HISTORY
At South Stanley Junior School we believe that pupils need a sense of identity and belonging within the local community as well as the wider world. History can help to instil this through exploration and understanding of how societies grow and change over time. It should inspire curiosity and encourage investigation, equipping pupils with skills which can be applied in many life contexts and challenges. They should gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of the history of Britain and the wider world In every History topic, Pupils should:  Continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.  Put events, people, places and artefacts on a time‐line.  Use correct terminology to describe events in the past.  Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.  Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.  Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.  Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. In Y3/4: Pupils will use a range of sources of information to ask and answer questions. They should be encouraged to devise questions which will help them to: o identify similarity and difference; o gain knowledge and understanding about key concepts; o Recognise that some things change and begin to be able to describe some of the reasons why. o put events, people, places and artefacts on a time‐line In their search for answers to their questions, pupils should: o consider a range of sources; o Begin to understand that our knowledge about the past is constructed from a variety of sources. Pupils should respond to their questions by: o selecting relevant historical data o constructing and organising their responses in a variety of ways Develop use of appropriate subject terminology such as: empire, civilisation, monarch In Y5/6: Pupils will use a range of sources of information to ask and answer questions. They should be encouraged to devise questions which will help them to:  Select sources independently and give reasons for choices.  Devise, ask and answer more complex questions about the past  Record knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways using dates and key terms appropriately In their search for answers to their questions ,pupils should: o Construct and organise relevant historical data. o Understand the past is represented in different ways o Describe and make links between different periods in more depth Pupils should respond to their questions by: o Offering explanations about why people acted as they did o Show understanding of the differences and similarities e.g. social, religious, local and individual o Give reason why some events, people, periods developments are seen as more significant than others. Develop historical terminology such as AD BC, chronology, as Y3/4 etc. AUTUMN Y3/4 CYCLE 1 SPRING ANCIENT EGYPT Pupils will carry out an in depth study of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. They will consider questions such as:  How different would my life be if I was born in Ancient Egypt?  How and why did the Ancient Egyptians build pyramids? A visit to the Hancock museum will allow pupils to use primary sources of evidence. Some useful internet sites are listed on Topicbox.net which include photographs of Ancient Egyptian artefacts. When responding to their questions pupils could:  Write diary entries, menus, museum information labels for photographs of artefacts, a tourist information leaflet for a visit to the pyramids, scrapbook posters, instructions (e.g. how to mummify pharaoh);  Create an Ancient Egyptian style mural to depict aspects of life in Ancient Egypt;  Use ICT to create a book about Ancient Egyptian beliefs regarding the afterlife;  Use animation software to produce an animation of a day at school in Ancient Egypt;  Produce an Argos‐style Ancient Egyptian toy catalogue;  Turn their classroom into an Ancient Egyptian museum for a day and act as tour guides for other children in school. SUMMER STONE & IRON AGE BRITAIN Who built Stonehenge? Explore life in Stone Age to Bronze Age Britain using resources such as BBC Hand on History ‐ The Ancients. Pupils will:  Consider similarities and differences with life in Ancient Egypt  Discover the achievements of stone‐age man  Explore reasons for changes in early civilisation e.g. introduction of farming When responding to their questions, pupils could:  Produce cave art to depict an aspect of stone age life (a story without words);  Produce an information leaflet about Stonehenge;  Build a ‘stone circle’ on the field and act as tour guides for older pupils in school;  Create a cartoon style class mural with information panels to depict aspects of stone age life;  Produce a timetable for a day in the life of an Ancient Brit living in Stone Age Britain. BBC history site is a useful resource for developing teacher subject knowledge and provides links to other useful information. Y3/4 CYCLE 2 ROMANS & ANGLO‐SAXONS
Who were the Romans? How did they change Britain? What evidence do we have of their invasion, settlement and life in early Britain? What happened after they left? The answers to all these questions and others will be clear by the end of this unit. Pupils will carry out an in depth study of the Romans and Anglo‐Saxons. They will consider questions such as:  Why did the Ancient Romans march through Durham?  Why did they build Hadrian’s Wall? (Visit to Hadrian’s Wall)  What was a Roman settlement like?  What was life like in Roman Britain?  How do we know the Romans were here?  What do we know about local Anglo‐Saxons? (Bede Oswald etc.) – Visit to Bede’s World?  Crime and punishment , Anglo‐Saxon style When responding to these questions they could:  Role play – being a Roman soldier on the wall.  Timetable –duties as a Roman Soldier.  Local Roman towns and cities – explore names of places derived from Roman settlements.  Instructions for how to build a Roman road  Make Roman uniform out of card with flaps to attach to an outline body. Make explanatory labels for each element of the uniform.  Use Horrible History books to create a fascinating fact file.  Visit Bede’s World & explore anglo‐saxon settlement  A day in the life of a monk.  Create a rules and sanctions leaflet, Anglo Saxon style LOCAL HISTORY
