The British Empire This lesson has been designed to look at specific countries which were part of the British Empire. Claimed by Captain James Cook in 1768, students study how and why the British used Australia as a penal colony. Using a real life example of a young boy sent there for petty crimes, students analyse his and others stories from the start of the voyage through to life in the colony. They track and ultimately decide the worst aspects for the convicts. There is lots of video footage to consolidate understanding and the plenary evaluates the conditions and lives led by the convicts 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.

AQA GCSE Elizabethan England 1568-1603 The aim of this Revision Guide is to help students with their revision and preparation for the GCSE History exam. This is a summary of the AQA GCSE History Elizabethan England 1568-1603 unit. It has also been devised to include the historic environment question for 2025 on Hardwick Hall, with an emphasis on location, function and structure, people connected, design and important events connected to it. The resource is in booklet form and is ideal for the student who wants a quick recap before the exam as it sets out all the main details in bullet form. It is also extremely useful and cheap for printing and giving out when the students claim they have forgotten everything they have been taught! I have included both PDF and Word formats so the resource can be edited and changed to suit.

The aim of this test is to find out how much the students know about history. The results will give you a baseline from which you can build upon. Once they begin to study history, they will begin to show progress in all areas, particularly in the amount of detail required in answers. The test focuses on chronology, cause and consequence, change and continuity, historical enquiry, interpretation and significance. This is a particularly useful assessment for a history department and as a starting point and ideally for Year 7. Most students sadly will not have studied a lot of history at their primary schools (apart from the odd day to study the Victorians or World War 2) as literary, numeracy and SATS still dominate primary school curriculum planning. The resource comes in Word and PowerPoint formats which can be amended and changed to suit.

The English Civil War This lesson aims to question the character and personality of Oliver Cromwell. Students will decide if he set out to kill the King from the start and make himself a despot or did circumstances dictate that this was his only option? Moreover, with his puritanical ideas, did he make England and the Commonwealth a better place for it, or was it exclusive only to the minority? This will ultimately be down to students’ own judgement as they plot his actions on a grid and justify their own conclusions. Analysis of video evidence also helps to track his ideas and personality and gives the students ideas for writing his obituary and question why his burial place in Westminster Abbey bears the inscription 1658-1661. 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 Transatlantic Slave Trade KS3 The aim of this lesson is straightforward - Why was the slave trade finally abolished in Britain and her Empire and why did it take so long to achieve? Furthermore, why were arguments in the eighteenth century challenged so rigorously and overturned in the nineteenth? Which people inspired its abolition and who was against this? Students decide which arguments and abolition movement strategies were being put forward to the plantation owners, racists, people who were ignorant and law makers to end the slave trade. They then prioritise the most important arguments in challenging these peoples’ staunch perceptions and opposition to the abolition of the slave trade. The second part of the lesson is a case study of William Wilberforce. Through video, audio and source work, students build up a history of this key figure and decide how and why he is significant. The final part of the lesson uses an interactive spinning wheel with key words used throughout the course, which the students have to define and explain their links to slavery. 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 English Civil War The aim of this lesson is to be able to distinguish between the two sides of Cavaliers (King Charles) and Roundheads (Oliver Cromwell) in the English Civil War. Students will be researching how they differed from their dress, their mannerisms, what they believed in and their goals. They will also be analysing some real life examples from people today who discuss which side they would prefer to be on and why. Students will be using various written sources and video evidence to find out which side they would support. Ultimately they will have to produce a propaganda leaflet encouraging people to join their campaign as a Royalist or Cavalier using persuasive literacy techniques and song lyrics. Exemplars and scaffolding is included if required. This is a fun lesson with a number of activities designed to get all students involved actively and to enjoy their learning. 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 to find out about the hidden messages in Elizabeth I’s portrait paintings. Students learn about how Elizabeth manipulated her Tudor portraits and added symbols, each of which had a hidden meaning. The introduction to the lesson looks at anachronisms and modern day symbols put into portraits to get the students thinking how pictures should not always be seen and taken at face value. Thus inference skills are high on the agenda in this lesson. Students are then given information about each of her paintings and have to analyse and evaluate their meanings and various symbolic codes. 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.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is to gauge how effective Roman punishments were against the crimes committed. The vastness of the Roman Empire and lack of a police force meant that punishments for crime were severe. But were these punishments effective and was everyone in Roman society treated equally? Students analyse the structure of Roman society and the significance of the Twelve Tables under Roman Law. They then have to link the different crimes committed to various categories listed under Roman law and which punishments were given out for the various crimes. There is some differentiated questioning to challenge students, with answers given to help. A ‘what if’ plenary challenges thinking as well as some extended writing practice at the end of the lesson to consolidate learning. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is assess the effectiveness of Tudor and Stuart punishments against the crimes committed in this era. Students have to plot the different crimes in this era from vagrancy, treason, heresy and witchcraft and how the punishments took on a brutality to an attempt to deter the crimes. There are key questions asked throughout the lesson and some source analysis of the gunpowder plotters, with prompts and help given if required. An odd one out plenary to finish will consolidate the learning from the lesson. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies.

