'What does it say about the heart's geometry / That such symmetry should hold such cruelty?' John Agard

This teacher’s resource has been designed to support the teaching and learning of History and Citizenship at Key Stage 3. The Atlantic Worlds’ gallery offers and in-depth account of transatlantic slavery and the role of the Atlantic worlds in the development of the British Empire. This resource can be used to enhance the learning value of a visit to the National Maritime Museum as well as an aid for classroom lessons.

The pack contains background historical information for teachers, and a set of cards that contain lesson plans and activities exploring key themes in the National Curriculum. The activities focus on historical sources held within the Museum’s collections and will promote critical thinking and enquiry skills, while examining how historians come to know about the past and how the past informs our ideas about modern citizenship.

This resource will help teachers to prepare for a visit to, and guide student learning within, the ‘Atlantic Worlds’ gallery. The background information introduces the gallery narrative and activities on the cards can be undertaken before, during or after a Museum visit.