We all know that less than 10% of questions we traditionally ask in British classrooms actually caused new learning. Most concern rehearsing what pupils already know or are about classroom management. So its probably time to re-consider why we ask questions at all I they...
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Opinion
Using scripted dramas in history: reign of Elizabeth I for GCSE
Some talented teachers have the time and imagination to write scripted dramas as a powerful way into a period issue. Here is an example from Jen Thornton on the reign of Queen Elizabeth I which you can fin don Ian Dawson's brilliant website
http://thinkinghistory.co.uk/ActivityBase/ReignofElizabeth.html...
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GCSE history wagging KS3 dog says HA survey
Last month the Historical Association published its annual survey of the state of history in its secondary schools. About 300 completed the survey so it is a reasonable sample. Several key issues emerged which are particularly relevant given OFSTED’s new focus on curriculum .
Most schools...
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Ian Dawson’s great activity on changing warfare over time
http://thinkinghistory.co.uk/ActivityBase/BigStoryConflicts.html...
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Don’t bark up the wrong tree with progression-its all about the history curriculum not content-free skills
There has been a lot of confusing talk recently about progression in history. Schools are still wrong-headedly trying to build up a bank of 'can do' statements that are content free. This is barking up the wrong tree. Progression is about getting better at history....
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Do all revolutions in history end badly? Historians compare Russian, French and Chinese revolutions.
Greater variation in GCSE history marking than nearly every other subject, says OFQUAL
And now it’s official! Marking of GCSE history examinations is prone to greater variation than virtually every other subject- greater even than English Literature. As you can see from the accompanying image produced by OFQUAL on 5 March
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7 KS1 resources to mark 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing.
Using place-name evidence to find out about the Vikings at KS2: 3 things you MUST know
Place-name evidence is really important to historians studying the Vikings. Not only is there so much of it, it is also very descriptive and helps us with everyday Norse language when the written sources are so scarce.
We already know where to look for Viking place-name:...
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Using colourful highlighter pens to mark text. Is there a better alternative to promote deeper thinking in history?
Highlighting text is a commonly used technique in history teaching right up to, and including A level. I have spend many a deliriously happy hour on inspection looking through so many psychedelic folders positively glowing with neon yellow highlighter pen. But is this a little...
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KS1 : Going to the Seaside-the mystery of the pier
One of the more interesting features of the Seaside holidays topic is the fact that it opens up discussion , even for young children , on what these novel features were built for. It is unlikely that many children will have first-hand experience...
Your KS3 history curriculum and OFSTED’s 2019 Framework
With the OFSTED Framework for 2019 very much in mind the clever people at OneBigHistoryDepartment have come up with a list of questions to ask yourself about your KS3 history curriculum
Intent:
- What do you want...
Great new outstanding lesson on Richard the Lionheart and 3rd crusade
Given Richard' failure to capture Jerusalem, his incarceration and his absence from England how could he still be called Lionheart rather than loser? How can he possibly deserve his statue outside the House of Commons? In this 2-part enquiry pupils look at why...
How well do your pupils know the periods of history?
Chronology is difficult for young children. They generally get batter as they get older, as they can relate one period to the next in context. Of course they can learn the order, much as they can remember a rhyle for sequencing the monarchs,...
Are you up-to-date with your teaching of the trial and execution of Charles I?
How to enage your KS2 boys with the Maya using football
Football is a religion. As early as 1000 year ago the ancient Mayan ball game drew huge crowds, not just for its entertainment value, but also for the religious significance of the sport. By looking into this ancient game we can draw startling parallels with many sports...
How to close the attainment gap in history at KS3 and 4
Kate Smee,Director of Humanities, Fairfield High School, Bristol recently gave a couple of examples of what works for her on the HA site Onebighistorydepartment.As a starting point I would recommend anyone looking at this looks at the EEF Teaching and...
Widespread ignorance of the Holocaust still shocks
OFSTED’s sensible approach to progression
OFSTED's 2019 draft Framework for Inspection is full of very welcome comments about the central importance of having a high-quality curriculum. It follows this up with some equally welcome strictures about progression, which you would do well to heed:
"Progress should not be...
So when did the Russian Revolution really end?
This article from Miriam Dobson’s at Sheffield University
give us a variety of answers. Rex Wade writes: ‘The dispersal of the Constituent Assembly effectively marked the end of the Russian Revolution of...
Don’t over-complicate your teaching
OFSTED recently published this exemplification of successful history teaching in one school using the new EIF 2019 Framework criteria.
Teachers present the historical content clearly, promoting lively discussion and debate because the topic was carefully chosen to have an element...
Elizabeth I: awful weather
As reported in The Times, yesterday marked the Coronation of Elizabeth I, 460 years ago. It was cold and wet in London on January 15, 1559, with flurries of snow, and yet crowds braved the chill to cheer on the 25-year-old queen as...
Using role play area when teaching Castles at KS1
There are at least 6 ways you can help young children make sense of the past using your role play area.
1.Colourful Costumes.
Having a range of costumes enhances the experience of...
Dos and Don’t of concluding your history lesson
Dos and Don’ts of concluding your history lessons
When the National Strategies were all the rage over a decade ago now, a lot of attention was paid in the Foundation subjects to lesson starters and what were known as plenaries. As with...
What does good leadership of history look like at KS 1 and 2?
A recent report from a history HMI to a primary school reveals what they are looking for :
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One of the key features underpinning the high quality of history learning this was that history has a high status throughout the school, recognised by the headteacher. The...
