Robert Bruce Middle School
History Department
Key Stage 3 Curriculum 2014-2015
Enquiry
Enquiry Question
Who had the strongest claim to the English
throne in 1066?
1
Key Skills
Using Evidence
Year 7
Enquiry Product
Advertising
campaign
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
2
Cause and
Consequence
How much did England change after the Norman
Invasion?
Battle re-creation
Significance
Letter to Simon
Schama
3
Change & Continuity
Who was the better king: William II or Henry I?
Interpretations
4
Top Trump Cards
Using Evidence
How do we solve the mystery of Thomas Becket’s
murder?
5
Using Evidence
Murder Trial
Length of Enquiry
Outline of Enquiry
Pupils will start by discussing the potential claimants
to the Titanic and her treasure. Transfer this to the
situation in 1066. Pupils must look at the evidence
supporting the claims of each of the three claimants
and produce posters, flyers promoting their
potential king.
Pupils will recreate the Battle of Hastings and then
consider the potential reasons why William was
successful. Pupils must then decide if William was
lucky of if he made good decisions whilst Harold
made poor decisions.
Pupils will begin by watching a short extract from
Simon Schama: A History of Britain, in which he
claims that the Norman Invasion was a hugely
significant part of English history. Pupils must work
in groups to decide if this is true and consider what
changes actually came about as a result of the
Normans.
Pupils will use evidence to determine what the key
characteristics of a successful medieval king were
and then use this information to determine which of
the two kings was the better king. Pupils will
produce top trump cards of each king to highlight
their understanding.
The enquiry starts when pupils discover the body of
a man in their classroom and must determine who
he is and how he got there. Pupils will then learn the
story of Thomas Becket and Henry II and how they
fell out. Pupils must determine who was to blame for
the murder of Becket through the use of evidence
and a class trial.
Assessment
Using Evidence
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Significance
Assessment Task
Using Evidence
Assessment Task
Using Evidence
Assessment Task
How significant was the Black Death?
Significance
6
Response to
parent complaint
Change & Continuity
What was there a peasant’s revolt in 1381?
7
Cause and
Consequence
Why was there so much religious change in the
16th Century?
8
9
How successfully did Elizabeth I deal with the
problems of her reign?
Short sketch
Hot Seating Task
Cause and
Consequence
Significance
Change & Continuity
Trial of Mary
Queen of Scots
Pupils will begin the enquiry by listening to a
telephone message from a parent. The parent is
complaining that learning about the Black Death is
pointless and was an insignificant event in British
history. Pupils must investigate whether this is true
and produce a suitable response to the complaint.
Pupils will investigate the causes of the peasants
revolt in 1381 and will demonstrate their
understanding by writing and performing a short
sketch to the rest of the class.
Pupils will look at the religious changes in the 16th
Century beginning with Henry VIII and working
through the Tudor family. Pupils will look at the
impact of the Tudor Reformation.
Pupils will evaluate the way in which Elizabeth I dealt
with the key issues of her reign including her
religious settlement, the Spanish Armada, marriage
and Mary, Queen of Scots.
Significance
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Change and
Continuity
Assessment Task
Year 8
Were the Catholics framed?
1
Why was there a civil war in England in the
1640s?
2
Using Evidence
Essay
Cause and
Consequence
Link diagram
What kind of man was Oliver Cromwell?
3
Interpretations
What was the main cause of the French
Revolution?
4
5
Plaque
How do the English Civil War and French
Revolution compare as historical events?
Role play
Cause and
Consequence
Change & Continuity
Significance
Comparison Table
Pupils will determine whether the Catholic plotters
were framed by Robert Cecil and determine whether
the story told today about the Gunpowder Plot is in
fact the real truth.
Pupils will identify and explain why there was a civil
war in England. Pupils will begin to evaluate the
significance of the different causes and begin to
determine whether one cause was more important
than the others.
Pupils will be expected to produce a 50 word plaque
to commemorate the memory of Oliver Cromwell.
Pupils will investigate his character and determine
whether he should be remembered as a hero or a
villain and create their plaque accordingly.
Pupil will identify the 9 main causes of the French
Revolution and begin to make links between them to
understand that events are rarely separate. Pupils
will complete a link diagram and begin to establish
relationships between causes.
Pupils will make comparisons between these two
events. Whilst the events are from different time
periods and took place in different countries there
are similarities between them. Pupils will identify the
Using Evidence
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Historical
Interpretation
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Change and
Continuity
Assessment Task
Was Robespierre the butcher of the revolution?
6
7
Interpretations
How was Napoleon defeated?
Causation
What horrors lay behind the slave trade?
8
Group
presentations
Practical Element
Using Evidence
Should Britain pay reparations for its role in the
Atlantic Slave Trade?
9
Trial of
Robespierre
Debate
Significance
main similarities and differences and begin to
determine which of the events had the greatest
impact on their respective countries.
Pupils will look at the role of Maximillian Robespierre
in the French Revolution and determine whether he
deserves the title ‘The Butcher of the Revolution’.
Pupils will identify and explain the reasons for
Napoleons ultimate defeat in the Napoleonic Wars.
Pupils will investigate and describe the horrors of the
slave trade using evidence to demonstrate their
knowledge of the trade and how it worked.
Pupils will debate whether Britain should pay
compensation for its role in the slave trade. Pupils
will look at evidence on both sides of the argument
and make a decision based upon the evidence they
collect.
Historical
Interpretation
Assessment Task
Cause and
Consequence
Assessment Task
Using Evidence
Assessment Task
Significance
Assessment Task