This is a resource for students to explain why the USA joined WW2. Students are presented with 7 reasons, they must explain why these made the USA join the war. There is a differentiated version with are key words to help less able students with the explanations. Students then decide which were reactions to Pearl Harbour, and which were longer term reasons. As an extension, students explain their opinion on the most important reason for the USA joining the war.

This is an activity for GCSE students. They should arrange the events into chronological order - it can be done as a card sort, cut and stick or a numbering exercise. AS an extension they then have a series of questions to answer to explain and justify their thoughts on the Japanese invasion and the lack of adequate response of the League. This is an excellent resource to stimulate debate of the Japanese and the League.

A resource for students to compare and contrast the lives of Hitler and Stalin. I use it as an introduction to sixth form units, or with high-ability year 9s. There are definitions of key words to help with literacy, and information sheets on aspects of the lives of Hitler and Stalin. Students read the information, either displayed around the room or printed off as handouts. They fill in the table of information about each character, and then complete the similarites and differences section.

This is a card sort for the two invasion of Britain in 55BC and 54BC. Students can arrange the events in chronological order. It could be done as a card sort or numbering activity. Students can then decide the reasons why Caesar’s invasions failed. They give an explanation of each reason. More able students can reach their judgement on the key reasons for failure.

A lesson on the development of Medieval Parliament. Students begin by discussing what they know about Parliament today. They then look at information on the slides, which should be printed off and stuck around the classroom. They fill in thee activity sheet as thy look around.There are extension questions for the more able students at the end of the activity sheet. Students complete a judgemental paragraph at the end of the lesson. There is a writing frame and key words to help less able students.

This is a source based assessment in which students look at a source about King John, and decide how accurate it is. A writing frame and mark scheme is included. The mark scheme applies NC levels, but can easily be converted to GCSE-style grades.

This is for GCSE Medicine. Students look through the pieces of evidence. They decide which of these suggest that Islam helped medicine, and which suggest that Islam hindered it. It can be done as a card sort, cut and stick or highlighting activity. Higher ability students can be challenged, particularly in a card sort, to prioritise the pieces of evidence on either side of the argument. There are extension questions provided at the end of the task. There are resources for higher and lower ability students included This can lead to a class debate or a piece of extended writing.

This is a resource for GCSE History students. Worksheet1: Students look through the reasons. They decide which of these were reasons that Stalin signed, and which were reasons that Hitler signed the Pact. It can be done as a card sort, cut and stick or highlighting activity. Higher ability students can be challenged, particularly in a card sort, to prioritise the reasons, and categorise genuine reasons (more Machiavellian) and those ‘officially given’. There are extension questions at the bottom of the sheet. Worksheet 2: Students can explain why different reasons made Stalin sign the Pact. Students analyse the different reasons. It might be helpful to show the powerpoint slide as an aid to this to help students realise Stalin’s aims. There are extension questions at the bottom of the sheet. The second slide contains a link to the YouTube clip - Nazi invasion of Poland.

A lesson featuring a chronology activity for students and an opportunity for extended writing and source analysis. Students can cut up the cards and have students arrange them into the correct order. Answers: B, F, E, A, G, C, H, D YouTube link covers causes more than events - but a great lead-in. Potential questions to ask students either orally or as written answers:- Questions – answer in any order: Do you think that the peasants were right to march to London and attack the city? Or should they have protested differently? Why? Was there a point where it became a real threat to the monarch’s power? Why? / why not? What do you think of King Richard tricking the peasants at the end? Why? Should the peasants have gone home when they were promised what they wanted? Why? / why not? This could be turned into a storyboard or article afterwards.

This is a lesson resource in including a two-fold card sorting or cutting and sticking exercise. Students start by matching up key terms which will be used in this lesson and others on the Civil War. Students then move on to the causes of the war, on the worksheet. They decide which are the long-term and short term factors. They can subsequently arrange them according to blame - the king, Parliament, or no particular blame. Lower-ability students can move straight on to blaming the king, Parliament, or no-one in particular. Students can use the writing frame at the end to decide on the more important causes of the Civil War, and attach overall blame to the king / Parliament. A fun and informative lesson.

This is a resource for GCSE students. I use it on the AQA course, but it can doubtless be used on others. Students arrange characters into chronological order, and explain the factors behind them - e.g. war etc. This can be done as a role play, by cutting up the required number of cards and handing them out, and as a cut and stick / card sort. Cards can be arranged on the table sheet if you like - blow it up to A3 - or by drawing the table into their book. This can lead to debate and extended writing on the importance of individuals and factors. There is a differentiated version of the card sort to give out to less able students.

