What is history?

What is history? is a set of eight lessons for year 7 students, designed to introduce them to the concepts underpinning history and to its importance.

Each lesson addresses a different concept – chronology, enquiry, evidence, causation, change, diversity, significance and interpretation – and comprises a starter, several development activities and a plenary. Suggestions for differentiation, extension tasks and homework tasks are also included.

Tasks include role-play, source analysis, debate tasks, group discussion and living graphs.

What's included?

• eight lessons, each with an accompanying PowerPoint
• 14 printable resources
• suggestions for differentiation, extension and homework.

What's inside?

Introduction (page 3)

Lesson 1: What is chronology? (pages 5-11)

• Chronology (PowerPoint)
• Shoes through time

Lesson 2: What is a historical enquiry? (pages 12-16)

• Enquiry (PowerPoint)
• Question words in history

Lesson 3: What is evidence in history? (pages 17-22)

• Using evidence (PowerPoint)
• Using evidence in history

Lesson 4: What are causes and consequences in history? (pages 23-29)

• Causation (PowerPoint)
• Causes of Murray’s win
• Types of causes
• Causes of the failure Spanish Armada

Lesson 5: What can change mean in history (pages 30-36)

• Change (PowerPoint)
• Change word bank
• Describing examples of change in history

Lesson 6: What is diversity in history? (pages 37-48)

• Diversity (PowerPoint)
• When did Britain become diverse?
• Migrant cards
• Migrant living graph

Lesson 7: What is historical significance? (pages 49-53)

• Significance (PowerPoint)
• Historically significant people and events

Lesson 8: What is a historical interpretation? (pages 54-59)

• Interpretations (PowerPoint)
• Source sheet: What have people thought about the gladiators?
• Interpretations of gladiators