I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.
I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the success of Henry’s foreign policy after Wolsey from 1529-1547.
Students recap events leading up to the Battle of Pavia ands Charles V’s dominance in Europe.
They are introduced to Henry’s policy of defence during the divorce and his quest for further military glory afterwards.
They then analyse his policy towards France, Spain, Ireland, Scotland and the Holy Roman Empire and evaluate how successful Henry was in his pursuit of glory. They must be able to justify this with examples and details.
There is some exam practice to complete together with a writing frame, prompts and a markscheme to use if required.
There is an enquiry question during the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work.
The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit.
The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to assess the short and long term impact of the dissolution of the monasteries.
Students learn about the role monasteries played in English society and how they became a fundamental part of the break with Rome.
They are given the facts of the dissolution by numbers to help them evaluate the impact of the dissolution as well as the techniques Cromwell used to close them.
There are some great video links included as well as shocking revelations brought to light.
The plenary allows students to reflect on how various sections of society accepted or disputed the dissolution.
There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work.
The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit.
The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.
The Industrial Revolution
This lesson aims to describe and explain the conditions of Victorian prisons through the eyes of a young person awaiting trial.
Students learn how a poor diet, pointless tasks and a payment system for every amenity meant a miserable existence for inmates.
So why did things begin to improve? How did key prison reformers change attitudes and make the government of the day reform the prisons?
These questions and more will explored through prose, quizzes, video links and knockout tournament competitions to see and judge how far the prison reforms went and how effective they were.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning.
The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson and there are differentiated materials included.
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91
The aim of this lesson is to analyse the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the impact upon Europe with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Students begin by recapping key facts about the Wall and how citizens of East Germany could travel to the west through Austria.
They will learn how the fall and destruction of the wall came about an given significance ratings to ten consequences, which students can use to complete an extended writing task.
There are some excellent video links to watch as well as images to decipher during the lesson.
A GCSE question tackling the importance of the fall of the wall can be completed at the end of the lesson with help and a writing frame provided.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout this and subsequent lessons to show the progress of learning.
The lessons in this bundle are therefore linked together to build up a picture of how diplomacy, propaganda and spying led two Superpowers with opposing political ideologies to create tensions, rivalries and distrust as well as subsequently forming mutual understanding and cooperation over the time period in question.
The resource includes retrieval practice, suggested teaching strategies, differentiated material and GCSE question practice.
It comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Conflict and Tension 1918-1939
This lesson focuses on the various attitudes and reactions of the Allies after the Treaty of Versailles was agreed and signed.
The students begin by analysing and evaluating a number of sources from a German point of view and decide how and why the Germans would react in this way.
They then have to plot the thoughts of the allies on a grid, again making their own conclusions and judgements on their viewpoints.
The plenary is a ten question quiz which will test their new learning.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
The aim of this lesson is to decide what makes a successful Medieval Monarch.
Students are asked for their ideas before being given the criteria for a successful medieval monarch (such as leaving an heir and not being murdered!)
The main part of the lesson requires students to conduct an investigation into three monarchs and decide how successful each of them were using a table to chart their success.
When they have made their judgements, they complete an extended writing task, with scaffolding and help given if required.
The plenary gives twelve answers, to which students have to work out the questions
This lesson includes:
Fun, engaging and challenging tasks
Links to video footage
Printable worksheets
Differentiated tasks
Suggested teaching strategies
Powerpoint format, which can be changed to suit
The British Empire
The aim of the lesson is to assess the importance of apartheid in South Africa both politically and economically.
The lesson begins by giving the context of South Africa being part of the British Empire and it move toward independence and the introduction of apartheid.
Students have a quiz to complete as well as source scholarship on its introduction in 1948.
They also evaluate the restrictions it imposed on the non white population of South Africa, where they are required to give their opinions on it as well as the significance at the time, overtime and nowadays.
The lesson also focuses on the impact of the ANC and Nelson Mandela’s contribution to a modern South Africa and the part he played in ending apartheid.
