Year 3 History Curriculum
National Curriculum Requirements of History at Key Stage 2 Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources. In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching the British, local and world history outlined below, teachers should combine overview and depth studies to help pupils understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content.
Pupils should be taught about:
Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age Examples (non-statutory) This could include: • late Neolithic hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae • Bronze Age religion, technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge • Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture
The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain Examples (non-statutory) This could include: • Julius Caesar’s attempted invasion in 55-54 BC • the Roman Empire by AD 42 and the power of its army • successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, including Hadrian’s Wall • British resistance, for example, Boudica • ‘Romanisation’ of Britain: sites such as Caerwent and the impact of technology, culture and beliefs, including early Christianity
Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots Examples (non-statutory) This could include: • Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. AD 410 and the fall of the western Roman Empire • Scots invasions from Ireland to north Britain (now Scotland) • Anglo-Saxon invasions, settlements and kingdoms: place names and village life • Anglo-Saxon art and culture • Christian conversion – Canterbury, Iona and Lindisfarne
The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor Examples (non-statutory) This could include: • Viking raids and invasion • resistance by Alfred the Great and Athelstan, first king of England • further Viking invasions and Danegeld • Anglo-Saxon laws and justice • Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066
A local history study Examples (non-statutory) • a depth study linked to one of the British areas of study listed above • a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the locality (this can go beyond 1066) • a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 Examples (non-statutory) • the changing power of monarchs using case studies such as John, Anne and Victoria • changes in an aspect of social history, such as crime and punishment from the Anglo-Saxons to the present or leisure and entertainment in the 20th Century • the legacy of Greek or Roman culture (art, architecture or literature) on later periods in British history, including the present day • a significant turning point in British history, for example, the first railways or the Battle of Britain
• The achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following: Ancient Sumer; The Indus Valley; Ancient Egypt; The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China
• Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the western world
• A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300.
History The Big Stone Age - How do we know about the Stone Age? Who lived in Britain in the Stone Age? How did they survive? Questions Romans - What impact did the Roman Empire have on Britain? Anglo-Saxons and Scots - Why did the Anglo-Saxons/Scots invade Britain? How can archaeology tell us about the invaders? Chronological Understanding Knowledge and interpretation Historical enquiry Year 3 Can they use the vocabulary: Are the pupils able to • Can they use a range of Progression as BC, AD and decade to identify and comprehend sources to answer describe periods of time? that Britain has been questions? Can they describe key events conquered by numerous • Can they use a range of from the past using some dates groups over time?(Romans, sources (at least two) to to explain when things Anglo-Saxons) make conclusions about happened in British/world Can they explain why a period in history? history? specific historical events happened as they did in • Can they research a Can they outline/ explain history? specific event from the events and periods of time using Can they explain why past? the words: chronology, ancient individuals from a specific period of history behaved the • Can they use their and century? way they did? ‘information finding’ skills Can they use a timeline within a Do they understand that in writing to help them fixed time in history (Stone Age invasions from the past write about historical – Iron age, Romans in Britain would have been fought information? and Anglo-Saxons/scots) to by invaders, using hand to • Can they understand identify and order (chronology) hand combat? the importance of how key events that may have Do they understand that archaeologists have happened in British history? battles and invasions have aided and guided Can they utilise their happened from a very long individuals in mathematical concepts/skills time ago? understanding about the and understanding to identify the past? length of the named historical • Can the children periods (Stone –Age, Roman contemplate similarities Britain, Anglo-Saxons and scots) and differences and historical events that between different times happened in the past? in the periods covered?
Challenge Can they use a timeline within Can they explain the a specific time in history to reason(s) why Britain was a significant country to have • Can they begin to use a identify and order invaded and conquered? range (at least two) of (chronology) key events that Do they understand that sources to make a have taken place in British invasions impact the lives of conclusion about a history? for example, dates many individuals? historical event? when the Romans invaded Do they understand that • Can they use Britain, Boudicca’s rebellion). invasions take place due to investigative/research Can they initially identify and a number of reasons and skills to support them quantify the different time can last for a very long finding information more periods that exists between different groups that invaded time? rapidly? Britain?
Big Year 3 History Autumn 1: Changes in Britain in the Stone Age to the Iron Age Question How do we know about the Stone Age? Who lived in Britain in the Stone Age? How did they survive? Knowledge Skills & Understanding Chronological Understanding Knowledge and interpretation Historical enquiry • Can they explain that the Stone • Can they make observations about Age is the earliest period of time? • Can they explain how art has the sources/artefacts? been used in the Stone Age? • Can they use sources to find out • Can they locate the Stone Age on • Can they explain what Skara Brae was a timeline? about the Stone Age? and what it was used for? • Can they explain similarities and • Can the children explain what differences about how people Chronology means? lived in the Stone Age to how people live today?
