AQA A Level NEA: USA Freedom Rides

Created for an observation lesson:

This editable PowerPoint lesson supports students preparing for the AQA A-Level History Non-Exam Assessment (NEA). It focuses on developing the skills of analysing primary sources, evaluating interpretations, and making substantiated judgements through a case study of the Freedom Rides.

The lesson includes:

• Clear success criteria and learning intentions aligned to AO1, AO2 and AO3.

• Background knowledge on the Freedom Rides, key figures, violence in the South, and federal responses.

• Higher-order questioning tasks to encourage source interrogation and contextual thinking.

• Structured activities on source analysis, including provenance, content, value and significance.

• Interpretation practice, with guidance on how to analyse and evaluate historians’ views. Harvard Sitkoff, The Struggle for Black Equality, Chapter 4 is suggested on the slide, but this can be switched out for any book you may have handy.

• Opportunities for students to connect primary sources with secondary interpretations.

• Final judgement activity assessing the overall impact of the Freedom Rides on the Civil Rights Movement.

Suitable for:

Introducing NEA skills at Year 12/13.

Guided coursework preparation.

Source and interpretation practice in Civil Rights units.

Format: PowerPoint (fully editable).