DIFFERENTIATED UNIT OF WORK HISTORY, STAGE 4 (YEAR 7)

Sophie Small&Raj Richardson

TOPIC 4 : SOCIETIES AND CIVILISATIONS OF THE PAST

Syllabus Inquiry Questions:

What can we learn about societies and civilisations of the past?

What have been the legacies of past societies and civilisations?

TOPIC 4 : SOCIETIES AND CIVILISATIONS OF THE PAST

Syllabus Outcomes (Related to Topic)

4.1 describes and explains the nature of history, the main features of past societies and periods and their legacy4.4 identifies major periods of historical time and sequences people and events within specific periods of time4.5 identifies the meaning, purpose and context of historical sources4.6 draws conclusions about the usefulness of sources as evidence in an inquiry4.7 identifies different contexts, perspectives and interpretations of the past4.8 locates, selects and organises relevant information from a number of sources, including ICT, to conduct basic historical research4.9 uses historical terms and concepts in appropriate contexts4.10 selects and uses appropriate oral, written and other forms, including ICT, to communicate effectively about the past

TOPIC 4 : SOCIETIES AND CIVILISATIONS OF THE PAST Syllabus Objectives for Stage 4:Students will develop:• a knowledge and understanding of the nature of history, past societies and periods andtheir legacy• the skills to undertake the process of historical inquiry• the skills to communicate their understanding of history.Values and attitudesStudents will value and appreciate:• history as a study of human experience• the opportunity to develop a lifelong interest and enthusiasm for history• the nature of history as reflecting differing perspectives and viewpoints• the opportunity to contribute to a just society through informed citizenship• the contribution of past and present peoples to our shared heritage.

Societies and Civilisations of the Past:ANCIENT EGYPT

WHY CHOOSE EGYPT?

This unit has been specially designed to foster a love of the study of History in Stage 4 students.

NSW students will have encountered Ancient Egyptian history briefly in Primary School which makes it a perfect starting point for beginner Historians!

A differentiated Unit of Work is particularly important in Stage 4 to ensure all students are accessing meaning at their own pace and through their preferred learning style

This differentiated Unit is suitable for students of all ability

levels and includes adequate pre-testing to ensure all students are afforded the best possible learning experience

Students of a wide variety of learning styles have been catered for, including kinesthetic, aural, visual, collaborative and independent learners

Most importantly, the unit provides students with learning which is FUN and INTERESTING! We want students to develop a love of History which will remain with them through their schooling years and beyond! Building a strong historical foundation is important for all students’ understanding of High School History!

Most Importantly….

At this point, please refer to your printed copy of the outline. We will now be taking a detailed look at the Unit

Outline.

Activities in each lesson are allocated points according to difficulty level and type of knowledge required. This system ensure all students engage with the content in a way which is accessible and promotes deep knowledge

Each lesson has been allocated to specific Syllabus Outcomes to ensure the Unit covers all the requirements as well as promoting choice, independence and self efficacy

Web Quests such as these are everywhere on the internet, and are a fantastic way to engage students of all learning abilities. The ones shown have been tried and tested, but why not make your own! Or better yet, have your students create Web Quests for each other!

The Glossary of terms is extremely important in any unit, especially

a differentiated layered unit such as this one where the student has lots of independence. You

could create your own, use the one included in this unit, or have the students make their

own glossary of all the terms they will need

for the topic.

First Assessment Task – Outline

This Assignment consists of three layered choices,

according to Nunley’s layered curriculum.

This allows students to choose their own

assessment, increasing their level of ownership

of their learning and improving their self

efficacy through tasks which cater to their

learning styles.

Creative options such as illustrating, creating an outfit and creating an ‘artefact’ allow students who may have difficulty accessing meaning through more traditional formats show that their have acquired the knowledge required and can interpret it to create new meaning.

Sustained writing tasks and creative response tasks, such as a Newspaper article and a series of letters allow talented students to further engage with the task, creatively interpreting and making inferences from sources.

Virtual site visits such as these give

students the opportunity to see “first hand” what they are learning about (as well as

fulfilling the compulsory Syllabus

excursion component for the

unit).

This lesson includes three task choices, one per layer. We will be looking at the choice for Layer A.

STUDENT LEARNING CONTRACT

STUDENT LEARNING CONTRACT

GOOD LUCK!

Now it’s time to implement this unit in your own classroom. We hope it has been a clear and helpful outline. Remember that the key is guided choice. Catering for a variety of students means a more supportive learning environment and a more comprehensive education. Differentiation is key!

Please see Kathie Nunley’s Website on Layered Curriculum, www.help4teachers.com, for more information on how to create differentiated units as well as a wealth of material for teachers.

GOOD LUCK

Thank you for watching and best of luck in your teaching endeavours!

Sophie Small &Raj Richardson