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Unit 1
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The unit compares life in America in the 16th and 17th centuries. Students learn about Tudor and Stuart exploration and colonisation of America. Students investigate Woodland and Plains Native American ways of life. They analyse the differences between the first English colonies, and between the values and lifestyles of the Native Americans and the colonisers. Additionally, students assess the interpretation of early interactions between colonisers and Native Americans that is presented by the Disney film 'Pocahontas'. The unit builds on their Year 7 learning about Tudor and Stuart England, and connects to Year 8 work on the American War of Independence, the British Empire and the Slave Trade, as well as to the GCSE unit on the American West. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and summatively in an assessment at the beginning of Term 3, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
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Unit 2 |
The unit explores the causes and consequences of the French Revolution. Students explore the tensions in France in the 1700s, and analyse the causes of the Revolution. After investigating the events of the Revolution, students consider life in France during the Terror and under Napoleon's rule, and reflect on the long-term effects of the Revolution. The unit introduces the idea of 'revolution'. The analysis of motivations for overthrowing a king builds on the Year 7 unit on English Civil War. The unit also provides context for later units on changing rights, including the campaign for women's suffrage in the UK, the Civil Rights movement in the USA, and twentieth century protest movements. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and summatively in an assessment at the beginning of Term 3, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
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Unit 3 |
The unit explores life in Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Students examine the experience of workers in the factories, mines and workhouses, and the attitudes of the rich towards the poor. Students analyse the reasons that so many people died from illnesses such as cholera and smallpox. They consider reasons for eventual improvements, such as the work of Bazalgette and Pasteur. Students enjoy investigating John Snow's Ghost map, and working out for themselves how to stop the cholera outbreak at Broad Street. The unit develops the idea of 'revolution', which was introduced in the previous unit on the French Revolution. It also supports the GCSE topic on Medicine through Time. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and summatively in an assessment at the beginning of Term 6, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
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Unit 4 |
The unit explores the concept of empire, and the realities of life within the British empire. Students develop an awareness of the global scale of the British empire, whilst studying in depth British rule in India. They examine the nature of the East India Company, and events such as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as well as analysing the role played by India in the First World War. The unit builds on the earlier Year 8 unit on European contact with the Americas, and develops students' understanding of the British empire. The unit additionally provides context for later units (in Year 8) on slavery and (in Year 9) on the First World War. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and summatively in an assessment at the beginning of Term 6, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
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Unit 5 |
The unit explores the concept of slavery. Students consider different aspects of the transatlantic slave trade, including the Middle Passage, life on plantations, and acts of resistance and rebellion by enslaved peoples. They analyse different individuals’ contributions to the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Students create a museum display to teach others about the transatlantic slave trade. The unit builds on the earlier Year 8 unit on European contact with the Americas, and develops students' understanding of the British empire. The unit additionally provides context for later work on the Civil Rights Movement. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, and summatively in an assessment at the beginning of Term 6, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
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Unit 6 |
The unit examines key individuals and events in the Civil Rights Movement in America in the 20th century. Students consider why racism was worse in the Southern states and learn about the Jim Crow Laws and their impact on the lives of Black Americans. In addition, the roles of key individuals in the Civil Rights Movement are analysed, including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X. The unit builds on the earlier Year 8 units on the British empire and transatlantic slave trade. The theme of different protest methods will be revisited in Year 9 units on the campaign for female suffrage, and on protest movements in 20th century Britain. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, creative pieces and independent writing, and summatively in an assessment in Year 9, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
| Unit 7 How did the Normans control England?
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This unit investigates how 7,000 Normans maintained control over a rebellious population of two million Anglo-Saxons following the conquest of 1066. Students deepen their understanding of the Battle of Hastings through analysis of contemporary sources and modern interpretations. They examine the methods and strategies used by the newly-crowned William to maintain control over England, and explore what happened when the Anglo-Saxons nonetheless rebelled against Norman rule. The unit builds on the earlier Year 7 unit on 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. The unit additionally provides context for later unit (in Year 9) on the Viking World. It also supports the GCSE unit on Anglo-Saxon and Norman England. Key knowledge developed:
Key skills developed:
Assessment: Learning is assessed formatively through the use of student booklets, creative pieces and independent writing, and summatively in an assessment in Year 9, which is completed independently in exam-style conditions. |
