History at Deira International School
Within the Humanities department we aim to deliver a wide and varied curriculum. We seek for our students to develop a passion for the subjects that we teach and hope that many will elect to continue to study Geography and History at IGCSE and IB level. Many of the skills that they will require for these examination courses are fostered in Key Stage 3. Much of the curriculum also gives the students opportunities to build the foundations of essential topic knowledge and understanding.
Our curriculum aims to develop students that are concerned about issues that affect not just their local area but communities and environments in other parts of the world. The Humanities curriculum makes a significant contribution to the curriculum of the school due to the subjects focus upon the study of places and the impacts of people and events past and present. All aspects of Humanities require pupils to critically enquire and personally reflect on space, place and historical events. The department aims to create informed, inquisitive and analytical pupils who can appreciate the world beyond their experiences.
Please click on the arrow for a detailed breakdown:
Curriculum Intention
In Year 8 the year begins with students learning about the Tudors and Renaissance. Students will investigate key events and individuals of this time period and draw comparisons with present day. Students will move onto investigate the age of Exploration and Imperialism topics, assessing the legacy of key individuals and events from this time. The year concludes with a detailed investigation into the causes and effects of the French Revolution.
In History at year 8, using the topics mentioned above, students are taught how practice and develop the following skills:
1. Essay writing structure – PEE
2. Identifying and discussing causation – long term, short term, trigger causes
3. Comparing sources and identifying differences
4. Assessing change and continuity
5. Evaluate historical interpretations – why accounts differ and how reliable they are
As well as having specific learning objectives and success criteria, each lesson also ties in with a big question idea. This will be referred to throughout each scheme of work, allowing students to make connections between lessons within the topic and across the year.
The scope for choosing Geographical and Historical topics is vast, we of course have the entire world and everything that has ever happened on it to choose from! The topics mentioned above are selected to instill within students a passion for History. They have been carefully chosen to interest, engage and challenge our students. The knowledge gained from the chosen topics give the perfect base of knowledge and skills required for further study at IGCSE and IB.
As well as learning about fascinating topics and developing key skills, the study of History naturally allows students to develop key life skills, such as those listed in the IB Learner Profile. The very nature of the content covered for example will result in student being open minded, caring inquirers.
Year 8 is the first year that students will specialize in these fields as standalone subjects. The curriculum helps developed key Geographical and Historical skills and hopefully a sense of wonder about people, places and significant events past, present and future.
Curriculum Implementation
Students are taught through various approaches and methods including:
1. Each topic is centered around a Big Question that is regularly referred to throughout the topic.
2. Lessons are challenging and engaging with tailored differentiated tasks and support for those who need it and extension tasks for the most able
3. A range of teaching methodologies employed throughout each unit such as inquiry-based learning, group discussions, independent learning and guided
4. Focus on developing IB Learner Profile attributes throughout the curriculum
Assessment
1. Long and Short answer exam style questions
2. Research Projects
3. Presentations
4. Assessment will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on through the year. This will cause student to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of the topics covered
Wider Curriculum
1. History in the News Flipboard. This allows students to do further reading on the topics covered and other interesting Historical stories. The wider reading helps student to improve their knowledge, make connections between topics and improve their literacy whilst investigating interesting topics.
Curriculum Impact
“Without Geography you are nowhere, without History you don’t know where you are coming from and where you are going”
Success in History will also be measured by the ability of students to do the following:
1. Acquire and understand historical knowledge in breadth and in depth and across different cultures.
2. Develop an appreciation and an understanding of History as a discipline.
3. Foster international awareness and understanding by presenting the achievements of different cultures in the past and thereby promoting empathy with and understanding of other societies.
4. Foster a better understanding of the present through an understanding of the past.
5. Develop an ability to use and communicate historical knowledge and understanding.
6. Present clear, concise, relevant, and well substantiated argument
7. Evaluate, interpret and use source material critically as historical evidence.
8. Identify and evaluate different approaches to, and different interpretations of, historical events and topics.
History at Deira International
Curriculum Intention
In History the year begins with students learning about the Industrial Revolution, with a focus on changes in technology, living standards and society in a wider sense. Students will explore the topics of Slavery and various Civil Rights movements. Students will investigate how key individuals have acted to enforce lasting change.
Students will investigate significant events such as WW1 and the Russian Revolution, looking into the causes and legacies of these turning points in History.
In History at year 9 using the topics mentioned above, students are taught how to practice and develop the following skills:
1. Source analysis – boycotts, alliances
2. Source evaluation – content, nature, origin, purpose
3. Essay writing – how to write effective introductions and conclusions
4. ICT skills – research into individuals, laws Debating skills
5. Chronology
6. Establishing links/themes
As well as having specific learning objectives and success criteria, each lesson also ties in with a big question idea. This will be referred to throughout each scheme of work, allowing students to make connections between lessons within the topic and across the year
During year 9 students will select their option subjects, the topics mentioned above are selected to inspire engagement and enjoyment in these subjects hopefully resulting in high numbers of students electing to continue their studies within these fields. As with year 8, the possible choice of topics to cover in History is vast. As well as interesting and challenging our students the specific topics chosen to provide excellent foundation for IGCSE in terms of the knowledge acquired and skills that are practiced.
As well as learning about fascinating topics and developing key skills, the study of History naturally allows students to develop key life skills, such as those listed in the IB Learner Profile. The very nature of the content covered for example will result in student being open minded, caring inquirers.
Regardless of whether students continue with History we seek to instill within students a lifelong desire to be inquisitive about people, places and significant events past, present and future.
Curriculum Implementation
Students are taught through various approaches and methods including:
1. Each topic is centered around a Big Question that is regularly referred to throughout the topic.
2. Lessons are challenging and engaging with tailored differentiated tasks and support for those who need it and extension tasks for the most able
3. A range of teaching methodologies employed throughout each unit such as inquiry-based learning, group discussions, independent learning and guided
4. Focus on developing IB Learner Profile attributes throughout the curriculum.
Assessment
1. Long and Short answer exam style questions
2. Research Projects
3. Presentations
4. Assessment will be cumulative in their nature, whereby the second assessment will contain a proportion of questions related to the first topic and so on through the year. This will cause student to re-visit their work and thus help them with their retention of the topics covered.
Wider Curriculum Opportunities
1. History in the News Flipboard. This allows students to do further reading on the topics covered and other interesting Historical stories. The wider reading helps student to improve their knowledge, make connections between topics and improve their literacy whilst investigating interesting to
Curriculum Impact
“Without Geography you are nowhere, without History you don’t know where you are coming from and where you are going”
Success in History will be measured by the ability of students to do the following:
1. Acquire and understand historical knowledge in breadth and in depth and across different cultures.
2. Develop an appreciation and an understanding of History as a discipline.
3. Foster international awareness and understanding by presenting the achievements of different cultures in the past and thereby promoting empathy with and understanding of other societies.
4. Foster a better understanding of the present through an understanding of the past.
5. Develop an ability to use and communicate historical knowledge and understandi
6. Present clear, concise, relevant, and well substantiated arguments.
7. Evaluate, interpret and use source material critically as historical evidence.
8. Identify and evaluate different approaches to, and different interpretations of, historical events and topics