One of the main themes of the History Key Stage summary is that the students develop and understanding for cause and consequence. Added to this they should begin to ‘devise and revise their own questions’ concerning historical enquiry. The main events of the twentieth century have in their causes the First World War and therefore the main question the students should ask is ‘Why did the First World War happen?’ The question of why? should be one of the most important that a student of history can ask and this Recipe aims to encourage this. It is not enough to know that something happened but to understand why it happened. Obviously this is a Year Nine lesson and, therefore, the full back ground of the First World War cannot be covered, However, the students will focus on three main themes to direct their questions.

This lesson is not on a specific topic nor is it a series of activities. Instead it is a whole class activity based around a major theme or topic in history. The aim is to create a visual summary of an historical event, from the main topic down to some of the key people involved. The Tree can be created as a piece of research on a new topic. The students can add to it as the topic develops. Alternatively the Tree can be created as a conclusion to a major class project. Each student can be given a task and once completed it will sum up all of their work.

The world created in the classroom is often a simple one in that everything fits with everything else. When talking about a rebellion breaking out in Norwich and a King who quickly quashes it, there is often the simplicity of a Television drama. We know of the rebellion and we know the King responds but the context to make it real is often lost. For example do the students know where Norwich is? If not then it is difficult to get them to fully understand the full implication of the rebellion. Students today live in an instant world. They upload their work to a ‘cloud’ and receive information instantly. This is not the world they have to understand for their ‘A’ levels. While most students appreciate this point to an extent they still struggle with how slow the world was before the internet and the iPhone.

This resource encourages the students to look at what they know well and what they need a little more guidance on. There are then five different types of essay plans that can be used either through the course or as part of the revision process. The essay plans are set out differently and can be easily adapted to different topics.

History is full of assumptions in that teachers often assume that students have a certain level of knowledge. Topics that are discussed regularly are very rarely explained because it is assumed that students know about them and understand them. One such example is the ‘state’ or ‘country’. ‘A’ level students will have heard the terms many times but will have rarely thought about what such a thing is, what it means and what influence it has. This unit aims to get the students thinking about what a country is and the decisions that go into its creation. The students will discuss and work together to create their own country and then apply what they have talked about to the states and countries that they encounter in their studies.

One of the hardest things to comprehend, especially when young is the passage of time. One of the easiest things to get wrong therefore is time management, especially as the idea of an A level taking two years is misleading. Being able to manage and plan time effectively as well as working with other likeminded people could be beneficial. This Lesson can also be used at the beginning of the course.

It is perhaps the simplest thing to do. Think. However, when the examiner tells the students to begin their exams it can often be a rather more challenging proposal. This Lesson contains a variety of activities designed to get the students thinking. On their own they do not take too much time but can be easily adapted to some of the other Recipes to develop the revision. This activity can also be used as a thinking skills activity at the start of the year.

This activity is based around the thinking skills that that the Worlds Greatest Detective employs. The aim is to encourage the students to think differently and better in order for them to recall information. The activity can also be used as a thinking skills exercise at the start of a topic.

This very detailed and lengthy PowerPoint is designed for the unit of work available in the Free section. The unit of work gives all the references to the PowerPoint.

This unit gives hours of lessons including activities, questions and discussion points about the reign of Mary Tudor. The unit is primarily aimed at the theme of a Mid Tudor Crisis but can easily be used for most Tudor examinations. The corresponding PowerPoint is available in the Premium section.

The decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima had consequences far beyond the people in that Japanese city. It changed the world. This activity aims to give a little background to the development as well as some information about the actual consequences on the people in the city. Firstly the students will look at the science of the Atomic Bomb. What is it that makes it work? Secondly, they will look at what happened when the bombs were dropped. The third aspect is the most important one. The aim of the task is for the students themselves to decide if the decision was the right one. This is not just empathising with the people who suffered or even those who made the decision. The students will have to decide themselves and then try to influence their classmates about what the correct decision was. Includes Lesson Plan, PowerPoint and Handouts. PowerPoint presentation contains sensitive image(s) and teachers are advised

No discussion of the First World War is possible without reference to the trenches on the Western Front. If the students gain an understanding of the trenches then the whole experience and time of the war makes more sense. The activities in this Recipe book cover a wide range of topics relating to the trenches without specifying any particular part of them or any specific battle. The aim is to give the students a general understanding of the trenches and life in them so that they can complete a more focussed piece of research on a specific battle. Includes Lesson Plan, PowerPoint and Handouts. PowerPoint presentation contains sensitive image(s) and teachers are advised to view content before using it in the classroom

Make History come alive. History is often portrayed as what happened to other people and the students sometimes struggle to empathise with the characters they are introduced to. These activities have the students conduct some historical research on being a 14 year old at different periods over the last one hundred years. Thus the students compare themselves today with their ipads and rights to those children that experienced a vastly different existence during the twentieth century. This activity is not so much about empathising with 14 year olds in the past but more to focus on the idea of change and continuity. The students are investigating their peers of the last one hundred years. What is different, why is it different and is now better? This activity opens up history and encourages the students to see themselves within an historical context. Includes Lesson Plan, PowerPoint and Handouts.

This is an interesting look at how democracy changed and emerged in the early twentieth century. The students will be encouraged to look at how women gained the vote but also about power in society and how that is used. This topic fits in perfectly with other aspects of the curriculum. This topic is key to understanding some of the changes in the last century and how we come to live in our world today. The Pack includes Lesson Plan, PowerPoint and Handouts.

This resource pack looks at one of the pivotal moments of the twentieth century. The students will look at how the value of money crashed and how this affected people in all parts of the world, especially Germany. This resource includes an on-going homework task, the use of ICT and even some role play if required. The students will find this an engaging way to look at a complex topic. The Pack includes Lesson Plan, PowerPoint and Handouts.

The question every student needs to ask but one that is often overlooked. This resource encourages the students to explore just who creates history and who chooses what we remember. This resource allows the students to explore the question using resources and doing some historical research. Contains a PowerPoint, Lesson Plan and Resources.

A simple and interactive resource to explain a complex situation. All discussions in history involve money, especially in the sixteenth century. However, it is never really discussed how the money that monarchs borrow is created and the consequences of this. This resources looks at how money is made in the banking system during the Sixteenth Century (and later). This topic also allows the teacher to link the past with the banking system of today and the influence it also has on power. This activity is rare for the sixth form in that it encourages the students to get out of their seats and actively take part in the learning. Contains a PowerPoint and Lesson Plan and resources

This is an excellent way to incorporate numeracy into the history curriculum as well as appealing to those students who are more visual in their learning. This is unique and inventive way of viewing complex historical arguments. Often students find pages of notes comlex or difficult to gain simple patterns from. By viewing the arguments and evidence visually the students get to see the big picture much more clearly. Use Pie charts and graphs to sort information to make arguments and conclusions easier. The example one in the resource is on the Northern Rebellion but the principle can be applied to all aspects of history. Contains a PowerPoint and Lesson Plan