1. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Warm Up – Check your essay and write the following statements under your essay if you think it is true: I have always used capital letters correctly. I have written three/four paragraphs of roughly equal length. I have written a detailed conclusion. I have made a clear and obvious point at the start of all of my paragraphs. I have made my overall argument clear in my intro. I have indicated what my paragraph sub-topics will be. If it isn’t then write (T) and put it as a target.

2. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Which statement is yours?

3. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Want another lesson off? Want more bribes? I’ll even let you choose. Want to do even better at history?

4. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Amnesia AlanDerek the Blind Donkey Alan needs to get to the conclusion but he always starts in the introduction. He needs a sign post to send him to the conclusion and, because he has amnesia he needs constant reminders of where he has been and where he is going. His legs are also jiggered so he rides his pet donkey. Derek is blind and needs Alan to steer him in the right direction. Derek uses up a lot of energy carrying Alan but it is okay, you can top up his energy levels with knowledge. Don’t give him too little or he won’t be able to go, and don’t give him too much or he will get fat and sit down. You can also poison Derek with incorrect knowledge, this will make Derek poo and will make a right old mess of the essay road.

5. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Introductions Amnesia AlanDerek the Blind Donkey I need to know where I’m going, so tell me what the conclusion will look like (your argument) and tell me the important things that I will see on the way (your paragraph subtopics). I need one or two of the very juiciest pieces of knowledge to encourage me to set off down the path. If it doesn’t impress me, I won’t bother setting off.

6. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Paragraphs Amnesia AlanDerek the Blind Donkey I need to know which bit of the journey we are on (your point), I need you to remind me where we have been (refer back to the key words from the Q) and I need to know where we are going (paragraph summary). Keep me topped up with knowledge, but remember not to make me fat or poison me. Read the example paragraph. Shade the signposts for Alan in one colour. Shade the knowledge for Derek in another.

7. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey A healthy economy is important for any monarch and his country to be effective and in this respect Edward should be given credit. One of Edward’s most well-known economic achievements was that he changed the coinage eleven times; this shows an unusual amount of control of the economy for a medieval monarch and is clear evidence of how effective was because it by doing this he discouraged forgeries and, perhaps most importantly, made it easier for his officials to collect tax. In addition he was known to have granted some Sussex ports to the Norman Abbey of Fecamp, which is not only evidence of his favour for foreigners, it is also an indication of a shrewd move to encourage trade. Links with mainland Europe such as this can only have helped to improve trade links and thus in this respect also Edward was effective. A strong economy was important for a successful nation but it would have been impossible for a country to be strong economically if it faced the constant threat of invasion, as under Aethelred, and therefore though his shows an aspect of Edward’s reign that was undoubtedly effective, it was due to his ability to keep the country relatively peaceful that is still the greatest indicator of his success.

8. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey A healthy economy is important for any monarch and his country to be effective and in this respect Edward should be given credit. One of Edward’s most well-known economic achievements was that he changed the coinage eleven times; this shows an unusual amount of control of the economy for a medieval monarch and is clear evidence of how effective he was because it by doing this he discouraged forgeries and, perhaps most importantly, made it easier for his officials to collect tax. In addition he was known to have granted some Sussex ports to the Norman Abbey of Fecamp, which is not only evidence of his favour for foreigners, it is also an indication of a shrewd move to encourage trade. Links with mainland Europe such as this can only have helped to improve trade links and thus in this respect also Edward was effective. A strong economy was important for a successful nation but it would have been impossible for a country to be strong economically if it faced the constant threat of invasion as proved under Aethelred, and therefore though his shows an aspect of Edward’s reign that was undoubtedly effective, it was due to his ability to keep the country relatively peaceful that is still the greatest indicator of his success. Signpost for Alan – he knows where he is going. A bit of analysed knowledge for Derek to chomp on. A big sign post that reminds Alan of where he is, where he has been and where he is going to. Tiny sign-post to reassure Alan.

9. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Paragraphs Amnesia AlanDerek the Blind Donkey Now you know what we want. So we want you to use the iPads, refer back to this, use your ‘how to do an essay sheet’ and use your targets to improve the example introduction and conclusion. They are bad. You can work with somebody else on this. EEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOR RRRRR. You will be asked to read them out.

10. Amnesia Alan and Derek the Blind Donkey Conclusion Amnesia AlanDerek the Blind Donkey Am I here? How do I know? Where did I come from again? You really need to hammer it home that this is the conclusion and this is where I should stay. I don’t want to start wandering off……. I’ve had a lovely journey by this time, full of exciting food. I don’t need much more but there were a couple of bits I enjoyed particularly and I’d like just a little bit of them again please.