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I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.

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I am a History Teacher with a love for producing high quality and easily accessible history lessons, which I have accumulated and adapted for over 20 years of my teaching career. I appreciate just how time consuming teaching now is and the difficulty of constantly producing resources for an ever changing curriculum.
British sector of the Western Front introduction
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British sector of the Western Front introduction

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Edexcel 9-1 Medicine in Britain, Thematic study and historic environment This lesson aims to set the scene for the beginning of trench warfare and the problems for medical treatment on the battlefields of World War 1. Students will analyse the setting up of the trenches, how and why they were dug, which equipment they needed and how they used the trenches to defend and attack the enemy. They also assess the lie of the land and how this impacted on medicine and the wounded and the problems created. Activities include retrieval practice, evaluation of the terrain, use of video evidence as well as GCSE question practice, with help given if required. The resource is differentiated and gives suggested teaching strategies. It comes in PowerPoint format which can be amended and changed to suit.
Retrieval Practice
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Retrieval Practice

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I have put together a few ideas I have had on retrieval practise, which is helping my students discuss and debate more than ever before. Many thanks to @mrfitzhist for the inspiration to make them. They come in PDF and Powerpoint format so you can change and adapt if needed. If you like these resources, please follow me on twitter for more ideas @pilgrim_17
Bayeux Tapestry
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Bayeux Tapestry

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The Norman Conquest This lesson is an introduction to the Bayeux Tapestry and follows the enquiry question of the previous lessons which seek 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. 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 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.
Cold War sports
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Cold War sports

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Cold War and the Olympics This lesson explores the link between the Cold War and sport. As with technology and space exploration, sport was an area where rival powers could prove or assert their dominance without going to war. Students compete a recall, retention and retrieval task on the previous Vietnam War lesson before undertaking a true or false quiz. They analyse and evaluate medal tally statistics from previous Olympics and make judgement about the anomalies in different years. They are given an account of the history of Olympic success and are challenged as to why it was so important to do well for your respective country. As with previous lessons they use the light bulb and key question to continue to annotate around as the fear of losing spurred both nations on to different extremes. No lesson on Cold War sports would be complete without refence to the Rocky film and the US propaganda machine is in full force as grit and determination to train is pitted against the use of drugs to cheat. Students can then determine which statement to agree with and use argument words to convince their peers. . The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Defeat of Germany in 1945
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Defeat of Germany in 1945

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Cold War This first lesson aims to set the scene of Europe from 1945 with the defeat of Germany. The first part of the lesson investigates Hitler’s death, as the students break down and summarise some text into headings before writing a narrative account of the events. The second part investigates the aims of the Big Three and what they agreed should happen to Germany and Berlin at the end of the War. Students scrutinise and decide what each of the leaders (Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill) might have said at Tehran and Yalta and complete a suspicions grid to be able to explain and justify these growing tensions. The central theme throughout this and the proceeding ten lessons is to ask why civilians feared for their lives? In a new era after World War 2, suspicions and rivalries arose between the two new superpowers, the USA and the USSR. Each lesson explores these growing tensions and ultimately questions why people thought a nuclear war was imminent. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Gorbachev and the end of the Cold War
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Gorbachev and the end of the Cold War

(2)
The Cold War The aim of this lesson is to explore the winds of change within the USSR as Perestroika and Glasnost are introduced with the appointment of Gorbachev as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. But despite all the achievements he made, was it all in vain and just how successful was he with the Soviet Union in his short six years in office? Students are required to emoji rate the problems facing Gorbachev in 1985 and then justify the most serious one using a pressure gauge. Furthermore they have to evaluate how successful his policies were and how they were received in the west as compared to back home. A thinking quilt at the end challenges their thinking as they have to group all they have learnt into categories and then explain the significance of each fact. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives during the Cold War? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint formats if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Korean War
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Korean War

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Cold War The aim of this lesson is to analyse the Korea War between 1950-53 and understand the threat North Korea poses to the world today, with its insistence on spending millions on producing nuclear weapons despite catastrophic failures of industry and the famine of the 1990’s. Students learn about present day Korea using a brilliant video link, and annotate key facts around a map. They analyse key information about the Korean War in the 1950s and how this produced an armistice in 1953, which is still in force today. Students have to complete a variety of differentiated tasks which focus on the causes and consequences of the war and evaluate the reasons for the subsequent stalemate. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives during the Cold War? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint formats if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Vietnam War
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Vietnam War

