AQA GCSE Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 The aims of this lesson are to understand how far the leaders at the Versailles Conference were willing to compromise. The lesson is quite topical and uses current political events to discuss conciliation and compromise. The Armistice set out the blueprint which France expected to follow. However despite the differences of the Allied Powers, the pressure to make a decision quickly made the leaders compromise. As a result, students analyse how the map of Europe was to change. They are led to question which countries were formed and how and why rushing this was may not have been a good idea . Finally a summary of some of Wilson’s 14 points are evaluated; students have to decide who would have had the most objection to each point and justify their reasons. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 This is the final lesson in exploring the causes of the Second World War (WWII). As Hitler invades Poland, students reflect upon the main reasons why Europe descended into war. Students are required to colour code the main causes of World War II by linking them to five main categories. They also have a chance to demonstrate their understanding by providing evidence and qualifying their judgements. The final part of the lesson is geared towards preparing them for an assessment by analysing and tackling typical GCSE questions with help given if required. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

AQA GCSE Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 This lesson aims to focus on how the League was organised and run on a day to day basis. Despite some strengths, students analyse the League of Nation’s inherent weaknesses from the start. Using source material, video footage and worksheets, students work out how and why each part of the League of Nation’s structure (such as the Assembly or the Council) was a strength as well a weaknesses. They can then put their new found knowledge to the test using specific skills to analyse and evaluate source exam practice questions. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, some retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

Middle Ages This lesson aims to examine the reasons why King John argued with his barons and ultimately was forced to sign the Magna Carta. But on which terms was King John forced to accept? Firstly students have to work out what the terms of the Magna Carta were. Secondly students have to evaluate the significance of the Magna Carta in the short, medium and long term for King John, for future Kings of England as well as for us today. They will use sources and video footage as well as retrieval grids and a true or false quiz to help them in their research, They will also continue to plot the power struggle between the king, the church, the barons and the people in a sequence of lessons. This lesson includes: Fun, engaging and challenging tasks Links to video footage Printable worksheets Differentiated tasks Suggested teaching strategies PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit

The British Empire This lesson explores the rise and fall of Robert Clive of India. Should he be regarded as a hero or a villain of the worst kind? The first part of the lesson establishes his heroic reputation through video and source analysis. Students then sift through a variety of source information and plot a graph coming to their own conclusions and judgements. They also analyse the Battle of Plassey as an additional task and decide whether their judgement has been correct all the time. The plenary requires them to create a plaque for Clive of India to sum up his reputation according to the evidence. The lesson comes with suggested teaching and learning strategies and are linked to the latest historical interpretations, video clips and debate. The lesson is fully adaptable in PowerPoint format and can be changed to suit.

The aim of this lesson is for students to recognise and evaluate how theatres changed under Elizabeth in Tudor England. They will analyse their early days as travelling performers with a poor reputation playing in pubs and fields to purpose built theatres such as the Globe, paid for by wealthy Patrons such as the Earl of Leicester. Students know through their links to their English lessons quite a lot already about Shakespeare and this lesson taps into their knowledge and builds upon it with a thinking quilt to examine how theatres developed. Furthermore there is a focus on Shakespeare’s plays and inspiration as well as an analysis of the Globe theatre. There is some excellent video footage to complement the learning tasks. The lesson finishes with an odd one out task which will revisit the aims of the lesson and how Tudor theatres and plays still have an impact on society today. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to assess if Henry broke with Rome for love. Henry VIII is on the TV show ‘Take me out’ with Paddy McGuiness. He is looking for love and has some questions for some eligible ladies. The students of course have to interview the ladies first (as Paddy always does) and then feedback to the class. Henry, complete with speaking voice, discusses his options and the reasons for his choices. At the same time he explains the consequences of his actions as the students fill in a grid. This is a fun, engaging lesson, but with the serious and challenging concept of the break with Rome at the fore. At the end of the lesson, students have to write an extended paragraph using key words to explaining the reasons for Henry becoming the Supreme Head of the Church. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to challenge the assumption that Henry broke with Rome on account of his faith. This lesson explores this argument using a 2p coin, which brings the lesson some relevance today with its inscriptions. Students complete reading a script, or can opt for actors’ voices. They then have to complete a card sort activity, prioritising Henry’s reasons for his decision to become the Supreme Head of the Church. In their final task, they are required to write a letter to the Pope explaining in no uncertain terms their reasons for the break with Rome. There is an excellent writing frame to complete this task if required. They also have to justify their choices on a timeline, whether it was love or faith alone which had the final say in his religious decisions. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

