You will study the medieval world to 1066 with relentless focus. This one‑year ACARA v9 plan (age 13) is organised into four school terms. Each week has clear aims: know dates, evaluate sources, explain causes and consequences, and produce polished work. No excuses.
Term 1 (10 weeks): Fall of Rome to early medieval kingdoms. Topics: collapse of Roman authority, Anglo‑Saxon migrations, post‑Roman kingdoms. Skills: chronology, source corroboration. Key resources: Raffaele D'Amato & Andrea Salimbeti; Junius Johnson Humanitas; Medieval Sourcebook Asnapium.
Term 2 (10 weeks): Carolingians, Islam’s rise, and daily life. Topics: Charlemagne, monasticism, economy, social hierarchy. Skills: causation, continuity and change. Resources: Philip Hardman; Elizabeth Boults Chip Sullivan; R W Southern.
Term 3 (10 weeks): Viking Age, art, law and cultural exchange. Topics: Viking incursions, manuscript culture, castles and fortifications. Skills: interpretation, use of material culture. Resources: Alan Lee & David Day; Eleanor Janega; David Macaulay video.
Term 4 (12 weeks): England to 1066, preparation and assessments. Topics: Anglo‑Saxon kingdoms, Harold, William, and the Norman claim. Skills: argumentation, historical empathy, synthesis. Resources: Time Team specials; DK History of Britain and Ireland; Primary inventories.
Assessment: fortnightly source analyses (short, marked to model answers), one mid‑year essay, practical project (model or digital castle with explanatory portfolio), and final comparative inquiry on causes of 1066 (written). Differentiation: scaffolded source sheets and challenge extension tasks (independent research using Sophie’s World for philosophical context). Expectations: daily reading, neat work, revise weekly. I will expect discipline and excellence; you will deliver.
Marking criteria are explicit: knowledge (40%), evidence use (30%), argument (20%), communication (10%). Homework: 30 minutes five nights a week; weekly quizzes every Friday. Parents receive termly reports; exemplary work will be published. We will visit museum exhibits or screen documentaries when possible. You will become precise, confident and historically literate. No slacking tolerated.