“Social, environmental and scientific education provides opportunities for the child to explore, investigate and develop an understanding of the natural, human, social and cultural dimensions of local and wider and environments, to learn and practise a wide range of skills, and to acquire open, critical and responsible attitudes”. (History Primary School Curriculum, p. 2).

An understanding of the term `environment’ is fundamental to SESE, and in the Curriculum, `environment’ denotes the surroundings with which an individual or community interacts. Environments have been classified into in 2 broad categories – the natural environments that are formed through the interaction of the earth’s physical features and human environments which are defined as the modifications of the earth’s landscape by human activity.

Principles and characteristics of the approach to the teaching of the history curriculum in St Colmcille’s BNS, Swords

The purpose and nature of history in the school

History involves the simultaneous acquisition of knowledge about the past,    the development of historical investigative skills and concepts and the fostering of important attitudes.

Exploration of the school and the locality

One of the most important aspects of the history curriculum and the wider SESE programme is the emphasis placed on the exploration of the local environment of the child and the school.  A key resource in the teaching of history is the local history element on the school website, www.colmcilles.net

Balance between theme teaching and a subject-centred approach

Thematic approach is more suited to the work of the infant and junior classes. As children grow older, a combination of methodologies will be utilised - theme-based, cross-curricular integration and subject-centred focus.

A broad, balanced and coherent history curriculum

• The history programme for each class will include a broad range of studies from local, national and international contexts
• Should ensures that the children encounter the past from a range of perspectives. The social, economic, cultural, artistic and religious experiences are important it we are to understand that life was like for the majority of people in the past
• Should encourage the children to learn of and value the contributions of different ethnic and cultural groups, social classes and religious traditions
• Should provide for a range of historical periods to be studied
• Should provide adequate opportunities for the development of a range of historical skills through local studies and other units
• Should use a wide range of evidence
• Seek to effect a balance between broad sweep of history and more intensive studies of limited periods
• Provide for continuity and progression
• Foster the child’s sense of local, national and European identity

Assessment Policy

Assessment of the history curriculum should facilitate teachers in evaluating the suitability of the history programme. Assessment techniques will focus on knowledge objectives, understanding of historical concepts, competence in the application of experimental and investigative skills and the cultivation of important attitudes. The following assessment methods will be used to obtain a broad and balanced picture of the child’s progress in history:

• Teacher observations
• Concept mapping
• Teacher-designed tasks
• Work samples and portfolios

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Organisational Planning: Roles and Responsibilities

Board of Management

It is the responsibility of the Board of Management to support and facilitate the school approach to the teaching of history, and to approve this approach within the context of the overall school plan.

Parents

The emphasis that the history curriculum places on the exploration of the environment will mean that the children’s families may help to enrich and support the programme in many ways. Parents and local people may contribute to historical activities in the following ways:

• Participating in school review and planning of the programme
• Sharing knowledge and expertise
• Discussing the learning that takes places in the school
• Reviewing resources for specific aspects of the programme
• Helping to organise visits to places of  interest such as museums and heritage centres

Principal

• Oversees the development of the school plan
• Consults with the Board of Management and parents with regard to the provision of resources
• Ensures that sufficient time is made available for the teaching of history
• Identifies a teacher with particular expertise and interest in geography to lead staff discussion and to draw up a policy document on the place, purpose and content of history

Special Duties Teacher

• Encourages teachers to participate in the formulation of the history plan
• Devises a written plan in consultation with the school staff
• Organises the necessary resources to implement the plan
• Presents draft documents to the staff at meetings
• Supports colleagues as they prepare schemes of work and implement the plan
• Informs new members of the teaching staff about the school plan
• Provides information for parents with regard to the implementation of the school plan in history

Other teachers

Children are more likely to gain from a curriculum when there is consistency in the approach taken by all teachers in the school.

