About this unit

Expectations

Resources

The unit centres on Britain in the 1960s. While the factual knowledge about the period is an essential component of the unit, the main focus is on interpretations of it.

The unit creates opportunities to analyse a film clip and website, exploring reasons for why they portray Britain in the 1960s in a particular way when contrasted with the historical record. It also invites pupils to create a web page on Britain in the 1960’s and justify how they have constructed it.

This unit was originally taught in a day of school time but could also be taught across a sequence of lessons. There is scope to adjust some of the teaching activities to take account of time constraints in different schools.

By the end of this unit

Most pupils will have: analysed a film interpretation of Britain in the 1960s and written about the period from the film’s assumed, single viewpoint; analysed a web based interpretation of Britain in the 1960s; compared the film and web interpretation with evidential information on Britain in the period; selected, organised and deployed information to produce a structured web page on Britain in the 1960s for a different purpose and audience to those of the interpretations studied earlier.

Some pupils will not have made so much progress and will have: analysed a film interpretation of Britain in the 1960s in simple terms and written very generally, attempting to reflect that interpretation’s point of view; analysed a web based interpretation of Britain in the 1960s in simple terms; attempted a comparison of the film and web interpretations; attempted to produce a structured web page on Britain in the 1960s but with little understanding of its purpose and audience or of the interpretations already studied.

Some pupils will have progressed further and will have: analysed a film interpretation of Britain in the 1960s in detail and written about the period from the film’s assumed, single viewpoint with flair; analysed a web based interpretation of Britain in the 1960s with the same grasp of detail as the earlier analysis; compared the film and web interpretation with evidential information on Britain in the period in depth; selected, organised and deployed information to produce a fluent, structured web page on Britain in the 1960s for a different purpose and audience to those of the interpretations studied earlier.

Resources include:

• Film “Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery”.
   
• Images and music from
  the 1960’s.
   
• Various cards for sorting and extending vocabulary.
   
• Screen shot of website.
   
• Education website for primary pupils.
   
• Template for a web page.

It is helpful if pupils:

• have studied an overview of life in Britain since 1930.
• are familiar with the idea that historical interpretations can vary depending on their purpose and audience e.g. films, websites etc.