Blood – Brawn – Brains: History’s Big Ideas
Elective History Course Stage 5
The two ideas that drive the Year 9 and 10 Elective History courses are ‘student voice, student choice’ and ‘project based learning’. Student voice, student choice helps our elective students become autonomous, self-regulating and self-motivating learners. The thinking behind project based learning is that students will make meaning and create understanding in a collaborative and supportive environment. Students also have the opportunity to work on developing strong essay writing skills that will inrease their success at the Stage 6 level. The aim of these courses is to develop a life-long interest and enthusiasm for history. Some of the content covered includes: Ancient Persia, Alexander the Great, Vikings, the History of Terrorism, the French Revolution, Assassination of JFK, Historical Biography, Film as History, Historical Fiction, Heritage and Conservation, War and Peace, History and the Media, Local History, Museum and/or Archives Studies, Oral History and Historical Reconstructions.
Minecraft or Game Based Learning
The most effective lessons in the classroom are those with real-world applications. Minecraft is a world where students can solve real historical problems in real time. Students of Elective History will have the opportunity to use Minecraft to accurately rebuild ancient sites, understand the relationships between problems and solutions and have fun in a collaborative environment. Students will learn by doing, failing and trying again.
Games of Strategy
Board games will not take centre stage in the Elective History course, but they will provide a unique, fun opportunity to facilitate higher order cognitive abilities in ways that our normal academic studies may not. These games can facilitate discussion and help students explain their thinking in a fun and spirited learning environment. The following games will be played: Puerto Rico, Carcassone, Sequence, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Agricola, and Axis and Allies.
