Year Eight Unit Plan

During Humanities, Year Eights will be introduced to and complete a

comprehensive unit on The Western and Islamic World in the depth study of
Medieval Europe 500 A.D. 1500 A.D. (Aus/VELS, 2014). Students will engage
with primary documents, investigating how this time period helped shape
todays society. By presenting this material in a way that is both engaging and
interesting for a class, it allows for all students to participate in the activities and
understand the content to the best of their ability. In order to achieve this, within
the classroom, teachers need to use a mixture of techniques in order to work to
the diversity of the classroom. By using visual and audio representation teachers
are able to cater to the majority of students. Additionally, the use of peer
teaching and group work will allow the class to be able to develop their skills and
knowledge base.
A key component of the unit is image based teaching strategies. Throughout the
ten lessons outlined below eight lessons have an activity based around a visual
source. Some of these sources are paintings or pictures of the time and others
are video clips. By using these references, students are able to engage with the
sources, helping them to develop [their] process of historical thinking, by
helping students to ask questions and to make a range of historical inferences
about the people and events of the past (G. Dilek, 2010). Video clips have
become a contempory tool within classrooms as they offer vivid and broad
insights into history from a present day perspective. However in order to use this
resource effectively, teachers must allow students to become actively involved in
the clip in the form of questions and being able to pace the clip (depending on
length) so that the information is not chunked (Merkt, M., Weig, Heier, A., &
Schwan, S. 2011). Additionally, using images in a classroom, whether it is used
as a hook at the beginning of a lesson or as an activity based learning tool,
students are able to unpack the ideas behind the source. Within a classroom
most students will learn visually or audibly, by using these tools, teachers are
catering to the majority of students. Additionally, with an image or video, most
students regardless of learning capabilities or restrictions will be able to gain
information and be able to ask questions about the resource. While individual
students learning will differ, through guided and scaffolded learning and teacher
guided questions student will be able to gain more than they would from just
teacher talk (M.A. Pearcy, 2011; A. Nava, & V. Schmidtberger, 2011).
When looking at Medieval Europe, primary sources provide us with an
interpretation of the time. During the unit, multiple primary documents are used
in conjunction with secondary sources in order to provide a comprehensive view
of the time allowing students to gain a wider perspective, understanding the
broader themes of the pieces (A. Nava, & V. Schmidtberger, 2011). Without the
use of secondary resources, students would be unable to gain adequate
knowledge of the concept, or the maximum meaning of the piece (G. Dilek,
2010). Moreover, using these resources will allow for teachers to emphasize the
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depth required when teaching a unit. It is no longer sufficient to simply deliver

content to students and expect that they have reached the assessment criteria.
By teaching both historical thinking skills to students through the use of primary
documents as well as the content knowledge, teachers are able to deliver depth
while allowing students to develop their own interpretations of the past (B. A.
VanSledright, 2004)
Below is an outline of a unit of work for Year Eight, Medieval Europe:

Lesson One
Within this singular lesson, students will be introduced to Medieval Europe. They
will be given and interactive and engaging overview of medieval life during the
time period. By completing this class students will be given basic information
that can be addressed in-depth in subsequent lessons.
Within the lesson students will be shown an image from The Hours of Jeanne
d'Evreux, ca. 132428 (Appendix 1). This image depicts medieval society in the
14th Century while drawing a distinction between general society and the church
it also shows how they interact. This image is a labyrinth of interpretations and
therefore will allow the teacher to understand how much the students already
know and much are yet to learn by the answers that they provide. This will be
conducted in a quick class discussion allowing for a measurement of learning.
By providing classroom discussion, students of all abilities are able to express
their ideas about the area. Classroom discussion allows for students further their
knowledge by looking at images differently after hearing others interpretation.
This will further their critical thinking skills and historical thinking skills that they
will need for later lessons.

Lesson Two*
This lesson is structured as a double lesson (2 x 45 minutes), as this will allow
the content to be covered in depth. During these lessons students will look at the
social hierarchy of medieval society and the cultural influences of the time
(ACDSEH008) (Aus/VELS, 2014). By looking at the cultural and social elements of
Medieval Society students will begin to understand the underpinnings of society
and how these elements impacted the way in which it worked.
Students will look at the way in which people lived and the social areas of risk
such as crime and punishment (ACDSEH051) (Aus/VELS, 2014). Additionally,
students will be asked to look at the cultural diversity of the time and how
Europe was shaped and how individual countries interacted with one
another(ACDSEH050) (Aus/VELS, 2014).
As a learning activity at the end of the class, students will be given a social class
and asked to throw a dinner party. Each student will be given a name and a
social standing within society. Students will then form groups in accordance to
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who they believe would attend the dinner party, in relation to social standing,
and the food that they would eat. This allows for students to engage with the
knowledge they have just learnt and expand that knowledge.

