350+ ready to use and fully resourced History lessons. As a British history teacher with 25 years of experience, I understand the challenges you face in the classroom. That's why I created my store — to share high-quality lessons and to save you time. This store shares my love of History, inspires critical thinking, and get students connected with the past. I’m also an examiner and textbook author, so you can trust that my lessons align with current standards and best practices.
350+ ready to use and fully resourced History lessons. As a British history teacher with 25 years of experience, I understand the challenges you face in the classroom. That's why I created my store — to share high-quality lessons and to save you time. This store shares my love of History, inspires critical thinking, and get students connected with the past. I’m also an examiner and textbook author, so you can trust that my lessons align with current standards and best practices.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking. Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This resource is titled “CIE IGCSE History coursework (Component 3) Masterclass.”
This 49-slide PowerPoint is a guide to Component 3 of CIE IGCSE History. It features all the key information students need to know to choose a topic, formulate a good question, research and cite effectively, as well as advice on how to write analytically and how to produce a satisfactory bibliography.
Amidst the instructional slides are seven (yellow) tasks to help scaffold students throughout the 10-12 week process.
This resource was created for students in high school settings and is written in UK English.
I’d be so grateful if you can find time to add a positive review for this free resource.
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.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking. Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This lesson is titled “How have attitudes to people with disabilities changed over time?”
This 73-slide PowerPoint begins with four starter activities. Students are invited to identify the famous people as well as their disability. They then come to the front and write down any other disabilities they can think of before taking part in three true or false questions. Lesson aims and objectives are then introduced before a series of slides of background information to enable teacher exposition (about Ancient Times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Enlightenment, the Nineteenth Century, and the Twentieth Century). Students then test their knowledge in a Whose Line is it Anyway activity. They are then introduced to the main activity, which is to create a timeline using the information they have learned. They then show off their work in a Gallery Walk and there is a slide in which the teacher cold calls students to explain the major pivots in the history of people with a disability. In the first plenary students then come to the board to write down one way the treatment of individuals with a disability has changed in a positive way and one way in which it did not progress. In the second plenary they vote with Thinking Thumbs on the lesson’s Key Question. Aims and objectives are revisited. There is a homework task also.
This lesson was created with a desirable difficulty level for students in high school settings and is written in UK English. I made it to use in Disability History Month (October in the US, November to December in the UK) but it can of course be used all year round. The hope is that by the end of the lesson students want to be part of the constructive side of the history of disability whilst developing an awareness of the many dreadful aspects of their timelines.
I’d be so grateful if you can find time to add a positive review if you enjoyed this free lesson.
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.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This free lesson is titled “1066 – Who should be King?”
The lesson begins with a freeze-frame Starter Activity in which students act out four scenes explaining the life and death of Edward the Confessor (prompts are given). They are then asked to come to the board and write down 3 adjectives of what a good leader should be. 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 5 slides of background information to allow for teacher exposition and a true or false activity to test knowledge gained. There are then 4 printable character cards and students are issued these (with examples) and placed in groups of 4. They prepare a speech (with props) explaining why they should be King and take part in a Blind Date style hot seating activity (questions are provided). Lesson aims and objectives are revisited. After this, students self-assess (two stars and a wish) before peer-assessing on the kite diagram plenary. 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.
I’d be so grateful if you can find time to add a positive review and ‘follow’ me if you enjoyed this lesson. If you do please look around the store and email me for any free lesson of your choosing – danguiney78@gmail.com – and I’ll add you to my mailing list so you get to hear about other bargains once in a while.
Wishing you a terrific day.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
A simple but very effective sheet which I pieced together to help my students improve their written work for IB Papers 2 and 3. It really does help and I have found the number of students achieving Levels 6 and 7 has increased in my classes since I began using this approach.
I hope you find this useful and feel free to check out hundreds of other resources for History teachers in my store.
This lesson is part of a series of 10 lessons for students aged 11-14 and is titled “The Apprentice – Advertising.”
