023. Opening Minds at the William Allitt School England.

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The William Allitt SchoolUnits of Study

?English History

Geography Religious Studies

PSHE

Citizenship Drama

ICT

The units will be around 25-30 hours in length.

There are assessment tasks in every unit with wherever possible fieldwork and a specific homework.

A range of teaching and learning strategies have also been included so that everyone can understand how they are being taught.

Opening Minds is taught in Units

Unit 1: BLAST OFF!!

Teaching strategies utilised:

Treasure Hunt to make students familiar with the school site Games that will help them find lockers, planners, dinner cards etc. Use of ICT for CAT testing. Discussion on rights of individuals and how that creates group responsibility. Students create official document in scroll form of their individual rights. Individual rights picture poster created with sanctions named. Desert Island Discs choices Oral presentation about themselves Keyboard skills programme adopted Library activities to discover how to use this but in a fun way. A Harry Potter style-sorting hat will be used to choose houses. Candidates will create political manifesto to become Head of House Election process shall be activated.

Key areas of study:

Routine Students understand the administrative routines that are essential for a smooth and positive start at The William Allitt School.

CAT Test Students will undergo online CAT testing on Day 1 of their school life so that they approach lessons on the first day proper with enthusiasm and interest.

Rules Students democratically create the ground rules for life in the tutor group and in Opening Minds lessons. Students adopt the responsibilities and consequences for not accepting their rules. Key areas being to value each other, mutual respect, equality, commitment and teamwork.

Desert Island Discs Students evaluate themselves as individuals and present to the rest of the class using a medium of their choice.

The Library Students will have a crash course on how to utilise the library.

Houses Students will be allocated to houses using a fun system and democratic elections will take place to choose a Head of House.

Touch Typing Students will begin keyboard training as in such a technological age it is vital students type accurately and quickly.

ICT Safety Students will develop an awareness of how to stay safe online and produce presentations to educate their parents on the issues, concerns and safety measures needed in our fast paced technological society.

Unit 2: Imagine

Key areas of study:

The Space Race Students begin to explore different facets of imagination Kennedy and the space race leading to a major persuasive writing task on whether students believe there is life on other planets.

I have a dream: Martin Luther Kings vision of equality introduces the concepts of autocracy and democracy, leading to students devising their own society. Citizenship and Geography combine in the production of maps and models of their perfect society.

Fear, witches and spells: The background to superstitions/fears will be investigated. Internal imagination is explored and developed through a horror story (Terror in the night), students inventing spells, work leading to performance on the witches from Macbeth.

Death Island: The use of different story telling techniques in a devised waxworks chamber of horrors within the context of an island society.

Motion Picture: Explores how people use creativity to express their imagination via the Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands. Students will study and analyse the opening credits sequence in order to appreciate the use of English within popular culture.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Writing to persuade Research techniques on open ended tasks. Reading for meaning, as well as for pleasure. Presentations using different forms of ICT. Presentations and lectures using live action. Design (students will design a contour island) Creation of an island society. Rehearsals and performances from text. Cross-curricular discussion, PSHE, Citizenship links arising from

scheme content. Concentration and physical control exercises and strategies. Warm-ups, cool-downs and games. Individual, pair, small group and whole group activities.

Unit 3: KingdomKey areas of study:

The United Kingdom: What is the United Kingdom: What are the main physical features and main towns and cities?

Monarchy: How did Edward I conquer Wales and Scotland - the first creation of a United Kingdom.

1066: The Fight for the throne in 1066 and the conquest of England by William after the battle of Hastings. Stage fighting techniques for use in drama will be demonstrated and practised before the students re-enact the battle.

Castles & The Feudal System: How could such a tiny minority maintain control of Saxon England? Students will also look at William the Conquerors Feudal System, investigating its hierarchy.

Character: Dialect and accent will be demonstrated as students practise various dialects. Characters from the unit meet in a modern day social situation to discuss diversity through the eyes of their characters.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Jigsaw maps of British Isles, Britain and UK The Geography Finger game Town/City family quiz Power point presentations developing ICT skills Internet research project on castles Role-play in different styles of fighting: hand, weapons etc. Re-enactment of Battle of Hastings on school field involving the whole year. Newspaper article developing Publisher skills The use of film/media to reinforce conquest of Scotland (Braveheart) Use of soaps to demonstrate dialect as well as role-play games all based in

accents.

