Lesson Plan

A Victorian Prison

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Prisons in Victorian England were miserable places, designed to deter people from committing crimes. To understand why these prisons were so tough, young historians review documents and pictures from Coldbath Fields prison. After examining these primary source documents, class members answer questions related to crime and punishment during the Victorian Era in Britain.

35 Views 33 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • The research topics could be assigned to groups or individuals
  • Compare the prison policies of Victorian England to American policies of the same era
  • Compare the prison statistics of the period to prison statistics today
Classroom Considerations
  • Presumes learners have studied the Industrial Revolution and working conditions in the factories
Pros
  • The packet includes images, information about the types of punishments, and discussion questions
Cons
  • Does not include a final project or assessment
Common Core