30 replies to this topic

[Stuart]

I remember reading a post from Richard a few weeks ago, recommending a lesson from the recent edition of Teaching History on how William dealt with his problems after 1066. Can't seem to find that post anywhere (there are now A LOT of threads and posts on this forum - finding ones that you half remember is becoming difficult). However, on the strength of Richard's recommendation, I got myself down to my local university library (yes I am on half-term hols!) and looked it up. What an idea! I can't wait to do this lesson next half-term.

I love these active teaching strategies, and so do the kids. Unfortunately, I don't have the imagination to come up with them myself - so I'm dependent on searching out other people's ideas.

Anway, I'd recommend this lesson to everyone. Any other ideas for 'active history' - please post them and I will use them (as I'm sure will others).

Edited to say: the article from Teaching History is entitled 'Je suis le roi'. Just wanted to clear up any confusion - so no-one thinks I have aspirations to royalty!

[Andrew Field]

I'm not entirely sure, but this may be the original post you mention:
http://www.schoolhis...b4718354811d611

Also related to lesson starters here:
http://www.schoolhis...b4718354811d611

Fully agree with your sentiments though - I'm going to play a Trench Warfare boardgame with the kids tomorrow - I'll be interested to see how well it works.

[Stuart]

I'm going to play a Trench Warfare boardgame with the kids tomorrow - I'll be interested to see how well it works.

Is this boardgame one of your own creations? If so, can I beg a copy please? I'm starting trench warfare with my lot after the half-term hols.

[Richard Drew]

glad you found the lesson stuart, it really is superb. i used it with all 3 of my y7 classes before half-term and it was exciting, engaging and taught them loads.

i followed it up with lessons on:

1) castles (using a superb model of a motte and bailey castle built by a previous y7)

2) feudal system (role play with pupiuls giving the oaths up and down)

3) domesday book (chronology card sort on stages from the initial problem to the final book)

and am now going to use the 'williams problem page' worksheet downloads from andrew's site as an assessment task for this unit: "how did william gain control of england"

tip - the questions you ask after the role play are essential

[Andrew Field]

I'm going to play a Trench Warfare boardgame with the kids tomorrow - I'll be interested to see how well it works.

Is this boardgame one of your own creations? If so, can I beg a copy please? I'm starting trench warfare with my lot after the half-term hols.

I'll try it tomorrow. It isn't something I've created - I think it comes from some resource book of some sorts. I'll send you an 'evaluation' copy tomorrow - but I'll need to scan it in first.

It is basically a board game that encourages them to learn about life in the trenches. They roll a dice and move a certain number of steps. They have to record their experiences on a record card. If they die (quite likely), they have to go back to the last recorded place and start a new record card under a new identity.

In groups of four, the winner is the pupil who manges to get to the end of the war first.

Leads onto a spider diagram on the experiences, then to an extended piece of writing. I hope it will go quite well.

However, some time tomorrow I need to be covered as I'm involved in specialist bid discussions - s**'s law it will be during my Year 10 lesson.

[Richard Drew]

after a couple of request have decided to paste my Je Suis Le Roi questions straight here, andrwe should be turning them into a downloadable resource soon, but in the mean time:

after the 20-25 minute role play these debrief questions cover the rest of the lesson and really pick out and hammer home the key points:


“Je Suis le Roi” questions

Stage 1 – recap key events of role-play:

· Whose land was given to Norman soldiers at the start of the role-play?
· William said he had been generous in letting the English keep their land – what did he expect in return?

· Where was the 1st rebellion against William?
· Did William take away lands from all the Lords in the Midlands?
· What did the ‘rebels’ have to do now?

· How did William punish the Lords in the South West after their rebellion?
· What was built at Exeter to help keep control?

· Who joined the rebellion in the North in 1069?
· How did William punish the Lords in the North after this rebellion?

· How did William respond to the rebellion in East Anglia?
· Look around the room. How is the Land in England now owned?

