Introduction
Welcome all teachers of History. This space is for you! Please use the resources we have collected here and also add to our database by adding your own teaching materials. We are also keen to hear from you so feel free to communicate with us through the forum and blog comments. Keep us informed with what you like and what you want.
South African: This Day in History
http://thisdayinhistory.octoplus.co.za/userselect.php
“Worried that the 'This Day in History' selection above has a 'Western' bias (I know I am), then use this South Africa only version produced by South African History Online. Much more in tune with our past and sense of history. I'm always surprised what comes up!”
History Teacher's Symposium Report
An initiative spearheaded by the history departments of Kearsney College and St Mary’s DSG, together with the Department of History Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, saw the first ever staging of the HISTerix Symposium for the Creative Teaching of History which took place at Kearsney College during February 2009. Over 60 delegates attended this inaugural conference. They came from both state and independent as well as primary and secondary schools and as far afield as Cape Town and Swaziland. But every delegate had the same purpose in mind – to share and learn from each other in order to teach both creatively and convincingly in the history classroom.
A number of keynote addresses were held – notably Professor Catherine Burns’ spell-bounding address on Women IN History and Talking Drums’ interactive drumming circle. Delegates also had the opportunity of attending 20 creative workshops as diverse as ‘the use of cell phones in the teaching of history’ to ‘the use of classical music in teaching key historical themes.’ Of particular interest was Andrew Moore’s workshop focusing on the Thutong website and ‘virtual communities for history teachers.’
ADAM ROGERS (HISTerix Symposium Organiser)
To allow more teachers to benefit from the keynote addresses they will be posted here shortly.
Featured Histerix Presentation
Reason for Studying History
The argument goes that choosing History as one of your subjects does nothing to prepare you for the 'real world'. We lose a lot of candidates to other subjects because parents and the public perceive no benefit from studying history. Want to argue back? Read and internalise these articles on historical thought and its place in society.
Forum Activity
The 'Keeping History Alive' forum debate is hotting up! We have 26 points of view at this point. Make sure you have your say and lets keep our subject relevant and 'happening.' Click here to access the debate
Essential Documents
Use these links to download those commonly needed documents:
Policy Documents
NCS FET History Grades 10-12
History Learning Programme Guidelines
History Assessment Guidelines
History Teacher Training Manual
Senior Certificate Examination Papers
2007 - Feb/March Grade 12 HG
Paper I | Memo | Addendum
Paper II | Memo | Addendum
2007 - Feb/March Grade 12 SG
Paper I | Memo | Addendum
Paper II | Memo | Addendum
National Senior Certificate Exam Exemplar
2008 Grade 12 Paper I | Memo | Addendum
2008 Grade 12 Paper II | Memo | Addendum
...more exams
Learning Channel Materials
Missed some issues of the StudyMate print supplements? Then use these links to access the catalogue. We have filtered the list so that only supplements with History content appear:
Study Mate Print Supplements
Issue 10 2008: Grade 12 NSC Exemplar
Issue 12 2007: Grade 10 Examination Questions
Issue 05 2007: Grade 10 Exam Paper
Curriculum Focus: Cold War
Looking for ways to jazz up your Grade 12 Cold War lessons? Integrate these online interactive cause/effect flowcharts into your teaching. These revision activities are of an excellent quality put together by SchoolHistory.co.uk. There a activities on the Origins, Truman Doctrine, Berlin Blockade, Hungarian Uprising, U2 incident, Berlin Wall, The Cuban Missile Crisis, Detente and the End of the Cold War. Just what's needed to pep up those revision lessons.
Exam Tips: Extended Writing
With everyone poised to write the new National Senior Certificate at the end of the year how about some examination tips! This article by Simon Haw on Extended Writing is especially pertinent. What exactly do the examinors have in mind when they say "30 marks for extended writing."?
"What is meant by extended writing? Anything from a paragraph to a book! Some different forms of extended writing include paragraphs, essays (both expository and narrative), articles such as specialist journals, newspapers and magazines as well as editorials, memos and reports..."
