The Tudors The aim of this lesson is for the students to understand the causes and prioritise the reasons for the failure of the Spanish Armada. As the students are posed with the question, ‘why did the Spanish eat rope?’, they make up an explosive cocktail to understand the main causes of the invasion. As the story unravels as to the failures of the Spanish invasion fleet, students have to analyse and prioritise which were the main reasons for English success, against Spanish superiority in numbers and firepower. The plenary requires students to evaluate the Blob bridge and explain which blob represents the best fit in this story, from an English sailor, the Spanish public right up to Queen Elizabeth and King Philip. The lesson is differentiated and includes video evidence as well as an interactive diagram plotting the route of the Armada. 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 The overarching aim of this and the subsequent bundle of nine lessons is to question and explore how Elizabeth asserted her authority and control in the second half of her reign. How did we establish ourselves as a world power in the 19th Century? Who were Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins and Sir Walter Raleigh and who deserves a place in the seafaring hall of fame? These questions and more are answered in this lesson as students analyse how new navigational techniques and the brilliance of these men established unbridled wealth and power for Elizabeth at a time of great danger with her excommunication from the Catholic Church. Students learn through source and video footage and a play your cards right activity how new trading companies sprung up such as the Muscovy, the East India and Levant companies opening up English markets to good such as spices, tea, porcelain and silk. A choice of two GCSE questions for exam practice are given at the end of the lesson where students can peer assess and understand how to answer the ‘importance’ question for 8 marks. 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 Britain: Health and the People, c.1000 to present This lesson aims to find out how significant Hippocrates and Galen were in the history of medicine. With the GCSE significance question in mind, the focus is on how their ideas and treatments were developed and used in the short, medium and long terms. Students find out, in depth, about the four humours for example and the use of opposites, with the acceptance of the Christian Church as well as how the emphasis on observation and professionalism still exists amongst doctors today. There are links to video footage and learning tasks to suit all learning needs. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning. 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 and there are differentiated materials included.

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.

The Holocaust The aims of this lesson are to explain who was put on trial at Nuremberg, the crimes they were charged with and their category of criminality ranging from major offenders to followers. Students begin by learning about Denazification and how this was implemented immediately after the war, before Cold War tensions took over. They also learn why Nuremberg was chosen as the place for the trials. The main task requires them to analyse up to 8 individuals and how they ‘conducted’ themselves during World War II. Students then have to decide which of the four war crimes they committed and which category of prisoner they would come under. They also have to judge whether their sentences would be death by shooting, hanging or a prison sentence. The verdicts are given later in the Powerpoint so students can check and compare their answers. There is an accompanying video task which looks at Nuremberg 75 years on, with some brilliant footage of holocaust survivors and the son of Hans Frank, the Butcher of Poland. The central enquiry of this and the other lessons in the bundle is to ask who was to blame for the holocaust? Students 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.

**AQA GCSE 9-1 Britain: Health and the People, c.1000 to present ** This lesson aims to find out why the public health in Medieval towns was so poor. Some local councils tried their best, but the laissez-faire attitude of many including the government of the day proved a major hindrance. Students have to decide the most important issues, both short and long term, causing the poor public health conditions by putting and prioritising the main ‘ingredients’ on shelves ready to put into a cauldron. There are some fabulous links to video footage as well as a true or false quiz and a game of noughts and crosses to finish. The lesson is enquiry based with a key question using a lightbulb posed at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to show the progress of learning. 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 and there are differentiated materials included.

The aim of this lesson is for students to question and evaluate different interpretations in history. Students have to analyse various explanations and viewpoints of Richard the Lionheart from his statue outside the Houses of Parliament, to modern day films and the views of historians. As sentiment might overrule reality, they are ‘led’ to conclude he is a King of outstanding repute. They are then given details of the context of his reign and are shocked to discover his real temperament, brutal nature and even the fact that he didn’t speak English! Students finally re-evaluate their original judgements and justify which of the interpretation is now the more realistic one. They 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 Homework ideas PowerPoint format, which can be changed to suit

The Tudors The aim of this lesson is to evaluate the consequences of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries and who were the winners and losers. The start of the lesson gets the students to imagine walking into a monastery, with accompanying music to set the tone. They are given character cards (for both monks and nuns) and introduce themselves to each other to learn about their various roles. Students then have to analyse information, which is starting to make them scared of the changes that are happening all around them and subsequently decide what will happen to their character as a consequence of the dissolution. The plenary tests them in a six minute challenge of what they have learnt in the lesson and adds a competitive edge at the end. 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.

American Civil RIghts The aim of this lesson is to show a different approach to achieving Civil Rights pursued by Malcolm X. The start of the lesson asks why Malcolm Little changed his name and makes a link to the film by Spike Lee. It follows his early life chronologically and some higher order thinking questions are posed. The lesson then looks at his later life and beliefs and analyses some of his views and most famous quotations in a fun and engaging way. Students have to finally decide the most important aspects of his legacy and prioritise them, as well as deciding the fundamental differences of his beliefs and approach compared to Martin Luther King. 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, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

The English Civil War This lesson aims to analyse the personality of King Charles and questions how and why this might have implications for his reign. Following in his father’s footsteps, his vanity and obsession with the Divine Right of Kings are major causes of concern for those in Parliament. Students learn about his fragility in his younger life to eventual arrogance as he became King and will link a number of reasons together as to why this was to lead to Civil War. Video footage and sourcework are used to gather the evidence and the students will have to think outside the box to understand his motives and actions and link ideas together. The plenary is a literacy challenge to help evaluate his personality using key words from 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.