Stage 2 – thinking it through:

· Did William plan to give all the land in England to his followers from the start?
· Did William change his mind after the rebellions in the Midlands and the South West?
· When and why did William change his mind?
· Why were the rebellions not successful?
· What could the English have done to make their rebellion successful?
· Why did building castles help the new Lords? (for future reference)
Stage 3 - Digging Deeper:

To the English:

· Could you understand William’s statements?
· How did that make you feel?

· How did your feelings towards William change as the role-play progressed?

· How did you feel when your lands were taken away?

· Did you feel: ruled or occupied? Punished or massacred? Like rebels or freedom fighters?

To the Normans:

· How did you feel when William said the English could keep their lands?

· Did you feel like rulers or occupiers? Were the English being massacred or punished? Were the English being rebels or freedom fighters?

Stage 4 - any questions:

· Anything you want to ask?

(In stage 4, can pupils answer each others’ questions, if not then teacher answers)

[Stuart]

Thanks for posting those questions Richard. That's my de-briefing taken care of! I can't wait to give this lesson.

I've got a student taking one of my Y7 classes and I was going to suggest that he does the lesson with his class too. What do you think guys? Is it a bit much for a student to take on in one of his first lessons with a class? I'd give him loads of support and everything (both in planning it and during the lesson), but maybe it's asking a bit much.

[Stephen Drew]

MASSIVE confidence booster if it works.

As long as he is doing it after you have done it and you are in the room to basically run most of the lesson when needed, it could be a huge success.

Or of course it could bomb and put the poor student off experimenting and being bold forever.

[Stuart]

He'd come and see me teach it to my other Y7 class first. Then I'd help him plan it and we could maybe team teach it.

I've emailed him and told him about the lesson. He hasn't got back to me yet. Hopefully he'll get himself to the library and look the idea up for himself tomorrow morning. I'll leave the choice up to him I guess.

By the way, I'm planning on getting one of my 6th formers to come and be William in my lesson - provided I can find one that both speaks French well and can be suitably intimidating.

[Andrew Field]

provided I can find one that both speaks French well and can be suitably intimidating.

I'm sure the latter can be found, but I'm not sure about the former!

[Richard Drew]

re the 6th former - we got one in for one of the lessons it worked really well - the kids said that the anger shown in french meant they almost understood the language even though they knew no french

re the student - the lesson is so engaging that i found it led to LESS problems from the class. perhaps in this lesson you could play William (hows your french) - your presence in the classroom is clear but you never even speak english to the kids!!

[Richard Drew]

following on from the role play a couple of weeks ago, my y7's wrote up their 'how did william control england' enquiry today.

the activity was the 'william's problem page' from the y7 resources downloads on this site.

the results were fabulous - the kids had understood so much from the 'je suis le roi' activity and the follow up work on the feudal system and domesday book. i couldn't believe it.

after going fully through the process to assessment stage i heartily recommend this activity with no hesitation at all

[Win Bradley]

I found Ian Dawson's version of 'je suis le roi' on the schools history project site - can be printed off easily.

http://www.tasc.ac.u...ence papers.htm


Win

[Carole Faithorn]

Thanks for this, Win. The rest of the SHP 2002 Conference papers look as if the could be very interesting/helpful too. I'll start a new thread with them listed.

See here

[georginadunn]

Just to add: I've taught this lesson three times now since seeing it in action at the Shp conference. Chris and Ian delivered the role play, and Ian had cuddly toys as the soldiers up in York. The rebels ended up being massacred greatly - let's say that Ian's sons teddy bear began with two ears, and went home with none!!! Repeating this info to my kids afterwards makes them feel very relieved, esp those who were in York!

The first time I taught it I had a year 7 french pupil playing the role of William, but since then have played the role myself both in French and English. My French is rubbish but none of the kids have commented on it so far, and it has worked out okay.

Funny how so many of us were at the conference in July but never connected - we'll have to have special badges this year. Can't wait to go again!