Lesson Three*
Using a double lesson, students will investigate the economic and political
environment of the period (ACDSEH008) (Aus/VELS, 2014). While looking at
these areas of society, students will draw on information presented previously
within the unit and using historical thinking they will be able to ask questions of
the links between this area of society in comparison to the social and cultural
features of the period.
At the beginning of this lesson, students will be given a hook. This hook will be a
picture of a Knights Seal from the early 13th century (Appendix 2) and another of
the Order of the Garter (Appendix 3). Students will be asked to look at these
pictures and in a class discussion, discuss what these would have represented to
society of the time. Through set questions students will be guided to understand
that this was a show of political alliance to the crown, which will constitute the
lesson for the day. By completing this activity at the beginning of the lesson
students will be able to look at the rest of the class with a more critical eye
allowing for the following material to be gained in greater depth.
In order to cater for the diverse learners within a classroom, within this class,
students will be asked to complete monitored group work. For group work
students will be asked to look at a different area of the medieval political system
and asked why their area is the most important. Once each group is completed,
students are to present their opinion. Once all groups have presented students
will be asked to vote on what are they believe is the most important or are all
areas of the political system important? This will be used as formative
assessment to grasp students knowledge. While group work often allows for
many students to sit quietly, due to the groups being monitored and given
specific questions and areas to focus upon, students who often do not grasp the
content will be provided with peer discussion in order to break down the more
complex outcomes of the lesson.

Lesson Four
Students will be asked to look at the Catholic Church and how this area of society
was able to shape outer society (ACDSEH052) (Aus/VELS, 2014). The belief
system of the time shaped everyday life, as well as the political structure. During
this time the Catholic Church was an all-encompassing area of society, therefore
due to the previous lessons on the way in which society was run, students will be
able to look at the Catholic Church in a new light. Within the lesson students will
be asked to look at murals that were painted within the crypt of Canterbury
Cathedral (Appendix 4) and discuss the imagery that is within them. This will be
used as formative assessment in order to understand how the students
understand Medieval Society.
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Lesson Five*
As an extension of the previous lesson, students will take a double lesson to look
at the changing relationship between Islam and the West and the evolution of
the Crusades (ACDSEH050) (Aus/VELS, 2014). Primarily the lesson will be focused
on the Crusades and will look at how this time period shaped lives during this
period. Students will be presented with a picture of the Initial A with the Battle of
the Maccabees, ca. 1360 70 (Appendix 5) as a visual representation of the time
period.
Students will be asked to look at Pope Urban II and the motivation he had to
influence the start of the crusades. Students will be given a set of questions that
will allow that they will complete independently using ICT. Students will then be
asked, within a classroom discussion about what they found about Pope Urban II
and his role in the crusades.

Lesson Six
Within this lesson, Students will look at William II/ William the Conqueror
(ACDSEH052) (Aus/VELS, 2014). As a hook students will watch an overview video
from Horrible Histories called William the Conqueror (Youtube, 2013) as an
engaging way to learn the information. This will provide for students with most
learning difficulties as it is present it in a way that allows students to engage with
the source using humour and visual learning skills. This resource will then be
deconstructed and expanded in a classroom discussion in order to gain the most
out of the resource. While this is only a hook, it provides a grounding for the rest
of the lesson.
Throughout the rest of the lesson students will be given information on the
significant changes of the period. And at the conclusion of the lesson these
changes will be discussed as to the effect they have had on present day society.

Lesson Seven
For the final lesson of the unit, students will construct a timeline. In order to
complete this, students will be placed in groups of 4 and will be given 5 cards.
Some of these cards will have the name of an event and others will have a
description of what occurred. In order to complete the timeline the groups must
work out the event and where it fits on the timeline. Once all the cards are
placed on the board a classroom discussion will occur to see if the timeline is
correct and what they believe was the turning point in the Medieval Period and
why? This exercise requires all students to participate and is structured in a way
that all students are able to participate.

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Assessment
Students will be required to complete a research assignment on a significant
figure of the Medieval Period. This assignment will allow students to research an
area that they are the most interested in. Students will be able to research
individuals such as Kings, Queens, Popes, and general innovators such as
Charlemagne. As this assessment is open ended it allows for students of different
learning levels to complete the activity that they feel they can complete the
best. In addition, students will be able to present this work in a way of their
choosing. This may be in the form of a creative piece, formal essay, research
paper or PowerPoint presentation. Once again this allows students to play to
their strengths while also engaging them in the topic.
By the end of Year Eight Aus/VELS (2014) requires students to have
reached an achievement standard by developing range of historical skills and
knowledge. Even though this depth studies in one of many, the unit must
contribute to this overall achievement. Throughout the unit present above,
students with guidance will be able to develop their skills incorporating,
Sequence historical events, developments and periods (ACHHS148), Identify and
locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods (ACHHS151), Locate,
compare, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence
(ACHHS153), Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary
and secondary sources (ACHHS155) and the ability to use a range of
communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies
(ACHHS157). Due to the way in which the unit is structured this inclusive
program can be modified to allow inclusion for all student of varying learning
levels.
In conclusion, the unit presented above provides students with a comprehensive
study of Medieval Europe. Due to the use of visual resources, students of all
learning levels can be included in the unit. As visual resources are open to
interpretation students can use their own knowledge and skills to participate in
the class. By embracing image based teaching strategies as hooks and learning
activities, teachers are able to not only introduce subject areas but to complete
formative assessment of students allowing for re-teaching and expansion to
occur when needed. The unit uses student resources, ICT and primary sources to
develop students historical skills and knowledge and deliver a depth study that
addresses the content required while looking at the subject from multiple angles.

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