There are some excellent video links to his life and work as well as the Soweto uprising of 1976.
The lesson concludes with a diamond nine activity to prioritise the main reasons why apartheid came to an end.
The lesson comes with suggested teaching and learning strategies and are linked to the latest historical interpretations, video clips and debate.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning.
The lesson is fully adaptable in PowerPoint format and can be changed to suit.
AQA GCSE 9-1 Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to present
The aim of this lesson is threefold; to understand the beliefs and treatments of the Black Death, to recognise why these had a detrimental affect on medicine and to understand the similarities between the Black Death of the 14th Century and the Plague of the 17th Century.
This lesson can be delivered over two, owing to the content and challenge.
There are numerous learning tasks for students to complete, from tabling the symptoms of the disease, using sources to map out the beliefs and treatments at the time, a thinking quilt, as well as plotting similarities on a skeleton hand and tackling two GCSE practice questions.
A find and fix task at the end checks understanding and challenges student thinking.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning.
The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson and there are differentiated materials included.
Who was Genghis Khan and how did he rule the largest land area in history?
Students learn about his early life and background and how he became such a powerful ruler.
They are required to judge two things about him; how good a leader was he and was he was unifier who brought peace and stability or did he bring chaos and destruction to his Empire?
They are required to debate and complete an extended piece of writing with argument words and a scaffolding structure to help them decide.
The plenary consolidates their learning about Genghis Khan with key words used in the lesson, from which examples must be given for each.
This lesson includes:
Fun, engaging and challenging tasks
Links to video footage
Printable worksheets
Differentiated tasks
Suggested teaching strategies
PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit
Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship
This lesson is split into two parts.
The first part looks at the various racial groups within Germany who were targeted and excluded by the Nazis and the reasons behind this.
There is a case study of the Grefeneck Asylum where its inmates mysteriously disappeared; the students are given clues as to how to unravel the story about what happened there.
They subsequently learn of the T4 programme secretly enacted by the Nazis and the sheer scale and numbers involved.
The second part of the lesson focuses on anti-Semitism within Germany, the history and context behind it and how the Nazis used propaganda posters to get their vile message across.
Students have to analyse why the Jewish population was targeted and explain how this prejudice and discrimination manifested itself
There are some brilliant video links which explore these issues further and a plenary which attempts to change some student perceptions of Hitler’s own anti-Semitism.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship
The aim of this lesson is to analyse Nazi policies towards women and then evaluate how effective they were at controlling them.
The start of the lesson questions the qualities Hitler is looking for in women and then questions what makes the perfect Nazi woman using key words.
Students then have some differentiated questions to complete, using text before evaluating how much certain women were controlled and explaining to what extent.
A GCSE practice question focuses on ‘Which source is the most convincing?’, complete with simplified markscheme and notes on the slide for more guidance.
The key words are then revisited in the plenary.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to evaluate to what extend Elizabeth presided over a Golden Age.
Students are introduced to the concept of an Elizabethan Golden Age.
They focus on achievements in the arts, popular culture, improved communication and education, patronage and increasing wealth to decide to what extent a Golden Age existed, or whether it was a myth created by a very astute monarch who used propaganda extremely cleverly to put across a cult of Gloriana.
A detailed markscheme accompanies some exam practice towards the end of the lesson.
There are video links and images to accompany the lesson, culminating in some exam proactice at the end.
There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work.
The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit.
The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.
I have produced these Bitesize Cards to help my GCSE History groups revise.
They summarise the content for the Germany 1890-1945, Democracy and Dictatorship course, which can be overwhelming for some students.
They contain the main events, people and key words needed for the exam
Students can use these 14 cards in lessons or for homelearning to help them with recall, retrieval and retention.
I also use them as starters in the lessons or for interleaving to help with the course content.