This lesson aims to question the importance of Edward VI and his priorities when he became a Tudor King. Recent research has claimed Edward was not a sickly boy at all and therefore this is not the emphasis of the lesson. Instead students have to think about the importance of religion and the changes he made, even to the extent of altering the Tudor succession. The lesson starts with a play your cards right game, the cards turning and the dates revealed as students are tested on their chronological understanding. In true world cup fashion, they have to narrow down his fixtures culminating in a final and winning priority. This lesson challenges students using numbers, a true or false quiz, source work as well as video evidence to give the students a thorough knowledge of his six year reign. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies, retrieval practice, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

This lesson is an introduction to the Bayeux Tapestry and aims to understand how much control William the Conqueror had over the population. The lesson explains some key facts about the tapestry and its propaganda purposes for the Normans in England. There is a crossword to fill in as well as some analysis of the tapestry itself. A brilliant animated video of the tapestry brings it to life and students are questioned to how the Normans and Anglo-Saxons are portrayed. Students are also challenged in a Bayeux Tapestry thinking quilt, which requires them to link key words and definitions together and explain their overall significance. The lesson is interactive and gets students moving around the classroom. It is also ideal for non-specialists. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end using a rate ‘o’ meter to show the progress of learning. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies and notes on the slides for further information. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

The aim of this lesson is for students to analyse and evaluate the winning tactics used in by William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings. Students begin by analysing the Bayeux Tapestry, the battle itself and information on the leadership qualities of the two combatants. They then complete a differentiated task using a storyboard to map out the events of the battle before completing a summarising pyramid on William the Conqueror’s skills. There is also a chance to recreate the Battle of Hastings with suggestions of role play before the plenary requires some recall and retention skills. An optional homework suggestion is also provided. The resource is therefore differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.

The English Civil War The aim of this lesson is to question if James I was the most ‘suitable’ candidate to succeed Elizabeth I as monarch of England, Scotland and Wales. The lesson begins with the death of Elizabeth and the suggestion of the enormity of the task that lays ahead for the new monarch, with the transition from Tudor to Stuart rule. James I puts down his own marker quite forcibly from the start in a letter to her chief advisor, Robert Cecil. Students have to sift through the evidence provided to make up their own minds. They are then required to report back to Cecil with their findings with scaffolding and key words provided if required. The plenary uses the blob playground for students to make links to James and his ‘characteristics’. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

Middle Ages This lesson aims to find out if the negative reputation of King John being nasty is a fair one. To do this, students begin by evaluating a number of historical interpretations from statues, Disney cartoons, portraits, a Horrible Histories interpretation as well using a number of sources of King John. These are then analysed and quested using a grid sheet to decide their final judgement if King John really was a ‘meanie’. The plenary uses a summarising pyramid to test and challenge their knowledge and understanding. Students will continue to plot the power struggle between the king, the church, the barons and the people in a sequence of lessons. This lesson includes: Fun, engaging and challenging tasks Links to video footage Printable worksheets Differentiated tasks Suggested teaching strategies PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit

