200 word history question to write based on a project. Advice on best way to answer these type of questions - Y8

[SweetMarmalade]

Ds - Y8 has had a history project to complete during lockdown. The end of the project requires him to answer a question based on the project.

Without possibly identifying myself I won’t go into what the project was about but just wanted some guidance on how to best summarise and answer questions on a history project.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Any tips on how to approach this. Only approx 200 words required.

Ds sometimes answers questions like this as if he was talking, for example, starting a sentence with ‘well, etc ... he also uses and far too much!

I would think about those short films they have at the end of a David Attenborough wildlife film! Apply the scenarios to the project.

What were the difficulties he encountered in doing the project? How were the difficulties overcome? What did he learn from the project? What was the most important theme he wished to investigate? Why? What interested him? What reading and resources did he use? Has it made him interested in finding out more about this period in history - if so, why?

That should be enough!

Thank you @BubblesBuddy that’s fab advice, I’ll pass this on to ds

Can you say what the question is? Year 8 I’d assume they’d be looking for something relatively simplistic and factual. It sounds like they may be looking for a Conclusion paragraph - drawing together the strands of various facts he’s looked at into a summary that reflects his own view on a basic level of what he has learnt & what actually happened. My degree is in History and doing History home schooling with my Year 7 DD, I have to keep reminding myself to not overly complicate things with her & focus on what are the key facts here at this level rather than alternative opinions and arguments. And no, wouldn’t start the answer with ‘Well’ but would probably use the dull ‘In conclusion’ or To sum up’. Hope some of the above is vaguely helpful!

@SJaneS48 that’s very helpful, thank you.

Wish I had changed my username now but giving you the exact question would give away the project.

Being very vague, the question is asking if life was good for everyone at that point in time.

It wasn’t good for everyone, for some it was amazing, others not so much!

Ds tends to waffle and write/type his answer as if he’s having a chat with the teacher rather than keeping it factual

And the project was over 50 pages long so lots to sum up in 200 words.

How is the question phrased?

Theres usually something at the start asking them to compare, or "to what extent" or "do you agree" etc

It’s just a question without the ‘how far do you agree’ approach.

For instance, imagine in the future there is a history project on lockdown, closing question (very similar to what ds is being asked) - Was lockdown in 2020 a scientific success for everyone?

Really sorry, bad example - I need more cups of tea!

It sounds like there is a lot of scope there for waffle @SweetMarmalade. Something along the lines of:
Para 1)to sum up, life wasn’t universally good or bad and depended on your location, occupation, religion and class (whatever is relevant!!)
Para 2)for some it was a prosperous time - give separate examples
Para 3) for others this was a difficult period with e.gs

Again, hope this helps!

@SJaneS48

Thank you, that really helps! I’ll pass this info on to ds

Agree with SJane but id add a conclusion too, just his opinion does he think it was a prosperous time.

Impressed your kids let you help, my teenagers refuse to let me anywherw near

@PheasantPlucker1 he’s hard work at times, I think he misses the classroom noise, chatting to the teacher etc. I’m lucky I’ve been furloughed and can guide if needed.

Plus he’s taking History as his GCSE option do I’m trying to undo some sloppy habits he seems to have got into along the way. It’s been a real challenge at times!

The last 2 months personally have given me nothing but absolute respect for DDs teachers and the daily conviction that her teachers have absolutely definitely got her mixed up with another, more dedicated & higher achieving kid! Having said that, a lot of the maths, science and computing (binary coding with minimal explanation for gods sake) has me convinced that actually I’m a complete idiot!

Please excuse the off topic rant, it’s been a long morning!

@SJaneS48 totally agree, I have nothing but respect for the teachers.

Ds isn’t the type of dc to just get on with his work, he likes discussing, especially a topic like history. He misses that interaction at school.

You’re lucky to have had computing work set, Ds had t had any. The maths set this wk was horrendous and not something which they’d been taught already. Luckily teacher on hand but Ds doesn’t like contacting her as he thinks she’ll get fed up, he’d prefer to scratch his head for over an hour getting frustrated. I wasn’t much help

:-) it’s hard isn’t it in the areas that we’re completely and utterly (and to be honest, happily!) clueless? You’d be quite welcome to DDs computing! We have weekly work in all her subjects including dance, drama, textiles & cookery, some of which has been hard to actually carry out (imagine DS performing all 7 characters in a scene in a play & you’ll get the gist!). Can you contact teachers on his behalf if he’d not rather?

Without knowing the question it's hard, however as a history teacher I'll try and help.

1. Brief outline of what the question is referring to e.g. the 1920s are often described as "the roaring twenties"... There was period of economic prosperity dissipation etc and many historians argue that this was the best decade of the twentieth century... (Fill in with own waffle)

1. Yay, this decade was amazing!

1. Actually, it wasn't really as great as it seems

1. Personal judgement based on above to conclude

Hope this helps!

@SJaneS48 I have contacted his Maths teacher, who has been great with communication but Ds still doesn’t like it. I’ve told him he won’t be the only one contacting her.

Sounds like you have your work cut out! No drama, one cookery lesson since lockdown, which suits us as ds wont be continuing with these subjects in Y9.

@fandajji that does help, thank you. Now, to make sure he doesn’t waffle, which he can tend to do when he’s typing, might make him write this out instead.

Having a DD who was on target to get at least an 8 in history. She would answer a question like this with which opinion she had formed and then cite the evidence that back up her opinion. The opinion doesn't matter it is citing good evidence to back up your opinion that is important.