I have broken down the revision cards down into the following themes:
Kaiser Wilhelm
The Treaty of Versailles
Problems in Germany
Super Stresemann
The Rise of Hitler
Hitler’s consolidation of Power
The Nazi Police State
The Nazi economy
Propaganda
Youth groups and women
Churches
Opposition
Persecution to Genocide
The German Homefront
They have proved a great success as a revision tool. I have also posted them on our google classroom (digital platform) so students can access them, when GCSE practise questions are set or they are required to revise for an assessment test.
They simply need cutting, hole punching and tying with treasury tags, or simply stapling together.
I have included both PDF and PowerPoint versions if you wish to amend or adapt.
If you like this resource, please check out my full Revision Guide for Germany: Democracy and Dictatorship 1890-1945 which can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/germany-democracy-and-dictatorship-revision-guide-aqa-gcse-9-1-11764985
This resource in booklet form sets the AQA GCSE 9-1 Germany 1890-1945 Democracy and Dictatorship course out in two sides of A4.
This is ideal for the student who wants a quick recap of the course as it sets out all the main details, people and events in bullet form.
It is also great for quickly printing and giving out for revision lessons, interleaving or for homework, especially when the course content has now doubled for the GCSE 9-1 exam.
I have included PDF and Word formats if there is a need to change or adapt.
This is cheap to photocopy and includes a summary of the exam questions from the start.
If you like this resource, please check out my full revision guide for AQA GCSE 9-1 Germany 1890-1945 here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/aqa-gcse-9-1-revision-guide-germany-1890-1945-11764985
This bundle follows the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum - challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world, 1901 to the present day with a focus on the conflicts of the Second World War.
The aims of this bundle are to know and understand significant aspects of World War II on a global scale and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by this conflict.
In the first 12 lessons, students will learn and understand key historical skills throughout such as continuity and change in the role and use of propaganda in World War II, the causes and consequences of the policy of appeasement, breaking the Enigma Code or the evacuation of children, the similarities and differences of life on the Home Front, the significance of Winston Churchill and VE Day and interpretations about whether there really was a Blitz spirit.
In lessons 13 to 23 students will learn and understand key historical skills throughout such as change and continuity in the types of warfare used, the causes and consequences of the evacuation of Dunkirk and the similarities and differences of Hitler’s invasion of Russia as compared to Napoleon. They will also learn about the significance of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, refugees in World War 2 as well as interpretations as to whether Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris should be considered a war hero or not.
I have created and used these lessons to challenge and engage students, but also to show how much fun learning about this part of history really is.
The lessons are as follows:
L1 Causes of World War II
L2 Appeasement
L3 Winston Churchill
L4 The Home Front - preparations
L5 The Home Front - propaganda
L6 The Home Front - rationing
L7 The Home Front - women (free lesson)
L8 Evacuation of children
L9 The Blitz
L10 The Enigma Code
L11 Prisoners of war (free lesson)
L12 VE Day
L13 Overview of World War 2 (free lesson)
L14 Invasion of Poland
L15 Evacuation of Dunkirk
L16 The Battle of Britain (free lesson)
L17 The Battle of the Atlantic
L18 Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union
L19 Sir Arthur Bomber Harris
L20 D-Day landings
L21 The attack of Pearl Harbour
L22 Dropping the of Atomic Bombs on Japan
L23 Refugees in World War 2
Unfortunately due to TES restricting bundles to 20 resources, the free lessons of 7, 11, and 16 will need to be downloaded separately.
This bundle includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials.
All lessons come in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
This bundle has been designed to meet the National Curriculum requirements at Key Stage 3 History for women’s suffrage as part of the theme, ’challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day.’
It can however be used as a springboard for teaching at GCSE, particularly if you are teaching AQA Power and the People or OCR Explaining the Modern World.
Each year I cannot wait to teach this fascinating topic. It also never fails to ignite the excitement and interest of the students studying this part of history.
From the controversy of universal suffrage, to how women were treated in society in the 19th century, the questionable suicide of Emily Davison to the militant actions of the Suffragettes including the Cat and Mouse Act and their involvement in World War 1. How can anyone ever argue that history is dull?