Unit 4: Our House In Our StreetKey areas of study:

Sunnyside: What is it like to live in Sunnyside? Students will collect environmental quality data and will use the data for hypothesis testing. ICT will be used to present some of the data.

Our Local Area: What are the attractions of the local area? Students will collect information from different sources and then produce a tourist leaflet advertising the local area.

The Domesday Book: What was our local area like in the time of the Domesday Book? Why was Bretby a larger settlement than Birmingham? How was the Domesday information collected? Local extracts from the Domesday Book will be used to compare settlements.

Mediaeval Life: What was life like in a medieval town? Who from the village could have visited the towns? Through the eyes of a medieval Health Inspector, students investigate the cleanliness of the towns. What activities took place in a town market? How was illness treated in Medieval times? What impact did the Black Death/Plague have on society?

Feather Boy: Class reader Feather Boy by Nicky Singer. Students will be encouraged to emulate this type of writing. Issues are raised in the book connected with violence in the home, bullying, family loss, divorce and relationships between young and old people. How do young people cope with these issues?

Alone In The Grange: Attitudes towards the elderly are explored through a variety of dramatic forms. The poem Alone in the Grange is used a stimulus. The influence of rumour, gossip and opinions are also explored.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Fieldwork and primary data collection Analysis of data Use of ICT to present data Hypothesis testing Modelling What makes a good leaflet? PP presentation Use of photographs as a stimulus Cartoon storyboards Use of PEEing when producing written work Conscience alley Role play Use of a variety of dramatic forms Class reader Feather Boy Production, by students, of a word wall Extended writing Analysis and evaluation of source material Persuasive and descriptive writing

Unit 5: Says Who?Key areas of study:

Non-Verbal Communication: Students focus on language and communication, beginning with pictograms and ideograms. What does our body language say about us?

The English Language: reflecting on the historical, geographical and technological influences on language evolution.

Storytelling: Students explore the tradition of storytelling. They will study an extract from the text Beowolf and create their own Middle English dictionary.

Parable: What can stories teach us? We explore the parables of Jesus with a close examination of The Good Samaritan.

Bias: focusing on bias and two sides to every story by looking at The Bayeux Tapestry. What is the importance of historical artefacts in discovering the past?

Says Me: looking at autobiographical writing for different audiences and in different mediums including Psalms from the Judeo/Christian tradition. Are there things we could say more?

Teaching Strategies Utilised:

Mime in communication. Creation of pictograms to communicate ideas around school. Family Challenge: identifying modern pictograms. Timelines for language evolution. Language detectives: translating Chaucer into modern English. Decoding texts and writing them in Standard English. Close analysis of written extracts DVD animated Beowolf Drama used to recreate a situation for oral storytelling Use of film to reflect on the message of the parable The Good Samaritan. Using AFL students critique their plays of modern versions of the parable. Developing skills of ICT by writing an article on the assassination of Caesar. Writing a diary to be sealed in an envelope and returned in Year 11. Human sculpting to examine bias. Drawing images from The Bayeux Tapestry from the Saxon perspective. An autobiographical writing using a Blog. Creation of an Opening Minds stained glass window with each student contributing a pane with

their own Psalm written on it.

Unit 6: Journeys and Pathways

Key areas of study:

Physical Journeys: Students will begin by looking at physical journeys and by developing a knowledge and understanding of compass points. From here they will learn about maps and grid references.

Spiritual Journeys: Students will reflect upon their journey through life so far and consider the paths their lives could take in the future. They will also think about the way in which people make decisions and the consequences which decisions may have. They will take part in a poetry competition about the mystery of life and will be encouraged to express their own ideas about the puzzles, mysteries and imponderables of life.

Where Next?: Students will reflect upon what happens once the journey through life is over. They will discuss beliefs about life after death and will, for example look at the events which took place following the resurrection of Jesus.