This lesson aims to analyse how the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark for World War I to start. Students will question how frightening the assassination was and the speed of European countries to mobilise for war. As video evidence is used to explain the events that led to the shooting in Sarajevo, an analogy is made to a bar brawl as students try to ascertain the causes of it and link these to the events which unfolded after 28th June, 1914. Students also have to complete a chronological exercise of the events as well as deciding the personalities of the main countries involved in the First World War. The plenary is a catchphrase check (complete with music) on key words used in the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to question how frightening it was to fight on the Western Front in the First World War. This lesson centres around the case of Private Harry Farr who was shot for ‘misbehaving before the enemy in such a manner as to show cowardice.’ Students re-enact his court martial using the witness statements before his sentencing and ultimately decide if his sentence was justified… The start of the lesson requires them to define a coward and more importantly question what shellshock is, which the Government at the time refused to recognise. Students will analyse why so many soldiers refused to fight in World War 1 and preferred to desert instead fully aware of the consequences of their actions. The students will use visual and source evidence and apply higher order thinking skills at the end of the lesson in an extended piece of writing. The plenary questions students’ beliefs on cowardice and challenges their original assumptions at the beginning of the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to question whether the Government was right to punish conscientious objectors during World War I and how frightening it was for individuals to refuse. This is a controversial subject and was extremely difficult to understand and address at the time of the First World War. Therefore the lesson explains why many people in World I refused to fight, despite government propaganda and pressure from society for them to do so as they became targets of abuse. Luckily now there is a wealth of video and audio evidence in this lesson (linked to the BBC in particular) which deconstructs and challenges the old arguments of cowardice and shame as well as understanding individuals’ rights to uphold their beliefs and consciences. Students are given two case studies to analyse before engaging in a mini debate on the right or wrongs to conscientiously object to war. The plenary challenges them to decide if the given statements from the lesson are true or false. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to understand how the Allies won the Battle of the Atlantic, a phrase coined by Winston Churchill during the Second World War. Churchill himself felt this was one of the most serious threats facing the Allies and therefore during the lesson, students have to evaluate and explain how serious the threat was, before analysing the different ways the Allies subsequently reduced the threat of the U boats. Students learn why the Atlantic was so vital to Britain and how the U boat wolf packs impacted on supplies and rationing in Britain. There is various video footage to use from the BBC, as well as the boasts of Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses. A find and fix activity for the plenary checks student understanding of the lesson and allow them to discuss what they have learnt. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

World War 1 The aim of this lesson is to question how frightening trench life really was. This lesson begins with a familiar look at trench life. An analysis of sources, audio clips and prose using higher order thinking skills as well independent learning will bring students to the conclusion that trench life was extremely tough for soldiers. A chance to write a letter home, before realising the problems of censorship, will suggest to students that soldiers had to struggle in the mud and squalor surrounding them. However historians such as Dan Snow question how long soldiers spent in the trenches and discovered that in fact 45% of their time was spent behind the lines and in relative safety. Therefore the overriding aim of the lesson of evaluating how frightening trench life was now becomes more apparent. Finally the use of historical hexagons will challenge thinking and challenge students to link ideas together. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout the lesson and this unit of study to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to question whether Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union was doomed from the start during the Second World War. The invasion is a fascinating piece of history to study. Why, when one of the greatest ever military commanders Napoleon failed, did Hitler think he could succeed? Students are posed this question and using a causal spider diagram link the reasons why invading the Soviet Union could create many problems and challenges to the Nazis. The confidence of Hitler and his Generals can be seen when analysing sources about the Nazi-Soviet Pact which clearly show Hitler believed he held the upper hand. However no study of the invasion would be complete without looking at the Battle of Stalingrad and using video footage to show the plight of all those involved. There is a choice of two differentiated tasks; in both students decide the most important reasons for the failure and final defeat of the Wehrmacht as they categorise the reasons for this. A literacy plenary asks the students to define some of the key words used in the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The aim of this lesson is to question whether countries should accept refugees in times of war, with a focus on the Second World War. The start of the lesson examines who refugees are and why they may have to leave their country of origin in times of war. A modern day example of Syrian Refugees coming to Britain is used. Students are then questioned about how the Governments of the World, including Britain, reacted to refugees with their worries and quotas put in place. A case study of the Kindertransport is used with the story of one such Jewish refugee. Students will decide how this refugee might have felt with examples using the text. There is also a statistical challenge and a true and false plenary quiz aimed at correcting some misconceptions. Finally some excellent video footage is used to accompany the lesson. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning. The resource includes retrieval practice activities, suggested teaching strategies and differentiated materials, and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change