Moreover this bundle addresses key historical skills. How did World War 1 show change and continuity for women? What were the causes and consequences of the industrial revolution on universal suffrage? What were the similarities and differences in the actions of the Suffragists and Suffragettes? What was significant about the imprisonment of the Suffragettes or the death of Emily Davison?
These skills are addressed in each of the lessons and allow students to be able to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends and be able to create their own structured accounts and written narratives.
The lessons are as follows:
L1 Dying for the vote
L2 An introduction to the Suffragettes
L3 Suffragists and Suffragettes
L4 Emily Davison – martyr or fool?
L5 Propaganda and the Cat and Mouse Act of 1913
L6 The impact of World War 1 on women’s rights
L7 The roaring twenties
L8 How far have women gained equality?
(+ Key Word History Display)
Each resource comes PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson and there are differentiated materials included.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to introduce the A Level course to students.
Students are given an overview of the course content, as well as the requirements for the exam questions.
The lesson recaps on previous knowledge of the Tudors before introducing Henry VII and questioning which will be his main priorities on becoming King in 1485.
Students are also introduced to the Tudor timeline and begin to conceptualise how the Tudors and Henry VII came to power and how legitimate and secure his hold on the crown was.
There is also an introduction to Tudor society to set the scene for the course and students learn how society, agriculture, industry, the Church were organised.
There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work.
The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit.
The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.
AQA A Level 1C The Tudors: England 1485-1603
The aim of this lesson is to assess the threat posed by Mary, Queen of Scots throughout her life to Elizabeth.
The lesson begins with some context of Mary’s life before students’ decide her threat to Elizabeth before she flees to England from Scotland.
In the second part of the lesson, students learn about the different plots against Elizabeth involving Mary and how Elizabeth and her Privy Council dealt with each in turn.
There is also a diamond nine prioritising exercise as to the main reasons why Elizabeth was so reluctant to execute Mary after the Babington plot.
Some literacy and extract exam practice is also included with help given and a markscheme supplied
There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work.
The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit.
The lesson is differentiated and includes suggested teaching strategies.
AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603
The overarching aim of this and the subsequent bundle of lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth asserted her authority and control in the second half of her reign.
What was it like to be poor in Elizabethan England and how did the Elizabethans deal with poverty?
Moreover how did attitudes change and why was there a rise in the building of Almshouses by the end of the Sixteenth Century?
These are the key questions focused upon in this lesson as students learn about the causes and consequences of being poor.
Two GCSE practice questions are undertaken by students as they acquire skills in answering an interpretation and write an account question using the information in the lesson.
Furthermore they can peer assess their work and note where and how they can improve.
They will also by the end of the lesson recognise the significance of the new Elizabethan Poor Law and how the impact of poverty varied across the country which is needed to be able to obtain the more complex reasoning answers demanded in the AQA GCSE markschemes.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603
The overarching aim of this and the subsequent lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth asserted her authority and control in the second half of her reign.
The key to this lesson is to recap not only the causes of the Spanish Armada and the build up to its eventually defeat, but also to analyse the battle itself and reasons for English success and Spanish failure.
Furthermore, what were the consequences for Elizabeth and her successors?
How did Britain regain the initiative and establish Elizabeth as a Protestant force to be reckoned with in Europe and at home?
How did the defeat change her status as a world power for the next generation of explorers and seafarers as Britain became the dominant naval power in the world by the 19th Century?
Students make up and pour a toxic cocktail of causes before piecing together the reasons why the Armada failed and ran out of energy, by giving it an energy rating in a prioritisation exercise.
They also have to amend a number of statements and correct them, explaining the reasons why they are incorrect as well as studying an interactive map as the events unfolded.
Finally students can complete a ‘How important’ GCSE practice question worth 8 marks to consolidate their learning with hints and tips of how to answer this.
The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning.
The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.
