MAKING LOCAL HISTORY COME ALIVEMAKING LOCAL HISTORY COME ALIVE

Teacher Adviser for History in Lancashire

12th March 2003

Fiona Revell

Local history is a Statutory Study in KS2Local history is a Statutory Study in KS2

• how an aspect in the local area has changed over a long period of time, or

• how the locality was affected by a significant national or local event, or

• how the locality was affected by the work of a significant individual.

There are a variety of options to investigate:

Visits to historical sites enrich Visits to historical sites enrich problem solving and thinking skillsproblem solving and thinking skills

• find out how to use a wide range of sources of find out how to use a wide range of sources of informationinformation

• think about why things changethink about why things change• make links between eventsmake links between events• learn and use research skillslearn and use research skills• communicate learning in a variety of wayscommunicate learning in a variety of ways• understand and appreciate similarities and understand and appreciate similarities and

differencesdifferences• compare one’s own experiences with otherscompare one’s own experiences with others• discuss ideas, beliefs, and attitudes of othersdiscuss ideas, beliefs, and attitudes of others

These help to focus the attention on the ‘how’ of history rather than ‘what’. Pupils are challenged to:

Planning for effective local history visitsPlanning for effective local history visits

• provide pupils with the context for the visit - where it fits into their existing knowledge

• show appropriately levelled Knowledge, Skills and Understanding• have activities that utilise the opportunities at the site e.g.

re-enactment events, guided talks

• utilise ICT opportunities e.g. internet site research, digital cameras

• provide relevant follow-up activities in the classroom

• can provide ‘assessment for learning’ in that the impact of pupil

interaction can be easily monitored

Always ensure that plans:

Gawthorpe Hall

Area of Study: Local History Gawthorpe HallArea of Study: Local History Gawthorpe Hall

Area of Study: Local History Gawthorpe HallArea of Study: Local History Gawthorpe Hall

Assessment OpportunityAssessment Opportunity

Prior Knowledge What I already know about Gawthorpe Hall

What I enjoyed learning about Gawthorpe Hall

Impact on Learning

Examples of ImpactExamples of Impact

“…I couldn’t believe pikes were so long… they could take more than your eye out. They were no good against a musket though. A gun could fire longer than the pike. I would prefer a musket, or better still, a cannon.”

“When the gun was firedI was told to cover my ears. It was loud. It must have hurt their ears.”

“…the lady of the house (Lady Shuttleworth) wrote letters to warn her friends about the war. She used a quill. This was a feather type pen and it was hard to be neat.”

“I wouldn’t have liked to fight in the Civil War as you had creepy crawlies (lice) in your buff coat and you were smelly.”