Year 10 History - Australian Curriculum Prezi

http://prezi.com/xtf3rcqr6obi/present/?auth_key=h4hr24y&follow=ly-avqc2ahkf&kw=present-xtf3rcqr6obi&rc=ref-37061909

I made this Prezi for a Year 10 class studying History as set out under the new Australian Curriculum.

This lesson was an introduction to Australia's contribution to international popular culture (movies, t.v. sport, music etc).  The students were told to make a table and record how Australia is represented in each clip and how Australia/Australians are portrayed to international audiences.  The class then discussed how this portrayal has changed over time.  

Year 8 Renaissance Presentation

You will be given one aspect of the Renaissance to research in detail and will complete the following:

TASK ONE

This part of your project is to be done in pairs. 

You will write and present to the class a 3-5 minute lesson about the topic you are given.  You must cover the key ideas, themes and historical importance of your particular topic. 

Your presentation must be informative and interesting.  Both members of the group must participate equally in the research and the presentation of your findings. 

Your presentation should not involve you just standing in front of the class talking.  You could

• Write a song/rap that incorporates everything you have learnt about your topic (if you choose this option it is a good idea to make a Power Point slide or a handout of your lyrics so that the class can read along while you present)
• Write a story based on historical facts and read it to the class
• Perform a short skit highlighting the key points of your topic
• You can use props, draw diagrams, use the whiteboard, give handouts, make a Power Point presentation or a Prezi – anything that will help you with your presentation… Be creative!

In your presentation you must:

•     Give a brief outline of what/who your presentation is about. 
•     Explain why the subject of your research is important.  What role did they play in the Renaissance? Why do we still remember them today?
•     What aspect of society during the Renaissance was changed or affected by your topic?
•     How does your topic influence today’s society?

TASK TWO

Each group will assess one other group's presentation.  You will be given the criteria (on the back of this sheet) and you will mark your peers based on how well you feel they have met each criterion.  You will also be required to write some feedback because your assessment sheet will then be given to the group you are assessing.

Your opinions will be taken seriously so try to be as fair as possible.

Remember, you will also be assessed by your peers!

TASK THREE

Each person (NOT group) will submit their own paragraph outlining the key information given in your presentation.  300 words minimum - remember TEEL.  A bibliography must be included for this task.

A helpful website which identifies some key themes about the Renaissance is http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/

Peer Assessed Presentation Criteria

	Very Good	Good	Satisfactory	Not Satisfactory
Engaging
Easy to Understand
Informative

Comment:

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Text Response Essay final Check List

Regarding the essay as a whole:

 Does your essay have an introduction, which identifies your overall contention (argument) and how you will respond to the topic?

 Does your essay have at least three body paragraphs?

 Does your essay have a conclusion, which offers a full and final answer to the topic question?

Does EACH body paragraph:

 Address each element of TEEL (Topic sentence, Explain, Evidence, Link)?

 Have a topic sentence that identifies that paragraph’s argument?

 Have at least one quote as evidence?

 Has the quote been blended/incorporated, so that it reads properly if you take out the quotation marks?

 Have your provided some analysis/interpretation/discussion of your evidence?

Have you proofread and ensured that:

 There are no spelling or grammatical errors

 The language is formal, and not conversational (DEFINITELY NO text talk!)

 Capitals are used correctly, including in character names

 The title of the book is italicised whenever it is used

 You have not used contradictions (e.g. make sure you write “is not”, not “isn’t”)

 You have not used the first person (“I think that…”) or the second person (“you see this when…”)

 Quotation marks are used appropriately and appear either side of every quote. 

Year 7 Geography Maps Prezi

Year 7 Geography Prezi.

What type of map should I use?

http://prezi.com/c6kow3vckact/present/?auth_key=7xjufs3&follow=ly-avqc2ahkf

I used this Prezi to introduce Year 7's to different types of maps and what they are used for.

Prezi's can be used in the classroom in the same way as Power Point presentations.  However, Prezi's can be edited online by more than one user.  This means that if students are working in a group to create a presentation, each group member can access the same Prezi from different computer.

Advice for writing a History essay

General Advice

• answer the question and provide a strong contention
• demonstrate a close understanding of relevant content (spell names of people and countries correctly, make sure that you fully understand the sequence of events)
• are clear, use appropriate language and terminology, and have effective structure

What are the signs of a good essay?

