A primary source based exercise using two extracts of text and a cartoon. It includes a handout to be given to students which has background information on Night of the Long Knives in Germany in 1934, during which Hitler removed the leadership of the Sturm Abteilung or SA. There are then a set of questions asking for interpretations of the source material.

This is a diagram based exercise, in which students create a diagram of the feudal system in medieval Europe. This pdf document contains a diagram to be filled out by students, perhaps from a reading, or from teacher direction. It is followed with an example of how I have filled it out for my students, and some web resources which can be used for teacher or student research into the subject. I always used this to specifically teach about the situation in England after the Norman Invasion of 1066, and so the rough example that follows the blank diagram ties most directly to that. This example was created by capturing from a whiteboard.

These “question stems” were written in order to ask questions about historical sources which would elicit answers that address each of the various standards in the Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies. They can be used and adapted for any sources.

This pdf includes a lesson in which the class will work in groups to decide who should be the next king of England. The pdf includes background information, a handout for students, and the names of the candidates to be distributed to the groups. Background: Edward the Confessor died on 4 January 1066 without any sons. He had previously promised two different people that they could be the next king. There were three claimants to the throne: Harold Godwineson – Earl of Wessex and the most powerful man in England. Harald Hardraada – King of Norway. William of Normandy – Duke of Normandy The students are divided into groups and each group is given the name of one of the claimants. Each group writes a speech supporting that man. They should use any of the information given in the sources. At the end, all of the members of the class will meet as the Witenagemot, (the word means council of elders and was the English parliament) and vote for the best candidate.