Unique resources created by an experienced Secondary English and History teacher. These are academically rigorous resources that target children between 13 and 18 years of age.
Unique resources created by an experienced Secondary English and History teacher. These are academically rigorous resources that target children between 13 and 18 years of age.
This 32 page booklet has been designed as part of an Australian film studies unit focusing on the 2002 film The Rabbit Proof Fence. It includes activities exploring characterisation, the beliefs of the time and analysing the aesthetic features (film and language techniques) which students are to complete during and after viewing the film. While used for year 9 in this case, it could be applicable for any junior secondary grade. It could also be used during NAIDOC week.
This booklet contains resources which would be useful for preparing students to write a range of genres including film reviews, feature articles, persuasive texts and analytical essays. There are questions about the events/themes/character’s perspectives and the effects of the aesthetic features.
It introduces students to concepts such as textual structures, language features, visual features, film techniques and themes. It includes information about the socio cultural context of the film, articles about the women on which the film is based, key quotes from the film, scaffolded analysis activities for key scenes, an introduction to evaluative language and how it is used to describe films. The final pages include an explanation of how to structure an essay (along with planning and editing steps).
The significance of the use of atomic bombs during World War II, The contestability surrounding the use of atomic bombs during World War II, The causes and effects of the use of atomic bombs during World War II. The Beginning of the Nuclear Age, why the atomic bomb was developed, how it was tested, why America decided to use it against Japan, why this decision was contested by some scientists, it looks at the discrimination towards victims of the bombing (and how they came to be known as the hibakusha) and President Truman's justification for what he did.
This PPT includes extracts from a documentary which recreates the bombing of Hiroshima (using reenactments) and explains the science behind the bomb. It includes images of the destruction to buildings, medical side effects (e.g. cataracts, scarring, radiation, birth defects etc.) It also includes drawings made by survivors depicting the black rain, bodies in the water etc.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This lesson was delivered as a 2 hour block during the term 4 exam block to introduce the unit for the following year and to allow year 10s and 11s who would be studying the subject together to meet each other.
This resource includes:
1 x PowerPoint
1 x Handout
This lesson includes information about:
• Revising what we learned about the Treaty of Versailles – what the Big 3 wanted + the key terms of the treaty
• Fallout of the Treaty of Versailles (issues with the reparations payments and the war guilt clause)
How to analyse and evaluate visual sources
A visual source analysis activity
• Germany becoming a Republic
Goals of the Weimar Republic
Political opposition in the early stages of the Weimar Republic
• The Stock Market Crash + Great Depression and how this impacted Germany
• The Golden 20s
Problems which still impacted Germany in this period
The emergence of the Nazi party
The 25 points program (1920) + a groupwork task to engage with this source
The Beer Hall Putsch (1923)
Mein Kampf
• Hitler’s ideologies, VABs and motives
Anti Semitism
Nationalism
Anti-democracy
• Hitler’s Rise to Power
The worksheet is designed to be used at key points in the lesson
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
This lesson includes:
1 x Worksheet – match the definitions
1 x PowerPoint
1 x Source Booklet – containing 8 sources (a mixture of types) for analysis
1 x Handout containing a graphic organiser for analysing sources
1 x Handout explaining CAMPORUM acronym with tips for what to look for when analysing sources
The lesson begins with a matching the definitions warm up (historical concepts and other relevant historical terms). This is followed by a definition of ‘analyse’ and a 9 step process for analysing. A run down of the 7 features of evidence we look for when ‘analysing’ in history (based on those in the QLD syllabus). Students are then introduced to an acronym which will help them to remember what each of these are (CAMPORUM). Students are shown the A standard criteria for analysing and the are unpacked. The year 12 students then begin independently analysing sources in the source booklet and filling in the handout (CAMPORUM tables).
The year 11’s then receive focused teaching about the difference between primary and secondary sources, things to keep in mind when discussing the source origins in a written analysis, how the origins of the source may impact its reliability and tips for evaluating the reliability of different source types. There is some information about historical context and why it is crucial to understand the creator’s motive when engaging with a source. This is followed by an explanation of what the sources will look like in the exam (i.e. a context statement, an excerpt from a source and an APA reference). Following this, the gradual release method is used to engage with the first few sources in the booklet. (I have done the first one on the slides to show how to complete the table, we do the second one together, they do the third one in pairs and they do the fourth one independently).
