Monday, March 18, 2013

Key Messages

I attend a four day training last week and some key messages came out during the sessions as well as some interesting ways of looking at history. I have selected my top 5 below to share with you:
  • Australian Curriculum content is mandated, not the elaborations. 
    • For example in Year 1 "Differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or remained the same over time" is to be taught and therefore is mandated. The elaboration "comparing families in the present with those from the recent past (the families of parents and grandparents) in terms of their size and structure (for example the different types of family such as nuclear, single parent, blended)" is not mandated. It is an example of what can be done. (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/)
  • Western Australia (at this point in time) is not required to assess or report on the cross curriculum priorities & general capabilities. Some states have chosen to report on these, but not WA. The school can continue to report on Time, Continuity and Change until mid 2015.
  • History is moving from a noun to a verb. History is active, not passive. It encourages students to interpret, debate and to think about past and future challenges and values.
  • When teaching History we need to become comfortable with the fact that we don't know everything. This is often difficult for teachers. We need to research alongside our students. Make discoveries and share what we know and what we don't know.
  • In History, make sure the year levels stick to the topics. Although ANZAC Day is a topic across the school, only the year levels that have it in their curriculum need to look at it in greater depth. It is required in the Year 3 Curriculum: Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems. (http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/)
Some food for thought.

Happy History!
Mr Stephen Powell
TDS Coordinator
Year 2/3 Level 3 Classroom Teacher

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Local Area Study - Sawyers Valley

I have been thinking about our local area and have started exploring images from the past and images from now. Below are two pictures from Sawyers Valley. These can be used as primary evidence to initiate discussion in the classroom. I love the photo taken in circa1927 and the tavern is a well known building in the area as it is in the centre of the town.

http://www.mingor.net/localities/sawyers-valley.htm
2009
http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2358952#.UUXG3xeouuI
Circa 1927
We can explore the following historical concepts as outlined in the Australian Curriculum: History
1. Continuity and change - How has the tavern changed? What is the same?
2. Cause and effect - Why was there a tavern and what was the effect on the community?
3. Perspectives - Why were these photos taken? Who took the photos?
4. Empathy - How does it feel to live in Sawyers Valley now? What would it feel like to be in the photo taken in 1927?
5. Significance - Why is the tavern still there? What is the significance of the tavern?
6. Sources - Were did these photos come from? Are they primary or secondary souces?
7. Contestability - Is there a reason to contest the validitiy of these photos and why they were taken? (This is a very senior primary concept)

A local area study can be a great starting point when exploring History in any year level. So start searching for local history photos to explore History with your class.

Happy Researching!

Stephen Powell
TDS Coordinator 
Year 2/3 Level 3 Teacher

Friday, March 8, 2013

How Times Change

I just had to share this fantastic resource. I have been using this with my class and it is very easy to use and is perfect for Personal and Family Histories. It has video footage that has a child interviewing an adult about the past. It also has a variety of interactive activities.
Click on the link below and use your DOE portal username and password to view.



I hope you find this site useful.

Stephen Powell
TDS Coordinator and Year 2/3 Teacher

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Victorian Life in Sawyers Valley


This term the Year 2/3 class looked at the book calledVictorian Times through children’s eyes” by Anna Ciddor to find out what life might have been like in Sawyers Valley for children in 1889. The children chose which section they wanted to find out more about. They chose the section "Feeling Unwell". The book describes life for children and how they feared getting unwell and how many families had a lot of children because they often lost children to illness.
The Year 2/3s found out that illness was a major problem as the people in 1889 didn't understand how people caught diseases. The class imagined that they could go back in time to warn the people and offer some help. The students created awesome posters with clear messages such as 

  • “Don’t throw the sewage on the vegetable patch!” 
  • “Keep the windows open!” 
  • “Do not share the cups!”
This activity can be done in any school around the state as the living conditions would have been similar to those described in the book. The book is set in Melbourne.

Year 2 Achievement Standard
  • Students analyse aspects of daily life to identify how some have changed over recent time while others have remained the same.
Year 3 Achievement Standard
  • They identify events and aspects of the past that have significance in the present.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Family Trees

The Year 1/2 classes were looking at Present and Past Family Life: Differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or remained the same over time. An activity, both classes completed, was to paint a picture of a tree and take it home for parent homework. The parents were asked to complete the family tree only including the parents and grandparents. The children then shared their family tree with the class and we discussed the different names given to grandparents such a Pop, Nanny, Didi, Grandma, etc... We also discussed how not all families are the same and that each family tree will look different. Here is a picture of one family tree below.