The Māori Battalion
AN HISTORICAL PRESENTATION
Introduction
This activity assesses History Achievement Standard 90655 (3.2) . It requires you to produce an article for a publication like History Now. You are strongly advised to spend a considerable amount of time looking at articles in History Now to help you make decisions about the best way to present your researched information.
If you would rather present your article for publication in a different journal (e.g. Time ,
The Guardian, New Internationalist , or Listener ) take a copy of the journal to your teacher so that you can agree on the format and style requirements.
You must submit your article to your History teacher on or before:_______________
Task #1 – Historical ideas with supporting evidence
Your article must communicate key historical ideas . Historical ideas are generalisations about history. Historical ideas need to be supported by evidence .
This example may be helpful.
Haane Manahi was a courageous soldier who many believe should have been awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery.
[Historical idea]
During the Battle of Takrouna, Tunisia, in April 1943, Sergeant Haane Manahi of Te
Arawa led a small band of M āori soldiers up a 300-metre-high rocky outcrop. Under mortar and machine-gun fire, they captured an enemy stronghold held by more than
300 Italian and German troops. The act was described by Lieutenant General Sir
Brian Horrocks as ‘the most gallant feat of arms I witnessed in the course of the war’.
[Supporting evidence]
Narrative by itself is insufficient for a passing grade . If you just describe what happened in an historical event, you will not have communicated historical ideas and understandings – and you will not be awarded this Achievement Standard.
To gain a grade of Excellence your article must communicate explicitly and succinctly a comprehensive range of relevant key historical ideas. These ideas must be supported with accurate supporting evidence from your research. Overall, you will need to demonstrate a perceptive understanding of the historical topic you have researched.
Task #2 – Format and style
You should closely follow the format and style of History Now. Your article should have:

An appropriate title

An introduction that states the focus and direction of the article

Paragraphs that have topic sentences and supporting evidence

Paragraphs that follow a logical sequence

A conclusion that summarises the main ideas of the article

Appropriate photographs with relevant captions.
To gain a grade of Excellence, you must convincingly and consistently apply these features of format and style with impact .
Task #3 – Use appropriate historical conventions
Your article must contain:

a reference list or bibliography following the conventions required by your teacher or history department

appropriate use of names, dates, places, numbers and terms

Name: ________________________________________________________
Task:_________________________________________________________
I acknowledge advice from history teachers in this school in completing this work.
I state that this assignment is an original piece of work that I completed on my own for this subject, this year, under the supervision of my teacher.
I accept that if there is evidence to the contrary, I will receive a NOT
ACHIEVED grade for the Achievement Standard/s in question.
Signed _________________________
Date _________________________

Assessment Schedule
Requirement Achieved
One The s tudent’s article:

Explicitly communicates a range of relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence , to demonstrate understanding of the historical context.
Two
Three
In the article the student has presented material clearly , applying features of the appropriate historical format and/or style:

An appropriate title

An introduction that states the focus and direction of the article

Paragraphs that have topic sentences and supporting evidence

Paragraphs that follow a logical sequence

A conclusion that summarises the main ideas of the article.

Appropriate photographs with captions
In the article the student has used appropriate historical conventions consistently and accurately ie
 appropriately formatted bibliography.
 appropriate use of names, dates, places, numbers and terms.
Merit
The student’s article:

Explicitly communicates a wide range of relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence, to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the historical context.
In the article the student has presented material effectively, consistently applying features of the appropriate historical format and/or style:

An appropriate title

An introduction that states the focus and direction of the article

Paragraphs that have topic sentences and supporting evidence

Paragraphs that follow a logical sequence

A conclusion that summarises the main ideas of the article.

Appropriate photographs with captions
In the article the student has used appropriate historical conventions consistently and accurately ie
 appropriately formatted bibliography.
 appropriate use of names, dates, places, numbers and terms.
Excellence
The student’s article:

Explicitly and succinctly communicates a comprehensive range of relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence, to demonstrate a perceptive understanding of the historical context.
In the article the student has presented material convincingly, consistently applying features of the appropriate historical format and/or style with impact :

An appropriate title

An introduction that states the focus and direction of the article

Paragraphs that have topic sentences and supporting evidence

Paragraphs that follow a logical sequence

A conclusion that summarises the main ideas of the article.

Appropriate photographs with captions
In the article the student has used appropriate historical conventions consistently and accurately ie
 appropriately formatted bibliography.
 appropriate use of names, dates, places, numbers and terms.