This lesson focuses on planning and writing a 12-mark essay assessing which was more important in ending the depression in America: New Deal or WW2. The lesson starts with a rapid recap of both, swapping and sharing information, leading to a collaborative, modelled planning of the essay after exploring Level 3 criteria. Students then write a judgement to the essay and complete a judgement line plenary.

This lesson explores how WW2 affected the USA both positively and negatively. The lesson starts with a recap of key terms from the previous lesson (e.g. Cash and Carry), moving into a video introducing the impact of WW2 on US society/economy/politics. Students then use the hand out to create a table showing the positive and negative impacts of WW2, leading to application planning to an 8-mark response on the impact of war on African-Americans and women. Students then debate the overall impact of WW2 on America, leading to an interpretation plenary on the legacy of WW2, linking in knowledge gained from the lesson.

This lesson begins with students exploring what they already know about WW2, using a video then to note down how the US became involved. Students then explore the stages to war from 1935-1941 assessing how involved America was at each stage. Students then complete notes and questions on how Pearl Harbour was the trigger point for US involvement. Students then create a mind map showing how WW2 benefitted the US economy. A judgement plenary explores how ‘beneficial’ WW2 was for America.

This lesson explores how popular culture developed in the 1930s. The lesson starts by exploring what popular culture is with reference to today, considering what it can tell us of a society. Students then watch two videos which explore popular culture changes in the 1930s, leading to a data capture on popular culture changes in the 1930s. Students then plan or answer an 8-mark explain question on ‘in what ways popular culture changed during the 1930s’. Finally students use the criteria to mark or improve their own answer/plan.

A lesson exploring how effective the New Deal was in bringing recovery. The lesson begins with a recap of the Alphabet Agencies using a card sort, leading to completion of a data capture sheet assessing how far the New Deal worked across different groups/areas. Students then categorise the impact of the New Deal cards into successes and failures, allowing students to reach a summary judgement about the New Deal’s impact. Students then apply their learning to planning and 8-mark ‘which interpretation do you find the most convincing’ question, leading to a timed answer (with model answer included). The lesson concludes with students exploring which interpretation of the New Deal they find the most convincing and why.

This lesson explores the causes and variety of opposition to the New Deal. A source starter allows inferences of criticisms of the New Deal, leading to a video exploring motivations behind the critics. Students then explore one opponent in depth and present to either the whole class or small groups, building a picture of the five main opponents. An interpretation plenary allows a review of criticisms of the New Deal and interpretation skills.

A lesson exploring the aims, policies and agencies of the New Deal. The lesson starts with a hypothesis of Roosevelt’s priorities when he took office, leading to videos allowing an exploration of the positives and negatives of the New Deal. Students then complete the data capture sheet exploring the New Deal, leading to a categorisation of the different Alphabet Agencies into successes and failures. Students then make inferences from an interpretation on the success of the New Deal before a recap plenary of different agencies.

This lesson explores why Roosevelt beat Hoover in the 1932 election. The lesson starts with an interpretation of Hoover with students supporting and challenging this, leading to a consideration of what voters would want in 1932. A video then introduces the election, leading to students assessing in a tabe why Hoover was unpopular and Roosevelt popular. Students then complete a written assessment, leading to a judgement line plenary on who was responsible for the loss of the 1932 election.

This lesson explores how Herbert Hoover attempted to tackle the issues of the Great Depression. The lesson begins with an interpretation of Hoover, allowing students to make an inference. Students then explore the biography of Hoover and suggest what kind of a leader he would be. A video outlining Hoovervilles leads to an assessment of the different methods Hoover used to tackle the depression - for each students assess if each was a success or failure and why. Students then link the learning to a 4-mark describe question, revisiting the interpretation of Hoover as a plenary.

This lesson explores the groups who didn’t benefit from the boom in the 1920s. Students begin by using a video to assess how typical this would be, leading to an image comparison of rich v poor. Students then use an information sheet to rank the different groups in society, explaining who was ‘worst affected’ during the boom years. Students then apply their learning to an 8-mark explain question, self or peer-assessing their answers. A judgement line plenary allows students to assess how far everyone shared in the boom years.

