I am doing a different post today, I am confessing a guilty pleasure. I have young kids so there are times I have to watch kids TV shows. Some of them I hate but there are other ones I love. The one I love the most is Horrible Histories.
Horrible Histories are a series of books that have been developed into a television series by the BBC. The show teaches history to kids using singing, dancing and funny skits. Yes, it is taught very simplistically, but what better way to foster their interest than with sillyness?
The skits are done in a few different styles. They might be computer games, done in on-the-spot news reporter style or even as take-offs of television shows. It is a clever concept and it really works. We all know kids (and adults) are far more likely to retain information when they have been amused, but history is not something usually taught in a comic way, mores the pity. The songs are the favourites in our house, always catchy and completely silly.
Since it is school holidays we have been overloaded with 6 episode marathons of the most popular shows from ABC3. Today it is Horrible Histories so we will have it running in the background all afternoon, which means we will be humming the songs all day. No matter how many times we have seen them we still get a laugh out of them.
A quick poll of the attendant children tells me their favourite songs are…. all of them. Hmmm, no help.
Well, the ones that are my favourite are;
Boudicca (whacked ’em smacked ’em, boy how we attacked ’em) http://youtu.be/1LhT7rCC6O8 ,
Dick Turpin (done in the style of Adam Ant) http://youtu.be/6KbXyALq7uA ,
Charles II: King of Bling (the king who bought back par-ty-ing) http://youtu.be/P2kyNbZc7oc
And the rapping Celtic Boast Battle (look at me I’m tough, I fight in the buff)
….hmmmm… OK, I love all of them too.
There are heaps on YouTube, go and have a look.
Thank you for this post! I never heard of the series, but what I saw is very funny and I can imagine that sticks into a child’s (and adults) mind.
Wish we had history this way. I’m going to watch more of it .
Have fun!
I am glad you enjoyed it. I wish history had been like that when I was growing up too. It amazes me how easily the Horrible History version of events sticks in my kids heads. One of their favourite skits was about the Roman General Pompey trying to organized a decimation of troops that ran from Spartacus. Upon requesting the soldiers put their names in a helmet he selects one and reads out ‘me mumma stinkus, does anyone know me mumma stinkus?!’ Well as you can imagine that short sentence gets dragged out all the time here now ‘me brother stinkus’ ‘me dadda stinkus’. Nevertheless, the kids now know that General Pompey was a Roman general and nobody wants to be number 10 in a decimation! (http://youtu.be/vGsPci6pL7o)
I didn’t know this series, either. I’m excited to check it out. I think this sort of thing will be really helpful when I’m teaching!
Darlena
I hope your students enjoy it, the more kids who love history the better!
I killed more men than old age? I get so mad, I could stab a daisy? Oh, maaaaaan— I really HAVE been missing out!
That is so funny, isn’t it! And they always seem to be having so much fun with everything they do. I would love to see the outtakes 🙂
I went straight to youtube to find a clip to add to my comment on your blog, but after watching half a dozen and loving each one more and more and still not coming to a decision I just hit post comment and ran away! Pachacuti, Spartan High School musical, Cleopatra-Lady GaGa style, The William Wallace song… Oh so many!!!
I love Horrible Histories! I wish they would release them here on DVD! (And I’ve been enjoying you posting a few on your blog. So yummy!)
So happy that you like them, I love to share such silliness with you!
And I enjoy every minute of it!
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