Author: onebighistorydepartment

diversity and inclusion, local networks, teaching and learning resources, websites and publications

Resources for history lessons that reflect diversity … and the HA conference

‘How far does the past talked about in your history classroom reflect the diversity of modern Britain?’ This was the question posed recently to PGCE History students at the University of York. Following the posing of this question, the students rolled up their sleeves and put together a short ‘Guide for busy teachers’ that you can find here: Whose histories? – diversity ideas and resources  The … Continue reading Resources for history lessons that reflect diversity … and the HA conference

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GCSE and A level, substantive knowledge, teaching and learning ideas

Making it stick is hard – try ‘Starter for ten’!

With the return to two year linear exams at GCSE and A Level, history teachers face even more of a challenge to help students to learn and retain knowledge and understanding so that they can perform well in the exam hall. This requires us to keep on finding engaging and memorable ways to teach content. Here is an idea developed for A Level, that could … Continue reading Making it stick is hard – try ‘Starter for ten’!

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GCSE and A level, KS3, local networks, speaking and listening, substantive knowledge, teaching and learning ideas, teaching and learning resources, websites and publications

Roleplay and recreation: sharing great Normans resources

Happy New Year to all of you! History teachers are a wonderful tribe and OneBigHistoryDepartment exists to connect history teachers not only to each other, but to the many years of great history teaching that have gone before. We are all too busy to reinvent wheels. We are all too clever to be gulled into thinking that the issues we face in the classroom are … Continue reading Roleplay and recreation: sharing great Normans resources

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GCSE and A level, teaching and learning ideas

Getting the kids to make their own revision guide!

My Problem: My A-Level class are about to begin revising for the brand new A-Level. They need a decent set of revision notes but I do not have time to make fancy pants knowledge organisers. My Solution: Get the students to make a fully stocked revision website. Here’s how I did it at no cost (well except a bit of my time). Step 1: Create … Continue reading Getting the kids to make their own revision guide!

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GCSE and A level, KS3, substantive knowledge, teaching and learning ideas

Substantive concepts: ‘Left-wing? Right-wing? Do you mean like in hockey, miss?’

This week a post to help teach tricky concepts at GCSE… Left-wing and right-wing are not easy concepts for GCSE students. Every year I make my students laugh by pacing from side-to-side of my classroom being the political positions on an imaginary political line from left to right. I am not good at impersonations, but I try to put politicians on the line in a … Continue reading Substantive concepts: ‘Left-wing? Right-wing? Do you mean like in hockey, miss?’

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GCSE and A level, speaking and listening, teaching and learning ideas

Building schema: Maps and Mnemonics

Practical advice from a colleague wrestling with how to ensure students learn and retain sense of place… I’ve been working hard with my Year 11s to make their knowledge secure. This is so that they can feel confident forming their arguments, both in discussion in class and ultimately for their written answers in the exam. The new Making of America unit on the OCR SHP … Continue reading Building schema: Maps and Mnemonics

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display materials, teaching and learning resources

The Process of History display

The Historical Association has regional twilight meetings for teachers. Inspired by hearing Ian Dawson at the Northern History Forum, Huntington History Department has created this beautiful display and is happy to share it with everyone: Process of History Display Why not go to one of the up and coming HA events? Click here to find out more about CPD that is low cost and high impact. As well … Continue reading The Process of History display

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teaching and learning ideas

Getting them in and getting them started

I am currently mentoring two Troops to Teachers – one for History, the other for RE. I think these subjects have a lot in common. One thing I know is that both trainees need to be on top of behaviour from the beginning of every lesson. That is helped enormously if they get the pupils into the class room in an orderly fashion and get … Continue reading Getting them in and getting them started

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substantive knowledge, teaching and learning ideas

Misconception, misconception, misconception!

It was my TA that did it. Whilst working on a series of revision sessions for a small intervention group that I did not personally teach, and juggling a number of absences, I got into the habit of sending her what I had planned a day in advance. She would look things over and generally agree that what I had planned would be suitable, and … Continue reading Misconception, misconception, misconception!

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display materials, teaching and learning ideas, teaching and learning resources

Think like a historian!

This week we’re sharing a lovely resource, with thanks to Hugh Richards and the Huntington School York History Department. They are sharing with us the resources they give their students to explain thinking historically. This is the product of engrossing and lengthy discussions over several months, within and beyond their department. They enable clear classsroom conversations about what it means to think like a historian. … Continue reading Think like a historian!

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