This is a great resource that I put together for a presentation at uni years and years ago. I have used it with all different age and ability groups in different schools. it should be self-explanatory as i have added notes to indicate the kind of things dicussed throughout the slide show David - Slightly harsh my man, to rate it on the basis you couldn’t see it! Its probably your firewall, as it has been downloaded many times - not that that helps! If you email me at jordansnotes@yahoo.com I will email it to you, size permitting.

This is just an outline of the constitution, with some appropriate historiographical quotes included. Its mainly taken from Gordon Craig Germany 1866-1945 Chapter 2. As background prep we did an exercise on the state of germany in 1871 after unification, then had a discussion of what type of constitution would be necessary, thinking about key areas of policy such as the economy, control of the military, social measures (education/health), etc and deciding whether these should be under national or regional control. we also discussed whether we would have a parliament with representation or whether it would be run autocratically as the individual states had been previously. Students basically came up with all this anyway, so these notes were consolidation and the basis for a discussion on the nature, strengths and weaknesses of the constitution. also attached sets of notes for students; synthesised from various books

This activity is designed to help students think about the construction of an effective essay (Nat Curriculum Skill 5 - organising and communicating ideas). The instructions are at the end of the document and hopefully should be clear. It requires some teacher prep in photocopying and cutting up sets, but is truly effective. I have used the same style activity with all age groups, as it is easily adaptable to different topics. With Key Stage 4, i have made it more difficult by presenting 2 different explanations to end each paragraph- one basic, one more analytical. For Key Stage 5, I have included analytical links between paragraphs. Please email me at jordansnotes@yahoo.co.uk if the instructions are not clear! You will see the difference in students writing style immediately. I have also attached a literacy exercise that can be done after this to consolidate understanding of the reasons why the SP failed.

There are 2 versions of these marksheets - one levelled for teachers and one for photocopying for students. They have been designed around the key skills of the National Curriculum - chronology, knowledge & understanding, interpretations, source work and organising é communicating ideas. The students will not see the levels (although you could easily add them in if you wanted). The idea behind this is that students will focus on the comments made so they can improve rather than becoming complacent/despondent about the level achieved. there is opportunity for student comment and reflection on their work also.

there are a number of ways of using this resource. a) you can give it to the class as a chain card exercise for a plenary - students read out the first part of their card and then someone else has to provide the answer. You can do this in reverse to be even more challenging? You will notice when you download this resource that the answers dont match the questions (answers have been shuffled down one space and the last answer brought to the top). this is for this exercise b) the correct version of the q&a starts on page 6. these can be used as a memory game. students cut out the strips and fold/stick them backwards so the answer is on one side of a small card and the question on the other. this can be used as a memory game in class, or can simply be given to students as a revision aid c) the questions can be cut up and put in a pot in class on the teachers desk and a few qéa quiz questions done as a starter activity there are separate quizzes on Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations and the causes of WW2 The exercises are easy to add to/amend to suit. It’s just a way of keeping the factual framework in student’s minds to help lessons to focus on skills development rather than factual recall.

THIS IS AN ESSAY SORTING EXERCISE DESIGNED TO TEACH STUDENTS THE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS. IT IS EASILY ADAPTED TO OTHER YEAR GROUPS/TOPICS

BOARD GAME AND TASKS TO COMPLETE AS PLAYED. INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO KEY JOBS OF A MEDIEVAL PEASANT, REQUIRES STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY KEY ROLES WITHIN A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE AND PUT THESE ROLES INTO A HIERARCHY. ALSO MAKES STUDENTS IDENTIFY FACTORS AFFECTING THE LIFE OF A MEDIEVAL PEASANT. WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO MAKE A JUDGMENT ABOUT HOW HARD/EASY LIFE AS A MEDIEVAL PEASANT WAS. LINKS WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF FEUDAL SYSTEM (LORD OF MANOR = KNIGHT) AND LEADS INTO STUDY OF PEOPLE IN MEDIEVAL VILLAGE.

The teacher tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots dramatically with visual supports. Then provides students with a jumbled chronology as consolidation, which can be stuck in their books, or collected in and a single sheet with the correct chronology on it provided (depending on the class!). Is designed to appeal to visual learners and develop listening skills for all. Is enjoyable and useful lesson and sets the context for the ‘what should Elizabeth do with Mary’ debate.

Students have work book to complete. There are a series of activities which can be arranged on different desks or given in a pack to students. The order of completion does not matter. The activities could also be done as standalone activities or homeworks Activities include - -source work activity on shell shock victims -jigsaw of a cross section of a trench -a sorting exercise for health hazards where students have to categorise various health hazard cards (in their own categories) and then prioritise greatest threat -a memory game for ‘who served in the trenches’ designed to encourage students to think about the nature of imperial warfare and to challenge preconceptions about british and french v the germans -war statistics (taken from spartacus) work -a literacy exercise on equipment - fair amount of reading but limited writing - define the terms for a ‘historical dictionary’ including as much detail as possible in 50 words. details of the activities are in the student booklet but do not have to be done like that, they are just an idea for teachers on how to use the resource

Sheet for students to shade in their achievement in each skill area over key stage 3. Also student friendly generic level descriptors and skill specific level descriptors.

Framework of notes for A2 students on ELizabethan Foreign Policy and on the religious settlement. Activity on the religious settlement notes - students are provided with key arguments and have to substantiate, explain and analyse as appropriate, using pages 1-13 of the handout.

Information sheets to help students write and improve introductions/conclusions. National Curriculum Skill 5 - organising and communicating ideas

This is a differentiated literacy-focused plenary for the activity ‘Why did Henry agree to be whipped’ on ThinkingHistory.com. Students are required to link the segments of the story together with arrows and write appropriate connectives on the arrows to create a coherent explanation.

this is a logic problem that can be used as a unit starter for the Indian Wars. it is essential that the students do not know the names, dates or outcomes of the battles before they begin, as this will undermine the logical thinking skills. i have used this activity with very mixed ability classes and have had some astounding results from all abilities. Its tricky to explain, but well worth it. I usually put it up on the board and go through the process of one clue with them - only one though!

This is a differentiated homework or unit plenary literacy activity. Students link the events that led to the outbreak of war with arrows, writing appropriate connectives on the arrows to explain the relationship. In the first version, the story is broken down into two halves to make it more accessible. Students should link the white boxes first and then try and link the dark boxes and join the two halves of the story together. The 2nd version is more complex as no indication of chronology is provided. the third version is more complex still as vital parts of the story are removed.

Designed to encourage students to make appropriate links between ideas, this exercise provides the key points of the Ghost Dance narrative together with a list of connectives. Students draw arrows from one idea/event to the next, writing along the arrow the appropriate connective word. When complete, the diagram should answer the question ‘What happened after the Battle of Little Bighorn?’. Differentiated resource - higher ability exercise has one stage of the story missing and an extended list of connectives

SEN version of Assessment Why was the Roman Army so successful

Requires students to interpret a range of sources about the events at Wounded Knee. Students then to synthesis information to create a chronological account. Higher attaining students have the opportunity to develop and integrate their evaluation skills. Prior knowledge of the Ghost Dance and the death of Sitting Bull required.

Requires students to work in groups. One member of the group comes to teachers desk to collect a statement, returns to group and has to summarise it in their own words. members of the group to write it down. Statement is NOT to be shown to the group. Then process is repeated with a new member of the group collecting and summarising. To differentiate, higher attaining students can be given questions intermittently to develop their thinking skills. By the end ALL students should have a narrative of the Ghost Dance, ALL students should have worked in groups and developed their communication and cooperation skills. SOME students will have developed further thinking and discussion skills.