looking North towards the church and Newbiggin Maritime Centre and Café and was taken in July 2021. The lifeboat station is just out of view on the left of the image.
QUESTION PROMPTS
🔍 What is different in these two photographs?
🔍 Is there anything the same in the photographs?
🔍 What colour are the photographs?
🔍 What are people wearing in the 1900s photograph?
💡 Are people’s clothes different or the same as what you would wear to go to the beach?
🔍 What types of buildings can you see in each photograph?
🔍 Can you find the church?
💡What are lifeboats?
💡How do people stay safe at the seaside?
💡Can you swim?
💡What do you use to help you float when swimming?
🔍 Can you find the boats?
💡Have you ever seen boats at the beach?
💡Have you ever been on a boat? What was it like?
🔍 How many boats are there in each photograph?
💡Why are some of the boats on wheels?
🔍 What are the people on the beach doing?
💡What is your favourite thing to do at the beach?
💡What types of food do you think are sold in the café?
💡What types of food do you have when you go to the beach?
💡What would you take to have a picnic at the beach?
KEY WORDS
📝 Maritime – Things living or found near or in the sea.
📝 Lifeboat – A boat used to rescue people in trouble at sea.
📝 Compare – To find things that are the same and different.
READING SUGGESTIONS
📚 The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen
📚 The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle
📚 We’re Going on a Treasure Hunt by Martha Mumford
📚 The Lighthouse Keeper’s Rescue by Ronda and David Armitage
📚 To the Rescue by Stephen Biesty
📚 Gracie the Lighthouse Cat by Ruth Brown
📚 Seymour and the Lifeboats by Mark Horsburgh
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
⚓ Talk about beach safety, the coastguard, lifeboats and lighthouses.
⚓ Tell the story of Grace Darling.
⚓ Role play making phone calls to the coastguard.
⚓ Visit a lifeboat station or lighthouse.
⛵ Talk about shipwrecks.
⛵ Hide items in a sand pit – this could be lost “treasure” from a shipwreck. Ask the children to identify the items by touch.
🗺️ Children hide an item somewhere in the room then make a treasure map to find it – this could be drawn, or the children could ask someone to write directions for them. Use the map to find the treasure.
🧰 Make a model of a lighthouse using recycled items or Lego.
🍦 Make ice cream cone collages using different sized coloured shapes such as circles and triangles.
⛵ Use different shapes to make boats.
🥏 Play beach games such as practicing throwing and catching with beach balls and frisbees.
