Year 8 Medieval Europe Essay

Year 8 History

Medieval Europe Essay Task

Your task is to choose one of the topics below and write a 500 word essay on that topic.  The assessment criteria are printed on the back of this sheet.  These are given so that you know what is required of you in this assignment.  Use them to help you write your essay.

 1). “The decline of feudalism was a benefit to the peasants in medieval societies.”
         How true is this statement?

If you’ve chosen this topic:

·         What was life like for peasants under the feudal system?

·         How did their lives change when feudalism declined?

·         Weigh up those changes you think were positive and those you think were negative

·         Decide whether you think the effects were mainly negative with a few positives, or mainly positive with a few negatives

·         Try to think about what answer the evidence supports

·         Is the statement true to a large extent? A small extent? Why?

 2). “The Black Death was the leading cause of the decline of feudalism.”
       How true is this statement?

If you’ve chosen this topic:

·         Don’t  just tell me about the Black Death

·         Think about the many different causes of the decline of feudalism

·         Where does the Black Death fit with the other causes – was it the LEADING cause, or was it just one of many different causes? What were some of the other causes?

·         Which of these best suits your thoughts:

o   There were lots of different causes but the Black Death was the main one, and this is why…

o   The Black Death was just one of many different causes for the decline of feudalism, and here is why…

·         Is the statement true to a large extent? A small extent? Why?

 3). “It was the threat of torture that kept people in line in the medieval world.”
       How true is this statement?

If you’ve chosen this topic:

·         Refer to section 2.2 of the textbook as a starting point

·         Decide how societies were controlled in medieval times

·         Where does the threat of torture lie? Was it the reason people behaved themselves, or were there other reasons? What role did the threat of torture play?

·         Remember, this one is not a question about torture, so don’t waste time looking at gruesome pictures

·         Is the statement true to a large extent? A small extent? Why?

Year 8 History

Medieval Europe Essay Task: Assessment Criteria

Your essay will be marked using the following criteria:

1.      Understanding of the demands of the question

The question should be addressed in a clearly structured and focused way. The question should be addressed throughout the essay.

2.      Knowledge of the way Medieval Europe was run  

Your answer should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the history of the region through effective use of historical knowledge.  You need to show that you understand how society was governed and how the people lived in Medieval Europe.

3.      Use of evidence to support an argument

The knowledge you demonstrate for criterion 2 should be presented in support of your argument regarding the quote in the question. Your argument(s) should be clear, coherent, and well backed up with evidence from the period being studied.

4.      Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation

You should always do your best in this area: correct spelling, especially of key terms; correct grammar; full sentences; paragraphs (TEEL: Topic, Evidence, Explanation, Link).

5.      Bibliography

Your bibliography must be accurately presented and include at least 3 sources.  Remember there is a bibliography writing guide on the State Library of Victoria’s website.  

http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/learn-skills/essay-writing-skills/bibliographies/write-your-bibliography

 

 

Year 10 English Oral Presentations Lesson Plan

English

LESSON PLAN

Level: Year 10	Duration: 40 minutes
Topic: Oral Presentations: Identifying and analysing presentation techniques
Rationale: To engage students with a variety of oral presentation styles (speech/ debate) and to identify and analyse key techniques and conventions of successful oral presentations.
VELS Links Level 6: Speaking and Listening ·         Analyse critically the relationship between texts, contexts, speakers and listeners ·         Draw on a range of strategies to listen to and present spoken texts ·         Present and justify a point of view, and speak appropriately and confidently in informal and formal situations ·         Listen to and are provided with opportunities to produce a range of spoken texts in a variety of formal and informal situations characterised by complexity of purpose, and subject matter   ·         Critically examine the variety of ways in which spoken language influences audiences and, in their own presentations, experiment with a range of persuasive techniques   Progression Point 5.5   • Critical analysis of relationship between spoken texts, context, speakers and listeners   • Selection of persuasive language and non - verbal techniques to influence specific audiences   • Responsive listening to a range of spoken texts dealing with complex subject matter
Learning Outcome At the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify and analyse different conventions of oral presentations. They will be able to use specific terminology to discuss oral presentations and will be able to analyse the impact of factors such as purpose, audience and context when listening to an oral presentation.
Focus Questions What are the features of a good speech? What persuasive techniques does Obama use in his speech and how effective are they? How can we take these techniques and use them in our own debates?