• Devise balanced programmes in line with the school plan which cater for the needs of each child
• Provide information for parents about the class programme in history

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Aims

The aims of the history curriculum are

• To develop an interest in and curiosity about the past
• To make the child aware of the lives of people in the past
• To develop an understanding of the concepts of continuity and change
• To provide for the acquisition of concepts and skills associated with sequence, time and chronology
• To help the child recognise and examine the influences of the past on the attitudes and behaviour of today
• To encourage the child to recognise how present actions, events and materials may become significant historically
• To enable the child to acquire a balanced appreciation of cultural and historical inheritances from local, national and global events

Broad objectives

• The history curriculum should enable the child to
• Study a range of people and events in the past in order to develop a balanced understanding of family, local, national and world history
• Learn about the people, events, issues and cultural experiences which have helped to shape the local community and environment
• Develop an understanding of chronology in order to place people, events and topics in broad historical sequence
• Acquire an understanding of change and continuity
• Examine a range of historical evidence systematically and critically
• Reconstruct elements of the past using evidence and imagination
• Develop an appreciation of the perspectives and motives of people the past
• Develop a sense of personal, local, national and European identities through studying the history of local and other communities
• Develop a sense of responsibility for the preservation of heritage
• Communicate historical understanding in a variety of ways using appropriate language and other techniques and media

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Infant Classes

Skills and concepts

Working as an historian

The child should be enabled to

Time and chronology

• Become aware and discuss the sequence of events in simple stories
• Record sequences of events in personal or family history and in stories using timelines

Using evidence

• Encounter some simple historical evidence such as family photographs, own clothes worn when younger, buildings

Communication

• Communicate an awareness of stories from the past

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First and Second Classes

Skills and concepts

Working as an historian

The child should be enabled to

Time and chronology

• Begin to distinguish between past, present and future
• Begin to develop an understanding of chronology through exploring and recording simple sequences and by placing objects or pictures in historical sequence

Change and continuity

• Explore instances of change and continuity in personal life, in family and local history

Cause and effect

• Discuss the reasons which some events happened and their consequences

Using evidence

• Examine a range of simple historical evidence – photographs, objects, memories of older people, buildings, stories and songs
• Begin to distinguish between fictional accounts in stories, myths and legends

Synthesis and communication

• Communicate an awareness of stories, people and events from the past in a variety of ways – writing, drama, ICT

Empathy

• Imagine and discuss the feelings of characters in stories from the past

Strand: Myself and my family

The child should be enabled to

• Explore and record significant personal dates and events
• Collect, discuss and compare simple items of evidence from own past
• Construct simple personal timeline or storyline

My Family

The child should be enabled to

• Explore and record significant features, events and dates in the past of the child’s family or extended family
• Discuss and record significant family events
• Collect, explore and discuss a range of simple evidence
• Compile simple family tree, scrapbook or timeline

When my grandparents were young

The child should be enabled to

• Explore and record aspects of the lives of people when their grandparents were young  [Sources: Swords Voices, volumes 1- 7, a collection of reminiscences]
• Collect and examine simple evidence in school
• Compare lives of people in the past with the lives of people today
• Record material on appropriate timeline

Games in the past

The child should be enabled to

• Explore and record traditional non-formal games – card games, street games

Feasts and festivals in the past

The child should be enabled to

• Explore and discuss the origins and traditions of some common festivals

Change and continuity

The child should be enabled to

• Visit, explore and become aware of elements in the local environment which show continuity and change – street scene now and then – Swords in 1900, Swords in 1990, Swords in 2000
• Listen to and record memories of older people

Story

The child should be enabled to

• Listen to, discuss, retell and record some stories from the lives of people who have made a contribution to local and / or national life
• Become aware of the lives of people from different social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds
• Listen to local people telling stories about the past
• Distinguish between fictional accounts in stories, myths and legends
• Discuss chronology of events in a story
• Express or record stories through simple writing, art work, music and using ICT
• Display storyline pictures showing episodes in sequences
• Use appropriate timelines

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Third and Fourth Classes

Working as an Historian

The child should be enabled to

Time and Chronology

• Distinguish between past, present and future
• Develop an understanding of time and chronology
• Record information about people and events in the past using simple timelines
• Understand and use date conventions when studying the past including day, month and year
• Use common words and phrases associated with time

Change and continuity

• Develop an understanding of change and continuity be exploring similarities and differences between past and present

Cause and effect

• Discuss the reasons for, and the effect of, some events and changes in the past

Using evidence

• Examine and use a wider range of historical evidence, especially that which may be found in the locality
• Ask about questions about a piece of evidence
• Summarise information in, and make deductions from a single source of evidence

Synthesis and communication

• Use evidence and imagination to reconstruct elements of the past
• Communicate an understanding of the past in a variety of ways

Empathy

• Imagine and discuss the feelings of people in the past

Local Studies

• Explore aspects of personal family history
• Examine changes and examples of continuity in the lives of parents and grandparents
• Collect and use a range of simple historical evidence