Challenge • Can they use words like, chronology Can they explain the purpose of • Can they find out more about Skara etc, when explaining where the Stone why the Stone Age created cave Brae from the past and carry out Age is on the timeline? drawings? research on it? Can they explain why sources • Can they evaluate sources of are reliable/unreliable? information and identify what they were used for?
Big Year 3 History Spring 1: The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain Question: What impact did the Roman Empire have on Britain? Knowledge Skills & Understanding Chronological Understanding Knowledge and interpretation Historical enquiry • Can they order the • Can they identify similarities and differences between attempted invasions of • Can they identify the the two Roman soldiers? Britain (Caesar 55BC, 54BC reasons why Claudius • Can they spot old and new things in a picture? and 43AD-Claudius)? attempted invasion was • Can they answer questions using an artefact/ successful and Caesar’s photograph provided? was unsuccessful? • Can they give a plausible explanation as to why there is • Can they identify Boudicca’s no evidence of Boudicca? significance?
Challenge • Can they use words like, Can they understand how • Can they answer questions using a range of chronology etc? knowledge is constructed from artefacts/ photographs provided? • Can they establish clear a range of sources? • Can they find out more about Boudicca from the past narratives within and across and carry out some research on him or her? periods • Can they evaluate sources of information and identify those that are useful?
Year 3 History Summer 1: Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots Big Question: Why did the Anglo-Saxons/Scots invade Britain? How can archaeology tell us about the invaders? Knowledge Skills & Understanding Chronological Understanding Knowledge and interpretation Historical enquiry • Can they explain the reasons why the • Can they ask and answer questions • Can they locate when the Romans left Britain? about the Scots and Anglo-Saxons? Romans left Britain and what • Can they use their knowledge of Anglo- • Can they explain the reason(s) why the period of time the Anglo-Saxons Saxon place names to locate the Scots/Anglo-Saxon wanted to invade and Scots invaded Britain? names of towns in Britain? Britain?
Challenge • Can they use dates related to the • Can they explain in detail what it • Can they explain the reasons why passing of time? meant for the individuals still living in the Britons fought for their country? Britain when the Romans left?
Year 3 Geography Curriculum
National Curriculum Requirements of Geography at Key Stage 2 Pupils should extend their knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include the United Kingdom and Europe, North and South America. This will include the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features. They should develop their use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance their locational and place knowledge Pupils should be taught to: Location knowledge locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night) Place knowledge understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom, a region in a European country, and a region within North or South America Human and physical geography describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
Geographical skills and fieldwork use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies.
Year 3 Geography The Big What impact do rainforests have on the world? How do humans affect the Amazon Rainforest? Questions How does extreme weather impact the lives of individuals?
Knowledge Skills & Understanding Geographical Enquiry Physical Geography Human Geography Geographical Knowledge Year 3 - Do they use correct - Can they use - Can they explain why - Can they name Progression geographical words to maps and atlases a place is like it is? and locate the describe a place and appropriately by - Why should the different the events that happen using contents rainforests be important continents in the there? and indexes? to us all? world and state - Can they explore and - Can they - Can they explain what a confidently which have identify links in the place might be like in rainforests? location of where describe physical features in a the future, taking - Can they locate rainforests are situated? locality? account of issues and name the - Can they compare how - Can they explain impacting on human main countries in and why the Amazon how a location fits features? South America on Rainforest is different to into its wider - Can they find different a world map and forests in the UK. geographical views about an atlas? - Can they answer some environmental issue? location; with - What are the questions using different What is their view? different natural reference to physical - Can they suggest resources, such as books, features? disasters and how different ways that a are they formed? the internet and news - Can they state locality could be reports? locations where changed and - Can they describe - Can they link the topic to natural disasters improved? the layers of the their own experiences? have occurred? - Can they describe the Earth? impact natural disasters - Can they name - Can they answer - Can they explain the cause of have on the lives of countries where questions about the humans? extreme weather is weather? different types of extreme weather? - Can they share ideas on more likely to what humans can happen (e.g. wild - Who experiences possibly do to prevent fires happen in hot extreme weather in natural disasters? countries)? our country? Challenge - . Can they work out - Can they explain - Can they suggest - Can they explain why how long it would take why a locality has creative ways in which rainforests are certain physical to get to a given humans can positively located along the destination taking features? improve the rainforest equator? account of the mode - What similarities habitat? of transport? and differences - Can they explain how - Can they ask higher do they notice - Do they know what about the rainforests around the order questions and world impact the live of The Tropic Of attempt to answer locations in which these natural humans? Cancer And enquiries made by disasters take - Can they justify why that Capricorn is? others. place. their method of - Can they describe - Can they use their - Compare the prevention would work? the importance of own experiences to different forms of - Can they explain how each of the layers of ask questions. extreme people’s lives vary due to Earth – Why are they weather. weather? different? - Explain why certain natural disasters happen in specific locations.