(2)
Cold War The aim of this extended lesson on the Vietnam War is to analyse its significance; from its dubious beginnings and inception to the types of weapons used, the war crimes which followed and the ensuing lack of support at home as well as the consequences for the civilian population of Vietnam. So why did America fail to win this war despite overwhelming manpower, control of the air and sea and the most modern military weapons available at the time? As a starting point, students focus on Paul Hardcastle’s 19 song and his reasons for writing it and analyse the photograph of Kim Phúc before examining the details surrounding the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. They are given a number of differentiated tasks to analyse both American and Vietcong tactics to win the war (using printable worksheets) and the horrors surrounding search and destroy and the My Lai massacre, the tunnelling system as well as the use of napalm and agent orange. At the end they will prioritise the reasons for Vietcong success and American failure and how this war played its key part in the Cold War. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives during the Cold War? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Moon Landings
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Moon Landings

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Cold War The aim of this lesson is to explore the moon landings and the subsequent conspiracy theories which suggest it was faked and not real at all. Students have to decide why it was so important for the USA to be the first to put a man on the moon and prioritise their reasoning using their knowledge of the Cold War. They analyse footage from the time and are introduced to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to emphasise this audacious achievement in 1969. However they also analyse sources from the time and different interpretations making their own sustained judgements as to whether the moon landings were fake or fiction. They finish with writing an extended piece on the evidence they have selected and are given some argument words to help if required. The plenary required them to judge if further facts are fake or authentic news. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives during the Cold War? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Cuban Missile Crisis
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Cuban Missile Crisis

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Cold War The aim of this lesson is to analyse the causes and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis, its significance and its effect on future relations between the USA and USSR during the Cold War. In an anger management task, students link various emotions to emojis as they learn why tensions (and therefore anger) between the USA and Cuba escalated following the coming to power of Fidel Castro and his subsequent alliance to the USSR. In a text mapping exercise they analyse how Castro defied the West by organising the placement of nuclear missiles on Cuba and how Kennedy reacted to this report and the stark choices he faced, urged on by the Hawkes and Doves in his assembled special committee, Excomm. Furthermore students undertake an interactive quiz which is designed to be engaging and challenging as they have to make 13 decisions in the 13 days of the crisis. The plenary is an interactive blockbusters and there are links to video evidence as well a recall, retention and retrieval task. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives during the Cold War? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Berlin Wall
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Berlin Wall

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Cold War The aim of this lesson is to understand the causes behind the building of the Berlin Wall and the consequences for Berliners. Students analyse the differences between life on the East and West sides of Berlin to understand why thousands of Germans continued to cross the border to make a better life in West Berlin. The second part of the lesson focuses on the building of the wall, using statistics, graffiti art and the personal account of Conrad Shuman in a thinking quilt to develop further understanding and evaluate its significance in the context of the Cold War. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
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Berlin Blockade and Airlift

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Cold War The aim of this lesson is to explain how Germany was divided post 1945, as agreed at the Potsdam Conference and analyse the subsequent Berlin blockade and airlift which followed. Students learn the intentions of both the USA and USSR and how this played out in the Cold War theatre of Europe. This is a great opportunity for students to be creative as they plot the preceding events on an airport landing strip, using symbols and signs found in every international airport. They will track the obstacles thrown up by Stalin and the immediate problems this caused in Berlin as he attempted to prevent any further western moves in Germany and with his aim of starving the West Berliners into submission. Therefore this is intended to be a fun, challenging and engaging lesson to suit all abilities. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Arms Race
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Arms Race

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Cold War The aims of this lesson are to explain how weapons developed during and after World War 2. The new destructive power of the atomic bomb is shown in a great video link and students colour code a worksheet (differentiated) with challenge questions to describe and explain the development of the arms race. Facts and figures are also given which students have to interpret, as well as key word tasks and source analysis, with help given if required. The plenary is literally an arms ‘race’ complete with interactive dice and bombs as board pieces. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around the key question) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Cold War introduction
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Cold War introduction

(2)
Cold War The aims of this lesson are to explain what the Cold War was in post war Europe and how it developed between the two existing Superpowers in 1945. The USA and the USSR had different ideologies and students will learn the differences between Capitalism and Communism. Furthermore, despite cordial relations at the three meetings held before the end of the war at Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam, suspicions were soon aroused. Students will analyse the preceding decisions made about the divisions of Germany and Berlin and make informed judgements as to why these suspicions developed. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons is to ask why did civilians fear for their lives? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around a lightbulb) and build up a picture of how these and different countries in the world responded and acted in this new nuclear age. The resource comes in PowerPoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Health and the People Revision Bundle
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Health and the People Revision Bundle

