Articles
Brain food
This regularly updated section showcases current thinking on best practice, research and ideas useful for teachers planning and teaching history.
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Page 2 – The role of school history
Caught up with the day-to-day realities of teaching, carrying out assessments and attending endless meetings, teachers rarely get the opportunity to think about what it is
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Page 3 – Teaching and learning history
'What are we trying to achieve as history teachers?
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Page 4 – Teaching emotive and controversial history
Teaching Emotive and Controversial History Martyn Davison from Pakuranga College has prepared an edited version of a report from the Historical Association in the UK which
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Page 5 – Massey at Massey
MASSEY@ MASSEY CONFERENCE (December 1–2, 2006)This stimulating conference showed that William Ferguson Massey, the erstwhile scourge of the workers, has not merely been
Capital punishment
There were 83 verified executions for murder and one for treason in New Zealand between 1842 and 1957. The activities in this feature provide opportunities to discuss views around the death penalty.
- Page 1 - Social studies activities - capital punishmentThere were 83 verified executions for murder and one for treason in New Zealand between 1842 and 1957. The activities in this feature provide opportunities to discuss views around
Resources
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Page 2 – Paragraph writing
Essays are an important part of external assessment in history. Good essays are based on joining sentences together as coherent paragraphs that tackle different components of
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Page 3 – Resource interpretation
Liz Hay (Wellington East Girls College) sent this material. It can be used at levels other than Year 13. Do send on material you think may be helpful to other teachers.
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Page 4 – Māori language content
There is now a good amount of high-quality written Māori available on the web.
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Page 6 – Using the events calendar
This feature of The Classroom provides students and teachers with quick and daily access to stories relating to New Zealand history from the big themes to the quirky and
Treaty of Waitangi
Activities to determine what students already know about the Treaty of Waitangi
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Page 2 – Thinking hats and exploring values - Treaty of Waitangi
Thinking about all points of view, write an editorial on whether or not the Treaty of Waitangi has been a helpful part of the history of our nation and whether it is now time
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Page 3 – History road - Treaty of Waitangi
Make a history road of the significant events leading to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Cricket in New Zealand
The place of sport in New Zealand culture
Case study: cricket in New Zealand
Related link on NZHistory.net.nz
Runs on the board: cricket in New Zealand
Topics include:
- the World Cup
- why cricket?
- playing England
- playing Australia.
Cricket is New Zealand's major organised summer sport and enjoys the fourth-highest playing numbers. Cricket is not, however, a sport of great worldwide significance. Like rugby, its popularity is largely confined to present and former members of the British Commonwealth and, like rugby, the game originated in England. It reflects our colonial past. Sport is an important part of the New Zealand way of life.
- Page 1 - Cricket in New Zealand - activitiesThe place of sport in New Zealand cultureCase study: cricket in New Zealand Related link on NZHistory.net.nzRuns on the board: cricket in New Zealand Topics include:the
NZ in the 19th century
Broad survey of New Zealand's 19th-century history
- Page 1 - NZ in the 19th century Broad survey of New Zealand's 19th-century
War and remembrance
War has played a defining role in shaping our nation since we first sent troops overseas to South Africa in 1899. As the centenary of the the First World War (2014-18) approaches, many New Zealanders will reflect on our nation's experiences of war and the impact of conflict on our society.
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Page 2 – War and remembrance in your school
If your school was in existence at the time of either of the world wars there is a strong likelihood that those ex-pupils who served in the armed forces have been acknowledged
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Page 3 – War and remembrance in your community
What examples can you find of how your community has memorialised those who served and died in overseas wars?While many communities have what we might describe as the more
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Page 5 – Who or what were we fighting for?
Who or what are we fighting for?
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Page 6 – Symbols and ritual
There are many symbols and rituals associated with how we commemorate war and the fallen. The red poppy is one very familiar symbol both here and in many other countries.
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Page 7 – Commemoration and protest
In 1967 protestors laid a protest wreath in Christchurch on Anzac Day to highlight their opposition to the Vietnam War. They were subsequently convicted of disorderly behaviour
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Page 8 – Remembering the New Zealand Wars
In memorialising our experiences of war, to what extent have we overlooked our own internal wars?
New Zealand Wars
In this conversation, we will discuss a number of issues related to the relevance of our internal wars of the nineteenth century and whether they should be a part of core curriculum
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Page 2 – In the too-hard basket: have we ignored the New Zealand Wars?
Why do we speak of Gallipoli, Passchendaele or Cassino, but rarely Rangiriri, Gate Pā or Ōrākau?
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Page 3 – What’s in a name? Does it matter what we call our wars?
The ‘Land Wars’, the ‘New Zealand Wars’ or even our ‘Civil War’ — there has been considerable discussion about what to call our internal wars of the 19th century
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Page 4 – Choosing a date to commemorate the New Zealand Wars
After consultation, the date settled on for the first Rā Maumahara National Day of Commemoration was 28 October 2017.
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Page 5 – Should teaching the New Zealand Wars be compulsory?
I too have found myself, somewhat sheepishly, unable to support the call to make the teaching of content such as the ‘Land Wars’ compulsory.