Big Year 3 Geography Autumn: Question: What impact do rainforests have on the world? How do humans affect the Amazon Rainforest?
Knowledge Skills & Understanding Geographical Enquiry Physical Geography Human Geography Geographical Knowledge - Do they use correct - Can they use maps - Can they explain why a - Can they name and geographical words to and atlases place is like it is? locate the different describe a place and the appropriately by - Why should the rainforests be continents in the world events that happen using contents and important to us all? and state which have there? indexes? - Can they explain what a rainforests? - Can they confidently - Can they make accurate place might be like in the - Can they state which measurement of describe physical features in a locality? future, taking account of issues countries have distances within 100Km? impacting on human features? rainforests? What do - Can they explore and - Can they explain how a location fits into its wider - Can they find different views they have in identify links in the about an environmental location of where geographical location; issue? What is their view? common? rainforests are situated? with reference to - Can they suggest different - Can they locate and ways that a locality could be - Can they compare how physical features? changed and improved? name the main and why the Amazon countries in South Rainforest is different to America on a world forests in the UK. map and atlas?
Challenge • . Can they work out how • Can they explain why - Can they suggest creative ways - Can they explain why long it would take to get a locality has certain in which humans can positively rainforests are located to a given destination physical features? improve the rainforest habitat? along the equator? taking account of the • Can they explain the - Can they explain how rainforests - Do they know what The mode of transport? link between the sun around the world impact the live Tropic Of Cancer and and rainforests? of humans? Capricorn is?
Big Year 3 Geography Spring: Question: How does extreme weather impact the lives of individuals?
Knowledge Skills & Understanding Geographical Enquiry Physical Geography Human Geography Geographical Knowledge • Can they answer some • Can they state • Can they discuss how • What are the different questions using different locations where natural human activities/actions natural disasters and may cause extreme resources, such as books, the disasters have how are they formed? occurred? weather? internet andnews reports? • Can they describe the • Can they describe the • Can they explain the impact natural disasters layers of the Earth? • Can they link the topic to their cause of different types own experiences? have on the lives of • Can they name of extreme weather? humans? countries where extreme • Can they answer questions • Who experiences • Can they share ideas on weather is more likely to about the weather? extreme weather in our what humans can possibly happen (e.g. wild fires country? do to prevent natural happen in hot disasters? countries)?
Challenge - Can they ask higher order - What similarities and - Can they justify why that - Can they describe the questions and attempt to differences do they their method of prevention importance of each of the answer enquiries made by notice about the would work? layers of Earth – Why are others. locations in which these - Can they explain how they different? natural disasters take - Can they use their own place. people’s lives vary due to - Explain why certain natural experiences to ask questions. - Compare the different weather? disasters happen in forms of extreme specific locations. weather.
Big Year 3 Geography Summer: Question: How does extreme weather impact the lives of individuals?
Knowledge Skills & Understanding Geographical Enquiry Physical Geography Human Geography Geographical Knowledge • Can they answer some • Can they state locations • Can they discuss how • What are the different questions using different where natural disasters human activities/actions natural disasters and have occurred? may cause extreme how are they formed? resources, such as books, the weather? • internet andnews reports? Can they explain the • Can they describe the • Can they describe the cause of different types impact natural disasters layers of the Earth? • Can they link the topic to their of extreme weather? own experiences? have on the lives of • Can they name • Who experiences humans? countries where extreme • Can they answer extreme weather in our • Can they share ideas on weather is more likely to questions about the country? what humans can possibly happen (e.g. wild fires weather? do to prevent natural happen in hot disasters? countries)?
Challenge - Can they ask higher order - What similarities and - Can they justify why that their - Can they describe the questions and attempt to differences do they method of prevention would importance of each of the answer enquiries made by notice about the work? layers of Earth – Why are others. locations in which these - Can they explain how they different? natural disasters take - Can they use their own place. people’s lives vary due to - Explain why certain natural experiences to ask questions. weather? disasters happen in - Compare the different forms of extreme specific locations. weather.