PowerPoint that considers why Magna Carta matters both in medieval England but also today. The lesson focuses on the key terms of the document, King John and Pope Innocent III’s reaction, King Henry III and Magna Carta and the document’s lasting legacy. Activities include Teacher introduction on the background to Magna Carta’s sealing supported by information on the PowerPoint. Starter activity in which pupils consider a selection of clauses from the document and discuss which is the most significant and which three clauses remain part of UK law today. Source analysis activity on whether clause 39 protected the liberty of everyone. Source analysis activity on why a letter from Pope Innocent III meant Magna Carta did not solve the problem of ‘Bad’ King John. Reading and comprehension exercise on changing events in England to answer a question on why Magna Carta succeeded in 1216 having failed in 1215. Source analysis exercise on why Magna Carta still matters today by looking at Universal Declaration of Human Rights, President Roosevelt’s speech, the Fifth Amendment, Nelson Mandela’s speech and a Suffragette cartoon amongst other sources. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Medieval World. Lesson Length: 1 hour depending on pace.

PowerPoint and worksheet that considers whether King Richard I deserves his reputation as a ‘Lionheart’. The lesson focuses on the events of Richard’s life including his rebellions against his father, his conduct and achievements during the Third Crusade, his capture and imprisonment in Germany and his return to England and death in France. Activities include Starter activity in which pupils define what characteristics someone with the name Lionheart might have. Reading and comprehension exercise on the life of Richard. Pupils create a spider diagram on Richard’s actions during his lifetime before colour coding them according to whether they fit Richard’s reputation as a ‘Lionheart’ or not. Source analysis exercise on whether Richard’s treatment of prisoners while on crusade and his efforts to finance the crusade fits his reputation as a ‘Lionheart’. Source analysis exercise to judge the utility of the romantic poem Coeur de Lion to a historian investigating Richard’s reputation as a ‘Lionheart’. Having added the extra information to their spider diagrams pupils write a conclusion on whether Richard deserves his nickname. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Medieval World. Lesson Length: 1 hour depending on pace.

PowerPoint and three worksheets that consider whether King Arthur was a real historical figure. The lesson focuses on the utility of three key pieces of evidence in proving King Arthur’s historical existence. Activities include Starter activity in which pupils consider why English monarchs tried to impress foreign visitors by showing them the Winchester Round Table. Main activity requires pupils to fill in a grid on how useful the Round Table, Glastonbury Graves and Artognou Stone are as evidence that King Arthur existed. Pupils rank the evidence according to their relative utility. Pupils add the three pieces of evidence to the correct location on a partially completed timeline of King Arthur sources which already includes Gildas, Bede, etc. Sorting activity of the surviving evidence of King Arthur’s existence into primary and secondary sources. Conclusion in which pupils write their own justified judgment on whether King Arthur really existed. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Medieval World. Lesson Length: 1 hour depending on pace.

PowerPoint and two worksheets that consider why Jewish people were persecuted in Medieval England. The lesson focuses on the persecution of Jews in England between their arrival with William the Conqueror and their expulsion in 1290 with specific examples including the murder of William of Norwich, the massacre of the Jews of York in 1190 and the treatment of Jewish coin cutters by the authorities. The lesson also considers the economic, cultural and religious causes of Jewish persecution. Activities include Starter activity in which pupils discuss the strength of the evidence that William of Norwich was murdered by Jews in 1144. Reading and comprehension exercise in which pupils identify/highlight the different ways Jews were discriminated against from a passage of text. These examples are then added to a spider-diagram. Activity in which pupils complete a table of cultural, economic and religious causes for the discrimination shown to Jewish people. Source analysis extension activity on what an anti-semitic illustration from a Norwich tax document tells us about official attitudes to Jewish people. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Medieval World. Lesson Length: 1 hour depending on pace.

