Introduction
At Eastfield we aim for our children to develop passion and curiosity for finding out about the past. We use Collins Connected History scheme to ensure children receive a structured but ambitious curriculum. Vocabulary and talk play a central role within history teaching and learning so our pupils' can talk like historians.
Introduction
Understand why Baghdad was at the centre of the period known as the Golden Age of Islam around AD 900.
By the end of the unit, they learnt:
Interpret original written historic sources to draw a representation of what Abu Jafar al Mansur’s ‘city of peace’ might have looked like in AD 766 – making a judgement, justifying their views and evaluating the accuracy of their conclusions;
Evaluate a range of historical sources and explain why Baghdad had become one of the most import trading centres in the world by AD 900;
Analyse a number of historic sources to make and justify a judgement as to the function of the Bayt al – Hikma in central Baghdad at the height of the Golden Age of Islam;
Identify and describe those areas of the modern world that were known to the people of Baghdad in AD 900 and reach a judgement to explain why they think they knew little about lands beyond Asia, North Africa and Europe;
Describe, explain and evaluate the impact of the work of inventors, designers and engineers of the Golden Age of Islam such as Al-Jazari and reach a judgement regarding the impact they have had on modern life;
Describe the events which occurred in Britain on August 1st AD 937, compare and contrast them with life in Baghdad, explain why they were of such great significance in the history of Britain and evaluate their importance.
Keywords we used:
Islam Sultan metropolis philosopher scholar contemporaneous Merchant
The children used documents and historical artefacts to explore what Baghdad looked like during the Golden Age of Islam. The children learnt about Abu Jafar Al Mansur (the second caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate), who designed Medina al-Salam. The children also learnt about many other scholars who contributed to the developments in geography, science, mathematics etc.
The children used maps from 977 AD to discover places around the world that Ibn Hawqal (a famous cartographer) had visited. They used the list of countries that he had visited and plotted them onto a modern-day map of the world to see which countries the people of Baghdad were aware of at that time.
The children learnt about a famous scholar called Al- Khwarizi and how his contributions to society helped to shape the modern world. The children also learnt that he was the director of the House of Wisdom, which contained over 1 million books.
The children in Year 6 learnt that, in AD 900, Baghdad was considered to be at the crossroads of the universe because it was at the centre of the trade routes between China and Europe. The children then use maps to locate the modern day countries that would have made up the Abbasid Empire in AD 900.
Once the children had learnt about the Golden Age of Islam, they looked at the events that were taking place in Britain at the same time and they wrote a newspaper article about a famous battle which helped to shape the future of England.
Introduction
Within this unit children were focusing on who the Earl of Shaftesbury was and finding out how he was significant in the lives of children and women during Victorian Britain.
By the end of the unit, they learnt:
Describe and explain when the Victorian era was.
Explain what occurred during the Industrial Revolution.
Understand the significance of the invention of the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution.
Explain and reach a judgement about how the Industrial Revolution changed the lives of Victorians.
Explain why Britain was called the ‘workshop of the world’ in Victorian times.
Explain what the British Empire and a colony was.
Explain why Britain built a large empire.
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a place becoming a colony of the British Empire.
Describe and explain what trade involved in Britain during the Industrial Revolution.
Understand how and why this trading made Britain very wealthy and powerful.
Explain why many children worked in mines and factories in Victoriantimes.
Describe and reach a judgement about the living and working conditions that these children endured.
Understand what a social reformer was and did in Victorian times.
Evaluate and reach a judgement about the achievements of the Earl of Shaftesbury as a social reformer.
Keywords we used:
Colony, innovation, smelting, power, exploitation, manufacture, empire
The children used documents and historical images to explore what life in Victorian Britain was like. The children learnt about Alexander Ashley-Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury and the social reforms he implemented to improve the lives of impoverished people (especially children).
The children began this unit by learning about the Industrial Revolution and why the steam engine was an important innovation, which helped Britain become the 'workshop of the world'.
Next, the children explored the countries that made up the British Empire. They also explored how importing raw materials from its colonies enabled Britain to become wealthy and powerful.
The children then wrote down whether they thought Anthony Ashley-Cooper should be considered a great Victorian due to the changes he implemented. These include setting up ragged schools for children, reducing the amount of hours that they could work and stopping the practise of sending children up chimneys.
Introduction
Within this enquiry children learnt about the Battle of Britain by looking at evidence. Pupils were encouraged to make judgements about the impact of the Battle of Britain on British History.
By the end of the unit, they learnt:
Evaluate a range of primary and secondary sources to explain why Britain faced the risk of an invasion in June 1940 and reach a judgment about how serious that threat was;
Interpret numerical and written evidence to explain and justify why Hitler needed to defeat the British Royal Air Force before launching an invasion of Britain in 1940;
Identify, describe, explain and evaluate the relative importance of the factors that contributed to Britain winning the Battle of Britain in 1940 and make a judgment as to which of these they feel were most significant;
Describe and explain the reasons why King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215, and evaluate and reach a judgment about why, like the Battle of Britain, it can be considered an important turning point in British history.
Keywords we used:
Fuhrer, Prime Minster, Reich, Allies, RADAR, Evacuation, Combat, Blitzkrieg
The children discussed the following question:
How serious was the risk of invasion by Nazi Germany in June 1940?
The children discovered why Britain faced a potential invasion from Nazi Germany and why the Battle of Britain was so important in stopping Germany from being able to launch an invasion on the south coast of England. The children explored the advantages that Britain had going into the battle and they discussed the mistakes that the Luftwaffe made during the battle and consequences that these mistakes had on the outcome of the battle.
After learning about the Battle of Britain and why the RAF (Royal Air Force) was able to defeat the Luftwaffe, the children wrote an explanatory report, which explained all the reasons why Britain was able to win the battle.