This lesson prepares students for studying Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These. It is an engaging, enquiry-based lesson exploring the historical context of the Magdalene Laundries and helping students understand why this context is essential to the novel.

The lesson includes a fully editable PowerPoint featuring:

Starter: What makes a “good” society?
Context: Timeline of the Magdalene Laundries
Research: Collaborative group investigation
Discussion: Could something like this happen today?
Analysis: Historical photographs and source material
Writing: Why did Claire Keegan choose this moment in Irish history?
Reflection: Returning to the enquiry question

The lesson also includes an optional group research activity, where students work collaboratively to investigate different aspects of the Magdalene Laundries before sharing their findings with the class. This encourages independent research, discussion and critical thinking while helping students make meaningful links between the historical context and the themes explored in Small Things Like These.