Harrys Journey: Students will read the novel Kingdom By The Sea by Robert Westall, analysing connotations and enjoying the experience of a class reader.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Making up mnemonics (North, East, South, West never eat slimy worms!) Quizzes (on grid references) Compass direction activity Map symbol bingo Reverse bingo Research (planning a holiday in the UK for a family coming over from America) Use of ICT (planning travel itinerary and using websites about different places in

the UK) Conceptual creative work (based on the journey through life) Reading (a variety of texts) Simile Tennis. Writing to describe a character. Drawing of Merman with features labelled with PEE. Role-play focusing on difficult situations and how to deal with them. Writing in-character - Informal letter from Artie to his wife. Research project on Lindisfarne

Unit 7: Heroes and VillainsKey areas of study:

Superhereos & Supervillains: Students create a comic book based on their heroes and villains, sticking to stereotypical good and evil character traits.

Good or Evil?: What were the Wars of the Cross? Who were in the right, the Christians or the Saracens? Sources will make students respect both perspectives.

Magna Carta: Was King John a good or bad king? Was the Magna Carta a great change in the way the country was governed or was it just a selfish attempt by the rich barons to gain more power?

Robin Hood: What was the story of Robin Hood? Was he a hero or a villain? If he is deemed a hero how can this be when he was an outlaw and a criminal? Students review Ridley Scotts Robin Hood.

Moses: Was Moses a hero or a villain, how can slaughtering so many innocents and bringing plague make him a hero?

Passover: How do Jews celebrate the Pesach and how did this feast originate?

Lamb to the Slaughter: The Roald Dahl short story Lamb to the slaughter will be read and students will evaluate whether Mary Moloney was a hero or villain.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Variety of proven and tried methods. Analysis of comic characters Drawing superhero creation Research into villains and creation of own using any medium of their choice. Evaluation of primary source material to evaluate right and wrong in the

Crusades. A3 picture diagram of what the West gained from the Saracens. Creation of a student Magna Carta for The William Allitt School. Use of Television/film to reflect on why Robin Hood is deemed a hero. Animated bible DVD on Moses A Pesach feast with all the ingredients. Different types of extended writing.

Unit 8: Dare To Be Different

Key areas of study:

Identity Crisis: Students will investigate what can happen when people hide their identity and the dangers of revealing yours to people you dont know. Why is it important to look after our identity?

Stereotype: Students look at issues surrounding identity, both their own and other peoples. They will explore the influences and pressures that shape the way we express ourselves. Students will look into stereotypes and investigate some of the reasons behind these.

Prejudice & Discrimination: We will tackle issues of discrimination and prejudice, specifically homophobia and racism and the emotional effects that these can cause. Combining poetry analysis and character study students will be able to draw together their own conclusions regarding fairness, equality and tolerance of diversity.

Active Citizenship: Students will plan and undertake an Active Citizenship project to make a real difference on the issue they have studied.

Peer Pressure: Students will support each other to find strategies to be themselves and resist peer pressure.

Other Cultures: The work on Hinduism and Sikhism will give students a broader view of how individuals practice their cultures and beliefs within local and global society. What role does religion play in society? A field visit to The Open Centre in Derby will combine visits to two places of worship with experiences of new music, information and food.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Class and group discussions, individual and team work tasks Designing and making their personal identity coat of arms. Card sort games to understand definitions of key words Catwalk modelling to explore stereotypes. Creation of display word wall, students words linking emotions to

discriminations. Poetry analysis Drawing and improvising characters from the poem to aid understanding. Essay writing two points of view and a personal conclusion. Active Citizenship group project student led. To raise awareness, to

make your voice heard, to raise money or a combination of these. Forum theatre to share ideas and solutions to potentially difficult

situations. Agony Aunt advice pages Field trip to Open Centre Recreation of Langar kitchen; volunteering, teamwork, food from other

cultures A3 presentation sheets of new information culminating in a group

presentation for parents.

