are what people believe should happen or the way things should be

the most widely accepted or prevailing (idea or concept)

to behave or think in a way that is socially acceptable

anything related to society, including beliefs, customs  and behaviours

a simplified belief, view or representation of a group of people

Exploring historical attitudes and perspectives in non-fiction texts

English

In 'Women's rights across the ages', students look at the way language has evolved in the discussion of gender, from the 18th Century to today and to what extent this reflects changing social attitudes. In 'Macbeth: Lady Macbeth as Machiavellian Villain', students examine the play's unconventional female lead, considering how sympathetically she might be viewed by audiences across the ages. 

In 'Writing with passion', students complete the unit by writing an opinion article, protesting about something that they feel strongly about. In 'Women's rights across the ages', students practise voicing a strong personal viewpoint through a persuasive speech. 

In this unit, pupils read a wide range of non-fiction texts from across history that are centered around the topic of women's rights. They first read a range of texts and identify key themes and techniques within them, before then planning, writing, re-drafting and delivering their own speech.

Women's rights across the ages: non-fiction reading and writing

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Which of these is **not** an example of a non-fiction text?

to have the most power or influence in a situation

to behave or think in a socially acceptable way

a simplified belief about a group of people

anything related to society, including beliefs, customs, and behaviors

behaving or thinking in a way that is socially acceptable

Marriage was primarily about love and romance.

Marriage was essential for financial stability and status.

 Marriage was not considered important at all.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, what was the dominant view of marriage? 

Which if these words does **not** link to the stereotypical view of women and femininity in the 18th and 19th centuries?

Education was freely available and women were expected to attend.

Unmarried women were viewed as problematic.

Women were rarely financially independent.

Which of these is **not** true with reference to the life of women in the 18th and 19th centuries?

Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream' speech

Marcus Rashford's 'to all MPs in Parliament' letter

Malala Yousafzai's autobiography 'I am Malala'

Which of these would **not** be considered a non-fiction text?

a personal belief or judgement that may be based on facts

a conclusion drawn from scientific experimentation

Which of the following is the best definition of the word "opinion"?

To entertain readers with fictional stories.

To provide instructions on how to complete a task.

To convince readers to adopt a particular viewpoint.

A speech entitled 'it's time to ditch single use plastic'.

An instruction manual on how to survive a zombie attack.

The story of how Taylor Swift became a pop icon.

Which of these would have the primary purpose to persuade?

A first person pronoun is a word used when a writer is referring to themselves . Which word in this sentence is a first person pronoun? 'I went to the theatre and I sat in the stalls.'

It presents multiple viewpoints on a topic.

It presents information in a fair and balanced manner.

It presents information in a way that favours one particular viewpoint.

What does it mean for a non-fiction text to be biased?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Adult supervision recommended

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Exploring historical attitudes and perspectives in non-fiction texts

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.