This lesson explores the causes for and events of the Red Scare in the 1920s. A source starter explores the issues of the melting pot and fears of ideological differences, leading to video notes exploring why communism was so feared at this time. Students then explore why communism was feared, linking in the Palmer raids. Using a video and a card sort, students assess how the case of Sacco and Vanzetti showed attitudes towards immigrants at this time. Finally, students link their learning to a source showing fears of anarchists and communism at this time.

This lesson explores how the stock market worked in the 1920s, leading to an assessment of the benefits and dangers of gambling on the stock market. Students begin by using a video to explore some positives and negatives of the market. Using the handout, students create their own diagram of how the stock market works, making their own definitions for the key terms. Students then play a game exploring how the market worked by ‘buying’ their own shares. Students then summarise their learning in written answers, culminating in a discussion plenary of how ordinary people and companies benefited from the stock market boom.

This lesson explores the role played by Henry Ford and mass-production in the economic boom. The lesson begins with a recap of existing knowledge of mass-production, moving on to gathering information about the role played by Ford and his business. Students then use an information handout to explore in depth the role played by Ford and the impact on America’s economy/society. Using a further video students assess the advantages and disadvantages of mass production. Finally, students create an acrostic poem recapping Henry Ford and the economic boom.

The first lesson in the scheme American 1920-73: Opportunity and Inequality, focusing on what American society was like by 1920. The lesson begins with an exploration of existing knowledge of America, moving to exploring the American political system. Students then watch a video on how immigrants came to America through Ellis Island, leading to an assessment of which groups held the most ‘value’ in society at the time. Students then create a spider diagram on why people emigrated to America at this time, linking it to the melting pot idea. Finally, students summarise America society by 1920 with 5 key words or phrases.

This lesson focuses on the anti-war movement and how demands for peace escalated. The lesson starts with a picture starter, leading to a discussion over why opposition to the war increased after 1965. Students then complete a chart examining the different factors causing the growth in the anti-war movement, reaching a judgement. Two songs and their lyrics are then analysed to explore the role that songs played in influencing youth culture. Students then explore which anti-war slogans would have been the most effective at protests, leading a plenary vote on the most significant reason that impacted on the anti-war movement.

This double lesson explores what the My Lai Massacre was and how it influenced public views on the war. The lesson starts with analysis of a quote by Nixon, asking students to explore what the lesson is focused on. Students then use the video to note down why the massacre happened and what happened. A discussion then focuses on why students think the massacre occurred and who is to blame. Students then use a handout to explore how Charlie Company was and was not at fault, leading to an exploration of reactions to the massacre. Students then create a mind map of how the My Lai massacre contributed to US failure in Vietnam. Students then explore who they think was to blame for the massacre. The lesson culminates in planning and answering the following question: Write an account of how the Tet Offensive was a turning point in the Vietnam War (8 marks) - students can then write it up in timed conditions.

This lesson explores the events of the Tet Offensive and why it could be seen as a turning point in the Vietnam War. The lesson begins with a recap on why the US had been unsuccessful in the Vietnam War so far, leading to an introduction to Tet using two videos and students making notes on the events/impact. Students then use the hand out to examine Tet, highlighting Communist/US gains, leading to a completion of a table comparing how it was a Communist/US victory. Students then explore why it could be seen a turning point in the war, leading to a corners plenary.

This lesson explores how both Eisenhower and Kennedy increased US intervention in Vietnam and their similarities/differences. The lesson begins with exploration of existing knowledge of Eisenhower, using a video to make notes, with the same task utilised for Kennedy. Students then use the handout to create a table showing similarities and differences of their policies, leading to a detailed focus on the Strategic Hamlet Programme. Students then list any successes and failures so far for the US in Vietnam, finally assessing how far they agree that the Strategic Hamlet Programme was ultimately a failure for the US.