This 36-slide PowerPoint begins with a starter activity that encourages students to consider modern police methods and techniques and then to consider which of these would be available in 1829. The lesson title and graduated aims (all will/most will/some will) are introduced, and there are a few slides of background information for teacher exposition. The class then begins its main activities. These begin with some comprehension questions on three sources outlining issues with early Peelers. They then complete a 16-piece diamond card-sort before using this information to create a job advert for an early Peeler (an example is given). The lesson’s aims are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a fill-in-the-gaps, Whose Line is It Anyway-style plenary to test knowledge gained. This lesson has been designed with the desirable difficulty of Key Stage 4 high school students in mind and is written in UK English.

This 29-slide PowerPoint presentation is a fully-resourced lesson. Students are introduced to the topic in the form of a Starter Activity in which they are asked to chronologically sequence three big screen adaptations of Cleopatra VII. This leads to a conversation about her appearance (one is white, one is black, and one is Middle Eastern) and why this became such a big issue in Egyptian media in particular. The title and graduated lesson aims are then introduced (all will/most will/some will) and there are some slides of background information for teacher exposition. The main task is an 18-piece card sort (a colour coded differentiated version is also provided for those who need it) and students place the cards into two columns, those that suggest she would have looked Greek-Macedonian and those that suggest she would have looked Nubian/African. When they have completed this the class design their own cut out version, labelling their choices. In the plenary they explain their answer to the Key Question by revealing their collages/drawings. This lesson was designed for high achieving Key Stage 3 high school students and is written in UK English. I created it when I taught in Cairo and hope your class get as much enjoyment from it as mine always do.

This 45-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students are encouraged to close their eyes and mime along to a story in which they play the role of Hasan, a merchant on the Silk Road during its heyday. They are then introduced to the lesson title and the graduated lesson aims (all will/most will/some will). Following this, there are background information slides for teacher exposition before the main task is set. Students are given some ideas of things they might find (exotic animals, fruits, incense, religious ideas, new languages, ivory products, etc.) and are asked to create their own museum about the Silk Road with only 8 objects. For each item, they need to explain its significance. Once students present, the lesson aims are revisited, and there is a lesson plenary in which the class writes an account that answers the Key Question using the knowledge they have acquired. An additional homework task is set (they are asked to photograph items in their household that have been discussed in the lesson). This lesson is pitched at high-achieving Key Stage 3 high school students and is designed to promote independent learning, research, and presentation skills. It is written in UK English.

This 49-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to close their eyes while the teacher reads them a story about a crime in Anglo-Saxon England. As they do so, encourage them to perform some of the actions underlined. When they are told to open their eyes, they see a number of visual prompts on the board and are asked to come up with a punishment for the offender. This links to the lesson title, which is introduced alongside graduated lesson aims (all will/most will/some will). There are then some slides of background information describing the main aspects of law and order in this period from tithings to trials by ordeal, and the role of the Witan, the reeve, and other key aspects are discussed. From here, students are asked to create their own ‘museum’ in only 8 objects (examples are given, but they are encouraged to find their own). For each museum piece, they need to explain their choice and how it was used to keep law and order in the period. The lesson aims are revisited, and students present their findings. The lesson plenary invites students to consider the key aspects of the period and to make comparisons with modern equivalents/evolutions (such as hue and cry to telephone). There is an extended written task set as homework at the end if required. This lesson has been pitched at high-achieving high school students and is written in UK English. I hope your students get as much out of it as mine do.