...read full article
Sharing Provincial Exam Papers: Wes Kaap
In the spirit of sharing we have recieved the June 2008 examination papers that were written in the Western Cape. Please feel free to have a look at them and to use them for revision purposes. You can also contact us if you have other exam papers you would like to share with other history teachers.
Junie 2008 Wes Kaap: Vraestel 1 | Bylae | Nasien riglyne
Featured Web Sites:
Here are some good South African history web sites that are worth investigating:
Mandela: An Audio History,
http://www.radiodiaries.org/mandela/index.html
This web site contains a five-part radio series, presented using MP3s documenting the struggle against apartheid through rare sound recordings, the voice of Nelson Mandela himself, as well as those who fought with him, and against him. It includes sections on the 1964 trial that resulted in Mandela's life sentence, a visit between Mandela and his family secretly recorded by a prison guard, marching songs of guerilla soldiers, government propaganda films, pirate radio broadcasts from the African National Congress and interviews with former ANC activists, National Party politicians, army generals, Robben Island prisoners, and ordinary witnesses to history
South Africa: Overcoming Apartheid, Building Democracy,
http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/
This website written by the African Studies Centre at the Michigan State University presents first hand accounts of South Africa's move from Apartheid towards democracy. Interviews with activists, raw video footage documenting mass resistance and police repression, historical documents, rare photographs and original narratives tell this remarkable story.
South African History Online: History Classroom,
http://www.sahistory.org.za/classroom/index.htm
A fantastic comprehensive resource that focuses on South African History. Some excellent resources and ready made lessons directly focused on the NCS. Spend some time here as there will be something you can use. Excellent! They claim, "the History Classroom is a learning resource designed specifically for teachers and students. The resources you will find here have been selected and arranged to encourage a deeper understanding of the history curriculum, the historical development of society, and the people who have shaped history."
...more sites
Featured DoE Approved History Textbook:
This month we have selected Oxford's In Search Of History Grade 12 as our featured text. The publisher claims:
Oxford In Search of History provides learners and teachers with outstanding, high quality material that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum Statement. The course builds on learning strategies, providing opportunities for practice and consolidation, as well as extension actives for learners. The course provides meticulous maps and graphs, as well as support in developing skills, values, knowledge and attitudes, ensuring success for learners. The course encourages critical thinking and historical analysis. Within the course, learners explore the complexity of historical understanding and investigate the relevance of History in their lives today.
For a fully comprehensive list of Department of Education approved history text books use the orange Textbook Tool above or click the link below.
... more textbooks
Featured History Podcasts:
Like to listen to your history rather than have to read it? Then podcasts are for you. All you need is a MP3 player or cellphone that can play audio files. We will post interesting podcasts here from around the world.
HP 102 - Colonization of Africa (8MB),
http://media.libsyn.com/media/historypodcast/HP102_-_Colonization_of_Africa.mp3
OK this one will get you going! It was recorded by History Podcast in November 2007. While the content is good it does have a very 'Western' viewpoint and is at times excrutiatingly paternalistic. Still why not distribute it amongst your Grade 11 class and ask them to listen to it for homework. Then start a debate on how an African podcaster might have treated the material differently.
MoAD - Slave Narratives (4 MB),
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/History/World-History/Museum-of-the-African-Diaspora-Podcast/20130#podcastlink
An international museum, based in San Francisco, MoAD is committed to showcasing the "best of the best" from the African Diaspora and Slavery. Drawing from the collections of museums, institutes, organizations, universities and private citizens, MoAD is a collector of stories—a repository of information to be shared with all who wish to know about the African Diaspora.
TeacherTube History Videos
Like to see your history rather than have to read it? Then perhaps TeacherTube is for you at www.teachertube.com. This site contains an excellent collection of educational videos made by teachers and learners! You do need a broadband connection, however, to really enjoy it. See if you can view the embedded video below to test your connection. This example video focuses on a US high school teacher's introduction to the Cold War: