Ireland in Schools

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Update
Reporting on recent developments in the work of 'Ireland in Schools'
For previous update reports, please click here.

 

1 August 2008
An overview of Anglo-Irish relations
How differently have the English & Irish regarded events in Ireland since the 12th century?
This overview of Anglo-Irish relations in one lesson meets the requirements of the new Key Stage 3 Programme of Study for History in England. It uses visual sources to ask three questions : 1. Is seeing believing? 2. How would you define English views of Ireland and the Irish? 3. How far do Irish attitudes challenge the English views? The lesson concludes by asking students what further questions they need to ask to understand further Anglo-Irish relations?

http://iisresource.org/Documents/Anglo Irish_Relations_Overview.pdf
http://iisresource.org/Documents/Anglo-Irish_Relations_Overview.ppt



8 June 2008 

Irish picture books
Some delightful Irish picture books are available from the Northern Irish publisher, O'Donnell Press.
They include:
  Finn's Causeway Adventure
  Lazy Cat Crazy Cat
  Samson's Titanic Journey
  Scrabo, the Strangford Seal
  Sweet Molly Malone

For further details, please go to http://www.odonnellpress.com/ourbooks.html
.


 

7 June 2008 

Who came to Britain, & when?
KS3 History: New Programme of Study & KS2
This is a three-part single lesson* develops questioning through timeline maps.
It is intended to
a. give an overview of the movement to, and settlement in, Britain by people from various parts of the world since the Romans, and
b. provide an introduction to depth studies of immigration and settlement.

The lessons in pdf format and a PowerPoint of images used are available at:
http://iisresource.org/immigrants.aspx
*  1. Starter: Where are you from? 2. Who has come to Britain, and when? 
3. How accurate are the statements about when people came to Britain?


 

18 January 2008 

Using key questions in primary history
This mindmap outlines four study units as examples of the use of key questions in primary history.
It was originally produced by IiS for trainee teachers, but is proving popular in other sectors.


 

2 December 2007

Irish possibilities in the new programme of study for Key Stage 3 history
Possibilities
The new Programme of  Study offers considerable scope for  teaching the history of Ireland and
Anglo-Irish relations at Key Stage 3. 

In return, the richness and range of Irish resources offer considerable possibilities not only for
meeting requirements of the new PoS but also for making the process fun and challenging.

Catalogue
In response to enquiries about such Irish possibilities, IiS has produced a detailed catalogue of its
resources for Key Stage 3 history.

Resources 1-8 are arranged chronologically:
0. General & overviews                      5. Ireland under the Union: 1916 & First World War
1. Ireland & the Normans                   6. Ireland under the Union: Constitutional nationalism                 
2. Ireland & the Tudors                      7. Ireland & World War Two: Evacuees & refugees                    
3. Ireland & the Stuarts & Cromwell    8. Northern Ireland   
4. Ireland under the Union:                 9. Interpretation           
    Famine & emigration                       

An introductory note shows how the resources address the whole Programme of Study.
Each part is divided into three sections: A. Single lessons B. Study units C. Other resources.
In the left hand column of each section is the title of the lesson, study unit or resource.
The right hand column contains a description of the lesson, study unit or resource, with the
appropriate url.
The 'Other resources' section contains notes on interpretation.
lll
Options

The IiS materials help in the teaching of study of history through a combination of overview
thematic and depth studies, particularly by providing a range teaching and learning materials

which offer opportunities for both quick studies and deeper studies.


They can be used as they are or adapted to meet the demands of particular teaching schemes.


Access

The catalogue is available on-line at http://iisresource.org/pos_01.aspx

It is also available in pdf format at: http://iisresource.org/Documents/KS3_Irish_Possibilities.pdf

Notes on interpreting Irish history are available at http://iisresource.org/interpretation2.aspx


 

25 October 2007

Latest resources
New for Northern Ireland & SHP
The Hunger Strikes, 1980-81
  Tasks set on hunger strikes; teaching aids; reference; PowerPoints, video clips
  Eg.
  1. Tasks Previously Set in Textbooks  2. Hunger Strikers: Criminals or Prisoners of War? (Ppt)
  3. 'Rosaries & Petrol Bombs': Reactions to the Death of Bobby Sands
  Suggestions for re-inforcing learning across the curriculum and making use of scarce
  resources in Art (especially the murals of Bogside Artists), English & Music
  Eg.
  Constructing Five Murals: Techniques of the Bogside Artists
    1. Pdf Booklet  2. PowerPoint Version

 

2 October 2007

Latest resources
New

Study unit: Peace process

  Why are Protestants & Catholics willing to share power in Northern Ireland

  now & not earlier? 