This is the first in a series of lessons I have created on the Tudors. This lesson is broken down into two parts. The first part describes and explains the events surrounding the Wars of the Roses. Students learn about the Kings involved and the battles fought through fun tasks, video evidence and role play of which they have to make choices on the victors. With this new found knowledge they have to explain what they have learnt through a ‘talk like an historian’ quiz. The second part of the lesson focuses on the previous Tudor perceptions of Richard III. Was he really a deceitful and cunning person, ‘a lump of foul deformity’ with a hunchback according to Shakespeare, More and Virgil? Archaeological evidence from King Richard’s remains is analysed by the students to prove or disprove some of these popular ‘misconceptions’ about his posture and character. Students are then challenged to write to the current Education Secretary to make sure correct history lessons are now taught about Richard III in secondary schools. 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. This lesson is fully resourced includes suggested teaching strategies, differentiated materials and comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is to judge to what extent have crimes changed in the 21st Century. Students begin the lesson by deciding which crime are new in the modern era (change) and which crimes have stayed the same (continuity). They then analyse some key details in various crimes in the modern era, from terrorism to smuggling, cybercrime, race crime and the use of Class A and B drugs. There are tasks to complete including a true or false quiz and video links to help. A mood board will hep consolidate the learning at the end of the lesson as well as some extended writing practice, with help and a suggested markscheme to use if required. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is judge how effective the punishments were against the crimes committed in Anglo-Saxon times. Students will also decide throughout the lesson if many of the crimes committed and punishments dispensed were continued or changed under the Normans . Students begin the lesson with some context of Norman society and then introduced to the new punishments of the Forest Laws and the Murdrum Fine. They analyse the punishments given by the Norman and then have to categorise the crimes committed from the descriptions given (such as treason, theft, poaching, the forest laws and so on). There are some key questions on the role the Church played in crime and punishment before the students can complete some extended writing practice with a markscheme given if required. The plenary is a multiple choice quiz to consolidate the learning from the lesson. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is judge how effective the punishments were against the crimes committed in Norman times. Students will also decide throughout the lesson if many of the crimes committed and punishments dispensed were continued or changed under the Normans . Students begin the lesson with some context of Norman society and then introduced to the new punishments of the Forest Laws and the Murdrum Fine. They analyse the punishments given by the Norman and then have to categorise the crimes committed from the descriptions given (such as treason, theft, poaching, forest laws and so on). There are some key questions on the role the Church played in crime and punishment before the students can complete some extended writing practice with a markscheme given if required. The plenary is a multiple choice quiz to consolidate the learning from the lesson. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is judge how effective the police were in investigating the Jack the Ripper murders in Whitechapel. Students begin the lesson by analysing the reasons why poverty, unemployment and rising tensions in Whitechapel, London were the catalyst for high crime rates in the area. A thinking quilt will allow the students to learn some key issues affecting policing and which were the biggest problems facing the police in the 19th Century. Students will also judge how effective investigative techniques were at the time, without the use of modern technology now at the disposal of the police. Some causational equations will help students consolidate their learning at the end of the lesson, as well as some question practice. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies. Please note this lesson does not look into the details of the murders of Jack the Ripper or who he might have been.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is evaluate why the case of Derek Bentley can be classified as a miscarriage of justice and ultimately led to changing attitudes towards the death penalty in Britain. Students begin the lesson with the background of Derek, his early life growing up and his troubles at school. They are then given some source scholarship with tasks to complete. The details focus on the events of the night of 2nd November 1953, when Bentley was involved in the shooting of a policeman. Students use this information to decide if it was right to sentence him to death, despite not firing the shots which killed Constable Sidney Miles. Some key information of the case has been left out deliberately to then challenge the students to see if they wish to change their minds. (For example they are then told about his severe learning difficulties and metal age.) Students also complete a diamond nine activity, rating in order of importance the impact and significance of the case. The lesson ends with some differentiated questions around the subject of the death penalty and a heart, head, bin, bag plenary to consolidate their learning. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies. This lesson is ideal as an introduction to Crime and Punishment if you are teaching it at GCSE or if you wish to add an interesting unit of work to engage and challenge the students. The resource can also be used as a stand alone lesson to question the morality of the death penalty, which links to Citizenship, PHSE and Religious Education topics.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is evaluate why the case of Ruth Ellis can be classified as a miscarriage of justice and ultimately led to changing attitudes towards the death penalty in Britain. Students begin the lesson with the background of Ruth Ellis, her childhood experiences and growing up in London. They are then given some source scholarship to complete with some hinge questions posed to analyse the text. The details of the killing of her boyfriend David Blakely are then given; students use this to decide if it was right to sentence her to death, which was the law at the time and if she was guilty beyond question of the crime. Some select information of the case is left out deliberately to then challenge the students to see if they wish to change their minds. (For example they are told that the verdict was given after only a day and a half.) Questions at the end are therefore raised about the fairness of the criminal justice system at the time, gender issues in sentencing, domestic abuse awareness and mental health considerations. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies. This lesson is ideal if you are teaching Crime and Punishment at GCSE or if you wish to add an interesting unit of work to engage and challenge the students. This lesson can also be used as a stand alone for subjects such as PHSE and Religious Education which question the morality of using the death penalty.

