Boredom is the enemy of education. These resources aim to give students an engaging, fun way into topics that are relevant to their lives, including awkward ones like sex education, and informing about issues that are shaping the world and their future. My hope is that they help be an effective tool to the teacher to wake up a hunger for knowledge in students, and that everyone in the classroom would have a more enjoyable and enriching experience because of their use.
Boredom is the enemy of education. These resources aim to give students an engaging, fun way into topics that are relevant to their lives, including awkward ones like sex education, and informing about issues that are shaping the world and their future. My hope is that they help be an effective tool to the teacher to wake up a hunger for knowledge in students, and that everyone in the classroom would have a more enjoyable and enriching experience because of their use.
A PPT with a variety of extensions to give students an idea about what all the fuss is about. The PPT itself is pretty self explanatory, and contains links to a variety of youtube videos (some are animations) as well as the Specials 'Free Nelson Mandela&' single. What a legend!
This is a PPT about pornography. Awkward.
On average, young men are exposed to it before they're 10.
It can lead to all kinds of personal problems, let alone drastic effects on the social way sex is perceived.
Tis is an attempt to educate young people about the health and social effects of pornography, and how drastically in can improve people's lives if they give it up.
It has been designed in a way that is flexible to your teaching: print off slides, do presentations, information treasure hunts...up to you!
Where do you stand is an activity where each corner of the room is a different opinion (Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree) and students move to the corner and discuss.
WARNING: DEFINITELY WATCH THE VIDEOS BEFORE YOU SHOW IT TO THE KIDS! Some of this material may be suitable only for sixth form.
This lesson attempts to answer these four learning questions:
What is ‘climate chaos’?
What is extinction rebellion and it’s aims?
What is non violent direct action (NVDA)?
Is it an effective way to create social change?
What do you think about it?
After briefly exploring the impact of 1-6 degrees climate change, this lesson looks at the actions of the extinction rebellion movement as a modern example of NVDA. Briefly looking at the history of Greta Thunberg’s school strikes, which are ongoing, it shows XR’s aims and methods through a Guardian documentary. The four videos which can be used for this are included in the resource. Drawing on a brief history of NVDA (civil rights, sufragettes, indian independence and more recently black lives matter and the occupy movement) it then encourages students to evaluate the effectiveness of this mode of political engagement.
Extension task available of a group task exploring the ways the planet and climate change affects our air, earth, water, resources, food AND climate.
Feedback really welcome as this is made in a short amount of time.
Thanks!
A lesson, more like two really, exploring what the Hajj is, why people do it, and how the Hajj effects Muslims. They hyperlinks in the PPT (image link on second slide and last slide) are to two excellent videos.
Ext: why do different Muslims go on Hajj for different reasons?
A second draft of a lesson attempting to explain and help students understand the unexplainable and shocking violence over the past couple of weeks in the UK.
As news unfolds about the london attack I'll add another update about the London attackers: for me understanding the nuanced reasons for these attacks is very important to prevent Islamophobia.
There are hyperlinks to videos etc. on many of the photos, and too much for an hour but plenty for you to pick and choose from depending on the needs of your students.
I hope it helps your students understand what has happened, even if it can never be justified, and help them figure out positive ways to respond.
Feedback GREATLY appreciated.
A selection of resources to help your school become a school of sanctuary: a place of safety and welcome for asylum seekers. The resources and activities will produce evidence you can use in your application to your local city of sanctuary group.
https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/
:)
4 lessons, board games, role plays, documentaries, collated from City of Sanctuary, Resources made by me, Amnesty International, Oxfam and online reports. What more do you want? Free? Ok, free.
A brief overview of what an election is, what a hung parliament is, and a debate about if 16 year olds should be able to vote. A chance for your students to make their own parties, too, and vote for them. WARNING: the youtube clip from the first slide has some mild obscenity in it (it's a humorous video by a made up party called the CBA party: intended to get students 'onside' - but not suitable for primary).
A 9 lesson Preparation for Working Life Scheme of Work. This includes practice exam papers, mark schemes, powerpoints, youtube clips, worksheets, glossaries, revision booklets and exam practice skills. A great way to get your year 11s prepped for the exams in double quick time!
This lesson is an introduction to global citizenship, part of a module on Global citizenship, that begins with a personal look at the individual. It includes youtube videos, mindmaps, one print out and structured questions to help students understand their own biases and the biases of the class they are in. It is a powerful step forward for self reflective learners, uses PELTS well, and incorporates SMSC, Ethics, PHSE, Citizenship and geography into one topic. Tasks are differentiated, with questions going from easy to more difficult.
