This lesson is titled “Was William Wallace a hero or a villain? Braveheart.” The lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to place four historical figures in order of height. This introduces the class to the idea of myth (Wallace was probably not the giant legend states). The Key Question is then stated. Aims and lesson objectives are graduated (all will/most will/some will). There are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. Students are then placed in a pair and given one of two character cards (for and against Wallace). They work together to sift through 12 evidence cards to decide if the evidence suggests he was a hero or a villain. A plain version is provided as well as a colour coded one for those who need a little more help. Using this they then attempt the second part of the main activity which is to write a two-sided newspaper report. The lesson objectives are revisited. The lesson concludes with two plenaries. First, they are asked to come to the board and fill up an eight-petalled flower with compelling evidence. They then vote with their feet by standing to the side of the classroom they mostly agree with (i.e. he was a hero, or he was a villain). I hope your students get as much from this lesson as mine do. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Why did the Roman Empire collapse?” This lesson begins with a Blankety Blank style Starter Activity which introduces students to the concept of collapse. The Key Question is introduced along with aims and graduated lesson objectives (all will/most will/some will). After this there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. Students are then introduced to the five key reasons and placed into jigsaw groups. Each is given a factor to research using the 5 x fact files given (as well as internet or library). Their challenge is to return to their group and to convince the others of the importance of their single factor. Once they have listened to all five reasons (political, social, and economic problems, as well as barbarian invasions, and military overspending) they write a written response to the Key Question. The lesson objectives are revisited and the lesson concludes with a starfish plenary in which students are invited to come up to the board and vote on which of the five factors was most significant and why. It has been written for high school students and I hope your class enjoy this lesson as much as mine do. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “How was Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out activity designed to introduce the class to the concept of political assassination. The Key Question is shown along with aims and graduated learning objectives (all will/most will/some will) before slides of background knowledge to enable teacher exposition. The class are then set a heads and tails card sort activity which they cut and glue into their books to tell the chronology of the assassination. They are then placed in groups of six (or less) and given their own character cards. From here the main activity begins. A four scene role play is explained to them and they have to work together to create a role play involving their characters. A summary of the four acts is provided on one single slide for ease of reference. Students revisit the learning objectives as they act out their performances. The lesson concludes with a flower plenary in which they are invited to add eight pieces of newly acquired knowledge to 8 petals. This lesson has been designed with high school students in mind and I hope your students get a much from it as mine always do. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What was Ancient Egyptian religion like? – Teddy Bear Project.” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which introduces the class to some aspects of religion in the period. The Key Question is then introduced along with lesson aims and graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will). After this there are slides of background information to enable teacher exposition. Students will have been asked to bring in a bear before hand and in their main activity they turn their bear into one of the main Egyptian Gods. Examples of props that can be used for various Gods are given and printables are included (although students can bring in toy props and things from home to help them too). Students explain who their bear is and what the symbols represent when the objectives are revisited. The lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which they are invited to place a post it note about knowledge acquired on a bear on the board. I hope your students enjoy this lesson as much as mine always do. It makes a great corridor display afterwards! Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What were the causes of the Spanish Civil War?” The lesson begins with a Blankety Blank Starter Activity to introduce the students to a quotation by H. L. Mencken related to the conflict. The Key Question is then made clear along with aims, and lesson objectives are graduated (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The main activity takes the form of a jigsaw classroom approach. Students are given one of five fact files on an alternative cause of the Spanish Civil War (political instability and polarization, social and economic problems, military uprising and coup attempt, regional differences, and foreign intervention and ideology). The students then break away and research their respective area of expertise using the fact file given (as well as a library book box/internet) before rejoining the group. The challenge is for them to then persuade the others in their ‘jigsaw’ that theirs was the principle cause. Following this the lesson objectives are revisited, and a piece of written work is set in which they collaborate their research to arrive at a fuller answer to the Key Question. The lesson concludes with a starfish plenary in which students are asked to vote on which of the five causes they felt was the most important. I hope your students enjoy it as much as mine always do. It is pitched toward high achieving post-16 high school students and requires them to have some research skills. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What were the roles of religion in the Middle Ages?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which gets students thinking about the Key Question. Lesson aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will) are then introduced. After this there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The main activity is a Gallery Walk where students get out of their seats and walk around the classroom making notes on the social, economic, spiritual, and political aspects of religious life in the Middle Ages. From here students create mind maps and show them to their peers. The lesson objectives are revisited. The lesson concludes with a trash can plenary in which students are invited to come to the board and place a post it note with knowledge acquired in the correct category. I hope your classes enjoy this lesson as much as mine always do. