A Level: Assessing the Golden Years

Designed as an obervation lesson, this fully editable PowerPoint lesson helps students assess the so-called “Golden Years” of the Weimar Republic (1924–1929) while practising essential exam skills for AQA A-Level History. The lesson is structured around the 25-mark essay question: “By 1929 the Weimar Republic had a good chance of survival. Assess the validity of this view.”

The lesson includes:

• Clear success criteria and learning intentions linked to AQA assessment objectives.

• Starter questions exploring what makes a period a “Golden Age” and comparisons with modern contexts.

• Source analysis task assessing the value of Source A to a historian.

• Group activity categorising and evaluating factors contributing to Weimar’s stability and instability.

• Step-by-step essay planning guidance (introduction, analytical paragraphs, and conclusion).

• Definitions of key exam concepts (cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance).

• A self-assessment checklist based on the AQA mark scheme.

Suitable for:

Year 12 lessons on Weimar Germany.

Observation or formal assessment lessons.

Exam preparation and essay-writing practice.

Format: PowerPoint (fully editable)