The types of sources in the booklet: An extract from Mein Kampf, an extract from a textbook, an extract from the Alpha History website, an extract from The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website, an infographic, a poem, an artwork and a history magazine. They were chosen to deliver content at the same time as teaching the analysis skill.
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. The lesson begins with some teaching that both grades can do together before the year 12s are assigned some independent work and the year 11s are given some more focused teaching. Then the year 11’s do independent work while the year 12s share their answers and receive feedback.
A document with over 300 trivia questions (and answers) useful for class competitions, homeroom, school fundraisers etc. Questions include those about Australia, other nations, celebrities, popular culture texts, inventors and scientific discoveries, historical events, true or false etc
A PowerPoint for the first lesson of the term – an introduction to feminism and the4 British suffragettes. It begins with a basic definition of feminism for students to add to their glossary + the class word wall. Students know they need to copy down whatever text is underlined in my slides. It is followed by a clip from Horrible Histories (on ClickView) about the Suffragettes. This is followed by an opportunity to discuss what students already know about this topic. Students are assigned a homework research task – due the following week. There is a clip from the 1964 Mary Poppins film showing Mrs Banks – a 1st wave feminist. The 4 waves of feminism are summarised before zooming in on Britain’s first wave. There is a YouTube video from 1913, when militant suffragette Emily Wilding Davison threw herself under King George V’s racehorse at a major public event. She died of her injuries and became a suffragette martyr. An extract from Mary Wollstonecraft’s influential text A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) is presented and students must summarise the key ideas. Another primary source an extract from The Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791) is provided for comparison. There is information about the hunger strikes which were used as a form of protest & the force feeding methods used by the authorities. There are excerpts of prisoner testimonies. An image of a primary artefact (a hunger strike medal) is displayed. Information about some of the advances women achieved in the early 20th century is provided including information about when British women achieved the vote. The trailer for the 2015 film Suffragette is shown and a synopsis is provided. This lends itself well to a discussion of the personal implications of joining the movement for women at the time. To conclude the lesson, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning and compile their own definition of first wave feminism – with examples.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). Designed as part of a unit entitled Women’s movements since 1893, which has the scope to span from when Women’s suffrage in New Zealand became law to the present. I decided to focus on the Second Wave of Feminism for our assessment (while briefly touching on the other waves of feminism).The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. The end of term assessment for this unit was an essay under exam conditions. As the unit was taught in term 4, it was a shorter, 6 week unit.
A PowerPoint which I think History teachers will find helpful. If you use it, and like it, please give me a positive star rating / review. Constructive criticism is also appreciated.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
A 95 slide PowerPoint which can be used in various ways including:
Delivered in lecture style during an introduction to the subject day (2 hour block)
Delivered over a couple of lessons during the unit
Sent to students for them to read during at home (COVID) learning along with a worksheet which specifies what information students need to look for
The PowerPoint includes:
An introduction to important terms (race and racism). Information about different types of racism. Information about how Nazi racism degenerated into genocide. Information about the Nazification of Germany (by 1934). A review of what Hitler wanted. Methods Hitler used to pursue his aims. How the Schutzstaffel (SS) was used as a tool of Nazi terror. How propaganda was used to reinforce the appeal of Nazism. Methods Goebbels used to spread propaganda. Examples of anti-Semitic propaganda. Warning signs before the Holocaust (classification, vilification, symbolisation, discrimination and polarisation). Information about the establishment of ghettos. Defining dehumanisation and looking at how this was achieved. How Jews were treated under Nazism. A timeline of anti-Semitic laws and policies (1933-1939). An important event: Kristallnacht. Engaging with sources about Kristallnacht. The lead up to the Holocaust (different phases). The Wannsee conference where ‘the final solution’ was developed. The outcomes of the conference. The tactics the Nazis used to get the Jews to leave the Ghettos. Information about the concentration and extermination camps. Images of the entrance to Auschwitz, the Boxcars, an image of Auschwitz taken from the air, an image of a wooden barrack in Auschwitz Birkenau, a image of the Auschwitz gas chambers, images of sonderkommando processing the bodies into the crematorium etc. which help students to understand the parts of the camp and the level of destruction. The legacy of the Holocaust and the Nuremberg war crimes trials. The development of the United Nations. Different historical perspectives (Orthodox, Revisionist, Intentionalist, Functionalist).
