Described by one student as a ‘game changer’, this resource has been designed to support students who struggle to access all of the AO marks available when writing a 30 mark essay. The resource includes a powerpoint with tasks, information, teacher notes and solutions, an optional heads and tails starter task, and an interactive workbook. The powerpoint includes an explanation of the meaning behind each of the AO descriptors. Working as an AQA examiner has helped me to understand what students need to write to access these marks. It is based on the Crime and Deviance part of the specification. The lesson contains a 30 mark exam question with an item, on the topic of Globalisation and Green Crime. The main purpose is to encourage the students to start including key phrases/statements/connectives that will ensure they meet all 3 of the AO descriptors. The workbook includes a phased activity (which could also be adapted for differentiation purposes) which provides a framework for the students to select the appropriate statements in order to achieve all of the criteria. There is an annotated solution for both of the interactive activities (and also a solution for the heads and tails activity) which means this resource is also suitable for non-specialists. The powerpoint has clear lesson instructions so that it will be easy to follow and deliver. The amount of time required to deliver this lesson can vary. If you wanted it to be over a double lesson you could make full use of the engaging starter task and heads and tails activity, and utilise all of the feedback on the powerpoint. It could be shortened by cutting that out and just focusing on the essay task. The plenary task of feeding back on the annotated essay is optional. A homework task could be to complete the essay. Beyond this, they could use the AO grid to support them in writing additional essays at home.

Following the success of my 30 mark essay intervention lesson on Globalisation, I have replicated the activity for Labelling Theory and Crime. I have used my experience as an AQA examiner and feedback from students, who described the activity as a ‘game changer’, to adapt it. It includes an engaging starter activity and presentation with essay writing advice. The crux of the lesson is an essay writing grid which demonstrates how to apply different AO descriptors successfully in an essay. There is an interactive activity and a solution sheet with detailed advice on how to gain marks and what an examiner is looking for. This activity was the most powerful activity I used all year, and especially enabled middle to lower ability students to access the top marks which eventually helped them in all 3 papers and resulted in some tremendous grades. Solutions, guidance and notes are provided in order to support non specialists.

This is primarily designed for AQA A Level Year 2, but it could be adapted for other specifications. It includes a powerpoint with detailed instructions and a worksheet that accompanies it. The powerpoint includes an engaging starter task which provides the framework for the rest of the lesson, and some different options to be used at the end . Essentially the aim of the lesson is to support the student in applying their knowledge correctly. There are a range of 4 mark questions provided on the worksheet and they have to select the correct term and place it next to the right question. The powerpoint includes a range of possible intervention strategies that can be differentiated according to the needs of each pupil and allows for a greater depth dependent on ability. This task is appropriate for non specialists as it includes the answers. I have also included an additional task sheet which contains a similar task for 6 mark questions with a range of possible answers. An answer sheet accompanies that as well. This lesson could be used during an observation and adapted to ensure it is outstanding in meeting the needs of your specific learners.

This lesson is designed to help students write more effective essay answers and give them a set of AO2 examples on the theme of Knife Crime and The London Riots. It includes a key term matching activity and an essay technique tool, alongside a powerpoint presentation. I noticed that my group were not getting credit for using topical examples in their answers, often as they were choosing the wrong examples or not wording it clearly. This lesson starts with a fun memory recall starter. The students then match up key sociological terms with key topical news stories relating to the current rise in knife crime or The London Riots of 2011 (a teacher solution is provided for non-specialists). Once they are armed with knowledge that they can apply, they do an activity that is based around 30 mark exam questions. For each question they have to select the appropriate topical example and write a sentence to show how they would include it in an exam answer. A framework is given with some completed examples, and there are then graduated activities which can be accessed at different levels depending on ability. Plenty of options for differentiation are available (as is the case with the earlier matching activity). Once they have completed this activity, they not only have a range of examples that they can drop straight into a range of examination questions, but they also have the skill and ability to do so in an explicit way which will ensure they are rewarded. Hopefully this can help them to gain valuable marks in the exam!

This stand alone lesson is designed to be used at the end of a unit on Action Theory. It was designed for an observation and thus has a good level of challenge, interaction and differentiation. The Powerpoint starts with a fun key word memory activity game to hook them in. They then attempt a matching task on the worksheet which allows them to demonstrate their AO1 Knowledge and Understanding of Action Theories (Social Action Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology are all included). The real depth of the worksheet involves selecting an appropriate AO2 Application example and matching it to the correct theory. Higher ability students can think of their own examples. There are also 2 extension tasks, one of which stretches them to include some AO3 Evaluation of the Action Theories. This is designed with AQA Year 2 A Level in mind and as such it builds into an essay question that they can complete as homework or in class. However it could easily be adapted for use with other exam boards or even year groups as it is not that specific. It is well suited to non specialists as I have included a solution sheet and detailed notes of how to deliver the lesson on the notes section of the Powerpoint.