Oral History: Swords Voices, Volumes 1 –7
Photographs: Lawrence Collection (in school); Archive photographs – Mr Gerry Lynam (in school);
Family memorabilia; old newspapers (extracts from Drogheda Independent, 1900 – in school)
Reference Books: Local history notes (in school); articles re Swords (in school)

Homes

• Explore changes which have taken place in the home and other homes in the area
• Discuss with older people items which have changed
• Collect and examine old artefacts
• Present findings using appropriate media

My school

*The amount of source material with regard to our school is rich and varied. There are unlimited opportunities for research into the various facets of our school

• Investigate the development of present buildings and the history of earlier school buildings
• St Colmcille’s BNS and St Colmcille’s GNS opened in the same building on 1 May 1966. (8 rooms of the present St Colmcille’s BNS to each school); St Colmcille’s GNS moved to new building on 1 September 1986
• The history of the school prior to this date is contained in the local history notes
• Memories of former pupils contained in Swords Voices; also taped interview with Leo Bermingham, past pupil (1908 onwards)
• Handwriting copies (Available as part of school records
• Photographs (school archives)
• Compare school furniture and equipment
• Examine roll books
• Text books (school archives)
• School magazines from 1982 onwards

Games and pastimes in the past

• Become familiar with some games and pastimes enjoyed in the locality
• Explore and discuss pastimes with parents and grandparents

Feasts and festivals

• Become familiar with the origins and traditions associated with some common festivals in Ireland and other countries (St Colmcille’s Feast Day; Mummers – see local history notes)

Buildings, sites and ruins in the locality

• Explore some features of the local environment  - (See local history notes)

Third Class

• Examine photographs of St Columba’s Church, Round Tower, Square Tower, Old Borough School, Teachers’ Residences on North Street, Swords Youth and Resource Centre Building, St Colmcille’s RC Church

Fourth Class

• Visit some of these buildings as part of heritage trail 
• Additional buildings – Carnegie Library, Swords Castle, Court House, Rathbeale Hall, Brackenstown House, Brazil (Post House)

Present findings using a variety of media (especially IT) and appropriate timelines

My Locality through the ages

Third Class

• Origin of name of town, Story of St Colmcille, (Historic sites associated with him); St Finian; Vikings in Ireland; St Cronan; Glassmore Abbey
• Examine photographs of Swords in 1990 (School archives)

Fourth Class

• Normans in Ireland ; Swords Castle; Taylors and Forsters; 1641 Rebellion; Grace Dieu
• Examine photographs of Swords in 1900  (Lawrence Collection)

Stories from the lives of people in the past

• Listen to, discuss and retell a range of stories from the lives of people (Swords Voices)
• Become aware of the lives of people from different social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds
• Listen to local people telling stories about the past
• Discuss chronology of events
• Examine and make deductions from simple relevant evidence
• Discuss actions and feelings of characters
• Express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, music, drama, ICT
• Use appropriate time lines

Myths and legends

• Listen to, discuss, retell and record a range of myths and legends
• Discuss the chronology of events in the stories
• Discuss the actions and feelings of characters
• Distinguish between fictional accounts in stories, myths and legends and real people and events in the past
• Express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, drama and ICT

Early people and ancient societies

Third Class

• Stone Age Peoples
• African Peoples

Fourth Class

• Vikings
• Native America peoples

Life, society, work and culture in the past

Third Class

• Life in Medieval Age
• Life in 19th Century Ireland

Fourth Class

• Life in the 18th Century
• Life in Ireland since the 1950s

Continuity and change over time

Third Class

• Homes and houses
• Food and Farming

Fourth Class

• Communication
• Shops and Fairs

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Fifth and Sixth Classes

Working as an Historian

The child should be enabled to

Time and Chronology

• Distinguish between past, present and future
• Develop an understanding of time and chronology
• Record information about people and events in the past using simple timelines
• Understand and use date conventions when studying the past including day, month and year
• Use words and phrases associated with time

Change and continuity

• Develop an understanding of change and continuity be exploring similarities and differences between past and present

Cause and effect

• Discuss the reasons for, and the effect of, some events and changes in the past
• Appreciate that events usually have a number of causes and outcomes

Using evidence

• Examine and use a range of historical evidence, especially that which may be found in the locality
• Ask about questions about a piece of evidence
• Summarise information in, and make deductions from a single source of evidence
• Compare accounts of an event from two sources
• Recognise that evidence may be biased or incomplete
• Appreciate that evidence can be interpreted in a number of ways

