Information sheets to help students write and improve introductions/conclusions. National Curriculum Skill 5 - organising and communicating ideas

This is a differentiated literacy-focused plenary for the activity ‘Why did Henry agree to be whipped’ on ThinkingHistory.com. Students are required to link the segments of the story together with arrows and write appropriate connectives on the arrows to create a coherent explanation.

this is a logic problem that can be used as a unit starter for the Indian Wars. it is essential that the students do not know the names, dates or outcomes of the battles before they begin, as this will undermine the logical thinking skills. i have used this activity with very mixed ability classes and have had some astounding results from all abilities. Its tricky to explain, but well worth it. I usually put it up on the board and go through the process of one clue with them - only one though!

This is a differentiated homework or unit plenary literacy activity. Students link the events that led to the outbreak of war with arrows, writing appropriate connectives on the arrows to explain the relationship. In the first version, the story is broken down into two halves to make it more accessible. Students should link the white boxes first and then try and link the dark boxes and join the two halves of the story together. The 2nd version is more complex as no indication of chronology is provided. the third version is more complex still as vital parts of the story are removed.

Designed to encourage students to make appropriate links between ideas, this exercise provides the key points of the Ghost Dance narrative together with a list of connectives. Students draw arrows from one idea/event to the next, writing along the arrow the appropriate connective word. When complete, the diagram should answer the question ‘What happened after the Battle of Little Bighorn?’. Differentiated resource - higher ability exercise has one stage of the story missing and an extended list of connectives

SEN version of Assessment Why was the Roman Army so successful

Requires students to interpret a range of sources about the events at Wounded Knee. Students then to synthesis information to create a chronological account. Higher attaining students have the opportunity to develop and integrate their evaluation skills. Prior knowledge of the Ghost Dance and the death of Sitting Bull required.

Requires students to work in groups. One member of the group comes to teachers desk to collect a statement, returns to group and has to summarise it in their own words. members of the group to write it down. Statement is NOT to be shown to the group. Then process is repeated with a new member of the group collecting and summarising. To differentiate, higher attaining students can be given questions intermittently to develop their thinking skills. By the end ALL students should have a narrative of the Ghost Dance, ALL students should have worked in groups and developed their communication and cooperation skills. SOME students will have developed further thinking and discussion skills.