A model answer to a sample question for the AQA 2024 HE on Drake’s Circumnavigation of the Globe 1577-1580. The answer explores several factors to address the question: “The main result of journeys of exploration was the increase in the wealth and power of Elizabethan England”. How far does the study of Drake’s circumnavigation support this statement? You should refer to Drake’s circumnavigation and your contextual knowledge (16 marks)

A knowledge organiser summarising the key content required as part of the AQA 2024 Historic Environment study of Drake’s Circumnavigation 1577-1580. It covers, who Drake was, why he embarked on the journey, key events, benefits and dangers, impact and overall success, alongside tips on how to approach the question

Two lesson series exploring life on plantations for slaves. Lesson 1 focuses on day-day life. Hyperlinked vider starter leads to a data capture carousel activity and judgement line plenary. The second lesson involves students exploring life on plantations using sources and creating positive and negative interpretations to enable them to reach a clear judgement.

Knowledge organiser for Unit 3 of Britain 2S (Heath, Wilson and Callaghan). The documents cover the three leaders, economy, social change and foreign affairs (with key focus on the EEC)

Lesson exploring the impact of abolition on black Americans. Videos hyperlinked show the rise of the KKK and the start of the civil rights movement.

Lesson 24 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on Raleigh’s attempts and plans to colonise Virginia. The lesson starts with a review of what students already know/can remember about Walter Raleigh, leading to a video which introduces his attempts to colonise Virginia. Students then explore the factors which influenced investment in this project, explaining how each would influence support for Raleigh’s project, moving to a strengths and weaknesses table exploring Raleigh’s plan. Students then assess how strong the plan was, building to exploring the significance in the following lesson.

A workbook that reviews the key content required for the 2025 Historic Environment study on Hardwick Hall. The booklet covers why manor houses were built, who Bess of Hardwick was, typical features of manor houses, how Hardwick Hall was and was not a typical manor house, changes reflected by Hardwick and essay planning.

This lesson focuses on a review of the key content and assessing the impact of the war and the ultimate reasons for US military failure. The lesson begins with a ‘giant post it’ task reviewing knowledge of Vietnam. Students then recap the successes and failures of the four key Presidents linked to Vietnam (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon), asking students to consider the relative success of each. A categorisation task then considers the US failures and VC successes, leading to exploration of the impact using the Oxford AQA textbook and previous knowledge to explore the impact of the Vietnam War. Students then utilise this learning in a ‘perfect paragraph’ task for the 8-mark write an account question. Finally, students use a model answer focusing on why the US lost the war to explore why this would achieve a Level 4 in the 16-mark essay response.

This lesson explores how both Eisenhower and Kennedy increased US intervention in Vietnam and their similarities/differences. The lesson begins with exploration of existing knowledge of Eisenhower, using a video to make notes, with the same task utilised for Kennedy. Students then use the handout to create a table showing similarities and differences of their policies, leading to a detailed focus on the Strategic Hamlet Programme. Students then list any successes and failures so far for the US in Vietnam, finally assessing how far they agree that the Strategic Hamlet Programme was ultimately a failure for the US.

Booklet for students to review the key content needed for the 2024 Historic Environment on Drake’s circumnavigation. Includes essay practice, recap knowledge and focus on themes of change, impact and success.

L3 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This lesson explores the key chronological events of the circumnavigation and the benefits and dangers faced across the voyage. The lesson begins with a recap of the motivating factors in undertaking such a voyage, leading to a video exploring the circumnavigation and the events, benefits and dangers. Students complete the notes table as they watch. Students then annotate their A3 map, using the hand out to detail what happened at each stage - optional colour-coding re. benefits and negatives at this stage - building a chornological picture of the voyage. Using their map and the hand out students then create a table showing the benefits and dangers of this voyage. Finally, students then assess HOW successful they think the circumnavigation was considering their learning so far.

Lesson 7 in the series of lessons for the 2024 HE pack on Drake’s circumnavigation. This double lesson begins with a recap of the key historical knowledge gained in the past 6 lessons, linking to the circumnavigation. Students then explore a question focused on changes demonstrated by voyages, explaining 4 key changes/developments to plan this specific question style. Students then use the mark scheme to create their own ‘top tips’ for the 16-mark essay, moving on to a plan for a question focused on the main results of voyages like the circumnavigation: “The main result of journeys of exploration was the increase in the wealth and power of Elizabethan England”. How far does the study of Drake’s circumnavigation support this statement? This essay can be answered at home in timed conditions within the lesson. Finally, students annotate a model paragraph for this question exploring the strengths. If there is time students could also make amendments and improve the paragraph.

Lesson exploring the different witch trials in England - starter identifying features of a witch, video hyperlinked showing a witch trial, freeze frame creation of the different trials with an explanation question linked in. Optional homework also included.

Lesson exploring how slaves resisted on plantations. Inference starter, two layers of inference sources linked to utility, card sort categorising passive and active resistance leading to an explanation judgement regarding the most successful forms of resistance.

L4 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This lesson explores what was the impact of Drake’s circumnavigation. The lesson begins with a trio retrieval starter, leading to a ‘rapid recap’ of the benefits and dangers for Drake and his crew on the journey. Students then complete a carousel activity exploring the various impacts of the circumnavigation including improvement in Drake’s social status and geographical understanding. Students then work in groups to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the various impacts, leading to a judgement on what they think is the most significant impact of the circumnavigation.

L2 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This lesson begins with a recap of knowledge about Francis Drake, leading into a video that introduces John Hawkins’ role in the slave trade. Students then explore how Hawkins’ role in influencing Drake in undertaking future voyages. The main activity focuses on exploring the 6 main motivating factors for Drake in undertaking his 1577 voyage, with students assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each, leading to a judgement on the main factors that influenced Drake. The plenary sets up the following lesson with students considering the benefits and dangers to sailors in undertaking such a lengthy voyage.

A resource focusing on reviewing key individuals/topics/concepts from AQA 8145 Elizabethan England unit. Pupils match up three key words to write on their whiteboards and explain the link between them. Pupils must match up as many as possible. Challenge question included.