Synthesis and communication

• Select and organise historical information
• Use evidence and imagination to reconstruct elements of the past
• Communicate an understanding of the past in a variety of ways

Empathy

• Imagine and discuss the feelings of people in the past
• Discuss how an event in the past may be perceived by those who participated in it

Local studies

Homes

• Compare and classify a range of homes in the area
• Investigate local variations or similarities in building styles and materials 
• Collect, study and classify domestic artefacts

Schools

• Study the development of the school from Act of Union onwards
• Explore the history of the school in the context of endowed schools and the national school system
• Use documentary and other sources (See school archives)

Games and pastimes in the past

• Become familiar with aspects of the history of games in the locality – history of Fingallians Gaelic and Athletic Club
• Explore aspects of the leisure interests and games of people in the past (See local history notes and Swords Voices)

Feasts and Festivals

• Become familiar with the origins and traditions associated with a range of festivals in Ireland and other countries
• Explore, discuss and record some ceremonies, stories, legends, poetry and music associated with these feasts and festivals

Buildings, sites and ruins in my locality

•   Explore some features of the local environment  - (See local history notes)

Fifth Class

• Main Street, Swords in 1900 – houses and shops
• Visit some the main historical buildings as part of heritage trail - St Columba’s Church, Round Tower, Square Tower, Old Borough School, Teachers’ Residences on North Street, Swords Youth and Resource Centre Building, St Colmcille’s RC Church, St Colmcille’s Well, Carnegie Library, Swords Castle, Court House, Rathbeale Hall, Brackenstown House, Brazil (Post House)
• Investigate various aspects of these sites
• Identify opportunities to become involved in enhancing and protecting environmental features
• Present findings using a variety of media (especially IT) and appropriate timelines

Sixth  Class

• Swords Estuary – houses, bridges, viaduct
• Study photographs of Grace Dieu, Wind Mill (Feltrim), Knocksedan Bridge

My locality through the ages

Fifth Class

• Swords in 1900
• Become familiar with important events in the history of Swords, setting local figures or events in the national context – origins of place names (See local history notes)
• Use evidence which is more diverse and more complex
• Collect local ballads, stories and traditions (See Fair Fingal)

Sixth Class

• Establishment of Dublin Airport
• Farming in 1900 – wages, way of life (See local history notes)

 Stories from the lives of people in the past

• Listen to, discuss and retell a range of stories from the lives of people (Swords Voices)
• Become aware of the lives of people from different social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds
• Listen to local people telling stories about the past
• Discuss chronology of events
• Examine and make deductions from simple relevant evidence
• Discuss actions and feelings of characters
• Express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, music, drama, ICT
• Use appropriate time lines

Myths and legends

• Listen to, discuss, retell and record a range of myths and legends
• Discuss the chronology of events in the stories
• Discuss the actions and feelings of characters
• Distinguish between fictional accounts in stories, myths and legends and real people and events in the past
• Express or record stories through oral and written forms, art work, drama and ICT

Early people and ancient societies

Fifth Class

• Romans

• Australasian peoples (Maori)

Sixth Class

• Egyptians

• Aztecs

Life, society, work and culture in the past

Fifth Class

• Life in Norman Ireland

Sixth Class

• Life in Ireland during World War 11

Eras of change and conflict

Become familiar with aspects of:

Fifth Class

• The Famine

• Renaissance

Sixth Class

• Changing roles of women

• Industrial Revolution

Politics, conflict and society

• Engage in simple studies of some of the most important aspects of periods in which political changes or movements have had an important influence on the lives of people in Ireland

• Acquire some knowledge of the major personalities and events

• Explore, discuss, compare and develop some understanding of the attitudes, beliefs, motivations and actions of differing individuals and groups of people in the past

Fifth Class

• 16th and 17th Ireland

• O’Connell and Catholic Emancipation

Sixth Class

• Revolution and change in US, France and Ireland

• 1916 and the foundation of the state

Continuity and change over time

• Study aspects of social, artistic, technological and scientific developments over long periods

• Identify examples of change and continuity

• Identify factors which may have caused or prevented change

Fifth Class

• Barter, trade and money

• Clothes

Sixth Class

• Schools and education

• Transport

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Social and Environmental Studies

Housing Estates and Streets

1. Main Street
2. North Street (Continuation of Main Street)
3. Bridge Street (Left turn off Main Street)
4. Chapel Lane
5. Watery Lane
6. Broadmeadows
7. Castle Farm
8. Rathbeale
9. Commons West
10. Church Road
11. Seatown
12. New Court (Near Fingallians' G.A.A. Club)
13. Lissenhall
14. Abbeylea
15. Glassmore Park
16. St Cronan's
17. Mooretown
18. Castle Grange
19. St Columba's
20. St Andrew's
21. Cian Lea
22. Swords Manor

