In meeting these learning aims, the teachers found that opportunities
to develop numeracy, ICT, literacy and citizenship presented themselves
naturally. Cross-curricular skills could be integrated into each depth
study, rather than bolted on as an afterthought.
Enquiry 1: What impact did the First World War have
on your local area?
This enquiry was designed to demonstrate to pupils that the First World
War had a significant impact at a local as well as a national and global
level. It was felt that pupils connect more easily with an individual
case study than with the big picture. Statistics become real if the
names are local names and the village is their village.
In addition, the teachers felt it was important that pupils generate
their own evidence and use this to draw their own inferences and to
make their own conclusions. Pupils have a far greater sense of personal
involvement in the enquiry if they have generated the evidence and if
they work out the significance of the First World War for themselves.
Using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s website and the
local council’s Roll of Honour, pupils constructed a database
on men from their village/parish who died fighting in either the First
or Second World War. They developed a set of inferences ranging from
the impact of the war on their local area to more generalised inferences
about periods and places that saw very high casualty rates.
Pupils discussed the problems associated with drawing firm conclusions
based only on this evidence, and suggested different types of source
material that could help them test their ideas.
PDF of the guidance sheet
Developing numeracy through the enquiry
This enquiry represented an ideal opportunity to build a joint numeracy
initiative with the school’s mathematics department, and to find
more curriculum time for history. A significant part of this depth study
was actually covered in mathematics lessons.
This study involved pupils collecting data from a variety of sources
(including local war memorials, websites and census returns) and then
processing, interpreting, representing and discussing the data in order
to evaluate the impact of the First World War on their local area.
It provided an ideal opportunity for pupils to handle large sets of
real data in a meaningful context. Handling data is one of the national
curriculum attainment targets for mathematics. Handling data is also
a central aspect of the Framework for teaching mathematics at key stage
3.
Building links with the mathematics department enabled pupils to explore
the data in greater depth than would otherwise have been the case. Pupils
enjoyed the feeling of working ‘like real historians’, generating
and interpreting their own evidence. Some wanted all mathematics lessons
to be like this!
PDF of the level descriptions
Developing ICT through the enquiry
How could ICT be used to develop pupils’ historical understanding
and skills? This enquiry provided a rich and motivating context for
the development of pupils’ ICT skills. ICT was integrated into
the learning in three different ways.
Pupils used the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website to trace
ancestors or local soldiers who died in the First World War. Pupils
also used the council’s website to access the Roll of Honour.
Pupils carried out extra research, using CD-ROMs and the internet,
to access extra source material relating to the six key themes. For
example, if pupils wanted to find out more about medical conditions,
they used a website to extend their research. Pupils also used CD-ROMs
and the internet to find extra source material and appropriate images
or sound effects for their documentaries.
As part of this enquiry, pupils used a spreadsheet to analyse the data
in greater detail and calculated the percentage of men from their local
area who lost their lives in the war; the mean age of death; what rank
most of these soldiers were; the percentage of men who died and whose
bodies were never found.
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Enquiry 2: Does the film The Battle of the Somme
provide a realistic picture of life in the trenches?
This enquiry consisted of a structured investigation into the extent
to which the film The Battle of the Somme provides a realistic
picture of life in the trenches. The aim is to develop pupils’
ability to handle a range of source material and to draw substantiated
conclusions.
The core activities in this enquiry involved pupils cross-referencing
the main messages of the film against a range of visual (cartoons, paintings
and photographs), written (letters, diaries, memoirs and poems) and
oral (interviews) sources. An important aspect of this enquiry is the
incorporation of local source material. Individual stories and case
studies can have a very powerful effect on pupils’ interest and
motivation.
Pupils started by examining key scenes from the film. Their task was
to identify the main messages contained in the film and detect what
the film suggests about tactics, soldiers’ attitudes towards war
and the enemy, equipment and supplies, medical care and trench conditions.
They investigated the background to the film and the context in which
it was made, and used this knowledge to highlight reasons why the film
might not be totally trustworthy.
Pupils used their research to produce a balanced and substantiated
analysis of the film. They ended the enquiry by exploring how the First
World War is presented today. They planned their own First World War
documentaries and linked these to a school assembly.
Pupils relate to a particular example more than they can to a generalised
account of an event. If the case studies are of local men from local
villages it makes the power of the individual story even stronger. Hidden
within the histories of every regiment that fought in the First World
War are accounts written by men from all walks of life.
PDF of the enquiry structure
Developing literacy through the enquiry
This enquiry linked directly to many of the year 9 objectives from
the key stage 3 national strategy document Framework for the teaching
of English. It developed pupils’ literacy skills range of ways.
