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The Gunpowder Plot: Catch Guy Fawkes with Ollie the Owl

The Gunpowder Plot: Catch Guy Fawkes with Ollie the Owl

Learn about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and why we have Bonfire Night, by hiding barrels, searching a dark cellar and lighting London's bonfires.

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What you'll learn

  • Why 1605 is beyond living memory, shown on a timeline
  • Who King James, Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby were
  • How a secret letter led to Guy Fawkes being caught
  • The main events of the Gunpowder Plot in the right order
  • How sources like a lantern and a letter help answer questions
  • Why we have bonfires and fireworks on 5 November

Chapter by chapter

  1. Beyond living memory: when was 1605? Free to try

    Years 1–2 history · 1

  2. The Gunpowder Plot: who, what, where and when

    Years 1–2 history · 2 Years 1–2 history · 1

  3. The story in order: the secret letter and Guy Fawkes caught

    Years 1–2 history · 2

  4. Asking and answering questions with sources

    Years 1–2 history · 2

  5. Why we remember: Bonfire Night on 5 November

    Years 1–2 history · 1

  6. Gunpowder Plot big challenge (8 questions)

What the chapters cover in the national curriculum in England:

  1. Years 1–2 history: Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
  2. Years 1–2 history: Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events

About this adventure

The Gunpowder Plot is an interactive history game that teaches children aged 5–7 who Guy Fawkes was, what happened in 1605 and why we remember it every year on Bonfire Night.

Guided by Ollie the owl, children build a timeline to see that 1605 is beyond living memory, meaning nobody alive today was born then. They meet King James and the plotters, drag barrels of gunpowder into the cellar under the Houses of Parliament, and search that cellar by lantern light on the night of 4 November.

Along the way they act as history detectives, using sources, which are real clues from the past such as Guy Fawkes's lantern and the secret letter to Lord Monteagle, to answer who, what, where, when and why questions. Every line is read aloud, and a final challenge checks what they remember.

Questions and answers

What was the Gunpowder Plot, in simple words?

The Gunpowder Plot was a secret plan in 1605 to blow up the Houses of Parliament while King James I was inside. A group of 13 plotters hid 36 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar underneath, but the plan was discovered before it could happen.

Who was Guy Fawkes?

Guy Fawkes was one of the 13 plotters in the Gunpowder Plot, and he was caught guarding the gunpowder in the cellar under Parliament on the night of 4 November 1605. He was not the leader; the plot was led by Robert Catesby.

Why do we have Bonfire Night on 5 November?

We have Bonfire Night to remember that the Gunpowder Plot failed and King James was kept safe in 1605. People in London lit bonfires to celebrate, and a law passed the following year said the day should be remembered every year.

What age is this Gunpowder Plot game for?

The game is designed for children aged 5 to 7 and follows KS1 history in England, where the Gunpowder Plot is usually taught in Year 1 or Year 2. Every instruction is read aloud, so children do not need to read fluently to play.

What does the Gunpowder Plot game include and how long does it take?

The game has five short chapters and a final eight-question challenge, and takes about 40 minutes to play from start to finish. Children can start with any chapter and return to the chapter map whenever they like.

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