Our Ref: SKa/EHi
January 2011
Dear Parent/Carer
Re: C3 Home Study – ‘Bright Ideas’ – YEAR 7
Attached are the home study and overview sheets for our next C3 project which is called “Bright
Ideas” and focuses on inventions and discoveries which have changed our world.
There are four homework study tasks to choose from and all students have to complete one of
these. Deadline for the homework study task is week beginning Monday 7th February 2011.
There is also a further research task to assist them with their class assessment, which is also
outlined in the letter. In general, the essays given in by Year 7 for the Identity project were very
good, however, many essays were descriptive and lacked analytical focus – a skill required to
achieve the highest level. By using the enclosed essay structure sheet to help with gathering
research notes, the students will have a better chance to further develop essay writing. The
deadline for the essay is week beginning Monday 31 st January 2011.
We have been delighted by the quality of work received during the Africa project and the
enthusiasm shown by students. As a result of this outstanding hard work, a large proportion of
students can be very proud to have received Commendation awards.
The full version of the letter can be found on the school web-site. Please follow the link to C3
homework letter for parents. Here you will be able to find advice and help with making research
notes. Also it shows an overview of topics that are being covered during this unit of work.
Please contact me if you have any queries or require further information/clarification about this
term’s project.
Yours Faithfully,
S Kane
C3 Faculty Team Leader
Ethics Cloning Genetic Engineering GM food
The Future
Health & Fitness
Equipment for sport
Modernism
The built environment
Navigation and
the compass
Fashion
Music
Popular culture
Inventions
Top ten disastrous
inventions
Past & Future Worlds
BRIGHT IDEAS
The French Revolution
Top ten inventions
around the world
Project “invent something”
Homework
How do we live
without technology?
The origins
of Sikhism
Space
Trip
Science Museum
Accidental inventions
All areas = 2 lessons
except where indicated
KEY QUESTIONS
1. What is the difference between an invention and
a discovery?
Personal Learning and Thinking Skills
(PLTS)
2. What impact have inventions had on the lives of
people?
 Team Workers
3. What would we find it difficult to live without?
 Effective Participators
4. How and in what different ways have
technologies changed our world?
 Creative Thinkers 
 Self-Managers
5. How do art and architecture reflect a changing
society and the aspirations of that society?
6. Should there be a limit on technological
advances?
7. Do new ideas always lead to progress?
8. Should all inventions have a moral and ethical
dimension?
 Reflective Learners 
 Independent Enquirers
Research Task – one invention from the last 100 years
All pupils are expected to carry out the research task and to create a set of notes to help assist
them in writing their class assessment.
It is vital that all notes are re-written into their own words as notes e.g. bullet points, cue cards,
essay plan. Cutting and pasting from the internet should be discouraged, as when this happens
it is not only very obvious but also hinders student achievement.
The essay they will be completing in class is:
“Think about one invention from the last 100 years. How has that invention changed the lives
of people?” Explain how life was then, how it is different today and whether the result of the
invention is positive or negative.
Possible areas to explore are:
o Technology
o Health/Medicine
o Travel/exploration
o Lifestyles
o Food/drink
o Media
The following essay format should be considered when compiling your notes.
 Main idea (introduction) – explain what one invention you have chosen and why you
think it is important.
 Explanation – explain how your invention works
 Analysis – analyse the impact of the invention chosen – benefits and
disadvantages/difficulties.
 Link (back to main idea) – summarise the main points made and give what you think is
your most important point.
Making research notes
1. Select your paper source. This could be coloured paper, card. Handwritten or typed up. Think
about using a variety of different coloured pens, highlighters.
2. Spread out your ideas. Don't try to fit too much information onto your paper.
3. Gather more than you need. Use the library and the Internet to find potential sources to
gather your research from.
4. Narrow down your sources. As you read your potential sources, you will find that some are
helpful, others are not, and some will repeat the same information you already have. This is how
you narrow your list down to include the most solid sources.
5. Record as you go. From each source, write down any notes or quotes that could be useful for
your essay. As you take notes, try to put the writing into your own words. This reduces the
chances of committing accidental plagiarism (copying from websites etc).
6. Include everything. For each note you will need to record:




Author's name
Title of reference (book, article, interview, etc.)
Reference publication information, to include publisher, date, place, year, issue, volume.
Page number
7. Create your own system and stick to it. For instance, you may want to use highlighter pens,
logos for different categories, just to make sure you don't leave anything out.
8. Be exact. If at any time you write down information word for word, be sure to include all
punctuation marks, capitalisations, and breaks exactly as they appear in the source. Before you
leave any source, double-check your notes for accuracy.
9. If you think it might be useful, write it down. Don't ever, ever pass over information because
you're just not sure whether it will be useful! This is a very common and a costly mistake in
research. More often than not, you find that you passed-over something that is critical to your
essay, and then you won't find it again.
10. Avoid using abbreviations and code words as you record notes —especially if you plan to
quote. Your own writing can look completely foreign to you later. It's true! You may not be able
to understand your own clever codes after a day or two, either.
Homework Options
Please choose one from the following options:
Choice one
You can try your hand at inventing something new. This can be related to technology, some
gadget that will revolutionise the world, or something that you think will make a positive
difference to the world in which we live in e.g. medicine, health and fitness.
Possible ways to present is could be: to create a mock up of your invention, a real working
model or to draw a detailed design of your invention. It must include a description of your
invention, outlining its function and also an evaluation, giving both positive and negatives about
your design.
Choice two
Create a presentation about the 10 most important inventions in history. Write a paragraph for
each one justifying your opinion for each choice. This could be done as a PowerPoint or visual
display.
Choice three
To create a breaking news front page article about an invention that has revolutionised the
world. This could be done as a newspaper article covering the event, a radio or TV interview with
the inventor, a television broadcast outlining the event.
Option four
Create something new to do with popular culture.
Imagine, for example, that you are a fashion designer and you are creating a new range of
clothing. Draw your design and write something about them. You can be as imaginative as you
like, your clothes could be made entirely out of newspaper, malleable metal or fruit. You could
even make your garment up and bring it into school.
If you are musical you could produce a CD of your own new music by recording yourself or your
band’s own musical composition.
If you are artistic you could create your own ‘new’ art from produce your own artistic
masterpiece (think of Damian Hurst and his cow in formaldehyde and Picasso and his strangely
shaped people).
If you are a filmmaker you could direct and produce own film creating something different and
unusual. Be imaginative and innovative. Try to make your creation as different from anything we
have seen previously. Change the rules!