The aim of this lesson is to introduce students to Kaiser Wilhelm II and the political, social and personal background of Germany under his rule.
Students begin by exploring Wilhelm II’s family background, personality, relationships and position as Kaiser, before examining the challenges he faced as leader of a rapidly developing German Empire.
Particular attention is given to his character, including his ambition, paranoia and physical disability, while placing these personal characteristics within the wider political context of Imperial Germany.
Students develop an understanding of the key problems facing Wilhelm II and consider how far the Kaiser himself contributed to the difficulties experienced by Germany before the First World War.
The lesson includes a range of engaging activities, including a Thinking Quilt, a map activity exploring the German Empire, informative video links and a Summarising Pyramid to consolidate students’ understanding.
An enquiry question is introduced at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout, enabling students to track their progress and develop a clear understanding of the significance of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
The resource is specifically designed for AQA GCSE Germany 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship, with exam skills clearly identified to help students understand how the knowledge they are learning links to GCSE assessment.
Included in this lesson:
Fully editable PowerPoint
Introduction to Kaiser Wilhelm II
Background and family of Wilhelm II
Wilhelm’s personality and leadership
Thinking Quilt activity
Summarising Pyramid
GCSE exam skills guidance
Student tracking sheet
Differentiated activities
Suggested teaching strategies
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very good power point, easy to understand and a wide range of activities. Will be very useful for teaching the Kaiser to Year 10 students.
Thank you very much, came in very useful in planning my Kaiser Bill lesson for Year 9!
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