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “How were the Pyramids built?” The lesson begins with three anagrams designed to introduce the topic in a Countdown Style Starter Activity. The Key Question is made clear along with aims and lesson objectives are graduated (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The main activity takes the form of a jigsaw classroom approach. Students are given one of five fact files on an alternative theory which explains how the pyramids may have been built (water theory, slave theory, social cohesion theory, and ramp theory. I have also included alien theory for fun if you want to use it but obviously this one isn’t correct!). The students then break away and research their respective area of expertise before rejoining the group. The challenge is for them to then persuade the others in their ‘jigsaw’ that their theory is the correct one. Following this the lesson objectives are revisited, and a piece of written work is set. The lesson concludes with a starfish plenary in which students are asked to vote on which of the five theories they felt was most persuasive. This was a lesson I created whilst teaching at an international school in Cairo, so it means a lot to me to pass it on to other educators. I hope your students enjoy it as much as mine always did. It is pitched toward high school students but could be adapted for slightly younger students. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Why was the Spanish Armada defeated in 1588?” The lesson begins with a What Would You Do? Style Starter Activity in which the scene of Francis Drake playing bowls at Plymouth Hoe is told in the form of a story. The class are asked to decide if they would finish their game or immediately go and fight the invading ships. This leads into the Key Question and lesson aims. Lesson objectives are laid out and graduated (all will/most will/some will). Students are then placed into groups of four and given a different character card. They need to work together to walk around the class collating information from 10 different stations in a Gallery Walk. From this, they then choose three characters and script out a debate they might have on a TV chat show (an example is provided). The class read their scripts. Objectives are revisited and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which they are asked to add a thought or comment on a speech bubble around Drake to answer the question Why was the Spanish Armada defeated in 1588? I hope you enjoy this lesson as much as my students always do. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What caused the Great Fire of London?” The lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are invited to spot the one fact which is not true. This then leads to the introduction of the Key Question and lesson aims. Lesson objectives are introduced, and these are graduated (all will/most will/some will). There are then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are given one of four character cards and asked to make notes as journalists by interviewing the other three but only after they have completed a 21 piece Diamond 21 activity on the most important reasons. They are are then asked to create a newspaper outlining the causes and a beginning example is given. After this, students present their findings. The lesson objectives are revisited, and the lesson concludes a Have I Got News for You style fill in the gaps plenary activity to test knowledge acquired. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What was life like for a Crusader?” This lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity in which the class are asked to pick out one untruth from a choice of four. This then introduces the Key Question and aims and there are graduated learning objectives (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background knowledge for teacher exposition. After this, students are placed in groups of four and given a character card. They need to then walk around 10 portraits in a Gallery Walk exercise to jot down knowledge and information to help them create a TV Chat show to answer the Key Question. After this they perform their responses. The lesson objectives are revisited to ensure students have made progress and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which they are invited to write on speech bubbles on a Crusader to help explain what life was like for him. Wishing you a terrific day.

This product is titled “What was religion like in Ancient Rome?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which introduces the class to some facts about religion in Ancient Rome. They are then informed of the Key Question and aims as well as graduated objectives are discussed (all will/most will/some will). There are then background slides of information to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are given the task of creating a diorama in which the Roman Gods are symbolised by modern superheroes (Superman is Jupiter because he is all powerful for example). The class explain their work and the lesson concludes with a fill in the gaps Have I Got News for You style plenary in which they test their knowledge acquired in this lesson. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Was Guy Fawkes set up?” The lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are invited to spot the connection between four celebrities. The answer is they have all been used as ‘Guys’ in Britain on Guy Fawkes Night (effigies of them have been burnt because they have been perceived as that year’s villains). This then leads to the introduction of the Key Question and lesson aims. Lesson objectives are introduced, and these are graduated (all will/most will/some will). There are then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are asked to make notes as journalists on a range of slides in which 12 major talking points are discussed. Students are given a digested slide (printed) which summarise the points and are asked to create a newspaper showing two columns: those suggesting Guy Fawkes was guilty and simply caught in the act and those that suggest he was set up. After this, students present their findings. The lesson objectives are revisited, and the lesson concludes with two plenary activities. First they are asked to complete 8 petals on a flower for the most compelling evidence they have found. They are then asked to stand up and vote with their feet on the Key Question by walking to the side of the debate they agree with. Wishing you a terrific day.

