Battle of Waterloo Weapons and Tactics Research and Simulation Lesson

I use this as part of a Y7 History Unit on Weapons Through Time. Once students have read the information sheet and answered the questions I set them the simulation task to test their understanding. Students receive an A3-sized plan of the battlefield and have to select from multiple-choice answers for each scenario during the battle from the point of view of the British general Wellington. I have tried to make the scenarios as realistic as possible but clearly at this level it has been simplified somewhat. Students need to record their choice by circling their option for each scenario. Then click on each button to reveal the consequence of their actions and points scored. There are some things (placement of soldiers, terrain, impact on other areas of the battlefield, luck) that hopefully will cause them to consider why it would have been difficult commanding a battlefield at this time. At the end I play them a clip of the charge of the French cavalry from the film ‘Waterloo’ and then have a discussion around the questions at the end of the presentation.