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Section 5: Attainment Outcomes, Strands and Targets in Environmental Studies

Knowledge and understanding: people in the past Page_sy0.jpg (1K) Pupils should also be developing informed attitudes in relation to the knowledge and understanding strands below. See page 42 in the Guidelines booklet for relevant DIA strands, or click on the page symbol above.
  Pupils are able to:
Strand
Level A
Level B
Level C
Level D
Level E
Level F

People, events and societies of significance in the past Developing an understanding of distinctive features of life in the past and why certain societies, people and events are regarded as significant.

  • give examples of people and events in the past that are important to them in relation to their families, or in relation to their community
  • give examples of stories they have heard that give them information about the past, and describe what they have learned
  • describe some features of life in the past for a chosen topic/period
  • describe the diversity of lifestyles of people in the past, e.g. the life of a peasant as opposed to a landowner
  • describe some features of societies, people and events from the past and suggest why they might be considered significant
  • explain the motives or actions of people in particular historical situations
  • explain the values or attitudes that characterised various societies in the past
  • explain why particular societies, people and events from the past are thought to be of significance
  • apply knowledge and understanding of the motives or actions of people in particular historical situations, and/or the values and attitudes of particular societies in the past to reach conclusions on a given historical issue or question
  • Change and continuity, cause and effect Developing an understanding of change and continuity over time and of cause and effect in historical contexts.
  • give some examples of changes that have affected their own and other people's lives and the life of their community (before/after, past/present)
  • give some reasons why these changes took place
  • describe changes that have led to present circumstances in relation to their own lives, e.g. how homes,lighting, clothes have changed
  • give reasons why these changes took place
  • give examples of continuity in relation to their own lives, e.g. everyday routines
  • make a comparison between present and past lifestyles/circumstances/features. (What is different? What is the same?)
  • give some reasons for differences, and for aspects of continuity
  • identify important features of a development that have changed over an extended period of time, e.g. transport, the role of women
  • explain in simple terms why these features were important and describe what effects they had on people's lives
  • demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the main features of a particular event/development/attitude with regard to change and continuity
  • give some reasons to explain why a specific historical event/action/development took place and what the specific consequences were
  • apply knowledge and understanding of the process of cause and effect to provide a detailed explanation as to why a particular development/event took place and give a balanced assessment as to the significance of its consequences

  • Time and historical sequence Developing an understanding of time and how events in the past relate to one another in a chronological sequence.
  • demonstrate an awareness of annual patterns and the sequence of events in their own and others' lives
  • know ways of describing and measuring time, e.g. night/day, seasons, months, yesterday/today/tomorrow
  • using their age, make a simple timeline showing significant events in their lives
  • sequence a small number of pictures/objects from different periods in chronological order
  • use the word 'century' correctly
  • put a series of events with their dates in chronological order
  • use the words 'decade' and 'millennium' correctly
  • explain the meaning of the terms 'BC' and 'AD'
  • place a number of events from a specific historical development on a timeline that crosses the BC/AD divide, e.g. the development of writing from early people to present day communication
  • explain the relationship between specific dates and the relevant century
  • name and place significant historical periods in chronological order
  • compare and contrast timelines from a significant historical period in different parts of the world
  • The nature of historical evidence Developing an understanding of the variety of types of historical evidence and their relative significance.
  • talk about objects from their own past and say what they were used for and why they are important to them
  • describe what old photographs/films, etc., can tell them about people or places in the past.
  • suggest some simple types of evidence that would tell them about a given person/event/development from the past.
  • describe ways in which people remember and preserve the past, e.g. war memorials, and suggest reasons why they should do this.
  • suggest a variety of sources of information about the past and what use they might be to someone studying a particular topic
  • explain the meaning of the term 'heritage' and give some examples, e.g. castles, literature, etc.
  • suggest ways in which society's awareness of its own past can affect its present and future development, e.g. devolution in Scotland, conflict/peace in Northern Ireland.
  • describe how heritage and evidence can be used in both positive and negative ways, e.g. to promote social, economical or political ends.
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