Ideal for KS3-4 (11-16yr olds).
Learning Questions include:
What is global citizenship?
What is my own personal, social, historical and economic background?
How might my background affect how I see the world?
An assessment to see how much students have engaged and learnt from this scheme of work. There are two options, with differentiated questions to answer one after the other or a creative assessment option where students create something of their choosing (poem, rap, painting etc. which answers the questions in their own way).
It comes with printable questions and levelled marking grids to help you mark in a time efficient, clear way.
Enjoy :)
This lesson aims to give students (particularly British ones) some understanding of the histories and activities of Britain we don’t mention as much as the 2nd World War, the Tudors and the Romans. It is an exploration of the slave trade, the arms trade, native american indians, aborigines and transportation and our involvement in India during the empire. It aims to give students an alternative perspective on Britain without undermining them as individuals, invalidating their experience or burdening them with guilt.
Hopefully it leads to some interesting discussion and learning. It certainly does in my classroom!
Group activities, based on SOLE (Self Organised Learning Environments), which need some monitoring but the resources created would work well with a variety of exercises including marketplace and others.
It aims to meet the Global Citizenship Education aims, specifically 4.7 (which focuses on global citizenship education and education for sustainable development).
Any feedback greatly received
Learning Questions include:
What are the histories we learn about in school?
What was Britain’s role in the slave trade, Native American Indians, Aboriginal peoples, the arms trade and India?
How do these histories affect our opinions about today’s world?
Extension: can you figure out what/whose histories are not included in this lesson? How would you find out about them?
Are we responsible for our ancestors’ actions?
This resource looks at Jewish identity, and is part of a scheme of work about the Shoah/Holocaust. It includes some basic beliefs about G-d (including why Jews often write G-d, instead of God) as well as a brief overview of 1000 years of anti-semitism. It puts the anti-semitism that flared into the Shoah into perspective and I’ve used it mainly with KS3 students. It includes a clip of some survivors testimonies which speak about their experience of antisemitism, and has differentiated tasks that explore quotes from the Torah and Talmud in more depth. Extension tasks also included. Easily adaptable for KS4.
Ideal for religious studies, SMSC, citizenship and PHSE.
Learning Questions (Objectives) include:
Can I imagine the possible impacts of the Holocaust on a Jewish person?
How may the Holocaust have influenced or challenged Jewish beliefs?
What are some key Jewish Beliefs?
EXTENSION: Can I evaluate how the Holocaust may effect Jewish people today?
This lesson explores who is to blame for the Shoah/Holocaust. It endeavours to introduce nuance and deeper empathy into students’ understanding in that the Shoah cannot simply be Hitler’s fault: millions of people collaborated, agreed and perpetuated anti-semitism, including some Jews in the Ghettos who faced making impossible decisions in desperate circumstances. Activities are differentiated, with youtube videos of survivors testimonies (which are a little quiet), and the lesson is perfect for religious studies, PHSE, citizenship and SMSC. It’s perhaps a bit personal for a history lesson, but may be used to augment existing scheme’s of work to help engagement.
Learning Questions include:
Can I describe the different things that were lost in the Holocaust? (level 4-5)
Can I explain my opinion on who was responsible for different things in the Holocaust? (5-6)
Can I evaluate different opinions on who was to blame in specific situations? (level 6-7)
There are also extension tasks which include footage of Otto Frank after his loss of his entire family.
All feedback gratefully received.
With Brexit being a ubiqutous and fairly exhausting topic in the news, I made this to try and teach my KS3 and 4 students about and explore their opinions on it. Mostly, students respond to the first learning question with ‘Brexit means brexit’ which has about as much substance as the middle of a doughnut. Not the jam ones.
Learning questions:
What is Brexit?
What is the EU?
What are the different Brexit options?
What are the arguments for and against it?
Stretch and Challenge:
After weighing up both sides of the argument, what is my opinion?
Some differentiation included, with a brief summary of the seven main brexit options available.
There is also a critical thinking extension which explores a claim that the PM’s deal meets all requirements, which is produced by a thinktank. Students will be shown how to use google power search’s ‘WHO IS’ function to find out who the director of that thinktank is, and how they have conservative leanings, hopefully boosting awareness of bias and independent thought.
There are group tasks as well as individual work and opinion line activities included. Also attached here are the ‘four corners’ posters which can be stuck on the four corners of the room so students move to that area depending on their opinion.
A powerpoint which includes differentiation activities, a worksheet (with different activities for KS3 or 4 which we print on double sided A3, and there is enough here for at least 2 lessons.
