Strand: Local studies
Strand unit: My family
The child should be enabled to
- explore aspects of personal family history or the family history of a person known to him/her
birth dates of brothers and sisters
birth dates of parents and grandparents
life-spans of great-grandparents if possible
the occasions of births, deaths and other family events in the past
when my home was built or when my family came to live here
significant dates in the life of the family (e.g. when father, mother or other relative started work, changed job, when a member of the family emigrated or migrated) - examine changes and examples of continuity in the lives of parents and grandparents
in clothes, food
in books, games and leisure activities
in communication, roads, transport
in built and natural environment - collect and use a range of simple historical evidence
oral history
photographs
family memorabilia
old newspapers
reference books - present findings using a variety of media and appropriate timelines.
Integration
SPHE: Myself and others—Myself and my family
Strand unit: Homes
The child should be enabled to
- explore changes which have taken place in the home and other homes in the area
varying designs and materials in homes of
different ages and types, including houses,
caravans, flats, cottages, trailers
changes to the structure
changes in services (e.g. when electricity came to the home)
changes in furniture and appliances used - discuss with older people items which have changed and those which have remained the same
- collect and/or examine old artefacts
- present findings using a variety of media and appropriate timelines.
Integration
Geography: Human environments—People living and working in the local area
Strand unit: My school
The child should be enabled to
- investigate the development of present buildings and the history of earlier school buildings
- become familiar with the story of the school’s founder(s)
- attempt to reconstruct a school day in the past using a range of simple evidence
memories of former pupils
old textbooks, handwriting copies and pens
photographs of schoolchildren
folk memories, oral history - compare school furniture and equipment of the past and the appearance of the classroom with those of today
- examine old roll books or other records; if possible old handwriting copybooks
- refer to or use appropriate timelines.
Integration
SPHE: Myself and the wider world—Developing citizenship
Strand unit: Games and pastimes in the past
The child should be enabled to
- become familiar with some games and pastimes enjoyed in the locality
- explore and discuss games and pastimes enjoyed by parents and grandparents in the past
- have some knowledge of games and pastimes enjoyed by children in ancient societies and in other lands.
Integration
Physical education: Games
SPHE: Myself and the wider world—Developing citizenship
Strand unit: Feasts and festivals in the past
The child should be enabled to
- become familiar with the origins and traditions associated with some common festivals in Ireland and other countries
local feasts and festivals
feasts and festivals celebrated by various members of the school and local community, including Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and other celebrations where appropriate
festivals associated with agricultural practices
festivals celebrated in ancient times - explore, discuss and record some of the ceremonies, stories, legends, poetry, music, dances and games associated with these feasts and festivals.
Integration
Physical education: Dance
SPHE: Myself and the wider world—Developing citizenship
Music: Listening and responding; Performing
Strand unit: Buildings, sites or ruins in my locality
The child should be enabled to
- actively explore some features of the local environment
local church
old house or houses
estate farmyard
street (or section of a street)
bridge or old road
mill
hospital
shop front or other building façades
castle or towerhouse - investigate various aspects of these sites
origins and location
their appearance now and formerly
purpose of construction
elements which have changed
elements which have remained unchanged
what it was like for people to live, work,
worship or die in this place
stories of people who lived, worked,
worshipped or died in this place - present findings using a variety of media and appropriate timelines.
Integration
Geography: Human environments—People living and working in the local area
Strand unit: My locality through the ages
The child should be enabled to
- study a period or periods in the history of the local village, town, city area, townland, parish or county
- become familiar with important events in the history of the locality, referring to the wider national context where relevant; possible events might include:
ancient settlements in rath or dún
ancient burials
foundation of village, town or city
erection of particular buildings, bridges
events in locality associated with the Great
Famine
changing farming practices
opening and/or closing of local hospital or factories - collect related local ballads, stories and traditions.
Linkage
Note that this unit might be used instead of one of the units suggested in the strand Continuity and change over time.
Integration
Geography: Human environments—People living and working in the local area
Strand: Story
Strand unit: Stories from the lives of people in the past
The child should be enabled to
- listen to, discuss, retell and record a range of stories from the lives of people who have made a contribution to local and/or national life and to the lives of people in other countries through technological, scientific, cultural and artistic activities as well as those who have contributed to social and political developments
- become aware of the lives of women, men and children from different social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds, including the lives of ‘ordinary’ as well as ‘more famous’ people
- listen to local people telling stories about their past
- discuss chronology of events (beginning, middle, end) in a story
- examine and begin to make deductions from some simple relevant evidence
- discuss the actions and feelings of characters
- discuss the attitudes and motivations of characters
- express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, music, drama, mime, movement and information and communication technologies
- use appropriate timelines.
Strand unit: Myths and legends
The child should be enabled to
- listen to, discuss, retell and record a range of myths and legends from various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds in Ireland and other countries
- discuss the chronology of events in the stories
- discuss the actions and feelings of characters
- distinguish between fictional accounts in stories, myths and legends and real people and events in the past
- express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, drama, mime, movement and information and communication technologies.
Integration
Music: Listening and responding; Performing
Visual arts: Many stories may inspire artistic work.
Drama: Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas, leading to understanding
Strand: Early peoples and ancient societies
Strand unit: A selection from:
Stone Age peoples
Bronze Age peoples
Early societies of the Tigris and Euphrates valleys
Egyptians
Greeks
Romans
Celts
Early Christian Ireland
Vikings
and a selection from:
Central and South American peoples e.g. Aztecs
Asian peoples e.g. peoples of the Indus valley, Ch’in and Han empires of China
African peoples e.g. Benin peoples
North American peoples e.g. Native American peoples
Australasian peoples e.g. Maori
The child should be enabled to
- become familiar with aspects of the lives of these peoples
origins
homelands
homes of people
food and cooking
clothes
work and technologies, weapons
cultural or artistic achievements
myths and storie
faith and beliefs
leisure and pastimes
burial practices
links these people had with Ireland or Europe (as appropriate)
arrival, settlement and life of these people in Ireland (as appropriate) - examine and become familiar with evidence we have which tells us about these people, especially evidence of these people which may be found locally
- record the place of these peoples on appropriate timelines.
Strand: Life, society, work and culture in the past
Strand unit: A selection from:
Life in Norman Ireland
Life in mediaeval towns and countryside in Ireland and Europe
Life in the 18th century
Life in the 19th century
Life during World War II
Life in Ireland since the 1950s
The child should be enabled to
- become familiar with aspects of the lives of these people
homes of people
clothes
farming, foods and cooking
technologies which people developed and used
people at work
tools and weapons
language(s), culture, art and music
leisure and pastimes
stories of individuals from this era - examine and become familiar with evidence from the periods studied, especially evidence which may be found locally
- record the place of peoples on timelines.
Strand: Continuity and change over time
Strand unit: Possible units may include:
Food and farming
Clothes
Homes and houses
Transport
Communications
Shops and fairs
Schools and education
Caring for the sick
The child should be enabled to
- study aspects of social, artistic, technological and scientific developments over long periods
- identify items of change and continuity in the ‘line of development’
- identify some of the factors which have caused or prevented change
- refer to or use appropriate timelines.