Soldier to Healer

About this learning resource

Format: PDF

Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned at the Tower of London for 13 years. Using Raleigh's own letters, this lesson pack explores how he struggled with depression and illness before discovering he could help rebuild his own wellbeing by developing a medicinal garden outside his prison cell and preparing plant-based remedies. Through understanding Raleigh's struggles and how he turned growing medicinal plants into an effective coping mechanism, students are encouraged to reflect on how they can support their own mental and physical wellbeing in times of anxiety or change.

National Curriculum links

• Knowing the purpose, audience for and context of the writing and drawing on this knowledge to support comprehension
• Seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence
• Identifying strategies to understand and build resilience, as well as how to respond to disappointments and setbacks

Learning objectives

• Learn about Sir Walter Raleigh through the story of his imprisonment in the Tower of London and his medicinal garden
• Use Raleigh’s letters to explore his mental and physical health during his imprisonment
• Explore how and why Raleigh’s outlook and focus changed in the later period of his imprisonment

Resource Information