This lesson explores how popular culture developed in the 1930s. The lesson starts by exploring what popular culture is with reference to today, considering what it can tell us of a society. Students then watch two videos which explore popular culture changes in the 1930s, leading to a data capture on popular culture changes in the 1930s. Students then plan or answer an 8-mark explain question on ‘in what ways popular culture changed during the 1930s’. Finally students use the criteria to mark or improve their own answer/plan.

This lesson explores how WW2 affected the USA both positively and negatively. The lesson starts with a recap of key terms from the previous lesson (e.g. Cash and Carry), moving into a video introducing the impact of WW2 on US society/economy/politics. Students then use the hand out to create a table showing the positive and negative impacts of WW2, leading to application planning to an 8-mark response on the impact of war on African-Americans and women. Students then debate the overall impact of WW2 on America, leading to an interpretation plenary on the legacy of WW2, linking in knowledge gained from the lesson.

This lesson begins with students exploring what they already know about WW2, using a video then to note down how the US became involved. Students then explore the stages to war from 1935-1941 assessing how involved America was at each stage. Students then complete notes and questions on how Pearl Harbour was the trigger point for US involvement. Students then create a mind map showing how WW2 benefitted the US economy. A judgement plenary explores how ‘beneficial’ WW2 was for America.

A lesson exploring how effective the New Deal was in bringing recovery. The lesson begins with a recap of the Alphabet Agencies using a card sort, leading to completion of a data capture sheet assessing how far the New Deal worked across different groups/areas. Students then categorise the impact of the New Deal cards into successes and failures, allowing students to reach a summary judgement about the New Deal’s impact. Students then apply their learning to planning and 8-mark ‘which interpretation do you find the most convincing’ question, leading to a timed answer (with model answer included). The lesson concludes with students exploring which interpretation of the New Deal they find the most convincing and why.

This lesson explores the role of Edward Jenner in the development of causes and cures, focusing on vaccination and the significance, linking to utility. The lesson begins with a picture link, moving on to inoculation and why this was used. A video then introduces the work of Jenner and discovery of vaccination, leading to an explanation of why this was significant. Students then rank reasons for opposition and move to consider the overall significance of the discovery of vaccinations. Finally, students apply knowledge to an 8-mark utility question, leading to a judgement line plenary on the overall importance of vaccination.

This lesson recaps the key content on Public Health from Medieval England to the modern day beginning with a quiz-quiz-trade starter. Students then categorise the evidence into the different factors, using this to plan a 16-mark essay response on the government being the most important factor in developing public health. Students then write a model paragraph and self or peer assess this. Finally, students complete a trio recap plenary.

This lesson explores the extent of progress by the end of the 18th century for causes and cures. The lesson begins with a recap of how disease had been treated up to the start of the Renaissance, leading to a video allowing exploration of change and continuity of medicine. The lesson leads to a source task, exploring scientific v supernatural cures in this time, leading to a table task assessing progress and remaining limitations. Finally, students complete a continuum plenary assessing the extent of progress by the 18th century.

This lesson explores the success of surgery in the Medieval period and the extent of progress. The lesson begins with an exploration of what is needed to make surgery successful, leading to a video exploring how surgery developed. This is then extended upon with the card task adding to the table of evidence. A progress check recaps students understanding, leading to a written judgement on which area saw the most progress. Finally a judgement line/post it plenary allows an assessment of how much progress students believe was made in the Medieval period.

This lesson compares the impact that Christianity and Islam had on surgical development in the Medieval period. The lesson starts with a source task which introduces the differing perspectives, leading to an evidence gathering comparison table of the two religions. A video further develops Islamic medicine, allowing a judgement on why Islamic doctors made more progress at this time. Students then apply their learning to a ‘similarity’ question leading to a written judgement/timed response

This lesson explores the development of anaesthetics and antiseptics, and the impact on surgery. The lesson begins with a discussion of the issues remaining in surgery with a video introducing Simpson and Lister. This then leads to an exploration of the role of anaesthetics and antiseptics through completing categorisation tasks and written responses, with the addition of a progress checkpoint. Students then plan and answer an 8-mark significance question around anaesthetics, marking their own or their peers and improving their answers. A judgement plenary allows students to develop which they feel was most significant and over which time.

This lesson revisits Vesalius, Pare and Harvey and focuses on how they helped surgery to develop. The lesson begins with a Medieval surgery knowledge audit, leading to a task on Vesalius and ranking his contributions in terms of importance. Students then review Harvey, considering successes and limitations, moving on to review Pare and his importance. At each stage challenge questions extend thinking and promote comparison of significance. An opportunity for ‘utility’ practice on Pare leads to a plenary debate on who had the largest contribution to the development of surgery in the Renaissance.

This lesson explores the role of the individual (John Hunter) in bringing surgical development in the Early Modern period. The lesson begins with a video exploring his significance, leading to a reduction task of the ‘top 3’ reasons for his significance in the different fields (books, training etc). Students then apply this to an 8-mark significance plan, leading to an overall assessment of surgical progress by 1800. Finally, a judgement line plenary allows an overall assessment of how much progress had been made in surgery by 1800.

The first lesson in the 2026 Historic Environment on the Globe Theatre. The lesson begins with a source exploration of theatre before Elizabeth I’s reign, leading to a video introducing the changes to the theatre at this time. Students then complete a data capture task to investigate how the theatre developed, focusing on the design, playwright, Master of Revels etc. Students then use a diagram of the Globe and their learning to describe two key features of a typical Elizabethan theatre, leading to a think-pair-share review. Finally, students complete a ‘reduction’ plenary, summarising their learning on the development of the theatre.

Lesson 3 in the 2026 AQA 8145 Historic Environment series on The Globe. The lesson begins with an interpretation starter, focusing on religious opposition to the theatre. Students then explore various causes of opposition, ranking the influence out of 10, leading to a judgement on the most significant cause of opposition. Students then debate which group/cause posed the most influence, leading to a recap of this and the previous lesson, contrasting key reasons for the support of, and opposition to the theatre. An interpretation planning plenary allows a review of opposition and 8-mark ‘how convincing’ interpretation practice.

The second lesson in the 2026 AQA 8145 Historic Environment series on The Globe Theatre The lesson begins with an image recap of the previous lesson/reasons for the growing popularity of the theatre during Elizabeth’s reign, moving on to a video exploring why London was more receptive to cultural developments like the theatre. Students then explore various factors causing the popularity of the theatre, leading to a judgement of which was most significant. In groups, students consider how various groups in society would perceive the theatre, leading to a written summary of the extent of popularity of the theatre. Finally, a judgement line plenary considers the extent of impact on Elizabethan society (links to next lesson on who opposed the theatre).

Lesson four in the AQA 2026 Historic Environment series on the Globe Theatre. This lesson focuses on the Globe itself. The lesson begins with a recap of previous knowledge of the Globe (using an annotated diagram), leading to a review of the background of the Globe, listing why it is significant as a historical site. Students then use two videos to make notes on the key features, actors/plays/audience and role of Shakespeare, leading to a review of what the Globe reflects about Elizabethan society. Students then create an argument for one change that the Globe represents, leading to a ‘taboo’ plenary.