• It has a clear and firmly expressed argument in the introduction and conclusion
• It expands upon, justifies and defends that argument throughout the essay body
• It has good structure, ie. logical and effective organisation of ideas and topics, that suggests thinking and planning
• It supports its arguments and statements with evidence
• It uses clear language that conveys meaning 
• It analyses by considering the significance of certain events/policies/decisions, rather than just describing them

The difference between description and analysis
Analysis rather than description is generally what distinguishes between a poor or average essay and a good or great essay. It is the difference between explaining what happened and the higher-order skill of explaining why it happened and evaluating its significance.
So, consider the following points when striving for analysis and evaluation over description:

• When describing or explaining an event or policy use one sentence
• Then, consider what motivated (i.e. what was the aim) this event or policy
• Then, consider what effects or outcomes did this event or policy stimulate
• Now, what links did it have to other events or policies? Look for connections
• Finally, can we explain its significance or ‘meaning’? How important was it, by comparison to other factors?

Writing a paragraph
Essay paragraphs introduce a point, expand and explain the point, discuss its significance, support ideas with evidence, then link back to the question and their main argument.

Topic sentence
A short, punchy sentence that introduces the topic, theme, idea, event or leader of that paragraph

Explanation
A sentence or two explaining what it was, who they were, what it involved or what happened, ie. a summary

Evidence
Support your explanation with appropriate evidence (e.g. specific policies, decisions, events)

Link
Finally, link back to the question and the argument you have clearly articulated in your introduction

Short Primary and Secondary Source Exercise

This task involves reading and breaking down a primary source document, then watching a clip from a telemovie which supports the description from the primary source. 
This exercise was completed at the beginning of a unit about the effects white settlement had on the Aboriginal population of Australia.  The purpose of this task in particular was for the students to gain an understanding about the arrival of the First Fleet and to highlight to the students how little the Indigenous population knew about white men.  The aim was to then lead into teaching the students that the Europeans actually knew nothing about the Indigenous population and their culture either.
The primary source is taken from a letter written by an officer from the First Fleet in 1788 (included below).  The language is quite difficult and for that reason I decided to go through the meaning of the letter with the class as a whole.  Each student had a copy of the document and as a class we read through it and deciphered the language together.  As we read through the letter, I wrote some key words on the board and asked the students to copy them down and write out their definitions.  The letter described the first meeting between the settlers and the Indigenous people of Australia.  In this description it stated that because the European men were wearing clothes, the Indigenous people were unsure what sex they were, so in order to let them know the European soldiers had to pull their pants down and show them.  After reading the letter, in order to consolidate their understanding I showed them a scene from the telemovie ‘The Incredible Story of Mary Bryant’ in which the content of this letter was played out.                   
This activity may also be useful to facilitate a discussion about the reliability of primary sources as well as how primary sources can be used in the creation of secondary documents and the artistic licence taken by some directors of historical television and movies.

Primary Source

Excerpt regarding the Australian aboriginal people from a letter from George Worgan to his brother Richard, 12 June 1788.

I must not omit mentioning a very singular curiosity among the [aboriginal] men here, arising from a doubt of what sex we are, for from our not having, like themselves long beards, and not seeing when they open our shirt-bosoms (which they do very roughly and without any ceremony) the usual distinguishing characteristics of women, they start back with amazement, and give a hum! with a significant look, implying.  What kind of creatures are these?! – As it was not possible for us to satisfy their inquisitiveness in this particular, by the simple words. Yes or no. We had recourse to the evidence of ocular demonstration, which made them laugh, jump & skip in an extravagant manner.

 

Secondary Source

Clip from ‘The Incredible Story of Mary Bryant’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07nVWX5LaaA

Watch from 3.00 – 5.45

Comments written by my mentors during my teaching practice

Comments by my Mentor Teacher from Camperdown College.

Claire has consistently and conscientiously involved herself in all dimensions of education at

Camperdown College. She has effectively maintained a professional approach with students, parents and colleagues. She constantly strives to improve her pedagogical knowledge and is genuinely interested in making a difference to students' learning. All students responded well to her teaching practice and enjoyed her classes and style of teaching. She always responds well to advice given and constantly self evaluates her lessons.
Claire's personal qualities of cheerfulness, concern for others, integrity and reliability, as well as the very capable manner in which she has tackled her responsibilities as a student teacher have combined to make her a very valuable individual.

Her enthusiasm for this profession is obvious and I wish her all the very best for her teaching career.

Comments by my Teaching Fellow from the University of Melbourne.

Congratulations Claire on an outstanding teaching round. Your personality, enthusiasm and confidence all contribute to your very positive and meaningful approach to teaching. Lesson preparation and learning outcomes for your students were well planned and executed. You have an engaging manner with students and it was evident that you quickly established a positive rapport with them. Risk taking in your teaching was evident, as was your constant reflection.

Knowledge and understanding of the curriculum was evident and your classroom management style effective.

Well done and all the very best for your future teaching career.