Crime and Punishment The aim of this lesson is to ascertain how attitudes towards punishment have changed in the 21st Century. Students begin the lesson by deciding which punishments are new in the modern era (change) and which punishments have stayed the same (continuity). They then analyse how successful new preventative measures are being promoted through schemes such as neighbourhood watch and community policing. Students also investigate the different policing departments set up to tackle crime, such as Special Branch and the National Crime Agency. There is a chance to debate the morality of the death penalty and whether it should be brought back or not, with arguments given for both sides. The final focus is on the role of prisons in today’s society, never far away from the news headlines. A true or false quiz is also designed to challenge misconceptions and clarify current prison problems. Ultimately there is some recall practice on previous thinking about punishments through the ages, before students can tackle some key assessment question practice, with help and a markscheme provided if required. There is an enquiry question posed at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout to show the progress of learning throughout the lesson and subsequent unit of work. The lesson comes in PowerPoint format and can be changed and adapted to suit. The lesson is differentiated, fully resourced and includes suggested teaching strategies.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade KS3 The aim of this lesson is to analyse the conditions, impact and human cost of the Middle Passage. The Middle Passage and its horrendous journey for the slaves is shown in this lesson through video, audio and source based evidence. Students analyse historical interpretations of how the slaves were crammed together and the treatments they endured. They then have to catalogue these conditions in a grid before trying to persuade a film director, who is making a film on slavery, that he is being misled about the journey. The advise the director is being given is from a slave ship owner, Captain Thomas Tobin. Some differentiated key questions check their understanding through the lesson. Students finally have to prioritise the worst conditions the slaves faced and justify their choices in an extension activity. 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 decide whether Mary Tudor deserved her nickname ‘Bloody Mary’. Students analyse the nursery rhyme and have to work out the hidden meanings, with two possible versions given to them. Using video evidence, students build up a picture of Mary before they have to then make their judgements, using differentiated sources of information as to whether she was bloody or not. For further challenge, they also have to debate and decide if it is weak or strong evidence. 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.

**AQA GCSE 9-1 Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 ** This lesson is an introduction to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It starts by finding out what the students already know using a true or false quiz, source material, video evidence and using some portraits of Elizabeth. The emphasis is also on the precarious nature of her early life which has a major impact on how she rules when she becomes Queen. The second part of the lesson uses differentiated resources and requires the students to plot, explain and prioritise her early problems on a tree (using the trunk, branches and leaves). The third part focuses on a typical GCSE question on the usefulness of a source giving tips and notes on how to answer this question. The lesson also gives a brief introduction to the course and includes a tracking sheet which the students stick in their books detailing the assessment objectives of the course and the four main question types. 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.