This is a lesson to explain the meanings of Communism and capitalism. Students decide on the worksheet which of the statements apply to which ideology. Emphasise the different meaning of democracy to higher (and middle) ability students. This leads to a debate and analysis of which system is best, and why they caused problems in European relations. The sheets are differentiated for high, medium and lower abilities. The powerpoint concentrates on the impact of Communism prior to WWII and can be used to gain a foothold into Hitler. It comes with a link to YouTube embedded which discusses the Spartacist rising in Munich in 1919 and can lead onto a module on Hitler which makes his hatred and German fear of communism more understandable. The second powerpoint is more relevant if you are teaching a Cold War theme afterwards as it has a cartoon of Churchill and the Iron Curtain. Students can analyse the cartoon and explain its meaning, or why it is hostile to the USSR.

This is a resource for the new GCSE section on Elizabeth. Students are to put the events of the Essex rebellion in order. They are to then answer the scaffolded questions at the bottom of the sheet. More able students can be invited to consider turning points and the overall position of Elizabeth after the rebellion - was her position strengthened or weakened? An exam Q can be set after the activity, or as a homework. The powerpoint allows a fully-taught lesson, and the consequences worksheet allows students to weigh up evidence to decide whether Elizabeth was stronger or weaker for the rebellion’s failure. This can lead to extended writing or a debate.

This is a role play and chronology lesson for KS3, possibly KS4. Students are assigned a country to play the part of. These are differentiated as resources, but also within each resource: weaker students read about Austria and Serbia, middling students can have Germany and Russia and more able students can have France and Britain. Students are shown the July Crisis unfolding on the powerpoint. They must decide what they would feel, advise or actually do on each of the 6 dates / events shown. There are many opportunities for class discussion through the exercise, as students can be asked what they feel so far, whether they have taken any actions or merely advised one action or other to their allies. There is a seperate worksheet for students who would not react well to the role play aspect. As an extension, (more able?) students can explain whether their country triggered war, willingly went to war or were dragged unwillingly to war. The second activity is a chronology activity to decide what order events happened in as countries slid to war. Students look at 12 events and decide the order in which they happened. This can be done as a card sort or numbering activity. Answers can be shown later on the powerpoint. Students can also be asked whether Franz Ferdinand’s murder simply brought forward a war than was inevitable at some point.

This is a whole lesson for KS3. There are linked youTube videos explaining how the Troubles began, and defining key terms. For higher ability students, there is a link to a YouTube clip on gerrymandering. Part of it is useful. Students are invited to match key terms up, and then have an extension to decide whether the IRA’s aim was a good one. Students then are invited to complete a diamaond 9 ranking. Categories are marked on the powerpoint - historical/political/social/other factors. They have extensions to judge key causes, which can be given at teacher discretion, and to give their own thoughts on the Troubles’ beginnings. This can easily lead to class debate.

This is a card sort designed to allow students to categorise and prioritise reasons that Galen is significant in the development of medicine. More able students can use the cards to explain their thoughts on the most important reason for Galen’s significance. The task could also be done as a diamond activity, with categories taken out for the more able. This is an ideal activity for preparing students for longer-answer exam questions. It allows discussion to develop as students explain their thoughts and defend them in front of their peers.

This is a diamond 9 card sort to categorise and prioritise the reasons that life in trenches was difficult. As an extension, you can challenge students to explain the more / less important reasons, and there is a further extension question for more able students. This can lead to a class discussion. Categories could include, but not be limited to, health//hygiene, time, mental health and others.

This is a card sort or diamond 9 activity designed to allow students to categorise and prioritise reasons for the outbreak of WWII. As an extension, students can use the cards to explain their thoughts on the most important reason for the outbreak of WWII, and apportion responsibility to the major nations involved. More able students have a differentiated resource which allows them to exemplify and explain each of the reasons given. Categories could include, but not be limited to: The Treaty of Versailles The League of Nations Hitler’s foreign policy It could be done as a venn diagram using the second sheet.

An interactive decision-making sheet for students to fill in. They place themselves in the position of the League and decide what they would do in each scenario. Information on each scenario is provided, as is space for students to give an explanation of each of their choices. This could be done as a group, paired or individual activity.