History in the Time of the Coronavirus…

To my dear Year 7 students, cruelly exiled from high school after such a short visit 😕 ,

Actually, you are probably ecstatic to have an unexpected early holiday! Since I shall not be seeing you for quite some time now, I thought that I would put some handouts online about the Night of Notables and give you some options for notable people to consider (↓see the bottom of this post). More details will eventually be made available either here or under your Lesson Plans on Compass.

As I mentioned to you in class last week, it is a good idea 💡 to put all your thoughts about a possible notable person on the back-burner of your mind and let them simmer there for a while. Don’t make your decision too quickly. Instead, do some reading, think about which fields of human endeavour interest you most, and reflect on what what kind of person you yourself would like to be. This might help you to choose a notable person whose life and achievements will remain with you and continue to inspire you in the years to come.

Since we’ve been learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Cultures recently, I thought you might start this thinking process by considering some notable people within this group. The list provided below is just a starter. It could be far longer. Have a click and a wander through the possibilities.

 ♦ Add other suggestions for this list in a comment – or write to let  me know what you are doing during the shutdown. Use only your  first name and don’t forget to type the spam word. This proves to  robots that you’re not a robot. Sigh.

Take care of yourselves and your families!

Warm regards from Ms Green ♥ 


A Very Short List: Some Notable Choices Amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples:

• Eddie Mabo 
• Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker) 
• Joy Wandin Murphy 
• William Barak
• Arabanoo
• Patyergarang 
• Pemulwuy (suggested by Dharm, 7E)


⇒ Handout: Setting Out Your Poster and Creating Your Display


⇒ Read about my Night of Notables class in 2017 (including their comments)


 

Around the campfire

This is sort of what I look like. I left out the wrinkles, of course.

Hi guys!

I love teaching Year 7 students. You are still so young, bright, hard-working and curious.

You may not have seen me around the school because last term I was travelling in Europe with my family. We wanted to see the ancient world, but of course it was often mixed up with the modern one. These two guys were dressed up like Roman soldiers near the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Even though their costumes looked quite authentic, the phone gave them away…

I have left my youth far behind me, but I’m still pretty curious myself. I love a good story and that’s why being a history teacher gives me so much pleasure. Don’t tell the Ministry of Education, but teaching history to Year 7 students is hardly work at all. It’s like sitting around a campfire telling stories. Every now and then I like to ask a few questions as well, just to check that you haven’t fallen asleep in your sleeping bags under the stars.

Then you get to tell some stories too, especially the story of a great person who has somehow made the world a better place. That’s what happens during the Night of Notables, of course: you have your moment on stage, your moment in the bright light of the campfire.

In the meantime, this blog is a way for me to give you things to read, recommend websites, remind you of revision and work due, and ask you for comments and ideas. You can type comments (using your first name only) and ask questions. In a sense this blog is like a little tunnel through cyberspace between you and me.

I hope you like learning to be a historian and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you are historians already.

Kind regards from

Ms Green

Arrangements for the Night of Notables

Commit these details to memory and keep working!

N of N clockDate: Tuesday 26 October

Morning: Students are to bring display materials to school with them (except heavy or expensive items).

After lunch: Students prepare their displays in the rooms surrounding the quadrangle.

2.55p.m: Dismissal as usual

6p.m: Students return to school wearing their costumes and bringing heavy or expensive items for display.

6.30p.m: Presentation in hall to family and friends

7p.m. – 8p.m: Students go to the display rooms where family and friends visit them, ask them questions and admire their displays.

8p.m: End of evening; students take home heavy or expensive items.