End of Capital Punishment - Modern Period (Edexcel)

Why was the death penalty gradually abolished in the 20th C.? [#7]

An exploration into the reasons why capital punishment was abolished during the 20th C., adapted for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Paper 1 - Thematic Study w/ Historic Environment. See my TES shop for other lesson and bundle offers!

Suitable as a standalone lesson or within the scheme of work!

Overview: In this lesson, students will chart the 20th C. milestones in changes to capital punishment (i.e., who could be executed, or the crimes that qualified for execution). Students will then examine the reasons why capital punishment was gradually abolished, with a particular focus on controversial cases (i.e., Timothy Evans, Ruth Ellis) and changing public / government attitudes. This can be consolidated in a debate about the most significant reason for the abolition of capital punishment.

Suitability: Designed for Key Stage 4 (Years 10 – 11), but highly suitable for upper-KS3.

Approximate Delivery Time: 50 – 60 Minutes

What will you get?

• Exam Question Focus - Embeded exam-style questions to familiarise students with the assessment phase, and success criteria.
• PowerPoint Presentation – Fully scaffolded PPT to support teaching. Note: The PPT may contain animations / clips.
• Scaffolded Worksheets – Printable worksheets to support teaching activities to a range of abilities.
• Adaptive Teaching Strategies – An adaptable lesson for a range of learning abilities, with a variety of activities (i.e., whiteboards; think-pair-share; stretch-and-challenge activities).
• Focus on Language - Tier 3 vocabulary is highlighted and defined throughout, to support disciplinary understanding.