Lesson 2 in the Hardwick Hall 2025 Historic Environment learning sequence. This lesson focuses on who Bess of Hardwick was and why she was able to build Hardwick Hall. The lesson begins with an image starter, asking students to explore how people like Bess could build manor houses. Students then explore Bess from a video, moving on to the creation of a timeline of her life. From this students create a spider diagram showing how Bess was an effective businesswoman, then explaining how Bess was able to redevelop Hardwick. Finally students assess how far Bess was a typical member of the Elizabethan Gentry.

Lesson 7 in the series of lessons for the 2024 HE pack on Drake’s circumnavigation. This double lesson begins with a recap of the key historical knowledge gained in the past 6 lessons, linking to the circumnavigation. Students then explore a question focused on changes demonstrated by voyages, explaining 4 key changes/developments to plan this specific question style. Students then use the mark scheme to create their own ‘top tips’ for the 16-mark essay, moving on to a plan for a question focused on the main results of voyages like the circumnavigation: “The main result of journeys of exploration was the increase in the wealth and power of Elizabethan England”. How far does the study of Drake’s circumnavigation support this statement? This essay can be answered at home in timed conditions within the lesson. Finally, students annotate a model paragraph for this question exploring the strengths. If there is time students could also make amendments and improve the paragraph.

Two lesson series exploring life on plantations for slaves. Lesson 1 focuses on day-day life. Hyperlinked vider starter leads to a data capture carousel activity and judgement line plenary. The second lesson involves students exploring life on plantations using sources and creating positive and negative interpretations to enable them to reach a clear judgement.

Two lesson sequence exploring the impact of the three key individuals: Video starter, group assessment of one individual and presentations, summary information sheet for each student, signficance card sort linked to 8 mark significance of Vesailus question, impact guess who plenary.

*Seventh lesson in the scheme - how the Normans changed England * Lesson exploring the life of a Medieval peasant. Source starter to introduce peasant life, video introducing peasant living, cartoon strip on the daily life/routine of a peasant (limited words for challenge), positive/negative table creation on the life of a peasant, GCSE style interpretation plenary.

Recap special relationship starter, video recap (hyperlinked in) - jot down successes/limitations of SR, video of Cold War relations (umbrella murder), explanation of détente and impact, table summary analysing foreign policy in the 1970s and link to essay question regarding the special relationship.

Punk starter - Sex Pistols and Clash videos, label a punk rocker, hyperlinked video on skinhead development and football hooliganism, linking to 25 mark essay question on transformation of society from 1964-79.

Introduction to Thatcher - images starter, two videos comparing interpretations (hyperlinked in), spider diagrams on key aspects of Thatcher's leadership, source analysis of Thatcherism (content, tone and provenance), impact of Thatcher judgement. Homework included to research one minister with view to present findings next lesson - summary sheet to give out also attached.

AQA 8145 - Full lesson analysing the different developments caused by WW1 - video hyperlinked in, coding into themes and judgement line continuum plenary.

Knowledge organiser that reviews three key topics integral to assessing how the power of the King changed/was challenged in Medieval England. Summary points useful for revision.

Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The fourth lesson focuses on the key reasons for the failure of the Armada. The lesson starts with pupils analysing Phillip II’s plan and assessing advantages and disadvantages for Spain. Pupils then categorise the cards into reasons for failure; focusing on weather, English tactics, leadership, luck, Spanish mistakes and English ship design/weapons. Using the cards and additional information (plus relevant textbooks if required), in small groups pupils create a mini poster explaining one of the above reasons for defeat - presenting back after 15 minutes whilst all students complete a table recording the key details, allowing students to assess which reason for defeat they feel is most significant. The plenary focuses on the ‘how convincing’ question, using the Armada portrait as the source material.

Lesson exploring the impact of New Labour on workers, women and the youth 1997-2007. The lesson starts with analysis of New Labour’s impact on society using a source focusing on value and limitations. Students then use a video and hand out to categorise successes and failures of Labour policies on workers, women and the youth. Using this information students create a mind map on progress in society for these three groups assessing which groups experienced the largest change and why. This leads to judgement activity assessing the extent of progress on the key social groups.

Two lesson sequence exploring the development of the ‘special relationship’ under Blair and Britain’s involvement in the ‘War on Terror’ The lesson starts with a recap of what the special relationship was like by 1997, leading to assessment on how Tony Blair would change/develop this based on his ideology/leadership style. Using the hand out students list similarities and differences of the relationship under Blair, moving to analysis of a source on the ‘Blair Doctrine’ using the TEACUP frame. A clip allows students to assess how events in Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone gave Blair confidence, leading to assessment of the changes that 9/11 brought to British foreign policy. Students then categorise why the invasion of Iraq occurred, moving to assessing why the invasion of Iraq was/is so controversial. Students then analyse a source from 2006 to consider how foreign policy developed under Blair, leading a table analsying how Britain’s position in the world had changed by 2007.

Knowledge organiser for Unit 3 of Britain 2S (Heath, Wilson and Callaghan). The documents cover the three leaders, economy, social change and foreign affairs (with key focus on the EEC)

4 pack of resources focusing on the key time periods: Medieval, Renaissance and early modern, 19th century and modern. Useful for revision in class, starters/plenaries or knowledge retrieval homework.

Lesson 6 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the Puritan challenge to the religious settlement. The lesson begins with an inference starter on Puritan beliefs, before students link in why the religious settlement left some angry. Students then create a symbol poster reviewing the key aspect of Puritanism and the anger around crucifixes and vestments. Students then use the learning from the lesson to plan an answer to: Explain why the Puritans challenged Elizabeth’s religious settlement. You may use the following in your answer: • vestments • the Act of Uniformity You must also use information of your own (12 marks) Finally, students review the past three lessons in a retrieval plenary.

Lesson 8 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the problem posed by Mary Queen of Scots. The lesson starts with a recap of existing knowledge of Mary, linking in a video exploring her background and key events associated with her. Students then create a timeline exploring how she came to be in England, with focus on Elizabeth’s actions. This then leads to an exploration of Elizabeth’s options, with students considering the strengths and weaknesses of each for Elizabeth. Finally, students summarise the pros and cons of the choice made by Elizabeth to hold Mary captive in England.

Lesson 24 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on Raleigh’s attempts and plans to colonise Virginia. The lesson starts with a review of what students already know/can remember about Walter Raleigh, leading to a video which introduces his attempts to colonise Virginia. Students then explore the factors which influenced investment in this project, explaining how each would influence support for Raleigh’s project, moving to a strengths and weaknesses table exploring Raleigh’s plan. Students then assess how strong the plan was, building to exploring the significance in the following lesson.

Lesson 18 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the development of leisure in Elizabethan England. A picture starter encourages students to explore different leisure pursuits available, leading to a video which provides an overview of the period. Students then complete a data capture carousel, making notes on the different forms of leisure. Students then use this information to assess the positives and negatives of these different pastimes, leading to application to a ‘describe two features’ 4-mark response. Students then assess how similar Elizabethan leisure is to modern day leisure in a post-it note plenary.

Lesson 3 in the Hardwick Hall 2025 Historic Environment learning sequence. This lesson focuses on Hardwick Hall in detail. The lesson begins with a video introducing Hardwick Hall and the key features, leading to how Hardwick fits the ‘typical features’ of a manor house from L1. Students then recap Bess and how she was able to fund the creation of Hardwick Hall, moving on to assessing how Hardwick Hall was similar/different to typical Elizabethan manor houses. A taboo plenary recaps the key terminology from the lesson.