PowerPoint and two worksheets that considers what it was like to work for King Henry VIII. The lesson focuses on the careers and fates of Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell. Activities include Starter activity in which students analyse a source by the Venetian Ambassador about the relationship between King Henry VIII and Wolsey to consider what it tells us about Henry VIII as a king. Reading and comprehension activity on Wolsey, More and Cromwell. Pupils complete a comparative table on their attributes as Henry’s servants, their achievements, the reasons for their fall from power and whether they deserved their fate. Source evaluation of the scaffold speeches of More and Cromwell to judge the reliability of their words in context. Plenary / extension exercise in which students discuss why so many people aspired to work for Henry VIII given the risks. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Tudors. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint and worksheet that considers the problems faced by Queen Mary I and how she dealt with them. Activities include Starter activity in which students discuss why religion, gender and legitimacy all posed problems for Mary Tudor. Decision making exercise in which pupils take the role of Mary and consider how she should tackle problems like the Lady Jane Grey Plot, whether to marry, Wyatt’s Revolt, whether to join King Philip II’s war with France, and who her successor should be. Pupils complete a table to justify their decisions. Plenary source analysis exercise. Students analyse the advice offered by her relative Emperor Charles V at the start of Mary’s reign and judge whether she followed it. Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Tudors. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint and two worksheets that examines the events that took place in Mississippi in 1962 when Black civil rights campaigner James Meredith attempted to attend the all white Ole Miss University. The lesson covers the actions of Meredith, President Kennedy and the Federal Government, the Ole Miss Riot and its aftermath. Activities include Decision making exercise in which pupils must consider events from the perspective of James Meredith, the Governor of Mississippi, President Kennedy and the Federal Government based on prior learning of earlier civil rights campaigns and the nature of the southern states. Having discussed potential courses of action, pupils complete a gap fill activity of a passage of text to reinforce the actual events that took place. Ranking activity on the relative importance of the Meredith case, Brown vs Board of Education and Little Rock in improving access to desegregated education for Black people in the south. Designed for the teaching of Edexcel iGCSE History 4HI1 Paper 1 Depth Study 7 A Divided Union: civil rights in the USA, 1945-74. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint and two worksheets that examine the causes and consequences of the Seven Weeks War between Prussia and Austria in 1866 with particular emphasis on the roles of Bismarck, Prussia and the development of German Nationalism. Activities include Reading & comprehension exercise on the build up to the Seven Weeks War to establish whether Bismarck was reacting to events or master of events. Sorting activity on the reasons for the outcome of the war to establish those which Bismarck can and can’t take credit for. Analysis of the reasons for the outcome of the war to identify 3 or 4 overarching factors to explain Prussia’s victory. Analysis of map of the German Confederation during the Seven Weeks War to generate a discussion on the extent of German unity in 1866. Designed for the teaching of OCR History Y314 The Development of German Nationalism 1789-1919. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint (with 5 slides) and worksheet that examines the causes of Chairman Mao’s Hundred Flowers Campaign in 1957 including the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, economic concerns in China and an attempt to identify and punish opponents of the CCP. The lesson also considers the consequences of the Hundred Flowers Campaign, including the persecution of the Anti-Rightist Campaign. Activities include Quick Quiz Starter on the Thought Reform, 3 & 5 Antis Campaigns Analysis activity focused on the 1956 Hungarian Revolt and what conclusions Mao might draw it. Matching task on the causes of the Hundred Flowers Campaign with the correct explanation. Ranking activity on how convincing the suggested causes for the Hundred Flowers Campaign are. Evidence sorting task to consider whether the Hundred Flowers Campaign was a mistake by Mao or a trap for his opponents. An evaluation exercise to test the validity of an historians view of the Hundred Flowers Campaign given the evidence the pupils now know. Designed for the teaching of Edexcel iGCSE History 4HI1 Paper 2 Breadth Study B4 China: Conflict, Crisis and change, 1900-89. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace

