Year 8 marks the point in Middle School (social sciences wise) where assessment swerves toward the student’s ability to master research skills within a group dynamic. A commonsensical approach to this idea would be to assume that the teacher sits back, folds his/her arms and waits for the students to finish and present their findings. A laughable indictment of the modern teacher, of course. Any educated member of modern society will understand the importance of group work within the framework of a school curriculum, especially in the realm of social studies. The group work MUST be organised. A healthy manner in which to organise roles, is applying a microcosm of Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats theory. Each member of the group is given the opportunity to choose an individual role, which when brought together fulfil the objectives given. Roles, of course, depend on the subject being researched. Year 8 researched the Wars of the Roses – a set of wars between two rival families: the Lancasters and the Yorks. It’s a complicated series of battles, where the Monarchy flips between each victorious family. What an excellent opportunity to give the students a research topic, split between three house groups – the beginning, the middle and the end.
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