The title of this lesson is “What was the relationship between smugglers and the authorities in the 18th and 19th centuries?” This lesson begins with a Deal or No Deal style Starter Activity where they are asked to write down what number they think is in two boxes (one is for today’s tax levels and one for 18th century). This introduces them to the Key Question and there are clear aims and graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will). From here there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. Students are then placed in a pair and asked to cut out and break down 12 cards – half of these show ways smugglers tried to evade the authorities and the other half show ways the authorities tried to crack down on smugglers. There is a colour-coordinated version also for those who need a little more help. From this they work together as a pair to create a role play to demonstrate the cat and mouse interaction between criminals and the state (an example is provided). The lesson concludes with a plenary in which students are invited to come to the board and to place a post it note with an answer to the Key Question under the appropriate rubbish bin. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Why were so many people executed in the period known as the Bloody Code?” This lesson begins with a Deal or No Deal style Starter Activity in which students are invited to guess how many countries currently do/don’t impose the death sentence. This then leads to the Key Question being introduced along with aims and graduated outcomes (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are invited to read key reasons and to map the most important five of these on to a dart board (the closer to the middle the more important). From this, students write a Letter from the Gallows to explain why people were condemned. An example is provided to inspire. The lesson then concludes with a true or false plenary about capital punishment in the 18th Century. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “How similar and how different was the treatment of Conscientious Objectors in the First and Second World Wars?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity which invites students to pick out Elvis Presley (the only one of the three who picked up arms to fight for his country). This then introduces the lesson’s Key Question/title and aims are given along with graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). After this there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The class are then allocated roles within teams and begin a Gallery Walk which they use to fill in their grids to show similarities and differences. After this they complete a piece of written work to answer the Key Question. Lesson objectives are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity where they are invited to come up to the board and to add a similarity or difference to one of the two categories (trash cans) given. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What was law and order like in Ancient Rome?” This lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity in which students are invited to discuss four facts about Roman punishment. This then introduces the Key Question and aims as well as graduated lesson objectives (all will/most will/some will). There are then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition. The main task is then introduced in which students choose characters from the Popular TV show The Simpsons to turn Springfield into a modern diorama of Ancient Roman law and order. They use the knowledge given. Examples are given (Flanders as a Magistrate, Mr. Burns as a Senator in charge of Praetorians, Homer complaining about the Twelve Tables etc). The learning objectives are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which students are invited to add eight facts about Roman law and order to eight petals on a flower. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Why were the Tolpuddle Martyrs treated so badly?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are invited to discuss what punishments they feel are appropriate for six given crimes. This then leads into the Key Question and the lesson aims are introduced along with graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will). There is then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition. After this, students are paired up and given a character card (Judge Williams/George Loveless). They then complete a Diamond 16 activity before creating a blog in the guise of their character. The lesson concludes with a Have I Got News Style fill in the gaps Plenary to check for understanding. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “What was Feudalism?” The lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to draw a triangle and to plot down important people in their own school or education, with the most senior at the top. Examples are given and this leads to an introduction of the Key Question along with lesson aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). After this there are slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. The PPT then ask students to suggest Mr. Men and Little Miss characters which symbolize each aspect of the Feudal system (they make choices such as Mr. Brave or Mr. Greedy for example) and examples are given although they are encouraged to find their own too. They then use this information to write a four page childrens’ book to explain Feudalism using the list of key words provided. The lesson concludes with a fill in the blanks Have I Got News For You style plenary to test knowledge acquired in the lesson. I hope your students enjoy this lesson as much as mine always do. It has been created for high school students but could be adapted to work with slightly younger students too. And before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled “Who was the most important prison reformer?” The lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are invited to spot which of four statements about pre-reform prisons is untrue. This then leads into the lesson title which is introduced along with aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background information to enable teacher exposition. Following this, students are placed in a group of four and given character cards about key prison reformers (Howard, Fry, Dickens, Bentham). They then need to eliminate one and create a TV chat show segment arguing which of them is the most important reformer (an example is given for them to act out for inspiration.) The lesson then concludes with a plenary activity in which the class come up to the board and place a post-it note on a four-pointed kite to signal their answer to the Key Question. This lesson was written for high achieving high school students and is written in UK English. Wishing you a terrific day.

This lesson is titled ‘What can we learn about Queen Elizabeth I from her portraits?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are introduced to a bust of the soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo that was unveiled at a Portuguese airport in 2017. It is a rather unkind likeness! Students are invited to offer their response to what they would do if someone created such a horrible picture of them and they then consider how an all-powerful Monarch like Elizabeth I might respond. The lesson title and aims and graduated objectives are then introduced (all will/most will/some will) and there are slides of background information about Elizabeth I’s reign to allow for teacher exposition. After this five major Royal Portraits are shown and there is emphasis on the inferences that can be drawn (rainbows for divine power, globes to represent world trade and dominions etc). After this the class have a summary of devices used and are asked to create their own portraits in the main activity. This works much better if you can book a session in your school’s Art Department and use real paint! The lesson objectives are revisited and the lesson concludes with a peer assessment plenary activity. This lesson has been created for high school students and I hope yours enjoy it as much as mine do. And before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers! Wishing you a terrific day.