From human-scale to abstract analysis: Year 7. Henry II & Becket

Teaching History article

By Tim Jenner, published 9th August 2010

Year 7 analyse the changing relationship of Henry II and Becket  

Tim Jenner was working on a causation enquiry with his Year 7 students when he noticed that weak conceptions of change were limiting their ability to produce powerful and period-sensitive arguments. He therefore decided to digress into a temporary but explicit focus on analysing historical change. He created a deceptively simple and very engaging device to help his students chart the pattern of the changing relationship between Henry II and his troublesome archbishop. Jenner used this to explore his students' thinking, to strengthen their confidence with chronology and substantive knowledge and also to reflect on the potential of his activity for future, more abstract consideration of the nature of historical change itself.

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