    1. The study unit (pdf)   2. Collages used in Lesson 1 (Ppt)  3. Resources

Resources for SHP coursework

  Why Were British Troops Sent to Northern Ireland in 1969?

  Bloody Sunday

History Ireland, September/October 2007

  'Dublin Castle & the First Home Rule Bill' by Owen McGee (Click here for further details.)

New from O'Brien Press

  Brian Gogarty's Shamrock Sean (Younger readers: picture books & storytelling to read aloud)

    & the Bird's Nest  Goes Fishing  & the Wishing Well

  Joe O'Brien Alfie Green & the Monkey Puzzler (6+)

  Caitríona Ní Mhurchú An Rún Mór (8+)

  Judi Curtin Don't Ask Alice (10+)


 

15 September 2007

Latest resources
New
What Was It Like to be an Irish Immigrant in 19th Century Britain? (KS2) 
  1. Study Unit (pdf)  2. Visual Sources & Other Illustrations (PowerPoint)
The Pirates Grace O'Malley & Francis Drake: Goodies or Baddies? (KS2)
  1. Study Unit (pdf)  2. Pictures & Lyrics of Songs in Unit (PowerPoint)

Should We Call Grace O'Malley a Pirate? (KS1)
   1. Study Unit- large pdf file, with many pictures, please be patient  2. PowerPoint of Pictures

 

2 June 2007

Irish literature for children: new reference work
Irish Children's Writers and Illustrators 1986-2006. A Selection of Essays
edited by Valerie Coghlan & Siobhán Parkinson,
Children’s Books Ireland & Church of Ireland College of Education Publications (€ 5 + € 2.85 p&p)

This unique collection of essays about contemporary writers and illustrators for children
offers an authoritative yet accessible commentary about thirteen of Ireland’s most
successful writers and illustrators for children. It is an invaluable resource for anyone
interested in contemporary Irish children’s books and highlights Ireland's wealth literary
talent. Illustrated in full colour, it is indexed and contains references to many useful
articles and monographs about Irish authors and illustrators and Irish children’s literature.

Featured authors and illustrators:
Eoin Colfer, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Maeve Friel, P.J. Lynch, Sam McBratney,
Elizabeth O’Hara, Mark O’Sullivan, Siobhan Parkinson, Niamh Sharkey, Matthew Sweeney,
Kate Thompson, Martin Waddell and Gerard Whelan.

Call Children’s Books Ireland 00 353 1 8727475 or email info@childrensbooksireland.com
for more details.



29 May 2007

Latest resources
New
What Happened in Omagh? An Introduction of Irish History (Y7)
  1. Lesson Plans  2.
Resources (PowerPoint)  (added 03/05/07)
Revised
What was it like to be an Irish immigrant in 19th century Britain? (KS3)  (revised 20/05/07)
 
1. Study unit (pdf)  2. Visual Sources & Other Illustrations (PowerPoint)
Ireland 1801-1921 (A2 - Y13)  (revised 28/04-01/05/07)


28 May 2007
History Ireland
Recent articles in History Ireland, which could be useful to teachers in Britain, include
Early Christian Ireland
St Patrick: the legend & the bishop

Tudor conquest of Ireland
Francis Cosby (1510-80): Stradbally, Queen’s County & the Tudor conquest
of Leinster 
Ireland, the slave trade & attitudes to slavery
The Irish & the Atlantic slave trade
‘Struggling against oppression’s detestable forms’
Southern citizen: John Mitchel, the Confederacy & slavery
Anglo-Irish war
Keeping an eye on the usual suspects: Dublin Castle’s ‘Personality Files’,
1899-1921
Northern Ireland
Seán South of Garryowen
Sunningdale & the 1974 Ulster Workers’ Council strike
Click here for further details of these articles.


28 May 2007
Exhibitions at the National Museum of Ireland (www.museum.ie)
Soldiers and Chiefs: The Irish at War at Home and Abroad, 1550-2001
Collins Barracks
‘For in far foreign fields from Dunkirk to Belgrade, Lie the soldiers and chiefs of the Irish
Brigade.’
Thomas Davis.
Original artefacts, letters, and replicas and audio accounts show how soldiering
and war have affected the lives of Irish people. There are three main themes, Irish soldiers
at home, Irish soldiers aboard and Irish soldiers in the 20th century, which are explored
through the eyes of the average Irish soldier, and from that of civilians caught up in war
and conflict here in Ireland.

The Easter Rising: Understanding 1916
Collins Barracks
The exhibition examines the decade of disturbance between 1913 and 1923, from
the Dublin Lockout, through the Easter Rising to the end of the Civil War. It includes an
original copy of the Proclamation of the Republic, as read by Pádraig Pearse outside
the General Post Office on Easter Monday, and examples of the nationalistic artworks
produced by those interned afterwards.