Keeping up-to-date with your teaching of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings at KS2- dealing with fake news
Subject knowledge is vital for any KS2 teacher. You can rely on this website to provide not only the background knowledge you need but also the key learning activities that develop historical understanding. One of the main lessons to be learned as pupils progress through...
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GCSE Medicine and World War One. How did a weapon of war ( mustard gas) lead to a blood cancer treatment?
Fascinating short article looking at war as a factor in medical advances. Those who suffered most from mustard gas attacks at Ypres in 1917 were found to have low white blood cell count.The vital link to the world of chemotherapy treatment today. The reason...
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In many schools primary history curriculum found wanting by OFSTED
Seven of the 33 primaries schools visited by the inspectorate under phase 3 of its curriculum study, published today, had a “complete absence” of curriculum design in humanities. History came in for considerable criticism:
“History was also less well organised and implemented in a number of...
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OFSTED rails against gimmicks rather than getting basics right
Top 10 Command words when your primary history activities
As well as listing and describing, what other forms of command words can we use to make sure that pupils' thinking is likely to be historical?
It may be helpful to ask yourself , When did I last ask my pupils to? I have added an example...
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Teaching Toys at KS1- new lessons arriving soon
When the site was launched 10 years ago, our focus was on exemplifiying best practice in the harder-to-teach areas of the National Curriculum. At that stage schools had been teaching the topic of Toys quite successfully and few teachers were asking for new resources or...
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New find reveals Roman relationship with the Celts
What does a good KS3 history assessment portfolio look like?
Rarely do we get a chance to look at how things are done in other countries. For that reason I thought that you might like to see how the Australian system have tried to exemplify national standards through annotated examples of work covering different...
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How can I raise standards in learning in history in my primary school? Doing the right things.
One of the hardest jobs for a history subject leader in primary schools is to build up a clear idea of what it is that makes the biggest impact on standards in history. All subject leaders I know work hard and want to do their...
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7 ways to ensure that your history curriculm is 2019-ready
There has been a lot of coverage recently of OFSTED’s intention to focus more on the quality , range and impact of the curriculum, rather than simply looking at data. Sean Harford recently talked of the 3 Is: Intent, Implementation, Impact. You need to get...
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So, are we getting the emphasis right in our teaching of the Peterloo massacre at KS3?
The Peterloo massacre is one of the best-documented events in British history and now the subject of Mike Leigh’s recent film, which has brought it to more people’s attention. The Historical Association site has a short podcast interview with Mike himself in which he discusses...
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Moon Landing story book to use with Year 2
Those of you teaching Man's First Moonlanding at KS1 but like to know that there is a cute fiction title you might want to use called They Raced to the Moon, written by F.J.Beerling and published by Fairyfaye at £5.99. It deals with serious issues...
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Great school secondary history website at Thomas Tallis
GCSE Medicine and First World War
Getting the level of difficulty of your history work just right.
We all know that pupils' minds wander. Some brave researchers claim that this happens, on average, as much as 50% of the time for the majority of pupils. What can you do to stop it? Mostly pupils' attention to learn is driven by 2 things:...
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How did they build their Bronze Age huts? A great short animation for KS2 pupils
15 Keystagehistory favourites
Many of you are kind enough to tell us when the lessons you have taught using our material and approaches, which you have adapted to your own circumstances, have gone down a storm. Here are just some of your favourites so you can see that...
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Making your Y9 key questions harder than those for Y7
With OFSTED's renewed focus on the curriculum many schools are re-examining the quality of their Ks3 curriculum, mostly written without knowledge of what GCSE course would follow. Few schools have gone back and re-written their 2014 KS3 courses in the light of their GCSE choices,...
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Great class story to use with Ancient Egypt at KS2
A few years ago when I was working closely with the staff at Belleville school in South London, we discussed the sort of texts you might like to use when teaching Ancient Egypt at KS2. I was keen to recommend Maat’s feather a story of...
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9 ways to ensure that your local history topic is successful at KS1 and 2
9 ways to ensure that your local history topic is successful
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- Don’t even begin your chosen local topic unless you are sure that there are enough suitable resources.
- Local history , of all the topics, should be the most child-centred. You and your colleagues should...
10 things you must know about King Alfred before you teach about Saxons and Vikings at KS2
- Was Alfred born to be king? An unlikely ruler for a start. Although he was the son of the king of Wessex, Æthelwulf, who had himself inflicted a famous defeat on Viking forces at the Battle of Aclea in 851, Alfred was the youngest of...
Assessment in history at KS3 revisited-yet again!
KS3 assessment revisited.
Recently Sally Burnham and Geraint Brown revisited their earlier seminal paper on assessment now 10 years old and published their findings in Teaching History. In their article they attempted to offer a list of do’s and don’ts. I thought it would be helpful...
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Using stories in history at KS3 and 4 as well as primary classes
Daniel Willingham and other have long made the case for the use of story in history teaching at all keystages not just in primary history classes . And its easy to see why:
Stories are more interesting
Stories are easier to comprehend
Stories are easier to remember
Our minds...
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Teaching Early Islam at KS2
A recent article in the Historical Association’s magazine Primary History suggested that subject leaders need to ensure that the following aspects are covered:
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- as with other important civilisations, the water and fertile land were key to success;
- Caliph Al-Mansur set up his capital there which...
Making sure your KS2 pupils know the real reasons for the Mayan collpase: latest research
The Maya's apparently sudden decline in the 9th century AD has long been a subject for historical debate.
Now scientists have found evidence which appears to confirm the theory that the large-scale abandonment of Maya city states was precipitated by a massive drought which swept across Mexico in about 900 AD.
A team...
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