During this unit, pupils will explore development of the north‐east area from pre‐industrial revolution to date. They will chart the history of mining and Consett Steel Works from boom to bust and consider the impact thereof on the local area and the lives of people in the local community. Pupils will  Consider how Stanley has changed over time including: o Use of land o Changes to retail industry Cross curric with maths – collecting data etc. o What impact did local industry have on the area? (steel and coal) o Similarities then and now o Trip to Beamish to see and experience changes. o more recent changes including the closure of Consett Steel Works and the impact on the local area. o the Stanley pit disaster They could respond in a variety of ways including:  Diary of a miner  Use photographs and maps (link to Geog) to see how Stanley has changed and developed over time. Create a photo book.  Possible visit from the local history society to talk to children. Write a report of the visit for school newsletter/ Create a power point to show other pupils.  Interview grandparents/members of the community to find out what they remember of Stanley. Create a memories book.  Stanley pit disaster – create simple newspaper reports. Y5/6 CYCLE 1 AUTUMN THE ANCIENT GREEKS
In this unit, pupils will learn about life in Ancient Greece and some of their achievements. In particular, they will study the work of Aristarchus, Anaxagoras and Thales, comparing this to today’s understanding of our solar system. Pupils will explore the following questions  Who were the Greeks?  What did they do for us?  What was everyday life like? When responding to questions pupils could:  Write diary entries and museum notes for artefacts.  Profiles on the main scientists and their achievements  ICT – poster advertising scientists and their new ideas.  Persuasive speeches – the earth isn’t flat!  Write a letter to an Ancient Greek scientists explaining what we know about the solar system today. Dear … You were right!  Ancient Greek Menu  Programme of events for Ancient Greek Olympics  Design a theatre mask  Look at photographs of buildings – how have they been influenced by Ancient Greece? e.g. Ionic and Doric columns SPRING SUMMER A MAGNIFICENT MILLENIUM A sweeping study of the development of science, leisure and entertainment across the decades of the last century and earlier. Pupils will explore changes in music, toys and games and the entertainment industry. They will learn about key scientists and inventors e.g. Darwin, Edison, Franklin, Faraday, and Babbage and how their findings changed society. Following from earlier work on fossils and linked to study of the life of Darwin, pupils will learn about evolution and inheritance and how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment. Significant UK artists will be studies with pupils exploring work in similar styles e.g. Turner, Lowry, Banksy, Henry Moore and Antony Gormley. A visit to the discovery museum will allow children an opportunity to explore historical artefacts and may be combined with a visit to the Hancock museum to explore artworks in the Hatton Gallery, fossils and much more. How has Britain changed 1000‐2000?  Explore key inventors, scientists and developments that have impacted on the history of Britain – write biographies of key scientists/inventors.  Write a thank you letter to key scientists/inventors outlining how their discoveries have impacted on our lives.  A brief look at WW1 and WW2 – what changes have occurred due to the wars?  Study of music, toys and entertainment over the last 100‐200 years. Produce adverts.  Victorian school for a day.  Through the decades fashion show  Fashion magazine report on fashion from chosen era.  Make oral presentation on a chosen area.  Music Hall event – learn songs and invite parents.  Research and present in own way  Large‐scale illustrated time‐line of all history taught in school e.g. along school corridors AUTUMN Y5/6 CYCLE 2 VIKINGS – EDWARD THE CONFESSOR An action packed unit all about the Viking and Anglo‐Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor. Pupils will focus in particular on the Viking raids and invasions and the resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, the first King of England. They will gain an understanding of the impact on life in England and the on‐going struggles until Edward’s death in 1066. Pupils will explore questions such as:  How vicious were the Vikings?  How did they get here?  What was a Viking settlement like?  Who defeated the Vikings?  Why was Alfred so great?  Who was the first King of England? They could respond by:  Making models of Viking ships  Visiting Viking museum in York  Design a figure head for a Viking longboat  Plot key invasion points onto a map – consider landings at Holy Island and story of Cuthbert’s journey to Durham – produce a cartoon strip/story map.  Consider the stories of Alfred the Great and his achievements ‐ write a biography/radio interview  Look at artefacts – what do they tell us about the past? Write a fact file. SPRING SUMMER THE MAYANS Pupils will explore the following questions: o
o
o
o
Who are the Mayans? Where are they from? How do we know about the Mayans? How did Mayans farm? They will:  Explore and then contrast with Ancient Egyptian civilization  Similarities and differences between Ancient Egyptian and Mayan pyramids and hieroglyphics.  Create a book in the style of Ancient Mayans  Write instructions for a new farmer in the Ancient Mayan civilization  Produce a calendar – Ancient Mayan style