Guideline on how to use content

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

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.
 

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.
   

• Primary sources,
• Secondary sources.
   

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

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

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.