How I help students write essays, from KS3 to 6th form. I've tried to make it as much a step by step guide as I can. It is quite detailed, but has examples to clarify.

Varied tasks that introduce students to the reasons for appeasement and the impact of appeasement on Hitler’s foreign policy. Easily adaptable, and teacher notes included

SOW to explore power of the medieval church and the relationship of Henry II and Becket within that framework. The theme of my year is power and protest and this unit is angled towards that. Assessment opportunities built in, as usual.

Was browsing an old Teaching History and saw an article by Steve Garnett which have immediately stolen! It’s really simple and really effective. Basically, a large circle in the centre of a page represents a concept, e.g Bismarck’s foreign policy (Steve’s example) or the Break with Rome (my example attached). Other circles placed strategically, in terms of size and location, represent key influences on that issue. Could also be used for effective essay planning.

Full SOW with resources, assessment and teacher notes. Covers Norman Conquest, Hundred Years War, Wars of the Roses. Main skills focus is understanding causation. Also includes interpretations work on Bayeux and Richard III.

This exercise is designed to introduce students to the strengths &weaknesses of the structure, membership and powers of the LON. It is also designed to reinforce essay planning techniques. It is fairly straightforward. It starts off as a card sort of strengths and weaknesses. Students then have to categorise into the 3 areas, add an explanation to the description. It can be done as ICT or paper exercise. Assertions for the paragraphs and a conclusion can be added also to extend into total essay plan.

60 minute carousel: 6 x 10(ish) minute activities. All could be used as standalone activities, however. Objective is to introduce students to range of key information- what the trenches were like, the difference between the German and English, casualty rates, weaponry, who fought in the trenches, war at sea - without labouring over 'life in the trenches'

ppt for an inset on differentiation

Poem about the Italian invasion of Abyssinia plus additional factual material. Activity designed to generate knowledge about the Italian Invasion of Abyssinia, one of the 3 principle failures of the League in the 1930s (along with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the failure of the Disarmament Conference). Also included exam-style cartoon interpretation[Please note that any classification of this resource as related to the USA is generated by TES not me.]

To help students avoid logical fallacies in their public speaking and to recognise the features of effective communication easily adaptable for younger children and isn't subject specific

Although this is all on one powerpoint, I used it in 2 halves, as an intro to Somerset and then as an intro to Northumberland. Spaced learning works on the principle of repeating an activity to enhance recall. I do the first run through explaining the content. then there is a 5 minute break for juggling (or simon says, or…) then we repeat - they give as much info as they can and I clarify through questions or reminders break 3rd and final run through they have to give me all of it - I sometimes run this as a competition ‘me vs. them’ - every time I have to tell them something they lose a point from a starter of 10 and I gain one from a starter of 0. Lastly they need to test themselves independently - you can do this by a written ‘quiz’ or by giving them a copy of the ppt slides and requiring them to annotate them

Title: Whats the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter? Uses EISW as content. Half a term’s work. Assessment built in with AFL worksheet Please leave a comment if you use this resource, or email me if you can think of any improvements! Thanks

Using cartoons in the press currently to explore exam skills. Use of current cartoons/news stories designed to remove the double burden of acquiring skills and thinking about unfamiliar materials.

I always find it difficult to create activities for kinaesthetic learners, but devised this with my students to help remember Hitler's foreign policy aims, and steps that he took to achieve those aims, in the correct order. easily adaptable - you could easily show this to your students and have them adapt it so it resonates with them

I use this activity in Year 7 to help students to understand the relationship between church and state. Christianity is what I think of as the ‘big idea’ for Year 7 studies, and is the context within which most of the medieval period can be understood. I think it is important for students to be able to comprehend the political nature of the church in this period, and the symbiotic relationship between spiritual and secular powers. So this is one of the first activities I do in Year 7. Of course, it can be done in Year 8 before studying the Henrician Reformation instead, but if done in Year 7 students still remember it in Year 8. Having the photographic record also helps students’ recall.

Tells you what is tested and what the scores mean.

Variety of possible revision strategies with examples

Full resources with teachers notes for teaching Lenin and Stalin’s Government. First activity in Stalin pack is adapted for GCSE from an A-level Thinking History activity.

Key stage 3,4 or 5 - a strategy to help students develop independent and selective note taking skills

investigation into the Trojan War. Scheme of work for half a semester.