Stage 6 | Modern History Unit of Work

4 weeks
TOPIC: The nature of modern history: The Construction of Modern Stage Year Duration
Histories – Holocaust Denial – Deborah Lipstadt vs. David Irving 6 11 :
16 hours approx.
Detail:

Rationale
 Focus questions Historical Concepts and Skills Outcomes
MH11-6
● What is the purpose of history? MH11-7
● What are the different types of history? MH11-9
MH11-10
● What is the role of evidence, perspective and interpretation
on the construction of modern histories?
● What are the problems associated with the construction of
history?
● What is the role of selectivity, omission and emphasis on the
construction of modern histories?

Content Teaching and learning strategies Resources

Learning Intention (LI): To be able to describe the purpose of
history.
Success Criteria (SC):
- Identify and discuss the role of evidence
- Discuss the implications and impacts of recording
history
- Describe the purpose of history
INTRODCUTION ‘The Purpose of History’
Introduction to syllabus: Driving focus:
Students are to be given a copy of the NSW Modern History Syllabus.
Go through it as a class.
Focus on The Nature of modern history: Students to choose one outcome and write a brief sentence explaining what
they think this means, they can include an example. Answers shared as a class.
Next focus: The Construction of Modern Histories. Ask the students to look at the four dot points, ask them to provide
any thoughts or feelings they get from reading that write down answers on the board.

Explain to the students that these dot-points are the driving focus for this unit. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au
Incorrect Reporting: /wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-
learning-areas/hsie/modern-history-
Students to access: ‘The Media Was Always Bad at Reporting Breaking News, a Brief History’. Students are to work in 2017
 pairs, one student has to write down of the errors and problems with the 9/11 reports and the other is to write down
all of the errors in the JFK report.
Create a mind-map for each report students are to add a response to these on the board.

Once this is complete students are to discuss as a class why these false reports are a problem and how can this impact
history?

Half the event:

The teacher is to ask for two student volunteers to act out a short scene. The rest of the class is to get split into to two
groups. One half of the class is to go outside and watch through the window, the other half is to all face the back of
the classroom.

The two students are to act out the scene and read the script.

All students are to write a brief statement describing what happened. Students are then to pair up with someone from
the opposite group to them, share their accounts. Once students have had time to share with each other as a class
conduct a discussion into how and why the accounts are different and which account is more accurate than the other.

Defining History’s Purpose:

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/
Students are to work in table groups. They are to each share their understanding of history and the purpose of history.
archive/2013/09/media-was-always-
As a group discuss this and write a definition for the purpose of history. The class is to discuss all of the definitions and
bad-reporting-breaking-news-brief-
create a class definition. This will be written at the top of the whiteboard and left for the duration of the unit. history/311037/
Assessment of Learning:

Students are to complete one TEEL paragraph in response to the question:

Explain the purpose of history.

LI: Students will be able to identify and explain the different types DIFFERENT TYPES OF HISTORY:
of history.
Types of history:
SC:
Students to get out their devices and join the Mentimetre, students are to write about what different types of history
- To be able to describe the different types of history they know. https://www.mentimeter.com/s/e611e
0d6e725921eb6288a3364c6aa5e/4c6d4
- To be able to identify the different types of history PowerPoint: Types of history e73efa4
- To understand the role of a historian Teacher is to lead a PowerPoint. Students are to copy these slides into their books. Mentimetre – Appendix A
- To comprehend and analyse the portrayal of the
 Holocaust in history The Role of Historians: PowerPoint – Appendix B
Students are to read ‘Is History written about men, by men?’. They are to complete the worksheet. Once completed
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_an
they are to think pair share, their responses to the class.
d_politics/history/2016/01/popular_hist
Thinking Like a Historian: ory_why_are_so_many_history_books_
about_men_by_men.html
Students are to watch the YouTube clip. They are to formulate an argument in response to the question: Do historians
just re-tell information? Worksheet – Appendix C
Students are then split into two groups. One group is the inner circle and the other is the outer, every 5 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?
students on the outside circle will be asked to move to their left. Once they are paired with another student the two of v=vIdMgO-tfyE
them have 5 minutes to share their argument and discuss.

Introduction to the Holocaust:

Teacher is to give students copy of Introduction to the Holocaust booklet. While they are reading through they need to
mark off the information they already knew, highlight new information they have learnt in a different colour and in the Worksheet- Appendix D
final colour highlight any parts they want to clarify or expand further.

Each student is to share with the class one thing they knew, one thing they learnt and one thing they wanted to know
more about.

https://www.un.org/en/holocaustreme
mbrance/PDF/Introduction%20to
%20the%20Holocaust.pdf

LI: Students will be able to describe the role of evidence, EVIDENCE AND INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLOCAUST:
perspective and interpretation in the construction of history and
THE HOLOCAUST QUESTION:
historical accounts.
The teacher is to ask to open their books. Ask them to silently respond to the following questions in their book.
SC:
1. Did the Holocaust really happen?
- Analyse and interpret primary and secondary sources
about the Holocaust. 2. Did the Nazi’s kill millions of Jewish people?
- Analyse the usefulness of sources 3. Did mass gassings of Jews occur in the Auschwitz concentration camp?
- Analyse the reliability of sources and source material
Ask the students to remain quiet about their responses and not to share, tell them they can write in full sentences or
- Understand the role perspective plays on construction dot points.
of history
- Understand the significance of interpretation in the
construction of history
- Explain the role of evidence, perspective and
interpretation of history/ historical accounts.
SOURCE ANALYSIS:
Students are to be broken up into six groups. Each group will begin with a different holocaust source. The students are
to work as a team to analyse the source, they will be given a template to use. Once the round has ended students pass
the source on and repeat.

Students are to look at the sources and analyse their perspective and interpretation they get from each source.

COMBAT:

Students are two select two sources which present differing opinions. Students are to use the COMBAT model to
further analyse the sources.
Source booklet – Appendix E
THE HOLOCAUST QUESTION NOW:
Source Template – Appendix F
Students are to return to their questions they answered in their books at the start of the lesson. They are to re-answer
the questions again, now with the support of sources.

CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE:

Once students have answered the questions a second time they, the teacher is to ask the class if anyone’s perspective
changed and why/why not. Students are to find two more sources (one primary and one secondary) to help assist in
their response.
COMBAT – Source G
EVIDENCE IN SHAPING HISTORY:

Students are to write two TEEL paragraphs in response to the question: How does evidence shape the construction of
history?