American Civil Rights What were the Jim Crow Laws in America? Who was Jim Crow? Why did this fictional character significantly impact on American society, especially in the south in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? What happened if you did not adhere to these laws? These questions and more will be answered in this lesson. Students analyse how black people in America were treated and why discrimination was inherent in some parts of American society and backed up by statute. They also have to recognise how these laws affected education, family life, social time and employment and prioritise the severest of these laws in their judgement. The lesson ends with some challenging questions using de bono’s 6 thinking hats. 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, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change.

American Civil RIghts The events and actions surrounding the Little Rock Nine are now infamous in history. This lesson gives the background to the beginning of the desegregation of American Schools with the Brown vs Board of Education case of 1954. Yet Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas found this difficult to accept and unleased a tidal wave of protest from his actions in Little Rock, shown in this lesson through video footage and images from the time. The students are given the context to the events of 1957 and have to decide what is being shouted at Elizbeth Eckford before they predict the actions of Eisenhower. Ultimately they have to evaluate the impact of the Little Rock Nine and how they influenced American society today. They are required to justify their opinions at the end with scaffolding 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, differentiated materials and comes in Powerpoint format if there is a wish to adapt and change

World War II The aim of this lesson is to explore how and why the D-Day landings were a success. Students are given the details about the Atlantic Wall and learn how Hitler’s attempts to design and build it ultimately led to its flaws and weakness in repelling the Allied forces in June 1944. Furthermore, students have to decide which landing site would be more advantageous to the Allies, the port of Calais or the beaches of Normandy. They also analyse the various ingenious inventions of the Allies from the Mulberry Harbours to the underwater PLUTO pipeline. There are some excellent visual sources to accompany the lesson and well as video footage from the BBC. 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 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 This lesson aims to question the purpose of the League of Nations and why it was set up in the first place. Students have a series of questions to think about and make inferred judgements on, before the answers are revealed. As they analyse a number of sources, video footage and statements, they build up a picture of the purpose as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the League of Nations. This gives them a great foundation to build upon, as they scrutinise the League’s structure and responses to world crises in subsequent lessons. Ultimately as they analyse the aims of the League of Nations, they will be able to evaluate if those aims were ever met throughout the course. The plenary requires them to sum up what they have learnt with a focus upon the strengths of the League of Nations. 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 Despite its idealistic aims, the League did have some successes particularly with its Commissions. Although it is very easy to focus on its problems during the 1920’s, there is a clear theme in the GCSE exam to discuss the successes and well as the League’s failures. With differentiated worksheets and key information about the Commissions to evaluate, students will at the end of the lesson be able to give examples and evidence to show and discuss the successes. The plenary focuses on recalling their new found knowledge and introduces students to the idea of tackling the higher mark questions first, as in the exam. There is a differentiated homework research task included 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 The aim of this lesson is to explore the reasons why Mussolini invaded Abyssinia. Throughout the lesson, students will be required to analyse the reasons as to why, in the face of unprovoked hostility and belligerence, the League of Nations did little to stop Italian aggression against Abyssinia and why Britain and France went out of their way to appease Mussolini. At first, students will recap on the previous dealings Mussolini had with the League of Nations in the Corfu incident. They will then evaluate the role of the League and its clear inability to act decisively, even before Britain and France undermined its very foundations. When students have built up a clear picture of the whole incident, they are then ready to tackle a ‘write an account’ question. The plenary is an A-Z tasks using the key words and events from the lesson. 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 In this lesson students have the chance to plot a road map following Hitler’s rearmament in the 1930’s leading to the outbreak of war. Students analyse events in Austria, the Saar and political agreements such as the Stresa Front and the Anglo-German naval agreement to judge how these might give Hitler the ‘authorisation’ to rearm. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to tackle a ‘write an account’ GCSE practice question of how Hitler broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. They will be able to focus on the causes and consequences of his actions, taking advantage of the frailties and insecurities within Europe and the League of Nations. The plenary further encourages further recall and understanding of Hitler’s aims. 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 This lesson analyses the reasons for Hitler and Stalin signing the Nazi Soviet Pact and how and why Britain and France were rebuffed by Stalin. Students have the chance to understand the background to their decision and how Stalin had finally had enough of the Allies foreign policy aims towards Hitler. They do this through using some differentiated resources, including video footage, some higher order questioning as well as evaluating some key sources from the time. Towards the end of the lesson, students are required to recognise the short and long term consequences of the pact and have the chance to answer a 16 mark GCSE practice question, with some help if required. The plenary focuses on a literacy task using 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 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.

Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 Students in this lesson piece together the events surrounding Hitler’s invasion of the Sudetenland and ultimately Czechoslovakia. They are required to question the wisdom of the policy of appeasement, but also analyse the reasons why Chamberlain pursued this policy and the strengths and weaknesses of this. The lesson is accompanied by a quiz in which points are accumulated for the correct answers, video footage and source material which enable students to answer a ‘how useful’ GCSE source question. They also have to put events in chronological order culminating in the Munich Agreement. They then have to rate these events in order of seriousness and judge which event(s) ultimately contributed to the causes of World War II. The plenary tests the students’ new knowledge from the lesson by analysing some odd one out statements. 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.

The aim of this lesson is to decide what makes a successful Medieval Monarch. Students are asked for their ideas before being given the criteria for a successful medieval monarch (such as leaving an heir and not being murdered!) The main part of the lesson requires students to conduct an investigation into three monarchs and decide how successful each of them were using a table to chart their success. When they have made their judgements, they complete an extended writing task, with scaffolding and help given if required. The plenary gives twelve answers, to which students have to work out the questions 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