Resource 1: A PowerPoint which I used to deliver the lesson. It begins with a 5 minute viewing activity about The Lebensborn program. This was followed by some slides about the Lebensborn babies and the concept of ‘positive eugenics.’ Students are then introduced to a source (article) entitled ‘The woman who gave birth for Hitler’ along with some context about the source (for purposes of practicing evaluation). This is followed by a couple of discussion questions. For the second part of the lesson students have a choice between two activities (with the second activity to be completed for homework).
Resource 2: A Worksheet for students to complete while engaging with a journal article entitled 'HOW ETHICS FAILED - THE ROLE OF PSYCHIATRISTS AND PHYSICIANS IN NAZI PROGRAMS FROM EXCLUSION TO EXTERMINATION, 1933-1945.’ The journal was accessed through the State Library of Queensland online catelogue (membership is free).
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This lesson was delivered as a 2 hour block during the term 4 exam block to introduce the unit for the following year and to allow year 10s and 11s who would be studying the subject together to meet each other.
This resource includes:
1 x PowerPoint
1 x Handout + an answer sheet
The lesson includes:
• A brief history of Germany (political structures)
• Information about conflict which existed pre WW1 (including changing statehoods in Europe.)
• Definitions of important ideologies – nationalism, expansionism, imperialism & militarism
• Introducing the concept of alliances and the war climate in the build up to World War One
• The assassination of Frans Ferdinand and its significance
• Germany’s experiences in WW1 (initial success followed by stalemate and defeat)
• The Treaty of Versailles and its ramifications for Germany
The lesson ends with a group work activity where students are assigned key sections of the Treaty of Versailles which they have to locate online. Once found they must fill in a graphic organiser with a summary + a speculation about the motivation (intended result) for each article.
There is a handout of the graphic organiser for this activity. There is also a teacher answer sheet.
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The syllabus objectives would also be useful more broadly for English students in other states and countries with an interest in German Nationalism between 1914–1945 (World War I begins –World War II ends).
Context: My school runs this program in Alternative Sequence (yr 11 and 12s in together) due to the small size of the school. This revision activity was used as an engaging end to the second session in exam block to check for understanding and recall of the content covered over the 2 sessions. (These resources are sold separately in my store).
Resource can also be used as a template to create your own jeopardy quiz.
These are the homework resources for a year 12 Authority English unit delivered in Queensland, Australia. The focus for this unit is the comprehensive study of a text that explores a different culture (the autobiography Slave by Mende Nazer). Through examining the autobiographies underlying ideologies and themes, students will be exposed to social and cultural experiences that are far removed from their own. In particular, students will explore the controversial and confrontational issues privileged in the selected text. Engaging with a culturally rich text will allow students to develop empathy and connect other cultural experiences with their own lived experience.
Resource 1: List of vocabulary (spelling words) for the term - students are to learn 24 words per week.
Resource 2: List of terms that students should know by the end of year 12 which can be used as extension for gifted students.
Resource 3: A list of comprehension questions written to assess students knowledge of each chapter of the autobiography. This is a good tool for consolidating knowledge and will be useful revision when they need to develop an idea for their assessment tasks.
Looking at marriage equality and what has been said about it on Q&A (with some clips to watch). Another Q&A clip about Independent Candidate Bob Katter (in an episode about mental health) where he gets challenged by Josh Thomas about his homophobia and his denial that there are any gay people in his electorate. This lesson also looks at immigration (particularly illegal immigrants) and looks at the language used to label them. It also looks at newspaper articles and political cartoons about a drowned three year old Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, whose lifeless body was washed ashore in Turkey. It includes scaffolding to write an analysis of some of these political cartoons.