4 Resources
The aim of this revision bundle for AQA GCSE 9-1 Britain: Health and the People c.1000 to present is to help and thoroughly prepare students for the GCSE exam in the summer. It contains the following: A complete Revision Guide with 18 GCSE practice questions, model answers and tips on how to access the exam questions. Flashcards to help improve recall, retrieval and retention skills. Each of the individuals from the course are summarised and explain the significance of each to achieve the higher marks in the GCSE exam. A Summary Revision Guide which summarises all the course on two sides of A4. This is easy to print and great for the student who wants a quick refresh on the course content when revising. A Health and the People work booklet revising the 4 main question types in the exam. All the resources are in Word format so can be easily changed or adapted to suit.
Peasants' Revolt
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Peasants' Revolt

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The aim of this lesson is to decide who rules in Medieval England - the Crown or the people? As the lesson unfolds the overriding question becomes more challenging; in the short term the Peasants’ Revolt ultimately failed but the consequences in the longer term for the people were much more positive. The scene is set with each student taking on the role on a peasant and spokesperson for their village. They complete a grid sheet throughout the first part of this lesson to clarify their significance in the village. As the demands of the King become ever more unacceptable, they have to make choices, using a quiz to choose the correct actions to take, gaining or losing points in the process. This can be completed as a class or independently. The second part of the lesson examines what happened to Wat Tyler – piecing together evidence from the King’s supporters at the time. Ultimately they will write a narrative account of the Peasants’ Revolt using differentiated tasks which give guidance and help if required. They continue to plot the power struggle between the king, the church, the barons and the people on a graph in a sequence of lessons. This lesson includes: Fun, engaging and challenging tasks Links to video footage Printable worksheets Differentiated tasks Suggested teaching strategies Homework ideas PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit
Siege of Rochester Castle
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Siege of Rochester Castle

(1)
This lesson aims to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of Rochester Castle and understand why it was built in such a strategic position. It also explores the reasons why the Castle was seized by some disaffected knights in 1215 and why King John was so keen to recapture it. Students have to evaluate the most effective ways of attacking and defending a Castle and learn how difficult medieval siege warfare was. The second aim of the lesson is to examine how and why it was captured in the first place, as students continue to analyse the power struggle between the barons and the King. There is a brilliant video link to the siege under Rory’s McGrath’s Bloody Britain series which the students follow and answer questions on. Finally they 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 Suggested teaching strategies PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit
Diary of Anne Frank
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Diary of Anne Frank

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The Holocaust This lesson analyses the story of Anne Frank and celebrates her short life. It asks in a sequence of lessons I have produced, who is to blame for the holocaust? Was it the SS who rounded up the Frank family or was it friends or spies to blame for theirs and countless death during World War 2? The lesson tells her story and asks students to think of but, because and so. There are some great video links to accompany the lesson as well as some analysis on an extract from her diary and a virtual tour of the annex. A final true of false quiz checks recall and retrieval from the lesson. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Liberation of the extermination camps
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Liberation of the extermination camps

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The Holocaust The aims of this lesson are to explain how the extermination camps were liberated by horrified allied soldiers whose shock quickly turned to anger. Students are placed in the liberators shoes and have to decide how they would react, from cleaning up, to taking pictures and leaving things untouched to of course more violent extremes. There is some excellent video footage to accompany the lesson, but please again treat with caution and care. The second part of the lesson is a case study of Herta Bothe, a German camp guard who was convicted of war crimes by a British military tribunal. Students are given certain facts about her and have to decide if the sentence was justified or whether as in the previous lesson she was an unfortunate victim of circumstance and just an ordinary woman completing the job required of her. The central enquiry of this and subsequent lessons in the bundle is to ask who was to blame for the holocaust? Students will map out their ideas each lesson (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around a lightbulb) and build up a picture of how difficult it is to blame a single individual or event for this catastrophe. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.
Holocaust responsibility
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Holocaust responsibility

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The Holocaust This lesson directly tackles the overriding enquiry question throughout this sequence of lessons, namely who was to blame for the holocaust? They will continue to map out their ideas (which can be plotted in different colours or dates to show the progress of their learning and centred around a lightbulb) and build up a picture of how difficult it is to blame a single individual or event for this catastrophe. The lesson focuses on Police Battalion 101 who were ‘instructed’ by their Commander, Major Trapp to execute Jews in Poland and send many others to the extermination camps. Two historians have conducted extensive research in this area and either concluded they were willing executioners or just ordinary men, victims of an extraordinary situation. It is up to the students to make up their own minds by tracking one of the battalion’s first ‘actions’ against 1800 Polish Jews living in the village of Jozefow. There are accompanying worksheets and grids to colour code as well as excellent links to video footage and differentiated tasks to help students of all abilities. Other figures to blame in the lesson debate include Adolf Eichmann, the organiser of the transportation of the Jews as well as the German public, train drivers, Camp Commandants or foreign governments who failed to respond. Students have to prioritise their responsibility list in the plenary. The resource comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change and is differentiated. I have also included suggested teaching strategies to deliver the lesson.