4 replies to this topic

[Jenjane]

Hi
I am looking for a bit of inspiration! We currently do 6 week homeworks and decided to re jig some of them/replace dull ones. To cut a long story short, this means that in the half term before Christmas we are a bit stuck with what to give the year 9s. The topics they will be studying in class are: womens' suffrage and the rise of Hitler and Stalin (so 1900-1939 ish).
We have tried and failed to come up with a strong task. It shouldn't really be related tightly to something from lessons as otherwise they won't be able to get started in the first week, they'll have to wait until they are taught it, and our tasks currently follow the time period theme and the students work on it independantly. Other tasks that they are doing in the year are : research any aspect of WWII, wider reading, build a model trench, presentations on significant person/event. In year 7 and we do a written 'empathy' task eg Gladiator diary (gladiator and owner POV) and slave diary (slave and owner POV) in this slot, but we were struggling to come up with something for this era that wasn't reliant on being taught in class or would come out with something a little bit dangerous (non-Nazi / Nazi POV!!!) or put off boys from picking History (suffragette/MP POV).
I am very happy to give the students a choice of task for this year group though, as this is something that seems to go down very well with them. It also just needs to be something/someone from this time period that they can write about with empathy.
Thanks
Jane

Edited by Jenjane, 17 July 2012 - 09:25 AM.

[Tony Fox]

I can see how the Suffragists would put boys off History, but the Suffragettes are awsome.
Could I suggest something on the spanish Civil War and the International brigades, looking at local volunteers, something like 'why did the people of [insert your town here] think the Spanish Civil war was significant'? Giving you multiple POV; individual, local, national and international.

Edited by Tony Fox, 17 July 2012 - 01:37 PM.

[Lauren Conway]

Why not get them do something fun like the roaring twenties - prohibition in the US, organised crime, jazz, etc. Do a little research project.

Not sure it would hit your empathy concept but it's an interesting period!

[Jenjane]

Yes, we thought this might be good, especially as we start GCSEs in the last half term of the year, and guess, what? Our first unit is USA 1919-41. Could be good propaganda if we pick the right topic area...
I agree that the Suffragettes are brill, and we tried it this year, however, it was a bit too reliant on being taught things in class and meant they couldn't get started straight away. Spanish Civil war is also an interesting idea, possibly also Mussolini..?
Jane

[Jenjane]

HI
in the end this is what we have decided to give out for our half term's homework after Easter.
Can I also add that the census returns are completely made up...!
Jane

Attached Files

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•  My Life So Far.pptx   88.94K   112 downloads