PLEASE NOTE: this resource was made in 2016 before marriage equality was achieved in Australia. The discussion of refugee issues is still pertinent but much has happened since then thus have marked down the price
An introduction to the Liberal party and their ideology. A copy of one of their advertisements prior to the election. Some clips from the Chaser talking about the events in the lead up to the election. Looking at the Jobs and Growth slogan and what it meant. Looking at info on their website which explained how they were going to achieve this. Looking at the trickle down theory (and the flaws with this idea). A brief overview of the 14 election issues.
Additional resource: voting in Australia booklet 2016 which explains the three levels of government in Australia, what electorates are, how federal elections work, how to enrol to vote, what a ballot paper looks like, how the results are counted, explaining what a referendum is and how to be an active citizen.
This lesson was designed for a year 11 class who are required to present an election speech to be on a youth advisory committee for the federal government. This lesson goes through the main aspects required for the introduction, body, and conclusion. It defines thesis statement and gives an example. It includes examples of each part of the speech (given about legalising marijuana for medicinal purposes). It reviews the PEEEL paragraphing acronym and the importance of paraphrasing, summarising and quoting. It ends with some tips for political speeches and some suggested vocabulary.
This lesson defines politics, looks at what is needed to be classified as politically literate, lists various forms of political participation, explains how the party system works and defines opposition/minor/independent parties. It also looks at the Labor party key players, the ideals of the party, the main platforms for the election, the 100 positive policies (their advertisement and the chaser’s response), it then lists all 100 positive policies and looks at some of the most interesting ones (social issues including refugees etc.)
PLEASE NOTE: The material in this lesson was created in 2016 so would be good at providing context for where we are now
One PowerPoint taken from a year 10 English unit taught in an Australian school. This PowerPoint is comprehensive and could be used over a few lessons. Within the unit Students compare and contrast the social, moral and ethical themes in the novel 'The Hunger Games.' Students are being prepared to evaluate how text structures and language features can be used to influence audience response.
This presentation focuses on two moral issues within the text: Inequality and murder. It begins with a definition of inequality and listing the various types of inequality. This is followed by a YouTube video (a vox pop about Inequality in America) to clarify student's understandings of these issues. Subsequently, students are introduced to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and some of the important articles within this document. Students watch a clip from the second film and must identify which of those rights are being violated in the text. Information is provided contrasting life in District 12 with life in The Capitol. Extracts are provided for students to analyse to see how Collins constructs this inequality through her use of language devices. Different examples of inequality within the novel are provided. Reflection questions are provided at the end of this section for students to demonstrate what they have learned.
In the murder section students are introduced to the terms murder and manslaughter and the differences between these crimes. Discussion questions are provided to get students to share their views on this issue. The PowerPoint then looks into the Christian perspective on murder focusing on scripture including one of the ten commandments. Following this the focus turns to killing within The Hunger Games and the various characters attitudes towards this. Film clips, quotes or summaries of each time Katniss kills in the games are provided.
This is a set of resources for a student centred lesson which utilises a cooperative learning strategy known as ‘Jigsaw.’ The “Jigsaw Method” is a teaching strategy of organizing student group work that helps students collaborate and rely on one another. This teaching strategy is effective as it gives students a greater sense of individual responsibility. It works well in modern history as it teaches students to read sources, locate information relevant to their question and write a synthesised summary combining ideas from multiple sources and perspectives.
A 87 handout full of sources about a range of different topics including: Viet Cong, peasant experiences in the Vietnam War, the Australian presence in Vietnam, Colonialism in Vietnam, The My Lai massacre and Ideologies, causes and effects. Each ‘expert’ group only needs one copy of the sources for their topic. This forces students to engage with the materials and take their own notes so that they can teach their peers about the topic. (However, depending on your group sizes you may choose to provide two copies). This is also a great resource for uploading in full to One Drive / Class Notebook for students to use as inspiration when selecting their topic to investigate for their research essay.
