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Short Term lesson plan

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Children will be able to locate the main features of Headline History.

National Curriculum Programme of Study Addressed:

• Knowledge, skills and understanding
• Finding things out 1b
• Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses 4a, 4c
• Breadth of study 5b

Resources:

• Computer suite (including Internet access and interactive whiteboard / demonstration computer)
• Flip chart

Introduction (15 – 20 minutes)

• Whole class in computer suite facing interactive whiteboard loaded with Headline History home page. Teacher to talk through the features of the homepage – region, era and level selection.
• Teacher selects Junior Newshound level to demonstrate features of a front page story, e.g. ‘Murdering Mary Is Hanged!’.
• As a whole class, read through the selected front page story and discuss. Click on the ‘more’ (if using a school network system, explain to the children that it may be quite slow to load up and they should wait patiently for the page to load). Teacher talks through the icons, use of sound, witnesses, notebook and help functions.

Development (25 minutes)

• Working in mixed ability pairs (more able to scaffold less able), children to load up the Headline History website on their individual computers.
• Click on the ‘Junior Newshound’ (suggested) level. Click on chosen front page story, e.g. ‘Murdering Mary is Hanged!’.
• Children to read for themselves the short version of the front page story. Click on the ‘More’ icon (bottom right of screen). Children to then read the full version of the front page story. Children to spend time ‘hands on’ discovering icons and features for themselves.

Extension Activity

• Children could select a second front page story to explore independently.

Plenary (10 minutes)

• Whole class come back together around the interactive whiteboard / demonstration computer. Discuss features they have been looking at. What features of the site did you like? Why?
• Discuss visual impact, use of colours, The Editor, witnesses, sound effects and record ideas on the flip chart.

Assessment

• Assessment of children’s understanding through questioning and observation of their ability to access the site.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Children will have developed an understanding of the Great Exhibition held at Crystal Palace.
• Children to have gained greater independence in accessing the features of Headline History.

National Curriculum Programme of Study Addressed:

• History
• Knowledge, skills and understanding
• Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past 2b, c, d
• Historical enquiry 4a
• Organisation and communication 5a
• Breadth of study Victorian Britain 11a
• ICT
• Breadth of study 5b
• Literacy
• Reading
• Non-fiction and non-literary texts 5e, 9b, 9c

Resources:

• Computer suite (including Internet access and interactive whiteboard / demonstration computer)
• Flip chart

Introduction (15 minutes)

• Using the interactive whiteboard, teacher to model opening up of website. Revise, as a whole class, the features of the front page, including the icons.

Independent Activity (35 minutes)

Explain task. Children to read the ‘Exhibition Has Been Great’ article and to answer the following questions (this could be given on a pre-prepared sheet for children to complete):

• What was the Great Exhibition? What was its purpose?
• What was special about the building?
• Where did it take place?
• How many people visited the exhibition?
• How long was it open for? When did it close?
• Name two famous people that visited the exhibition.
• Why was a special police force put together?

Extension Activities

• Children to record the ‘most interesting fact’ they found in the article.
• Children to create own questions to share in the plenary, using witness statements.

Plenary (10 minutes)

Children around interactive whiteboard with their questions. Discuss answers to prepared questions. Volunteers ask questions and locate answers within the text.

Homework task:

• Children to research the answers to any unanswered questions.

Assessment

• Assessment of children’s understanding during feedback in plenary.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Children will have conducted their own historical research with a partner.
• Children will have shared their learning with a partner.

National Curriculum Programme of Study Addressed:

• History
• Knowledge, skills and understanding
• Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past 2b, c, d
• Historical enquiry 4a
• Organisation and communication 5a
• Breadth of study Victorian Britain 11a
• ICT
• Breadth of study 5b
• Literacy
• Reading
• Non-fiction and non-literary texts 5e, 9b, 9c

Resources:

• Computer suite (including Internet access and interactive whiteboard / demonstration computer)
• Flip chart

Introduction (10 minutes)

• Discuss previous learning objectives together and explain the independent work to the class.

Independent Activity (35 minutes)

• Access the front page ‘Pupils Run Riot In Class’ and discuss with talking partner. Children to go to Interview Witnesses section through main navigation. Children to decide which witnesses to interview.
• Talking partners to then team up with another pair of children to discuss their choice of witnesses.
• Children begin to interview chosen witnesses and drop selected quotes into their own version of the front page story.

Plenary (15 minutes)

• Children and teacher to appraise, develop and evaluate interim and completed newspaper articles.

Follow-up lesson

• Children to complete their newspaper articles. Print and present to an audience.

Assessment

• Children and teacher to appraise, develop and evaluate interim and completed newspaper articles.

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