This PowerPoint commences with a starter activity in which students pair up famous advertising slogans with global companies. After this they are issued criteria for effective advertising which enables teacher exposition. Students are issued a company (of 10) and are tasked with designing an advert for it using the criteria. There are then comprehension questions and an extension activity. In the plenary, the class are cold called and a thinking thumbs voting plenary decides on who this week’s lesson is the winner of The Apprentice.
Every review you leave on TPT earns you credits to buy free resources, so I’d be so grateful if you can find time to add a positive review if you enjoyed this lesson.
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.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This is a powerful lesson in causation. Students read through the detailed background information before arranging 17 extremely detailed and precise information cards into factors (economic, cultural, and people). This activity helps students scaffold a response to the key question which can then be used as the basis for a piece of assessed or extended written work. I hope your students find this as useful as I know mine have!
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This is one of my most detailed lessons and one which students love. After a quick starter activity about the significance of the poppy in British-Chinese relations the class read detailed background notes before being issued one of 23 character cards. These range from tea-magnate Thomas Twining to Confucius! In role the students then extract evidence which their character might use to explain how China became to be ruled by foreigners after the Opium Wars. I always follow this up with either a piece of extended writing or even better a debate. Please watch the short video clip attached to see this lesson in action. The lesson includes a separate plenary Power Point also. I hope your students will gain as much from this lesson as I know mine always do. Enjoy!
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
In this lesson students read through incredibly detailed notes designed to really boost their subject knowledge and understanding of factors which caused Franco’s nationalists to prevail in the Spanish Civil War. Students then complete a mix and match dominoes activity to test their comprehension before completing the lesson with a ‘find someone who’ activity which involves them interviewing classmates to complete differentiated tasks. This lesson is pitched at very able students and my classes always find these notes and approach an excellent way to grasp the topic. I hope this lesson can be of use to you and if so please feel free to browse through my other resources in my shop.
Best wishes, Dan
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
Simple but incredibly effective. This one-slide Power Point template is easily editable so you can tailor it to your school/department. I print it for my classroom and ensure students have a copy in the insert of their exercise books so they know exactly what part of their learning journey they are on and where they are going to. My classes can look back and forward to see skills progression and to make links between units.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
In this lesson students begin with a starter activity in which they recap prior learning (by designing a question about events previously studied using the rubric provided). Students then read background information about the Provisional Government’s actions prior to moving onto the main activity which is a spectrum card sort. Students are given eight things the Provisional Government did, ranging from continuing the war through to its handling of the July Days through to the Kornilov Affair, and have to rate them on the spectrum provided (over a double page in their books/notes works best) in terms of good/bad policy. The lesson concludes with a plenary activity designed to ensure students have acquired the key knowledge in the lesson (in the form of a ‘Find someone who can’ walkabout activity).
This lesson is pitched at high ability high school students with some prior knowledge of Russia before 1917. Please do ask if you have any questions and I hope your students get as much from this lesson as mine do.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
In this very detailed lesson students received clear aims and objectives (all will, most will, and some will) before being given a source starter activity which they are asked to break down using the frame provided. This introduces the idea of growing Japanese strength (its about the Russo-Japanese War). The class are then given activation material in the form of extremely detailed notes. The consolidation phase then asks IB students to sort a 25 piece hexagonal card sort into factors - domestic, economic, militaristic, and nationalistic. The lesson concludes with a chronology activity to test student knowledge acquired in a fun way. I have also made a revision video which is included as homework.
I hope your IB students get as much from this as mine do and that it helps them prepare for this Move to Global War Paper 1 IB topic.
This lesson is part of a series of 10 lessons for students aged 11-14 and is titled “The Apprentice – Introduction.”
This PowerPoint commences with a true or false? tarter Activity, inviting students to give their thoughts on some statistics about the world’s wealthiest people which leads to a discussion of what an entrepreneur is. The lesson title, aim and objectives are then introduced. Students are introduced to the focus of the unit and the skills they will develop, as well as their end of unit assessment rubric (which assesses the five tasks in the full unit). They then complete a range of tasks most important of which is a self-assessment rubric (which involves them being vouched for by peers in a walk-around-the-class activity). This rubric enables teachers to assign partners in the following lesson. There are then comprehension questions and an extension activity. In the plenary students set a personal target for the unit and vote on a question.
