Neil Bates has written a really helpful piece on some of his own teaching activities in The Guardian entitled ‘Memorable history lessons: dress up, role play and personal stories’ which you can read [ here ].

Neil focusses on how him being in role enthuses students and increases their engagement and depth of understanding and knowledge. This isn’t about entertainment – it’s about effective teaching and learning.

If you want to follow this up through further discussion here on Thinking History see the item on hot-seating and an example on King John.

Well worth trying if you haven’t already done so.

Ian

An idea from Rachel March explaining how she’s been using a second-hand mannequin (called Noel) in her lessons.

This is not so much an activity, more a way of creating interest, discussion, questions …

… and maybe thinking about sense of period.

Read about Noel HERE.

Ian

We’ve had a draft activity on the site for a couple of months but this activity has now been up-dated following the press conference at Leicester University on 4 February 2013.

Changes have been made to the original PowerPoint sequences to include newly available photographs. One important ‘content’ change is the removal of the slide referring to the original announcement that an arrow had been found embedded near the skeleton’s spine. This identification was in error. The piece of metal turns out to have been a nail, possibly a Roman nail, buried in the ground later used for Richard’s interment.

For lots of fascinating detail see the superb Leicester University website at

www.le.ac.uk/richardiii/

The focus of the activity is what questions about Richard III the discovery allows us to answer – and which we still can’t answer. It contains a PowerPoint sequence which starts with a puzzle – what’s the connection between Richard III and a car park – which provides context and then goes onto summarize the finds. The third and final part is a card-based activity distinguishing between questions we can now answer and those we still can’t – and there’s a bit of extension work too.

To see the activity [ click here ]

Ian

Great description on Richard Kennett’s blog of a lesson he’s undertaken demonstrating Galen’s famous pig dissection. To give you an idea here’s his list of props:

• A rubber pig toy – preferably with a squeeker
• A load of red cotton thread
• Some felt – assorted colours
• A pen knife

My only quibble is with Richard’s conclusion

 “This lesson was silly and took tons of effort. I would never do this all the time, but it was fun to prove to myself that I can make a subject I had previously thought boring engaging and full of learning.”

I agree it was tons of effort and you can only do this sort of thing occasionally or you’ll burn out by the age of 32 but was it ‘silly’? It may have been fun but I think it was serious education.

I used to get this all the time, especially when I put on robes to play a historical character ‘Ian’s just having fun’ was typical, suggesting that lesson was light relief but not proper education.

I hated that attitude.

In my experience the most learning took place when students are enjoying a class – and enjoyment isn’t measured in laughter but in engagement.

So not ‘silly’ – I’d say absolutely vital.

As Richard also says:

‘Ending the lesson on an exam question (‘Explain why Galen was such an important doctor’) the students showed how much they had learnt which was tons – win.’

After that you must be tempted to read Richard’s description at:

kenradical.wordpress.com

Must find out where he got the toy pig!

(Update from Pat the Webmaster – Richard says he got it from Wilkos for less than £3)

Ian

Understanding the Pattern of Events 1455-1461

Three brief activities exploring the pattern of events between 1455 and 1461 – a physical timeline, a brief role-play and a decision-making activity.

See the activity [ here ].

Ian