Speaking and listening activities were the basis of the whole of the
enquiry. In units 1, 2 and 3, several learning activities involved group
and paired discussion. Pupils discussed and evaluated conflicting evidence
to arrive at considered viewpoints. Unit 6 developed pupils’ ability
to solve problems in groups, and challenged them to present their ideas
to a wider audience.
Reading was a particular focus of units 2 and 3. Pupils developed their
research skills, synthesising information from a range of sources. They
compared the presentation of ideas, values or emotions in contrasting
texts. In unit 2 the teacher demonstrated how pupils should focus on
specific words and phrases in order to understand the standpoint and
intentions of the author.
Pupils learnt how to comment effectively on the provenance of a source
in terms of its nature, origins and purpose and how this affects reliability.
In unit 3 pupils read a range of challenging historical sources including
newspapers, diaries, memoirs and letters.
The sequence of lessons provided an opportunity for pupils to develop
their study of poetry and novels. Pupils cross-referenced the key messages,
contained in the work of the war poets, against the key messages of
the film.
For example, they considered the extent to which the poetry of Owen,
Sassoon, Aldington and Rosenberg challenge the key messages put forward
in the film. Pupils also explored how the attitudes of the poets changed
during the course of the war.
The enquiry developed pupils’ ability to plan, draft and present
writing for a range of purposes and audiences. In unit 2 pupils produced
a written explanation of why historians should not entirely trust the
film. In unit 3 they made notes from a range of historical sources.
In units 4 and 5 pupils analysed the extent to which the film provides
a realistic picture of life in the trenches, and compared the film to
recent interpretations. Finally, in unit 6, pupils planned, drafted
and edited their own documentary on life in the trenches.
Developing ICT through the enquiry
The investigation into real people from their local community inspired
pupils. They found that many of the men who had died fighting in the
First World War had served in the Suffolk Regiment.
Pupils therefore wanted to find out more about the role their local
regiment had played in the war. As a result of this interest, we established
a joint project with our ICT department. Pupils were set the task of
researching the role that one battalion from their local regiment played
in the war.
Each pair of pupils researched a different battalion, tracing the battles
in which they fought and their experiences in the trenches. Pupils used
a variety of different sources to find out about their battalion. A
visit to their local Records Office enabled pupils to use, at first
hand, actual letters, diaries and poems written by soldiers while serving
in the Regiment.
Pupils also used the official history of the regiment – old film
footage from the Imperial War Museum, local and national newspapers,
paintings and photographs – to gain further insights into the
extraordinary experiences of men from our locality who fought in the
war. Pupils uncovered a wealth of interesting information, including
men who won VCs, famous poets and soldiers shot for desertion, all of
whom served in the Suffolk Regiment.
Pupils presented their findings in the form of a website, aimed at
members of the local community. Examples of the work pupils’ work
and the resources they used to construct their websites can be found
on the school’s website. Go to www.holbrookhigh.suffolk.sch.uk
and ‘subjects – history’ for pupils’ websites
and resource materials.
The websites were aimed at members of the local community. They used
the local media to advertise the website and to ask for new material.
A great deal of interest has been shown in the website locally and the
school has been able to incorporate new resource material into the site.
It is envisaged that the website will grow each year, with new groups
of year 9 pupils updating and developing the website.
Developing citizenship through the enquiry
This sequence of history lessons made a direct contribution to the
programme of study for citizenship at key stage 3. In particular, pupils
developed skills of enquiry and communication, deepened their understanding
of the significance of media in society, found out about the work of
voluntary groups and developed skills of participation and responsible
action.
The enquiry made its most direct contribution to citizenship education
through the development of skills of enquiry and communication. The
sequence of history lessons developed pupils' ability to analyse information
and sources, to justify orally and in writing a personal opinion and
to contribute to class discussions and debates.
In units 2 and 3, pupils explored how the media can be controlled and
subverted by governments to manipulate public opinion. These units developed
critical thinking skills, demonstrated the significance of the media
in society and explored key concepts such as censorship and propaganda.
Using research, the pupils traced individual soldiers from local communities
who fought in the First World War and are buried or commemorated in
France and Belgium. Pupils contacted the Last Post Association and visited
the Somme and the Ypres salient and laid a wreath, commemorating the
men from the local area who fought in the war, as part of the last post
ceremony at the Menin Gate.
Work on the First World War involved pupils in an intergenerational
project that developed links with, and gave them a greater understanding
of, their own communities. The final task (see unit 6) involved pupils
producing a PowerPoint presentation on the First World War.
The teachers found that groups of pupils presenting their work to other
year groups in the lower school is a very powerful and appropriate way
for the school to commemorate Remembrance Day.
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