Learning Activities

Teacher	Students	Time
Contextualise lesson for the students. • Previous work on persuasive language and  persuasive writing • This lesson is first is series on oral presentations with ultimate aim being students doing individual presentations within a class debate. * Outline links to VELS	Listen.	3 mins
ENGAGEMENT STAGE: • Diagnose what learners’ previous knowledge and establish gaps in this knowledge • Draw on students’ knowledge and relate it to the lesson   Ask the class: What are some features of good oral presentations? Write answers on white board.   Hand out transcript of Obama’s speech. • whole class reading • focus on what works as persuasive writing	Whole class discussion.       • whole class reading • discuss in small groups - talk about concrete examples • class response with clear examples and listen to classmates opinions.	3 mins       7 mins
Watch Obama’s speech.  You Tube 9:37 to end.	Watch clip.	4 mins
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE STAGE: • Assist learners in acquiring knowledge needed to complete task, with particular focus on language and literacy. • Teacher models how to complete this task   Discuss speech. Did Obama use any of the features of a good speech that the class came up with?   Allocate each table a technique to focus on when re-watching the clip check they understand what they are looking for! (rhythm, repetition, pitch, audience, purpose, climax, contention/persuasiveness, emphasis, language, allusion/ referencing, body language)   Facilitates class conversation.	Discuss speech as whole class.       Re-watch speech and focus on their specific technique. How has Obama used this technique? How has this technique affected the audience/ persuasiveness of his speech?     Each table reports back their findings.	2 mins       8 mins             5 mins
TRANSFORMATION STAGE: ·         Students work on an extended task in which they transform skills and knowledge acquired.   Speed Debating Activity.   TOPICS: -          Corporal punishment should be brought back to school. -          Sport should be compulsory at school.	In groups of 2 students are given a topic which they must debate about.  Student A is affirmative and student B is negative.  They have 2 minutes each to make a case. They then swap topics with the group next to them and repeat the process. Finally they return to their original topic but argue the opposing position that they had before. The aim is for all students to argue both for and against two different topics.	8 mins

Assessment Formative assessment of student’s contribution to class discussion and activities.  Working towards a major assessment task: an in-class debate.

Resources                        • Transcripts of Obama’s New Hampshire Primary speech (25 copies) (plus Power Point version for contingency) • Clip of Obama’s New Hampshire Primary speech 9:37 onwards (on USB, YT link: youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms) • Debating topics slips • Whiteboard markers

 

Year 9 English Unit Outline

 

Thursday’s Child, Year 9 English Unit Outline – Unit Theme: Land and Landscape

Students are expected to have read the text before this unit has begun and all reading during this unit is designed to be a second reading.  However, taking into account a wide range of literacy levels within the class, those students who have not yet read or finished reading the text will not be immediately disadvantaged (most of the unit is based on the cover/blurb and short, isolated extracts from the text).

Lesson	Topic/Focus	Stage of Learning and Teaching Cycle	Lesson Objectives/Assessment	Learning Activities
Lessons 1 and 2	Introduction to novel Setting up expectations about the text based on the book cover.	Engagement – Building Knowledge	-          Students will form a response to the text based on imagery. -          Students will participate in class discussion.	-          Examination of image on front cover. -          Reading aloud of blurb. -          Study another image of barren land. -          Class discussion. -          Students write piece based on these images and information from blurb describing how/if this information relates to the text.
Lessons 3, 4 and 5	Analysis of descriptive language.	Building Knowledge	-          Students understand the conventions of descriptive language. -          Students work effectively in groups -          Students are able to transform information from the text into a map.	-          Look at extracts from text that describe differing landscapes, e.g., Chapter 7 p. 68, esp. changes across the seasons/weather. -          In groups students are given a chapter of the book to read and to identify passages relating to the land.  How do these descriptive words shape the narrative? -          Students map the landscape based on the descriptions in the text.
Lessons 6 and 7	Identifying how the concepts relating to the  ‘land’ are used as metaphor.	Transformation	-          Students understand the term ‘metaphor’. -          Students show knowledge of text through detailed analysis of metaphors. -          Students will display initiative and work independently.	-          Discussion re: defining metaphor (students should already have covered this). -          Analysis of how metaphor is used in the text. -          Students research and find their own images of land and write a creative piece based on this image using metaphor and descriptive language.
Lesson 8	Summative evaluation of what we have learnt.	Reflection	-          Students reflect upon what they have learnt. -          Students form a written response to the text.	-          Students return to original written piece from lessons 1 and 2 and evaluate if and how their view(s) have since changed.  -          Students write a paragraph describing how the image on the front cover of the book relates to the text, in view of what they have learnt during the unit.