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This is a website of resources for Middle School students in New South Wales studying Medieval history. It contains information about print, web and interactive resources and references.


 * The Task[[image:GC_Knight.jpg align="right"]] **

As part of your Year 7/8 study of Medieval History in Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) the Explorers are required to complete an assignment that involves: 1) research on an aspect of life in medieval times (600-750 words); and 2)making an item from medieval times; and 3) a short presentation (4-7 minutes) to the class on either your research or item. // 4.8 locates, selects and organises relevant information from a number of sources including ICT, to conduct historical research // // 4.10 selects and uses appropriate oral, written and other forms including ICT to communicate effectively about the past // || = = =Planning and Purpose=
 * // Outcomes being assessed: //
 * Length ** : maximum 600 words (Year 7) to 750 words (Year 8)
 * Requirements: ** A bibliography must be included. (not included in the word count.) The bibliography should follow the Harvard Method. The library has a booklet available on how to construct a bibliography or you can look at the bibliography pages on the class website.

The aim of this assignment is for you write and present a detailed explanation to your class of one aspect of medieval life of your choosing. This pathfinder will help you select and locate resources.

Your resources will include references such as encyclopaedias, print resources such as books and digital resources such as websites. The print resources that you need are found chiefly in the 940s section of the library (Medieval History), the 909s (The Crusades) and in the 355s (Sieges and Warfare).

Use the following steps and your to help you plan your assignment and find the information that you need using the tools of Information Literacy that you have been practising in your earlier assignments.

• What do you already know about your topic?
 * Retrieving **

• What do you still need to find out?

• Write down a series of FACT questions. (These will help you know exactly what to look for in books and websites.) E.g. What was this person’s place in society? What effect did this have on the way a person lived (where they lived, what they ate, what they owned, what were their obligations)?

For each question, write down keywords that you will look for in an index or use in a search engine or when browsing through a book or website.

__Fact Question__ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO __Keyword__

Use the following links to help you locate information:

• Search Further
Compare a variety of resources and select those that are the BEST ONES for your assignment.

• Can you find the information that you need easily? (Use index, contents, headings and pictures.)

• Is there enough information on your topic?

• Is there sufficient detail?

= = =** Processing **= Using the most useful resources, skim over the pages, keeping your FACT questions in your head.

Read the text. Think about what you have read and only copy down:

N Something NEW to you U Something USEFUL to your project T Something you can TELL to someone else


 * Check your progress **

• Have you answered all the FACT questions that you set yourself?

• Have you looked at both websites and books?

• Are there any gaps in your information? If so, WHAT do you still need to do? = Go to Retrieving =

Think about the information that you have collected.
 * Creating **

• How are the things, people, events connected to each other? How do they fit together?

• How can you combine information from different sources?

• Use your information to write down a draft version of your report.

• Use your FACT questions as sub-headings.

Communicating with your audience; presenting new understandings. . Use the  to judge how well you did in finding, using and presenting your information.
 * Sharing **
 * Evaluation **

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