PowerPoint, source pack & worksheet that examines the consequences of the Whitechapel murders and considers how the crimes should be remembered today. The lesson considers attitudes to women, crime, housing and poverty both in late Victorian England and today through the interpretations of George Bernard Shaw and historian Haillie Rubenhold. Activities include -Starter activity which tests the prior learning of factual information about victims, suspects and the environment of Whitechapel. Comparison of two versions of a memorial to Catherine Eddowes to consider why her plaque may have been redesigned. The main activity is a source analysis exercise to test George Bernard Shaw’s view that the Whitechapel Murders provoked positive change in the East End in the period that followed the murders. Plenary discussion on how the Whitechapel Murders should be remembered today with stimulus material of some controversial street art and the views of historian Hallie Rubenhold and Ripperologist Mickey Mayhew. Designed for the teaching of Key Stage 3 History. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint (with 10 slides) and four worksheets that examines the causes and consequences of Watergate. Material covered includes Richard Nixon’s personality, the key events of the scandal and the roles of Nixon, CREEP, the Plumbers, FBI informant Deepthroat, the Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, James McCord, White House lawyer John Dean, Federal Prosecutor Archibald Cox, Congress, President Gerald Ford and President Jimmy Carter. The consequences of Watergate for American politics, journalism and Nixon himself including key laws passed by Congress in the wake of Watergate. Activities include Source analysis activity to establish Nixon’s personality. Reading and comprehension activity to identify any actions by Nixon or his supporters that were illegal or might make him unpopular with the American public during Watergate. Matching activity to connect key groups and individuals with their role in the scandal. Pupils to label a visual web of the scandal to show how the key figures were connected to each other. A linking activity to match the new laws passed by Congress in the wake of Watergate with their purpose. Pupils to use their knowledge of the scandal to judge who emerged from Watergate as winners of losers and complete a table of supporting evidence. Ranking activity on who was most responsible for the end of Nixon’s presidency with several sources to stimulate discussion. Optional 8 mark question on the effects of Watergate that could be set for homework. Designed for the teaching of Edexcel iGCSE History 4HI1 Paper 1 Depth Study 7 A Divided Union: civil rights in the USA, 1945-74. Lesson Length: 2hrs depending on pace.

PowerPoint and worksheet that examines the extent of success Thomas Wolsey achieved in his administration of English domestic policy during the reign of King Henry VIII. The lesson considers his administration of Justice, Finance, Parliament, the Privy Chamber and the Church in England. Activities include Reading and comprehension task to highlight examples of success and failure in Wolsey’s domestic policy. Matching task connecting Wolsey’s abuses as a clergyman with the correct definition. Pupils add evidence to a table looking at the extent that his domestic policies were beneficial or detrimental to the King, the nobility, the common people and Wolsey himself. Plenary ranking activity to stimulate discussion on the relative success Wolsey achieved in different areas of domestic policy. Designed for the teaching of OCR History Y106 The Early & Mid Tudors. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint (with six slides) and a Word Document that examines the extent of success Thomas Wolsey achieved in placing his master, King Henry VIII, and England at the centre of European diplomacy between 1514 and 1520. The lesson considers the treaty of Saint Germain en Laye, signed with France in 1514, the Treaty of London in 1518 and the Field of the Cloth of Gold, 1520. Activities include Starter activity discussing why English foreign policy switched from war to peace in 1514 based on prior learning. Analysis of the terms of the Anglo-French treaty of 1514, and the events that occurred soon after, to identify supporting evidence for various interpretations offered about the territorial, economic and diplomatic success England enjoyed as a result. Evidence sorting activity to determine the extent the Treaty of London was a success for King Henry VIII and Wolsey given their aims. Source analysis exercise to consider whether the Field of the Cloth of Gold achieved English aims. Plenary ranking activity to stimulate discussion on the practical benefit for England of the three different examples of Wolsey’s peace policy considered over the lesson as well as the reputation benefit to King Henry VIII. Designed for the teaching of OCR History Y106 The Early & Mid Tudors. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint (with 6 slides) and one Word Document that examines the reasons why the police failed to catch Jack the Ripper in 1888. The lesson includes information on police failings (such as a lack of detectives, lack of co-operation between forces), issues with the environment of Whitechapel (alleyways, migrant populations, adversarial relationships with the police), and lack of technology (DNA, CCTV, fingerprinting). Activities include Ranking activity on the likely effectiveness of various tactics used to try and catch Jack the Ripper. Source analysis question on why the police did not offer rewards during the investigation. Source analysis exercise on the utility of a witness statement in aiding the police to solve the Whitechapel Murders. Evidence organisation task to identify three or four larger factors that help explain why the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper. Source analysis task on the reasons Charles Warren lost his job as Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Concluding discussion / paragraph on whether police failings were the most important reason why the murders were never solved. Designed for the teaching of Key Stage 3 History. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace. Resource reviews and ratings are always much appreciated and help others using the site.