The title of this lesson is “Why did the USSR lose the Afghanistan war?” The lesson begins with an Odd One Out Starter Activity in which students are invited to review four lesser known facts about the Soviet-Afghan War and to identify the incorrect one. After this, the title is introduced as are aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will) and two different perspectives on the Key Question are offered (Yousuf and Gorbachev). These are revisited later. There are then background information slides to allow for teacher exposition to introduce the topic. The main activity then begins. This is a Gallery Walk activity. The class are broken up into groups and each group is given various roles (coordinator, recorder, timekeeper, researchers, presenter, and proofreader – students can carry out more than one role). Students then walk around the room and read each of the 15 pieces of evidence in the Galleries (these need to be printed and stuck up around the room, or corridor if you want to get your class out and moving around school). As they do so they complete the grid provided and are then asked as a group to create a TV news report to answer the Key Question. Following this there is a voting plenary in which the class are asked to vote on their answer to which of the earlier interpretation they mostly agree with. They stand to the side of the room that represents where they fit into the historiographical debate and explain their position to another student. And before you leave be sure to bookmark 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 “What really happened to the Princes in the Tower?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are invited to discuss four methods of execution which have become part of the mystery surrounding the Princes and are asked to explain which they feel is the grisliest. Most will choose the hot poker (!) and this leads to a discussion about why, if that was how the Princes died, anyone would want to kill them so brutally. There are then slides of background information to allow teacher exposition and the lesson title is introduced along with aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). The first main activity is a 20 piece card sort whereby students divide information into that which suggests the Princes’ uncle, Richard III, killed them, and evidence which suggests they may have escaped. From this they then complete the second main activity which is to create a 3-5 minute TV news report explaining what they feel happened using the evidence they have handled. The class then present these before the lesson plenary in which they are asked to stand up and walk to the side of the room they agree with in a class vote. I hope your students get as much from this History Mystery as mine do. This lesson was written for high achieving high school students and is written in UK English. Wishing you a terrific day.

In this 1-slide PPT you will find a student learning journey about Imperial Russia. The template is easily editable and provides you with an outline of a scheme of work which can be delivered. I like to ask students to glue these into their exercise books so they know exactly where on their own learning journey they are. This learning journey is broken down into inquiry units and individual lesson titles within these.

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.

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 “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 “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 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.

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.

This 30-slide PowerPoint begins with a Starter Activity in which students are asked to close their eyes while the teacher reads out a story, taking them back in time to the Forbidden Palace. When they open their eyes, they are asked to work with a friend to create a quick sketch of what was described. The lesson title and graduated criteria (all will/most will/some will) are then introduced, followed by a few slides of background information to enable teacher exposition. This explains several aspects relating to feng shui, the importance of the number 9, symbolism of colours, and much more. The class then begins their main activity, which is to design a visual illustration with written explanations. The lesson aims are revisited, and the lesson concludes with a plenary in which students are asked to add a post-it note to one of three bins to show what can be learned about Ancient China in terms of power, culture, and education. I created this lesson while teaching History in China, and so it means a lot to me to pass it on to other teachers. It is pitched at Key Stage 3 high school students but would work well with slightly younger classes too. It is written in UK English.

This lesson is titled “What were the consequences of the Great Fire of London.” This lesson begins with a The Price is Right Starter Activity in which the class guess on four questions which have statistical answers on the Great Fire. This then leads to the introduction of the Key Question, lesson aims, and graduated lesson criteria (all will/most will/some will). There follow slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. After this the first main activity is for the class to review six sources and to answer a series of comprehension questions on these. The second main activity is for students to divide up a card sort (12 cards) into four different factors (political effects social effects, economic effects, architectural effects of the Great Fire). A colour coordinated version is provided for those who need a little extra help. There are then some slides explaining the mechanics of a good essay and the third main activity is for students to write their written response to the Key Question. Lesson objectives are revisited. The lesson concludes with a plenary activity in which students are asked to answer the Key Question by coming to the board and completing one petal on an eight-petalled flower. It has been written for high school students, but could be adapted to meet the needs of slightly younger learners. 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 “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 “Is the founding of Rome myth or reality?” This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which students are invited to match up some celebrities with their twins, before being introduced to Romulus and Remus. The lesson title is then introduced along with aims and graduated objectives (all will/most will/some will). There are then slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition. This is then followed by an 18 piece card sort in which the group divide evidence into those that suggest the founding story was a myth and those that suggest there was some truth in it. A colour-coded version is provided for those who need a little more help. From here they then use the evidence to create a TV chat show segment to answer the Key Question. An example if provided. Students present their role plays and revisit the lesson objectives before the plenary in which they vote on the Key Question by standing up and walking to the side of the voting spectrum they agree with mostly. I hope your students get as much out of this lesson as mine always do. This lesson was written for high achieving high school students and is written in UK English. 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 “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 “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.