A PowerPoint designed for running the lesson so you can see how the groups were set up for a small class size (10 students). There is also information behind the reference slide about the Jigsaw strategy for teachers who are interested in learning further about this pedagogy. In essence, Jigsaw is a cooperative learning strategy that enables each student of a “home” group to specialize in one aspect of a topic. Students meet with members from other groups who are assigned the same aspect, and after mastering the material, return to the “home” group and teach the material to their group members. With this strategy, each student in the “home” group serves as a piece of the topic’s puzzle and when they work together as a whole, they create the complete jigsaw puzzle. The fact that they have the opportunity to listen to the perspectives of others enhances the quality of their education. Through this activity they will become better at paying attention to their peers, reflecting on what they have learned and asking good questions
**NB: Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). The content would also be useful more broadly for students in other states and countries with an interest in the Vietnamese Independence Movement (1945-1975). The other resources are also available in my store - lrigb4. The end of term assessment for this unit was an essay.
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A practice exam designed to give students the opportunity to practice meeting the key criteria and writing an essay under time constraints.
The examination is an 800-1000 word essay in response to historical sources (2 hrs + 15 minutes planning time). Included in this resource are:
A task sheet for the practice exam which includes scaffolding and a reflection for students to complete at the end.
12 sources which I chose along with their reference details and appropriate context statements.
A booklet of lined paper for students to write their response on
A peer review checklist to be used in a subsequent lesson
Resources designed for the new senior Modern History syllabus (implemented in QLD in 2019). Designed as part of a unit entitled Women’s movements since 1893 which has the scope to span from when Women’s suffrage in New Zealand became law to the present. Our school decided to focus on the Second Wave of Feminism for our assessment (while briefly touching on the other waves of feminism). In Unit 2, students form their own knowledge and understanding about movements that have emerged in the Modern World. Our class focused on the removal of discrimination and exploitation based on sexism. Through our depth study we investigated the Women’s Rights Movement focussing on the changes in goals, strategies and challenges across the ‘waves’ of feminism between the late nineteenth century and today. The other resources are also available in my store - Aussie_Resources. The end of term assessment for this unit was an essay under exam conditions.
A PowerPoint which I think Legal Studies / Civics teachers will find helpful. If you use it, and like it, please give me a positive star rating / review.
It begins with a quick recap of the two houses of parliament – The House of Representatives (lower house) and The Senate (upper house). Some information about Australia’s mixed system of government is provided. here the terms democracy, representative government, constitutional monarchy and federation are introduced. Next students are introduced to the term MP (short for Members of Parliament). They take notes about what they do. There is a timetable for a typical Monday in parliament house which is used to explain what they do while they are in Canberra. This is followed by an explanation of how MPs are elected. There is a video from the 2022 elections which gives a run down of the main political parties in Australia. Information about backbenchers and their work on committees is provided. This is followed by an explanation of the skills MPs need and a recap of the process for taking a Bill from its initial draft to becoming a law. There are then clips from the news in 2024 showing some topical issues – Tax Cuts and the possibility of removing ‘Negative Gearing.’ The lesson ends with some checking for understanding questions.
NB: My lessons have been designed for use in Australian classrooms and will often feature examples from Queensland legislation.
A free resource which I think History teachers will find helpful.
I created this booklet to assess 10 history students conducting a historical inquiry into World War Two (they had a choice of four topics). This was delivered in a school where each student had a laptop so was designed to be completed electronically however, more room to write could be added if you want to use it as a hard copy booklet.
If you use it, and like it, please come and give me a positive star rating / review . Constructive criticism is also appreciated.
This booklet contains:
• four suggested topics with sub points that the students must address
• a graphic organiser (table) for students to write their research questions in
• a place for students to reflect on their questions and justify any modifications they make during the research process
• tips for locating sources and a graphic organiser where students can organise their research
• checking for understanding questions which prompt students to consider what they will include in their second assessment (essay)
• a place for them to evaluate their sources using the RESEARCH acronym
• a paragraph writing scaffold (for students who are not confident to begin writing on their own)
• tips for how to reference different types of sources