Heritage Quest - Rebecca Riots

A Dysg funded project carried out at Cardinal Newman RC School demonstrating how Key Skills can be integrated into themes.

This is a brief summary of the project. A full description is available in the centre's Final Report to Dysg.

Click Schools http://www.dysg.org.uk/kssp/post16gpm.asp

WBQ components
WEW Element 1, Key issue 1
Element 2, Key issue 1
Element 4, Key issue 1
Individual Investigation

Key Skills opportunities - all at level 3
Communication Research into historical facts involves reading, written notes are then made on these facts and talks are made. All of these can be used to generate evidence.
ICT Research into historical facts can be used to generate ICT evidence. Also the preparation of a power point presentation gives text combined with image.
AoN Research into material costs, the design of patterns and subsequent purchase and manufacture of costumes generates evidence.
IOLP can be covered by planning this activity and working through it. Your centre will have devised a form on which this can be recorded.
WO The design of the minutes should help students to cover all criteria in the WO logbook, but it is recommended that students cut and paste criteria, and match this to the work they have done, to ensure coverage. (Logbooks are available in word from the Welsh Bac Team.)
PS A variety of problems will arise naturally in an activity such as this, but it is a good idea to give students some guidance. A list of the problems that were suggested for this project are given below.

In producing a drama on the Rebecca Riots the following problems exist.

• No member of the group has any knowledge of costume / make up / filming / editing / sound techniques / lighting techniques / backstage theatre work.
• We have no location for the drama.

Choose one or more of these problems and solve them using the problem-solving key skill criteria.

Description of activities

The Heritage Quest 'pack of lessons' was used to determine pupils' interests. They decided that they would like to write and produce a film based on the Rebecca Riots Р a fictional story based on fact.
It is difficult to separate work into different sessions but the information below gives an idea of the work completed by students.

Weekly Sessions (WO)

Activity 1 (Communication and ICT)
Students researched the history behind the topic, including costume of the period. They gave talks on their findings, often using power point presentations.
Students wrote the script. (This took many weeks.)

Activity 2 (WO)
Students auditioned for the cast and organised rehearsals.

Activity 3 (AoN)
Students priced material, bought it and made costumes.

Activity 4 (PS)
Students looked for suitable locations for filming.

Activity 5 (PS)
Students filmed rehearsals and final production.

Activity 6 (PS)
Students edited the production using the software provided with the digital video camera.

Practical Points It would be much easier to deliver this if students used a drama that has already been written

instead of writing the script themselves. They could still research the historical facts to gain the key skills evidence.

Time scale
A great deal of work and time is involved Р very often involving lunch time rehearsals that have to be supervised even if they are organised by the students.

Cost
This project was funded by Dysg but if this was not the case fundraising would need to be undertaken to cover such things as costumes, films, transport to locations and transport to museums, etc. to research historical facts.

Resources
At level 3, students should be encouraged to find their own resources, but obvious assistance will be found at the library, the internet, the Museum of Welsh Life, the History Department and Media Studies Department.

The Centre's recommendations for other centres approaching a similar project

• Use a 'meetings' approach and use 'custom made' minutes as shown earlier to ensure
• that there is evidence that the criteria is being covered.
• As an assessor, keep your own minutes as well as copies of those drawn up by pupils.
• Ensure pupils are aware of the key skills criteria and what they are trying to achieve.
• Allow the pupils to choose the project Р don't be put off by your own lack of experience in any area. The fact that pupils have to go and find out for themselves helps them to cover criteria for IOLP Р you are also less likely to be tempted to just give them the information. They are also more motivated if it is what they want to do.
• Be ready to assess naturally occurring evidence of key skills coverage, such as presentations given during meetings by individuals.
• As part of preliminary talks, give pupils a time limit for the project so that their choice is not something that will go on for too long a period of time.
• Make sure the key skills are integrated into a 'fun' activity, but put time aside to record achievements.
• Start taking photographs of the project from day one to show evidence of pupils taking part and progressing.