Guideline on how to use content

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Preperation points


Before the pupils embark on a study of schools in Raheny and related historical evidence, they should discuss the following: See Before you Begin

Where do historical facts come from?


History is a study of the past. We learn about the past by examining evidence that has survived

from that time, asking questions about it and recording our ideas.
 

What is evidence?


There are different types of evidence:

  • Oral evidence e.g. interviews with people,
  • Written evidence e.g. documents, newspapers, letters, books,
  • Pictorial evidence e.g. drawings, photographs,
  • Objects e.g. furniture, pottery.
     
Evidence can be divided in two groups:

  • Primary sources,
  • Secondary sources.
     
What is a primary source?

Primary sources are pieces of evidence created at the historical time you are investigating.
 

What is a secondary source?

Secondary sources are pieces of evidence created after the historical time you are investigating e.g. a history textbook.
 

General suggestions for content use:

The content and activities developed for the 5th and 6th class history unit on schools could be adapted for use in the classroom as follows:

  • sections 1-4 could be examined over a series of lessons, with the specific aim of examining the history of schools in Raheny,
  • sections 1-4 could be examined over a series of lessons to support a general exploration of educational developments in Ireland throughout the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries,
  • sections 1-4 could be used in isolation to support a project exploring life, society and change in a specific century,
  • the evidence used throughout sections 1-4 could be used to examine and illustrate different types of primary sources.
  • the content of individual sections could be used to support an in-depth investigation of a particular aspect of the history of education in Ireland e.g. Hedge schools, Kildare Place Society, The National School System.
     
Application of content for Local Studies:

  • The timeline and case-study format of the website present a general framework that could be applied to a project on schools in a local area.
  • The methodology associated with the interactive activities could be applied when examining different types of historical evidence e.g.
    • Venn-diagram 'similarities and differences'
    • highlighting sections of written documents which can be linked with statements linked to the source
    • instructing pupils to find a link between on source and another,
    • Using evidence from a picture to back-up an historical statement
    • enabling pupils to communicate their interpretations, deductions and ideas in a variety of ways e.g. visually, in written format, through discussion
  • Software could be used to illustrate the pupils work and add an interactive element to it e.g. Power Point.
  • The Media Bank provides suggestions regarding the sourcing and use of primary evidence.