Estates off Chapel Lane

1. St Colmcille's
2. Castle Demesne
3. Oaklands
4. Longlands

Estates off Malahide Rd

1. Rockingham
2. Drynam
3. Commons East
4. Melesian Court
5. Feltrim
6. Kinsealy Court
7. Melrose
8. Seamount
9. Ashley

Estates and Townlands off Dublin Rd

1. Carlton Court
2. Highfield
3. River Valley
4. Nephinstown
5. The Baskin
6. Cloghraun

Schools

1. St Colmcille's Boys' N.S. (Opened in May 1966)
2. St Colmcille's Girls' N.S.  (Opened in May 1966)
3. Old Borough N.S. (Opened in 1809)
4. St Cronan's  S.N.S.
5. St Cronan's J.N.S.
6. Holy Family J.N.S. (Opened in 1982)
7. Holy Family S.N.S.
8. St Finian's Community College
9. Colaiste Choilm
10. Fingal Community College
11. Loreto College (Opened in 1989)
12. Scoil an Duinninigh
13. Scoil Bhriain Boroimhe
14. Educate Together

Churches

1. St Columbkille's R.C.
2. St Cronan's R.C.
3. Church of the Holy Family (River Valley
4. Chapel of Ease (Balheary)
5. Our Lady, Queen of Heaven (Dublin Airport)
6. Church  of the Visitation, Kinsealey Court
7. St Columba's Church (Church of Ireland)

Rivers

1. The Pell rises in Co. Meath, flows through Knocksedan, Brackenstown and joins the Broadmeadow at Lissenhall. [The Meeting of the Waters]
2. The Broadmeadow rises near Dunshaughlin, flows through Balheary and Broadmeadow Common, and into the estuary at Lissenhall.

Hills

1. Pennock Hill (Top of the Town; First Roundabout as you come into Swords from the Airport Road)
2. Feltrim Hill (North East of the Town - on road to Kinsealy)
3. Spital Hill (On main Belfast Road - name is derived from Hospital Hill)
4. Gallows Hill (Brackenstown Road)
5. Pipe Hill (Near Lord Mayor's Pub, left of  entrance to Highfield Estate)

Factories and Industries

1. Swords Laboratories
2. Bayer Diagnostics
3. Evode
4. FIS, Dublin Airport

Sports Clubs

1. Fingallians G.A.A. (founded in 1884)
2. St Colmcille's G.A.A.
3. Swords Celtic AFC
4. Swords Rovers AFC
5. Swords Tennis Club
6. Swords Boxing Club
7. Swords Table Tennis Club
8. ALSAA

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Suggested Approaches to Local Studies

Making a Town Trail

Main Aspects:

Trace the Development and History of the Town through its Buildings

Suggested Methodology and Approach

1. Choice of area or topic
2. Teacher's visit. Note features of interest.
3. Introduce topic to pupils. Discuss.
4. Plan a visit. Questionnaire
5. Reports on findings.
6. Follow up work - Reading, writing, Maths, Art and Crafts.
7. Display of the recorded findings - charts, topic books.

Questionnaire on Streets

1. Name of street. How did it get its name? Irish name.
2. Roads or streets adjoining it. Is street straight or curved?
3. How long is the street?
4. Is the street lit at night ? Write a description of the street at night.
5. What materials were used in making the street?
6. Are cars allowed to park on the street?
7. What road or street signs are there on the street?
8. Any flowers, plants or trees on the street?
9. Is the street a main street, an avenue or a cul de sac?
10. Rough plan of street - draw in main buildings.
11. Oldest building on street.
12. List of street furniture - pillar boxes, fire hydrants, telephone boxes, man hole covers, street name plates.
13. Read about first roads; roads in other lands; roads in the desert.

Shops

1. Name of shop. Who owns it?
2. What kind of shop is it?
3. How many people work there?
4. Working hours?
5. Main articles sold?
6. Articles in highest demand?
7. Manufacture of goods - Irish made or imported?
8. How are goods delivered?
9. Collection of wrappers of goods sold in shop.
10. Make a poster advertising some article.
11. Follow up the story of Bread, the story of Sugar, Butter, tea.
12. Story of coins.

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