The recently published Curriculum Review highlighted the need for greater inclusion of diverse perspectives in teaching History, for increased use of historical sources and for taking opportunities to ground pupils in their local history. These are all aspects of teaching history that our learning resources support, and while changes to the curriculum have yet to be finalised, we believe developing these aspects can only be a good thing. Let’s take a closer look…
Diverse Perspectives
Our content comes from museums, galleries, archives and universities and we pride ourselves on our reputation for providing trusted teaching resources written by subject experts. With over 80 contributing organisations to date, from nationals such as the British Library to local specialist venues and organisations such as the Geraldine Connor Foundation, we benefit from the collective knowledge of England’s cultural sector.
Case Study: Teaching Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt remains a hot favourite for teachers and pupils alike. Our Key Stage 2 Ancient Egypt teaching resources don’t just cover the basics such as everyday life, death and mummification, but also consider the bigger picture. MyLearning stories connect Egypt in a wider global setting, introduce ethical considerations around museum collections and challenge pupils to develop critical thinking skills. We do this through providing:
- Trusted information
- High resolution photographs
- Primary and Secondary Historical Sources
- 3D models
- Videos
- Interactive images
- Pupil worksheets
- Classroom power points
- Activity and discussion ideas
Our teaching resources come primarily from museums and archives – the very organisations that specialise in primary and secondary historical sources. From photographs to census records, diary entries to newspaper articles, oral history accounts to interview transcripts, we host a rich variety of sources. These can be used to support pupils in developing historical skills such as critical analysis, evaluating reliability and bias and considering different perspectives.
Local History
MyLearning is a national hub, but one of our strengths is our place-based resources. We currently host Collections of resources from the multi award-winning Leeds Curriculum and the Kirklees Curriculum, with more in the pipeline. If a teaching resource is related to a specific place, we’ll tag it with that location. Type the place name in our search bar to find linked resources. We are constantly working with organisations across England to bring new content to MyLearning so it’s worth checking back (or contact your local museum and archive service and ask them to get in touch with us to get their teaching resources online).
Added Value: Free Access
As with everything on MyLearning, our history resources are free for teachers to access and use. Supported by the Arts Council England, we act as a national hub, connecting teachers to high quality information and classroom resources from trusted organisations. Why not take a look?