Unit 9: PowerKey areas of study:

Empire: Romulus and Remus, and the formation of Rome. The Roman Army and the reasons for its success, students will discover the key features of hierarchy, organisation, and discipline and see how these can relate to their own lives. What was Hadrians Wall and what was it like to be a Roman soldier stationed there? Roman roads will be studied. Students will look at the way in which the Romans built roads and will develop an understanding of why road building was so important at this time.

Impact: Students will see the lasting impacts invasions of Britain have had on our society.

Leadership: What qualities do we look for in a strong leader?

Veni, Vidi, Vici: Julius Caesars rise to power and his assassination.

Abuse of Power: We will be studying a play text, The Demon Headmaster, exploring the issues of power and control; all students will read the play in class and will then develop a group performance of a scene from the play. The homework project will ensure students develop an awareness of current news and injustice in the world and begin to develop social conscience.

Fairness: Students are introduced to the Convention on the Rights of a Child and investigate case studies relating to Article 32. (Against child labour). What is a shanty town and where do we find the Worlds poorest people?

Earth Power: Students explore the structure of the Earth and the cause and effect of plate tectonics, culminating in an exploration of some of the natural disasters which have affected the lives of many people on a global scale.

Teaching strategies utilised:

Variety of proven and tried methods. Team work tasks, making of props and objects. Physicalisation of the Roman Soldiers march with equipment. Descriptive/empathetic writing with illustrations in form of a

scroll. Selection and assimilation of information, evaluation of

secondary source material for History assessment. Charades to aid understanding of hierarchy in the feudal

system. Discussion work ideal society/qualities needed for

leadership. Group and class discussions. Debates and votes. Selecting information to summarise and illustrate child

rights scroll. Interactive blockbuster style quiz on child labour. Case study analysis. Class read of a play script. Extra curricular group rehearse and produce performance Appreciation and analysis activities of performance. Ongoing homework media research project regarding

injustice in the world.

Unit 10: Tooth And Claw

Key areas of study:

Fight! Fight! Fight!: What was a Roman Amphitheatre like? What were gladiators? What would it feel like waiting to fight? Students will learn to write empathetically.

Crime & Punishment: Students will study crime in the Middle Ages and the range of punishments. Why do we have law and order?

Cruelty: A detailed study of narrative poetry related to animal cruelty will be undertaken and poetic devices explored. Students will invite and perform their own poetry using music and dance. Issues of animal welfare will be researched and debated.

The Dark Side: Students explore the dark side of human consciousness and explore why humans have the capacity to be cruel and fight. How can students prevent and avoid conflict?

Film Gladiator Designing own hero gladiator Creating a dramatic monologue Group games Pass the Bomb Speed Dating Game Design/build and market own chariot Sorting exercises Use of poetry packs Design/creation of animal masks/use of music Use of video cameras to showcase work Formal debate

Unit 11: Out Of This World

Key areas of study:

God: Students reflect upon their own beliefs about God and develop an understanding of terms such as theist, atheist and agnostic. They examine arguments for and against the existence of God and look at ideas from different religions.

Discovery: Voyages of discovery are studied. Students look at the reasons why the Europeans went out to explore the world. They also complete research activities on different explorers.

The Oregon Trail: Students develop a knowledge and understanding of the Oregon Trail through individual research and through drama.

Aliens: They produce work based on a short story called The Aliens and also spend time reading the story The Sound of Thunder. Students will explore the story of The Roswell Incident and investigate UFOs.

Teaching Strategies Utilised:

Listening to music (One of Us Joan Osborne) Reading a variety of texts Evaluation of primary and secondary source material leading to objective

opinions, including analysis of DVD clips and music. Reflection on their own beliefs about God and the beliefs of others Debate about the existence of God Design students will design a God detector Discussion of the reasons why Europeans went exploring A variety of written tasks (expressing beliefs about God, writing poetry,

writing postcards) Whispering angel and whispering demon activity Reflection alley (students take on the roles of listener, deceiver and

angel) Art work (picture of a Thuronian for the page of an encyclopaedia) Research (on a variety of topics including different explorers) Watching extracts from films (Wagon Train) Freeze frames (of the wild west) Drama (based on the Oregon Trail) Lecture demonstrations (on the Oregon Trail) Competition (based on A Martian Sends a Postcard Home)