TEACHING RESOURCES

  The Study School 2004 Runner-up

Feedback from the Young Historian Panel

Individual written work by children, aged 11, comprised this entry. They had discussed photo sources in print and online, and the different theories of archaeologists. Encouraged to speculate and draw conclusions, they successfully grappled with historical thinking. The topics and questions they attempted were; Who Ruled the
Indus Civilisation?: Why did the Indus Civilisation Fail?:Seals and Statues, and
A Summary of the Indus Civilisation.

Spot QCA KS2 History Learning Objectives!

Children analysed and justified their conclusions about artefacts, using knowledge from various sources. One cited many (similar) artefacts found in different settlements as evidence of a powerful trading civilisation. Another considered forensic evidence
(partially healed wounds on a skull) to rule out war as a cause of the decline of the civilisation, and had selected and combined information from a range of sources,
and in this case, interpretations. She included a range of reasons to explain why
she thought that one of several environmental factors was the most likely cause.

Analysing ancient icons - concept of a founding myth!

A third child observed and analysed the sitting position (cross legged, peaceful) of
stone statues (Mohenjo-daro) to suggest the figure might be a representation of a god. He suggested the "Unicorn" on seals was a "mythical animal which could have been
the "starter" of the civilisation, thus expressing the concept of a founding myth.