Teach-Primary-Issue-19.3

Introduce concrete representations of time to develop a deeper understanding of chronology KARL MCGRATH www.teachwire.net | 31 Start by discussing the word chronology and what it means. Talk about how you might have already used conventional timelines, and why they’re useful when studying history. To make this concept concrete, introduce multi-link cubes as physical representations of time. We decided that each block equalled 100 years, but you can divide them up however works best for your unit. Each civilisation is also assigned a specific colour. Before starting, explore historical misconceptions, including that civilisations appear one after another in a rigid sequence. Once you have constructed your timelines, you can reflect on the patterns the children have noticed, and talk about any misconceptions they might have. For example, that civilisation didn’t necessarily have to end before another could begin; that overlap didn’t have to mean that civilisations rose or fell, and some existed independently; and that although the cubes were useful tools to help visualise trends, that the models weren’t exactly to scale. You can link this activity to wider learning by discussing things like trade and technological exchange between civilisations that overlapped. This can come in handy for future lessons, as I found that children improved in confidence in using timelines as an analytical tool, rather than just as a reference point. This approach can spark some fantastic discussions, particularly around the complexity of history and how civilisations interact. I also recommend that each year group does this, to embed true chronological understanding at each stage of their learning. While the cubes are a useful representation, it's important to emphasise proportional differences between time periods. For example, the Ancient Egyptian civilisation lasted over 3,000 years, significantly longer than many others, so try and use proportional scaling where possible to improve pupils' accuracy. Now you can start constructing your multi-link timeline. Use a long roll of paper, as well as a selection of different coloured multi-link cubes. add civilisations one at at a time so you can talk through them. As the children build their timelines, encourage them to work together, making observations and questioning overlaps. You can stop periodically to encourage critical thinking. I n Year 6, we've been exploring early civilisations, and it was clear the children didn't have a strong sense of chronology. I wanted them to understand how civilisations coexisted and weren’t all completely isolated from one another. To achieve this, we constructed timelines using multi-link cubes, with each civilisation represented by a different colour. This activity is inspired by the work of Stuart Tiffany, who is a self-professed chronology geek (and regular Teach Primary contributor!). This is the second time I have used it, and I’ve found it really helps the children visualise historical scale and overlap. F EATURE S H I S TOR Y Karl McGrath, a Year 6 teacher and curriculum task design lead at Benton Park Primary, develops curriculum- driven, engaging task design models. @MRMICT