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 “Should we celebrate Columbus Day?”
This lesson begins with a Starter Activity in which the class are asked to write multiple-choice answers on 7 questions on their mini whiteboards. This introduces the topic. There are then 6 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). Students are then issued either a pro or anti Columbus character card. The main activity is a 24-piece card sort whereby students divide information into positive and negative. From this they then work with a peer to create a 2-sided newspaper report explaining what they feel his legacy is using the evidence they have handled. The class then present these before the lesson plenary in which they are asked to complete a flower diagram with 8 pieces of compelling evidence and to vote on the Key Question. I hope your students get as much from this History Mystery as mine do. This lesson was written for high achieving high school students.
I’d be so grateful if you can follow me and find time to add a positive review if you enjoyed this free lesson. If you do, let me know by emailing me at danguiney78@gmail.com and I’ll send you any extra lesson from the site totally free of charge – just have a look around the store here - as my way of saying thank you.
Wishing you a terrific day.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
I’ve always enjoyed this lesson and its one that really helps students develop an expert grasp of a difficult series of events. Students read through background knowledge before completing a card sort of 21 precise pieces of evidence. I then encourage students to make links between these factors and to identify which pieces of evidence they find the most compelling. I worked in the Middle East when creating and delivering this lesson so it carries real meaning for me and I hope you can see how that has come across in the level of detail and precision. Above all though I hope your students enjoy this as much as mine did.
EdExcel IGCSE History – Russia & The Soviet Union 1905-24 Full Unit Paper 2 Breadth Study Bundle
Comprehensive and detailed notes as well as rigorous and engaging activities for this entire Paper 2 topic. Now includes comprehensive revision menu.
Lessons covered include:
Russia in 1900 in 8 objects
Why were so many Russians unhappy in 1905?
What happened on Bloody Sunday 1905?
How much did rule and government change between 1905-14?
Rasputin: Holy Man or Mad Monk?
How did Rasputin die? Escape Room activity
Why did Russia do so badly in the First World War?
What were the causes of the February Revolution?
How successful was the Provisional Government?
How did the Bolsheviks come to power by 1917?
Why did the Reds win the Civil War?
What happened to Princess Anastasia?
How well did Lenin rule Russia?
I hope your students enjoy these materials as much as mine do.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
I love using these and always have a pack in my pocket or on my desk. Thirty cards with extension activities specifically for History students means you will always have a highly differentiated set of extension tasks on you. Brilliant for any lesson, especially observations!
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This is one of my most detailed resources. Students are given a pack of 15 large information cards offering information as to how and why President Kennedy was assassinated and are encouraged to write their findings on the mystery sheets provided at the end of the pack. This is one of my very best lessons and has been designed to encourage students to think, question, collaborate and take risks. During this lesson students will explore the possibility that there was more to JFK’s death than the lone gunman theory and will offer alternatives using precisely selected evidence. I really look forward to delivering this lesson each year. I really hope you enjoy teaching this topic and that you find it gets your students truly acting as young Historians should.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
In this lesson students read up on background knowledge before assembling a 30 piece hexagonal card sort into a factor-led response. Evidence is very precise and being a hexagonal rather than square card sort students are encouraged to make effective links between the evidence used whilst also being encouraged to prioritise the evidence they find the most compelling. Once the class have formulated their card sort this sets them up extremely well for either a debate or a written piece of work. My students love this lesson and I really hope yours do too!
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
This is one of my most popular lesson activities. Students read detailed background knowledge before completing a hexagonal card sort to divide reasons up into belief systems, technology, geography and economics. Here students will make links between their factors to create a visual map which they can use for an extended piece of written analysis. I am especially proud of the level of precision and detail in the historical content here. The eighteen cards are broken down and color coordinated for differentiation purposes. I really hope you enjoy this activity and that your students get as much from it as mine do.
“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see others’ points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking.
Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan
After reading through the background information students sift through the twenty four incredibly detailed evidence cards provided to create columns which show how power, politics and people explain the reasons Caesar was killed on the Ides of March. This is an ideal task to help scaffold student responses to a piece of extended written work or timed assessment. I hope your students enjoy this lesson as much as mine do.