Youtube links, treasure hunts, a debate, TPS activity and more. Easily personalisable to suit your own needs, and included here is the SMSC objectives met with this lesson.
The Powerpoint itself has some instructions on how to use the resource, although most of it is quite self explanatory.
Enjoy!
This lesson is an exploration of the incredible human beings who risked (and sometimes lost) their lives working to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. It is an inspiration from Philip Zimbardo who encourages us to educate children about the psychology of heroism. This powerpoint and collected resources aims to help students understand and be inspired by the incredible acts of bravery these people engaged with. I greatly encourage you to play the video linked to this lesson to students: it moves me to tears every time!
Learning Questions include:
How did some people act heroically in the Holocaust?
How did these heroes’ beliefs affect their actions?
Can you evaluate the motivations for people’s actions?
EXT: What is the psychology of Heroism? What can we do to help ourselves become more heroic?
Great for PHSE, Citizenship, Religious Studies and History. Extension tasks and differentiated activities included.
Including youtube links, independent learning activities, discussion activities and plenty of information, this lesson is about exploring the 'snoopers' charter' culture of the NSA and GCHQ, Edward Snowden's role as a whistleblower, and if we should allow our governments to spy on us. Particularly good for citizenship, sociology, RS and Politics this lesson is engaging and interesting to students.
Did you know facebook's new privacy policy allows them to use your microphone and camera? AI notes down everything we say via their app...1984? Or safety procedure?
Differentiated activities by outcome and task design, there's plenty here to stretch and challenge as well as scaffold.
This lesson also includes a debate and information which can be used like a treasure hunt activity. 26 slides of high quality teaching material.
Learning questions are:
Why is privacy important?
What is a whistleblower and what were Wikileaks?
Is the internet a force for increased freedom, or increased surveillance?
Which is more valuable, freedom or safety?
Gender and sexuality can be confusing for students (and teachers!), many of whom do not understand the idea of gender being a spectrum rather than a binary role connected to biological sex. Indeed, most do not understand that gender and sex are different things.
This presentation aims to present the different arguments around gender, varying from people who feel that their gender is different from their biological sex (transgender) or those who are biologically intersex (about 1-2% of the global population). It acknowledges that some people are very closed to the idea of transgenderism, whilst acknowledging the biological fact of intersex. It includes and article about Caster Semenya, the South African runner banned from competing in events because her testosterone is too high and told she would need to take medication to address this, as well as youtube videos, graphics, group discussion activities, opinion lines/corners, and written comprehension questions. There are also definition tasks too.
Ideal for KS3-5 students. (11-18yr old) A range of tasks that will not fit into an hour, so pick which work for you.
Learning questions include:
What is gender?
What is the difference between ‘intersex’, ‘transgender’, ‘transexual’ and ‘non-binary’?
What is a ‘patriarchy’?
Is gender a choice?
Is gender a spectrum?
This is a new resource on a tricky issue: feedback warmly, warmly welcomed.
Many thanks.
A PHSE lesson to help students discuss and explore healthy ways to end relationships. It’s an attempt to try and get secondary school students in particular to treat each other with respect when everything seems epically painful.
Differentiated by outcome, with plenty of opportunities for discussion and exploration with some youtube links included.
This lesson is designed to be adaptable to the needs of your class. It can build on previous knowledge of Gandhi, and works best if that is the case, but can also be used as an introduction to Gandhi’s teaching and life. (To this end, I’ve included a link of him burning the passes and his famous non violence speech that followed it, which are both short and excellent insights into his teaching and philosophy. On non violence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKzKj_8CO2g
Burning of the passes (ahimsa):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50gNryy9JnA)
It includes extension tasks for able and talented, and differentiated activities including ethical dilemmas, youtube videos, group discussions, treasure hunts as well as written tasks. A broad range of activities, in my experience, always bosters engagement. (there is a need to print 10 slides here)
The lesson aims to remind students’ of Gandhi’s teachings and inform them of the Caste system. There is also a short video about Narayanan Krishnan, an inspirational Hindu who has disregarded his Brahmin caste to help untouchables or down and outs in Indian Society.
2 differently worded Learning Objectives here for lower and higher ability or age groups:
To remember who Gandhi was.
to explain what the caste system was.
To know Gandhi’s opinion of the untouchables.
To develop and evaluate my own opinion about the caste system.
To empathise with people who are in the caste system.
Or, for KS4,
All will be able to explain what the caste system was, and why Gandhi was against it.
Most will be able to relate the situation to contemporary issues re: jobs and status.
Some will be able to explain why the caste system became a source of prejudice and discrimination.