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Page 6 – Will removing New Zealand Wars memorials achieve anything?
How should we deal with New Zealand Wars memorials to men no longer deemed worthy of commemoration?
Suffrage 125 in the Classroom
2018 marks 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. As we remember the suffragists and their achievements, how can we also explore women’s rights and feminist issues in New Zealand today?
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Page 2 – # Kate Sheppard sent me
A poignant placard used in a 2017 Women’s March – ‘Kate Sheppard sent me’ – highlighted the connection between the fight for women’s suffrage in the 1890s and the ongoing women
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Page 3 – Are we there yet? Women in Parliament
'Prime Minister AND a mum'On 19 January 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced via Instagram that she and her partner, Clarke Gayford, were expecting their first child
Tuia – Encounters 250 in the Classroom
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Page 2 – Encountering the past through taonga
Taonga from Cook's voyages have become increasingly valuable, particularly for Māori and conservationists in Aotearoa, as the effects of colonisation and settlement began to
A sense of place: Layers of history
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Page 2 – Elsdon Best as a special constable
I have always been fascinated by the layers of history at the Pukeahu National War Memorial site in Wellington (some may know this site as ‘Mt Cook’, beside Massey University).
Anzac Day social studies activities
The Classroom supports teachers and students of various curriculum levels in their study of Anzac Day. These activities and teaching ideas can be used as they are or adapted to suit the particular needs of your classes.
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Page 3 – Anzac Day quiz
Do a quiz to find out what students know about Anzac Day
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Page 4 – Scavenger hunt - Anzac Day social studies activity
Complete a scavenger hunt to find out more about Anzac Day.
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Page 5 – Commemmorating Anzac Day
Activities to explore the meaning of Anzac Day
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Page 6 – Anzac Day and war experience
Activities that explore the war experiences of students' family members
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Page 7 – War Memorials
Activities using information from war memorials and resources that provide information about war casualties and memorials
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Page 8 – Personal experiences
Write the diary entry of an imaginary person at Gallipoli
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Page 9 – History road
Make a history road of the six key events of the Gallipoli campaign.
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Page 10 – Homecoming from Gallipoli
Activities that explore what it was like for Gallipoli survivors returning home
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Page 11 – War correspondent
'Read all about it!' War correspondents in the First World War The New Zealand public was keen to keep abreast of events overseas and get some sense of what
Disasters activities
A broad range of ideas and activities for teaching social studies students of all levels about New Zealand disasters.
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Page 3 – What happened and why
NZ disasters classroom activities exploring what happened and why.
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Page 5 – Communicating ideas
A variety of activities involving communicating information and ideas associated with NZ disasters.
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Page 6 – Personal writing
Classroom activities based on exploring NZ disasters through personal writing.
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Page 7 – Expressing your opinion
Teaching activities and ideas exploring NZ disasters through personal opinion.
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Page 8 – People on the spot
Classroom ideas and activities relating to NZ disasters whee students imagine being personally involved in the event.
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Page 9 – What could have been done differently?
Social studies activities relating to NZ disasters exploring whether or not things may have turned out differently had other decisions been made.
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Page 10 – What's the question?
Social studies activity exploring NZ disasters by way of a question game.
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Page 11 – A snapshot in time-disasters
A social studies activity exploring a period of time as a wider context toa study of NZ disasters.
Jockey underwear
Some people might say we are what we eat; others might prefer we are what we wear. Explore life in New Zealand and the power of advertising by a holding survey, a class debate, designing advertising material and promoting a campaign to buy products from New Zealand.
- Page 1 - Jockey underwear goes on sale in New ZealandSome people might say we are what we eat; others might prefer we are what we wear. Explore life in New Zealand and the power of advertising by a holding survey, a class debate,
Race Relations Day
Race Relations Day, 21 March, gives New Zealand teachers and students an opportunity to discuss and celebrate New Zealand's ethnic diversity.
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Page 2 – Race Relations Day activities
Activities relating to Race Relations Day for Social Studies teachers
Matariki
In recent years Matariki, the Māori New Year, has been celebrated by many New Zealanders, Māori and non-Māori alike. Celebrated in the middle of winter, it is becoming an increasingly important part of the New Zealand calendar
- Page 4 - Matariki teaching activitiesSome ideas for teaching students about
New Zealand's first flag
History and activities relating to New Zealand flags
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Page 3 – Letter to the editor - social studies activity
Argue for or against a new national flag in a letter to the editor of a newspaper.
Te Tangata Kōhuru: The Murderous Man
The career of John Bryce, known to many students of 19th-century New Zealand history as the Native Minister who led the invasion of Parihaka, is an interesting example of how to approach historical perspective. In the eyes of many Māori he was Tangata Kōhuru – The Murderous Man, while in his own settler community he was referred to in much kinder terms as ‘Honest John’.
- Page 1 - Te Tangata Kōhuru: The Murderous Man The career of John Bryce, known to many students of 19th-century New Zealand history as the Native Minister who led the invasion of Parihaka, is an interesting example of how to
