Joan of Arc primary resource

Discover the life and influence of one of the first female military leaders

This History primary resource introduces children to one of the first female military leaders, Joan of Arc. Discover the rise and fall of Joan as a soldier and leader over her lifetime. Why did Joan dress as a man? Who did she want to be King of France? How long after her death did it take for her to be made a saint?

Pupils will learn about Joan of Arc’s life and death, and the influence she had on French sovereignty in our National Geographic Kids’ History primary resource sheet.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for looking at the significance and historical influence of Joan of Arc on the British and French Monarchy. It can also be used as a printed handout for each pupil to review and annotate, or for display on the interactive whiteboard for class discussion.

Activity: Ask the pupils to make their own timeline with annotations and pictures to show the key events of Joan of Arc’s life — they can use the resource and their own research. Children could design and create a shield and/or armour for Joan to use in one of her heroic battles. The shield could be designed to show important parts of her life, her beliefs, or a motto she might use, etc.

N.B. The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the English National Curriculum and Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email: schools@ngkids.co.uk

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following History objectives from the National Curriculum:

Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.

Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

National Curriculum Key Stage 1 History objective:

Pupils should be taught:

significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.

the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.

National Curriculum Key Stage 2 History objective:

Pupils should be taught about:

a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following Social Studies First level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence:

Having selected a significant individual from the past, I can contribute to a discussion on the influence of their actions, then and since

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Second level Social Studies objective:

I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past..

I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence .

I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Third level Social Studies objective:

I can explain why a group of people from beyond Scotland settled here in the past and discuss the impact they have had on the life and culture of Scotland..

I can describe the factors contributing to a major social, political or economic change in the past and can assess the impact on people’s lives.

I can discuss the motives of those involved in a significant turning point in the past and assess the consequences it had then and since..

Through researching, I can identify possible causes of a past conflict and report on the impact it has had on the lives of people at that time.

Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Fourth level Social Studies objective:

I can make reasoned judgements about how the exercise of power affects the rights and responsibilities of citizens by comparing a more democratic and a less democratic society..