PowerPoint & 2 worksheets that examine the causes and consequences of the Danish War of 1864 over control of Schleswig-Holstein with particular emphasis on the roles of Bismarck, Prussia and the development of German Nationalism. Activities include Starter Quiz on the status of Schleswig-Holstein prior to 1864 based on prior learning Reading & comprehension to identify any successes achieved by Bismarck & Prussia during the 1864 Danish War. Matching activity to link interested parties (Austria, Denmark, Prussia, the German Confederation & the Duchies themselves) with their hopes for Schleswig-Holstein. Activity in which pupils complete an evidence table with how Prussia benefited militarily, economically, territorially and in its relationship with Austria as a result of the Danish War. Ranking task on the benefits Prussia achieved above. Comparison of two passages by historians to evaluate which is more convincing in on the domestic consequences of the Danish War for Bismarck & Prussia. Concluding debate on whether the Danish War was a victory for German nationalists. Designed for the teaching of OCR History Y314 The Development of German Nationalism 1789-1919. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint & 2 worksheets that examine the key evidence for and against a number of prime suspects in the Whitechapel murders carried out by Jack the Ripper in 1888. The suspects covered are John Pizer, Montague John Druitt, Aaron Kosminski, Francis Tumblety, James Maybrick, George Chapman, Carl Feigenbaum, Michael Ostrog and Prince Albert Victor. It also raises the underlying prejudice that drove many of the accusations. Activities include Starter activity to analyse two very different sketches of the killer published in the Illustrated London News. Pupils to read mini-biographies on the suspects and use the information to complete a comparative table on key information about the suspects such as their location in 1888, their mental health, their nationality, whether they had a history of violence against women, whether they were known to have killed before or after 1888, etc. To spark discussion, pupils to score the suspects out of 10 according to how likely they were to have been guilty. Extension activity to identify the homophobia, xenophobia and Anti-Semitism that was an underlying feature of many of the accusations. Conclusion on whether any of the suspects were likely Jack given the evidence. This could lead onto an essay on the issue. Designed for the teaching of Key Stage 3 History. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint & 3 worksheets that examines the socio-economic backgrounds of the five canonical victims of Jack the Ripper: Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Kelly. Activities include -Starter activity to analyse what Booth’s survey tells us about Whitechapel in the 1880s. Discussion on what Annie Chapman’s photograph with her husband, the only one of the five victims who was seemingly pictured alive, tells us about the socio-economic status of the women as a group. Comprehension task in which students complete a table based on notes to identify whether the women had stable relationships with men, substance abuse problems, steady employment and access to accommodation. Causation activity in which pupils attempt to connect the socio-economic issues the women faced. Designed for the teaching of Key Stage 3 History. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.

PowerPoint & two worksheets that examine the causes of the decline of Austrian power in the 1850s. The Austrian economy, the legacy of the 1848 Revolts, the Crimean War, the Second War of Italian Unification and cultural differences with much of the German Confederation are all considered. Activities include Analysis of a letter from Bismarck to consider the nature Austro-Prussian relations. Linking activity to connect the problems Austria faced in this period with Austria’s policies and the consequences of those policies. Sorting activity on facts to determine whether they apply to Austria or Prussia. Ranking activity on how beneficial Austria’s problems were to Prussia. Designed for the teaching of OCR History Y314 The Development of German Nationalism 1789-1919. Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace.