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.

Two lesson sequence exploring the development of the ‘special relationship’ under Blair and Britain’s involvement in the ‘War on Terror’ The lesson starts with a recap of what the special relationship was like by 1997, leading to assessment on how Tony Blair would change/develop this based on his ideology/leadership style. Using the hand out students list similarities and differences of the relationship under Blair, moving to analysis of a source on the ‘Blair Doctrine’ using the TEACUP frame. A clip allows students to assess how events in Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone gave Blair confidence, leading to assessment of the changes that 9/11 brought to British foreign policy. Students then categorise why the invasion of Iraq occurred, moving to assessing why the invasion of Iraq was/is so controversial. Students then analyse a source from 2006 to consider how foreign policy developed under Blair, leading a table analsying how Britain’s position in the world had changed by 2007.

Lesson exploring why Britain followed (and then accelerated) a policy of decolonisation 1951-64. The lesson starts with images exploring why the Empire was significant, leading to an introduction to the policy of decolonisation. Pupils then analyse part of Macmillan’s ‘winds of change’ speech assessing content, then value. In pairs pupils investigate two examples of decolonisation, then snowball to complete the table. Students then rank the reasons for the acceleration of decolonisation at this time, assessing which is most significant. The plenary is a clip of the ‘winds of change’ speech, asking students to assess if we can trust this as a key reason for decolonisation. This lesson, and the two previous will be utilised in a 25 mark essay planning lesson next in the learning sequence.

Knowledge organiser covering the key content for unit 1 of Britain 2S. The key focus is on politics, economy, society and foreign policy.

Model answer for specimen paper question: ‘The main change that manor houses demonstrated was the greater prosperity of their owner’. How far does a study of Hardwick Hall show this?

Lesson exploring social and economic policies of Kennedy and Johnson. JFK picture starter, analysis of JFK quote, highlight successes and failures of 'new frontier', assessment of success of this, analysis of Johnson quote, card sort on Great Society Programme - used to create a positive/negative table, video interpretation of the Great Society (opportunity to analyse provenance), justification plenary on who made a larger impact to society in the 1960s - Kennedy or Johnson.

Punk starter - Sex Pistols and Clash videos, label a punk rocker, hyperlinked video on skinhead development and football hooliganism, linking to 25 mark essay question on transformation of society from 1964-79.

Video starter on the Boer War, exploration using source material of the chnages caused to Britain by the Boer War, reduction task summarising the impact of the war in less than 50 words.

Exploration of social change in the 1920s. Whiteboard picture starter, carousel activity/market place exploring differen aspects of social change (music, cars, cinema and sport), judgement on if the roaring 20s really "roared" for everyone

Lesson focusing on planning a 30 mark source question linked to the June 2017 exam paper. The question: With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the reasons for the 1984/85 miners’ strike. (30 marks) Pupils use the level criteria to outline criteria for a level 4+ answer. In groups pupils analyse one source focusing on content, tone and provenance, feeding back to the whole group. A post-it plenary encourages students to reach a judgement on the ‘most valuable’ source. NB - the Arthur Scargill source is different due to copyright, however the June 2017 mark scheme would still be valid

Lesson exploring the extent of the liberalisation of society under John Major. The starter recaps social liberalism by defining the characteristics, allowing a discussion of who may oppose liberalisation. Analysis of a John Major extract allows students to infer conservative policy and attitudes towards society, leading to analysis of the role of Princess Diana in relation to AIDS patients using a news report clip. Two further videos (Peter Lilley and Gay pride march) allow a contrast of opposing views. The main activity gives students key information on the changes in society and asks them to assess the impact on wider society these changes would have. This leads to a plenary assessing how far there has been progress in the area of social liberalism by 1997.

Lesson exploring the relationship with Europe under Blair and New Labour. The lesson starts with a recap of the relationship under Thatcher/Major, leading to a clip allowing students to assess how Tony Blair would change this relationship based on his ideology/leadership style. Students then analyse the aims of British foreign policy using a Robin Cook source, moving on to assessing how Britain’s role in Europe became more positive/tensions continued. A plenary assesses what factors continued to inhibit Britain’s relationship with Europe in this period, focusing on long and short term issues.

Lesson exploring change and continuity for women in Britain by 1964. The lesson starts with classic adverts for Fairy Liquid, asking students to assess how women are portrayed, moving to a contemporary source analysis task, annotating the sources to assess how women were shown in the media. Students then use the handout to complete the table task, assessing the impact of the social changes; both positive and negative on the position of women. This leads to a change and continuity task, which is rounded off with a judgement continuum allowing students to show the extent of change in the position of women by 1964.

Two lessons exploring the Conservatives leaders (Churchill, Eden, Macmillan and Douglas-Home) from 1951-64. Pupils are grouped and research one leader per group, creating a presentation to present to the class in the following lesson. Students then create a mind map making their own notes. Students then use the hand out to assess the successes and failures of each leader - the domestic policies work can be done as homework or added on in class to further assess the different strengths and weaknesses of each leader. A corners plenary allows students to demonstrate which leader was the ‘most’ successful based on their learning so far.

Lesson exploring growin racial tensions due to immigration in Britain 1951-64. The trio starter recaps previous learning over the unit. Pupils then use the images to explore the experience of ‘new Commonwealth’ immigrants and begin to think about why there would be hostility to immigrants at this time. A video (watch up to election of Wilson) explores the experience immigrants had, leading to a contemporary news report on the Notting Hill riots. Students then read and use the hand out to answer two questions on the ‘issue’ of immigration and the positive and negative impacts. Finally a source plenary allows students to practice analysing content and value of a source relating to the Notting Hill riots.

4 pack of resources focusing on the key time periods: Medieval, Renaissance and early modern, 19th century and modern. Useful for revision in class, starters/plenaries or knowledge retrieval homework.

Lesson 4 in the Hardwick Hall 2025 Historic Environment learning sequence. This lesson focuses on what Hardwick Hall can show about changes in the Elizabethan period. The lesson begins with a knowledge recall of Hardwick Hall, moving on to a carousel source activity where students use sources to explain key changes in England that Hardwick demonstrates (fashions, wealth, support for Elizabeth, rise of Gentry and new architectural styles. Students then explain what Hardwick Hall can show about Elizabethan England, explaining why Hardwick can be seen as a symbol of Elizabeth’s reign.